Mark Bayer

Absolutely, Vince. And really COVID is the historic use case of the importance of scientists being able to operate, communicate with the public. Sorry. Sorry about that. If COVID was really that historic use case where we saw scientists, Anthony Fauci all the way down. Anthony Fauci does an excellent job. He also had been in D.C. for over 40 years.

Absolutely, Vince. And really COVID is the historic use case of the importance of scientists being able to operate, communicate with the public. Sorry. Sorry about that. If COVID was really that historic use case where we saw scientists, Anthony Fauci all the way down. Anthony Fauci does an excellent job. He also had been in D.C. for over 40 years.

So he was very used to that kind of shift in ecosystem where he has to really talk to the public and how do they craft messages. When COVID happened in the US, we're talking about spring of 2020, it started happening everywhere. I had already been focused on helping scientists translate and communicate going back to 2018.

So he was very used to that kind of shift in ecosystem where he has to really talk to the public and how do they craft messages. When COVID happened in the US, we're talking about spring of 2020, it started happening everywhere. I had already been focused on helping scientists translate and communicate going back to 2018.

So it was just this historic example of the importance of scientists being able to translate their work in ways that preserve accuracy, that are true to the facts. and also resonate are relatable to, accessible to, memorable by the general public. And that was my real focus starting back in 2018.

So it was just this historic example of the importance of scientists being able to translate their work in ways that preserve accuracy, that are true to the facts. and also resonate are relatable to, accessible to, memorable by the general public. And that was my real focus starting back in 2018.

And then by 2020, I think scientists started to realize that if they didn't have this skill set, that they were really in jeopardy of becoming much less relevant in society.

And then by 2020, I think scientists started to realize that if they didn't have this skill set, that they were really in jeopardy of becoming much less relevant in society.

Sure. For the last two years, I've actually done the keynote for Harvard Medical School's orientation. So I also do talk to MDs, and they're the same challenges in many cases. So it could be a researcher at the University of Chicago, which I've worked with for a long time.

Sure. For the last two years, I've actually done the keynote for Harvard Medical School's orientation. So I also do talk to MDs, and they're the same challenges in many cases. So it could be a researcher at the University of Chicago, which I've worked with for a long time.

that decides they want to learn these skills because they're thinking after earning a PhD, say, in biology or neuroscience, that they're not going to stay in academia, that they're actually going to look for a job, could be at a startup, could be at a place like Pfizer, It could be for a biotech company. It might say, I want to go to Amgen. I want to get involved in public policy.

that decides they want to learn these skills because they're thinking after earning a PhD, say, in biology or neuroscience, that they're not going to stay in academia, that they're actually going to look for a job, could be at a startup, could be at a place like Pfizer, It could be for a biotech company. It might say, I want to go to Amgen. I want to get involved in public policy.

In the US, only about 8% PhDs across the board are actually staying in academia for their career. However, almost all of them are trained as if they're going to be tenure track professors. So they don't have this other dimension, generally speaking, to their skill set. And I led off with gathering these types of skills.

In the US, only about 8% PhDs across the board are actually staying in academia for their career. However, almost all of them are trained as if they're going to be tenure track professors. So they don't have this other dimension, generally speaking, to their skill set. And I led off with gathering these types of skills.

Whether you do stay in academia or you decide you want to do something different, the skills that we're talking about are really essential skills.

Whether you do stay in academia or you decide you want to do something different, the skills that we're talking about are really essential skills.

It's really interesting. Over the years, this dynamic, I think, has been changing. One question is, why is that? Why only 8%, 10%, 12% stay in academia? It can be a variety of reasons. First of all, actually, the number of tenure track positions has been shrinking. So there aren't really that many jobs. The other is the lifestyle. People are drawn to want to discover and create and do new things.

It's really interesting. Over the years, this dynamic, I think, has been changing. One question is, why is that? Why only 8%, 10%, 12% stay in academia? It can be a variety of reasons. First of all, actually, the number of tenure track positions has been shrinking. So there aren't really that many jobs. The other is the lifestyle. People are drawn to want to discover and create and do new things.

And that's really what we need. I think part of it is that sometimes they find I have to move around a lot. get to look at these different positions. Or the salaries as you're coming up through to try to get to that tenure track role can be really small. And it's very challenging to be able to operate in these different places with such a small salary. Then you say, I want to have a family.

And that's really what we need. I think part of it is that sometimes they find I have to move around a lot. get to look at these different positions. Or the salaries as you're coming up through to try to get to that tenure track role can be really small. And it's very challenging to be able to operate in these different places with such a small salary. Then you say, I want to have a family.