Author: Ron Hunter
Ron
Hunter
The Art of Asking
Repeatedly, we have heard the maxims, “ask and you shall receive”, “close mouths don’t get fed”, or “knock and the door will be opened” said in one way or another. I proffer the general point in the form of another adage - if you do not ask, the answer will always be no. On more tha...
Ron
Hunter
Navigating Through a Government Job World
Chemists work everywhere! Over the years, I interviewed for jobs ranging from forensic chemist at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to research professor at Drexel University. As PhDs, we have mastered the art of learning. As a result of completing an ultra-specific dissertation, one of...
Ron
Hunter
Schools, Networks, Companies: Does Size Matter?
From my viewpoint, this is completely dependent on what you need at each step in your educational and professional careers. On beginning undergrad, I had narrowed down my choices between going to the University of Miami (11,380 undergrads in 2015) vs. Mercer University (4,419 undergrads in 2015)....
Ron
Hunter
Diversity Matters: Am I a Unicorn?
As a graduate student, I completed my dissertation research in a laboratory external to the chemistry department in the Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) at Emory University. Due to this, I nurtured a relationship not only with Emory University’s main career center, but also one with caree...
Ron
Hunter
Lost and Found: Surrendering to Opportunities, Rediscovering Long-term Goals
My grandmother often remarked that I had been here before, which meant that I was an old soul. More than knowing what I wanted as a child, I anticipated the future with a sixth sense. This remained true until the end of graduate school. I finished my PhD in chemistry, and all of the anecdotal evi...
Ron
Hunter
Good or Bad: It is still change
At my desk, I have a sign that reads, “The most dangerous phrase in the language is ‘we’ve always done it this way’ by Rear Admiral Grace Hopper.” Growing up as a child of a military serviceman can be seen as the ultimate training in becoming comfortable with change. We moved around q...
Ron
Hunter
Field Your Position
The Little League in Georgia selected my six-year-old godson to play in the All-Star team, and I was excited to attend the final game. Not only did the coach ensure each child had a turn to bat, but he also allowed each child to man a different position on the field throughout the course of the...