Ellen Dobson
👋 Hey PhDs… Let’s Talk Careers! 🔬 Scientist Turned Career Development Leader & Advisor 🌱 Empowering PhDs to Build Fulfilling Careers
- Role
- Postdoctoral & Graduate Program Manager at Morgridge Institute for Research
- Location
- Madison, WI, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Ellen Dobson
I am a career development professional with over 20 years of experience across scientific…
Experience
Postdoctoral & Graduate Program Manager
Morgridge Institute for Research
Feb 2024 — Present · Madison, WI, US
I lead professional and career development initiatives for postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and early-career scientists, ensuring they build research expertise, transferable skills, career readiness, and inclusive mindsets. My work aligns with Morgridge’s mission to spark curiosity for science, connect scientists with the public, and promote appreciation for basic research.Core Responsibilities• Design, deliver, and evaluate leadership, professional development, and career training programs.• Provide 1:1 advising on career exploration, application materials, interviews, and decision-making.• Manage the Morgridge Interdisciplinary Fellowship Program.• Build collaborative programming with UW–Madison and external partners.• Foster community among trainees, scientists, and institute leadership.Select Achievements• Designed and launched new workshops and webinars on topics including Managing Conflict & Difficult Conversations, Navigating the Mentorship Spectrum, Researching Career Options, One Conversation at a Time and many more!• Invited speaker for National Postdoctoral Association SmartSkills Series; co-facilitated mentoring and career development workshops with partners from University of Michigan, BioImaging North America, and multiple UW–Madison departments.• Certified Facilitator of CIMER’s Entering Mentoring curriculum; co-facilitated multiple research mentor training cohorts.• Provided over 120 individual advising sessions in 2024–2025 to graduate students, postdocs, and staff scientists across 15+ research groups.• Organized 20+ roundtable networking sessions, connecting trainees with faculty, alumni, and industry leaders.• Developed custom AI-powered tools to help scientists optimize resumes, prepare for interviews, and explore career paths; invited speaker on integrating AI into career services.
Education
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
BS
2001 — 2005
The University of British Columbia
PhD
2005 — 2010
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