Designing Dynamic Global Careers as an International Ph.D.

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Building a career as an international Ph.D. student and postdoc involves unique challenges that can limit your vision of what's possible. This interactive workshop with Dr. Sonali Majumdar, based on insights from her book Thriving As An International Scientist (UC Press, 2025), will help you reframe limitations into possibilities and design dynamic paths for fulfilling careers. You’ll discover creative frameworks, confidence-building tools, and practical strategies for long-term success in diverse careers, within and beyond the United States. Light snacks provided.

Speaker: Sonali Majumdar, Ph.D. is Assistant Dean for professional development in the Graduate School of Princeton University. Her book is the first career guide specifically tailored to the unique needs of international STEM PhDs, and recently recognized by Nature Magazine in their 9 Books to Read in 2026 to Shape your Science Career feature. Born and raised in India, she earned Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Georgia and did postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she developed a passion for enhancing training of early career scientists.

She now builds innovative professional development programs and multi-sector partnerships to empower Ph.D.s to solve complex socio-scientific problems through dynamic careers. Since 2018, she has developed two innovative and field-leading PhD-level professional development programs, PhD Plus at University of Virginia and GradFUTURES at Princeton University. Determined to make systemic improvement and data-informed decisions, she directs Princeton Graduate School’s efforts in tracking long-term career outcomes of graduate alumni and served as administrative lead for the UVA’s pilot of AAU PhD Education Initiative. Nationally, she contributes to the field through leadership in Graduate Career Consortium (GCC), articles in Inside Higher Ed and Science and talks at national meetings hosted by NASEM, AAU, GCC, NPA. 

This workshop is part of the Careers Beyond Academia series sponsored by The Graduate School and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.