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"Generally, I find that people are attracted to enthusiasm if it's unfettered and for the right reasons," says Hendrik Poinar, director of McMaster University's Ancient DNA Laboratory.

"Suzanne is one of the hardest working scientists I know." --Patrick Phillips

"Andrea treats me like someone who’s intelligent enough to run a laboratory experiment by himself, but she’s always there for questions. She’ll have a long conversation with a former student who’s visiting from med school, or talk to us about our futures, or hang out and discuss TV. She’s your friend, and she cares about you." --Matthew Mansh

"We are trying to define new syndromes and new diseases in human genetics," says M.D.-Ph.D. Heather Mefford.

"As I look back at my busy life, I would not have been happy giving up either—career or family," says Margaret Dalzwell Lowman.

The latest survey of AAAS life scientists finds that pay increases outpaced inflation, especially for postdocs.

"Whether it's how we treat the environment or each other, it's all connected," says Martina Hoft, conservation botanist and real estate broker.

Every year the program scours the nation for eight talented students of color, who have at least a junior standing in college and who are pondering marine science careers.

The transition to graduate school required her to learn how to handle family and financial issues, while also keeping up with her studies and research.

"Programs should provide all NRSA trainees with additional professional development skills and career guidance."

"It was so different from anything else we experienced before. It was like we were on another world, like Mars." - Raymond Saumure, Wildlife Biologist at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.

“I’d like to be here [longer]. But now my wife and my baby are in Japan, so I have to go back.”

Your personal statement should clearly express your understanding of what graduate school is about and how the graduate degree will build upon your previous experiences toward the attainment of your career goals.

Systems biology seeks to connect the dots between molecular data. It's a hot career field, but success requires making connections between disciplines.

"You have to tell them that you're ready to do independent research because as a postdoc you're not going to be held by the hand anymore," says Anna Moraitis, NSERC Industrial Research fellow.

Asked to assess the programs, the panel threw up its hands.

“In the last 15 years, I had some good intuition that I always made sure I followed up on,” says Pierre Dutilleul, an applied statistician at McGillUniversity.

"It's easy to find things that work. But to produce them on a large scale and market [them], it's a whole new thing, and it requires a lot more expertise that maybe in-house researchers just don't have," says Hélène Chaisson, Vice-President of Research and Development, Codena.

Her past experiences helped her realize the importance of being a scientist and a mentor, and she currently uses her expertise to help manage natural resources and to bring women and minorities, especially Native Americans, into science.

"RISE wants all students, especially the ones who think they can't do it or aren't sure [about a career in science]." --Robyn Hannigan