Academic Job Search Series: The Chalk Talk (2.26.25)

Featuring: Erik Lee Snapp, PhD, Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Author of "How to Design a Chalk Talk," in Molecular Biology of the Cell (6/2019). Full Bio HERE.

Description: Each faculty recruiting season, many postdocs ask, “What is a chalk talk?” The chalk talk is many things—a sales pitch, a teaching demonstration, a barrage of questions, and a description of a future research program. The chalk talk is arguably the most important component of a faculty search interview. Yet few postdocs or grad students receive training or practice in giving a chalk talk. In the following essay, I’ll cover the basics of chalk talk design and preparation.

This event is co-sponsored by the Boston Children's Hospital Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the HMS/HSDM Office for Postdoctoral Fellows