2026 Ph.D. Connections Career Conference View Other Sessions

During Ph.D. Connections, participants will be able to learn from industry experts about an array of careers in an interactive and supportive environment. The goals of Ph.D. Connections are to enable students and postdocs to:

  • Increase Awareness: Discover careers available to Ph.D. holders in a variety of industries and sectors.
  • Develop Skills: Learn about skills and key competencies important in different industries.
  • Network Effectively: Develop strategies and connections to explore careers and foster lifelong networking practice.

Ph.D. Connections is co-sponsored by the University Career Center, Rackham Graduate School, and the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Registration Instructions:

Please ensure that you have selected all the sessions that interest you before submitting your registration.

Use the sections below to register for various portions of the conference:

  • Virtual workshops
  • Networking round-tables
  • Networking lunch
  • Keynote address


Lunch & Keynote

Available Seats 120
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Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.) (Assembly Hall - 4th Floor)
Joseph Barber, Ph.D.

After everyone has gotten their food, our keynote speaker, Joseph Barber, will share his keynote address titled, “From ChickIntrovert to Wolverines: An Animal-Themed Guide to Ph.D. Careers. Barber is the director of graduate career initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, supporting graduate students and postdocs from across Penn’s 12 schools. He earned his Ph.D. in animal behaviour from the University of Oxford, where he studied the behavior of chickens. As a first‑generation graduate student, he once agreed enthusiastically to a “3:3 teaching load” during a campus interview for an assistant professor role without actually knowing what it meant–an experience that now fuels his commitment to demystifying academic and nonacademic career paths and to staying curious about whatever comes next. Unlike many chickens, Joseph identifies as an introvert.

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