Beyond Academia: Careers for PhDs in Behavioral & Brain Sciences
January 16, 2026
Panel 1: Nonprofit
Nora Bradford
Science Writer and Lecturer
Previous Positions: Graduate Student at Penn and News Intern at Scientific American
Degree field: Cognitive Science with concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
Best part of my current position: With each new piece I write, I get to learn about a new corner of science that I wouldn’t have otherwise encountered and speak to new researchers who are passionate about what they do.
Advice: Don’t wait until after grad school to explore other career tracks! Internships, informational interviews, freelance work, and industry collaborations throughout your PhD can help you figure out your trajectory early on.
Contact: bnora@sas.upenn.edu
Jayatri Das
Chief Bioscientist, The Franklin Institute
Previous Positions: Senior Exhibit & Program Developer, The Franklin Institute; Postdoctoral Researcher, UPenn
Degree field: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Best part of my current position: The variety of projects I get to work on and the people I get to talk to.
Advice: Put yourself in a place that lets you solve the kind of problems you want to solve. Don’t step into a role just because others expect you to.
Contact: jdas@fi.edu
Oren Gur
Director of DATA Lab, Director of Research, Policy Advisor, Philly DAO
Previous Position: Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Penn State Abington
Degree field: Criminology, Law, and Justice
Best part of my current position: Working daily to directly improve the city where I was born and raised by providing information to decision-makers
Advice: There is an opportunity for a huge effect size when government use data and research more. Policy and practice are increasingly informed by data and research, and helping leverage local data and research to inform local policy and practice is both challenging and rewarding. A little data can go a long way.
Contact: Oren.gur@phila.gov, @orengur.bsky.social
Panel 2: Industry
Lisa Bromberg
Lead Learning Designer, Duolingo
Previous Positions: Senior Manager of Learning & Curriculum (Duolingo), Assistant Director of Outreach, Global Studies Center (University of Pittsburgh), French Teacher, various locations (Tuxedo Park School, University of Pennsylvania, Salamanca High School)
Degree field: French Studies
Best part of my current position: Solving interesting learning problems that no one has had to address before, like how do you teach language in 15 minutes a day on a mobile platform
Advice: Stay flexible and curious; the world needs you, but it might need you in ways that aren’t exactly like what you’re doing now. You can still do it!!
Contact: lisa@duolingo.com
Linda Chang
Applied Behavioral Scientist, Toyota Research Institute
Previous Position: MindCORE Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Degree field: Psychology
Best part of my current position: I enjoy being part of a team where scientists and engineers with different expertise come together to solve meaningful problems. I also really appreciate the balance of autonomy and impact in my role, and the chance to do creative, meaningful research that helps accelerate carbon-neutral behaviors and technologies.
Advice: Talk to as many people as you can about their paths outside academia, and really listen to what their day-to-day looks like. Take time to reflect on your core values and which parts of your current role you’d want to keep, change, or leave behind.
Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamlindachang/
Rebecca Nappa
Senior Data Scientist, Amazon
Previous Position: User Research Intern, Pearson Education
Degree field: Psychology
Best part of my current position: The pace, the impact, the ability to innovate, but most of all the colleagues!
Advice: When job-hunting, choose a company, product, or field that you can get (at least a little!) excited about and push towards that as your goal – you may wind up very far afield, but the whole process will be faster and more pleasant if you have good answers to the questions “What kind of job are you looking for?” and “Why?” Also, don’t be shy, use any connection you have and make new ones wherever you can! They’re the best way to learn about organizations and opportunities, and no one will find it strange if you reach out to them just because you both went to the same high school or have a random mutual acquaintance.
Contact: nappattack@gmail.com
Teresa Schubert
Senior Editor, Nature Reviews Psychology
Previous Position: Postdoc, Harvard University
Degree field: Cognitive Science
Best part of my current position: Staying connected to research without conducting it myself
Advice: Put out the word that you’re looking at alternative careers and ask everyone you know for advice and contacts! Everyone I know who has left academia is more than happy to chat and share their experiences, even if you aren’t sure yet exactly what you might want to do.
Contact: Teresa.schubert@us.nature.com
Panel 3: Short Talks
Maarten Bos – “Academia-Industry-Academia”
Lecturer, Wharton Marketing
Previous Position: Lead Research Scientist, Manager, at Snap Inc.
Degree field: Behavioral Science
Best part of my current position: Inspiring a new generation of leaders
Advice: Find work that aligns with your values.
Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartenbos/
Xiaozhi (Taro) Yang – “Industry Internships During PhD”
MindCORE Postdoctoral Fellow
Previous Position: Research Intern at Snapchat
Degree field: Psychology
Best part of my current position: As a MindCORE postdoctoral fellow, I have a great deal of freedom to pursue my research interests. I have strong autonomy over my time and projects.
Advice: If you’re curious about what industry jobs are really like or are uncertain about academic career, the best way to find out is through firsthand experience. Trying different paths can help you better understand what you enjoy, what fits your working style, and what kinds of problems motivate you in everyday life. There is no single “right” trajectory, and exploring your options early can make future decisions feel more informed and less stressful.
Contact: xiaozhi2@sas.upenn.edu