PhD Career Exploration Fellow Spotlight: Isabel Yannatos (Hosted by Poverty Solutions at University of Michigan)

In the spring of 2022, 34 PhD students from a range of academic disciplines at Penn participated virtually in Career Services’ PhD Career Exploration Fellowship (CEF) program, where they were matched with a host organization to learn about different careers beyond the professoriate. Isabel Yannatos, a PhD candidate in Neuroscience, was placed as a Fellow with Poverty Solutions at University of Michigan. Read about Isabel’s experience in the CEF below!

Headshot of Isabel YannatosDescribe your experience working with your host:

Dr. Amanda Nothaft is super helpful and available. She is invested in the success of her mentees and made sure that our meetings were productive and geared toward my goals. Amanda was very open about her career path and her current position, which allows her to interface between academic researchers and community stakeholders. She has had a wide range of experiences in her own career, from city and state government to consulting and freelance.

What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, about career fields, the job search, etc.)?

I learned a lot about the types of positions and organizations that would allow me to pursue my interests and gain experience in areas outside my research topic. I knew that I wanted to apply research to real-world applications through policy, advocacy, and public health initiatives. This program helped to narrow my post-PhD search to either a policy fellowship or a research associate position.

How does your CEF experience benefit your future career plans?

The CEF helped me focus my career plans and create concrete goals that I can work on before I get to actual job applications. It also got me started on thinking about how to think about translating my PhD skills and experience to a non-academic position, which will be very helpful when I get closer to applying for positions.

What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?

Talking to Dr. Nothaft and hearing about how research and policy actually interact, and the differences between government, foundations, and non-profit organizations was very valuable. As a biomedical scientist, I had very little exposure to health policy or advocacy work before this. I was struggling to even get started with a career search and know where to look, and now I feel I have a clear direction.

Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF:

As a PhD student, it can be difficult to find a mentor outside of academia to guide a non-academic career journey. CEF provides mentorship and many other tools to help this journey at whatever stage you’re at.

By Jacob Myers
Jacob Myers 2021-2022 PhD Professional Development Fellow, Career Exploration Fellowship Program