The first career guide specifically tailored to the unique needs of international STEM PhDs

For foreign-born scientists holding temporary visas in the US, building a career while navigating the antiquated and restrictive American immigration system takes resilience and creativity. In this book, Sonali Majumdar, a fellow immigrant scientist and a professional development advisor for international doctoral students in engineering and the natural sciences, shares her expertise of how international scientists can be empowered to flourish in any career.

Unlike other professional development guides, Thriving as an International Scientist foregrounds the unique needs and skills of immigrant STEM PhDs at all career stages and across diverse sectors. Through recommendations for best practices of professional development and career design as well as stories of international scientists, this book also provides concrete, culturally appropriate tools for managers, faculty advisors, and other mentors. With a combination of hard-nosed advice and nurturing encouragement, Majumdar delivers a much-needed guide to help these often overlooked scientists forge a successful career path.

About the Author

Sonali Majumdar is Assistant Dean for Professional Development at the Graduate School of Princeton University and founder of the Graduate Career Consortium’s International Community of Practice. An international scientist trained in the US, she holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Reviews

“International scientists walk a hard road that features its own distinctive obstacle course. Sonali Majumdar has been down that road, and Thriving as an International Scientist is the perfect guidebook for a student, postdoc, or early career scientist looking to navigate it today.”—Leonard Cassuto, author of Academic Writing as if Readers Matter

“Thriving as an International Scientist is a groundbreaking contribution that fills a long-overdue gap in the literature. Authored by an international scientist and centered on the lived experiences of international scholars, this book gives voice to a global community often overlooked in professional development discourse. An essential resource for institutions, mentors, and scholars committed to building a more inclusive and globally engaged STEM community.”—Fanta Aw, CEO and Executive Director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators

“Sonali Majumdar has crafted a must-read for the nearly half of US STEM graduate students and postdocs who are, as she was, international scholars. Enlivened by countless stories, Majumdar navigates opaque US immigration regulations; animates bold life decisions; illuminates pathways for support, growth, validation, and well-being; and celebrates the crucial truth that international scientists bring fresh identities, perspectives, experience, and leadership that elevate innovation and science itself. Moreover, Thriving as an International Scientist is packed with wisdom—implicit and explicit—for domestic trainees, mentors, scholars, and policymakers.”—Keith Yamamoto, Professor Emeritus and Vice Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Francisco

“International graduate students and postdocs constitute the engine of much of the most exciting science in the US, and through their participation they establish and refine their own creative and professional character. Sonali Majumdar has written precisely the kind of guide that international scientists crave in order to succeed as resilient and brilliant professionals.”—Itai Yanai, Professor, New York University Grossman School of Medicine