Description: This month’s panelists will discuss their experiences as postdocs at an NSF-funded convergence research center, the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability Center (STEPS Center). They will begin with a brief overview of how their previous experiences with interdisciplinary research shaped their interest in and capacity for conducting convergence research. The presentation will focus on describing a set of shared challenges as well as the benefits of engaging in “arrow” work in this context. They will conclude with an open discussion with seminar attendees on suggested best practices and potential career paths for convergence postdocs.

Panelists:

• Kimberly Bourne, Appalachian State University,

• Alison Deviney, North Carolina State University

• Ashton Merck, North Carolina State University