SfN, Grass Foundation Launch New Leadership Development Series

SfN, Grass Foundation Launch New Leadership Development Series

WASHINGTON - SfN and The Grass Foundation announced a new leadership development series for early career neuroscientists focused on often-overlooked skills important for managing individuals, teams, and laboratories. This one-year pilot program will begin with an in-person workshop at SfN's annual meeting, Neuroscience 2024 (October 5-9, Chicago) followed by three virtual webinars in 2025.

The initiative is intended to support future leaders in neuroscience as they prepare to launch and manage a laboratory or research team. Skills in communications, personnel management, budgets, project management, leading change, and other competencies vital to leadership will be explored. The program is a response to known, longstanding shortcomings in standard graduate training programs related to these skill areas.

"With support from The Grass Foundation, we are excited to launch this new initiative to meet crucial areas of need in professional development for the next generation of leaders in neuroscience," said Marina Picciotto, PhD, SfN president. "This is the latest collaboration in an over 50-year relationship between SfN and The Grass Foundation to address the needs of the neuroscience community."

"We look forward to this expanded partnership with SfN to support the professional development of early career neuroscientists, providing vital leadership skills that will benefit both program participants and the field as a whole," said Matt McFarlane, PhD, Grass Foundation president. Through two endowments managed by SfN, the Foundation also supports the longstanding Albert and Ellen Grass Lecture at the SfN annual meeting and the Donald B. Lindsley Prize in Behavioral Neuroscience.

The new program will kick off with a "Foundations of Leadership Skills" workshop at Neuroscience 2024, led by Janice R. Naegele, PhD, SfN Professional Development Committee chair. Following the workshop, SfN will host three webinars in 2025 on specific leadership development topics. In this pilot phase of the initiative, the workshop and webinars are open to participants and alumni from select SfN programs and the Grass Fellowship Program. All webinars will be recorded and placed on Neuronline, SfN's online home for learning and discussion, so that these resources can later be made available to the broader neuroscience community.

For more information about this initiative, contact [email protected].

About SfN
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 35,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system.

About The Grass Foundation
Founded in 1955, the Grass Foundation has advanced neuroscience by supporting emerging scientists through research programs and outreach, with a focus on innovation, collaboration and accessibility.