Success in research and research-related fields requires a solid background in a specific discipline in addition to extensive practical experience. However, for individuals to develop into accomplished professionals, a wide range of "survival skills" also are needed. These skills include the ability to make oral presentations, to publish research articles, to learn and teach, to obtain and keep a job, to manage stress and time, and to behave responsibly. Graduate programs that focus on research typically do not provide comprehensive training in these areas. Although most successful professionals learn such things through trial and error, this approach is inefficient at best. Through our programs, we encourage the development of mechanisms for assisting members of the community in developing these essential skills.

Local activities: This effort began around 1985 at the University of Pittsburgh when we started to offer occasional workshops on a few survival skills. Over the years it has evolved into a series of eight all-day workshops offered over the fall and spring terms. Discussions of responsible conduct are integrated into the instruction, as are issues of particular relevance to minorities and women.

National activites: Through funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, we run an annual "trainer-of-trainers" conference for faculty. Through this conference, the first of which was offered in 1995, we disseminate our educational model: Participants receive the instruction and materials necessary to establish a course in survival skills and ethics at their institution. As of June 2005, we have trained approximately 353 individuals from 235 institutions.

Outreach activities: We frequently make invited presentations on learning and teaching Survival Skills and Ethics at a variety of   national and international institutions and conferences. Our long-term outreach projects include providing training in professional skills to intramural postdocs at NIH, as well as to researchers in Africa and China .

More information on the Survival Skills & Ethics Program and the rationale behind it is available in the article

Fischer, BA and Zigmond MJ. Promoting responsible conduct in research through 'survival skills' workshops:  Some mentoring is best done in a crowd.  Science and Engineering Ethics (2001) 7:4, 563-587. 

Acknowledgements:  The Survival Skills & Ethics Program is funded by the University of Pittsburgh, the National Institute of Mental Health (MH62208, MH56194), and the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke (NS39805, NS46740).  In the past, support has also been provided by the National Science Foundation (EVS 9620004).