Join Us in Celebrating Ten Years of Career Exploration
Be part of the 10th Annual Career Development Alumni Symposium, hosted by the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. Connect with experts, industry leaders, alumni, faculty, students, and postdocs for insightful discussions, networking, and career development sessions.
Friday, June 13, 2025 | Schwartz-Reisman Innovation Campus, Toronto
Symposium Schedule – June 13, 2025
- 12:30 PM – Registration Opens
- 1:00 PM – Opening Remarks
- 1:15 PM – Roundtable Session 1
- 1:45 PM – Keynote #1: 10 years of MoGen Career Development Alumni Symposia: Educating, Empowering and Enabling Students presented by Dr Leah Cowen & Dr Julie Claycomb
- 2:20 PM – Roundtable Session 2
- 2:50 PM – Keynote #2: From Academia to Industry: Insights into the MSL Path presented by Dr Aaron Cheung
- 3:10 PM – Coffee Break
- 4:00 PM – Roundtable Session 3
- 4:30 PM – Demo: Informational Interviews
- 5:00–7:00 PM – Networking Reception
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Julie Claycomb, Professor and Vice-Chair at the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Dr. Leah Cowen, Professor & Vice-President, Research & Innovation, & Strategic Initiatives at U of T
Dr. Aaron Cheung, Medical Science Liaison at Medtronic
Career Coaching Table
We offer one-on-one career advice from our expert career coaches, covering resume reviews, interview preparation, and personalized career planning
Mentor Match-Up
Meet with mentors from a wide array of career paths, including research, medical affairs, business development, bioinformatics, and more.
Keynote Title and Details
10 years of MoGen Career Development Alumni Symposia: Educating, Empowering and Enabling Students
With this 10th year celebration of the annual MoGen Career Development Alumni Symposium, we take a moment to reflect on the motivations for the department to develop this program for trainees in 2015, and where we are today in our efforts to educate, empower and enable students to take control over their career paths. We will discuss how graduate school can "trick" you into learning a wide range of extremely valuable skills for a range of careers in the context of thesis research, and will talk about the many opportunities grad school affords you, as well as how to get the most out of your graduate career. We'll end with discussions about how to tackle what can be a daunting task of career planning and what options there are for careers as graduates of this outstanding graduate program.
Speakers: Dr. Julie Claycomb, Professor and Vice-Chair at the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Dr. Leah Cowen, Professor & Vice-President, Research & Innovation, & Strategic Initiatives at U of T
From Academia to Industry: Insights into the MSL Path
MoGen alumnus and Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Dr. Aaron Cheung will share insights drawn from years of experience at the intersection of science and the medical device industry. The presentation will reflect on the questions frequently asked by graduate students: what exactly does an MSL do, how does one transition from academia into this role, and what skills are most valuable in industry? Through personal stories and practical advice, the speaker will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the MSL role and offer guidance for those considering careers beyond the lab bench. This talk aims to demystify the MSL path and highlight the many ways scientists can thrive in industry settings.
Speaker: Dr. Aaron Cheung, Principal Medical Science Liaison - Neurosciences (Medtronic Canada)
I realize I have more choices than I had expected
Sponsorship Opportunities
Showcase your organization's commitment to innovation and talent development by sponsoring the 8th Career Development Alumni Symposium.
Partner with us
We offer sponsorship packages for our partners to gain exclusive public relations exposure and networking opportunities at various levels. Please message us at mogen.communications@utoronto.ca