March 23
@
12:00 PM
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1:00 PM
How Serious Fun (and Mild Panic) Led Me from Academia to Venture Innovation
Christopher Konop, PhD
Innovation and Commercialization Specialist
Isthmus Project
UW Health
Abstract:
Most scientific careers don’t follow a straight line—and mine certainly didn’t. I’ve moved from academia to startups, consulting, and eventually venture innovation. I’ll share a few brief stories from building WiSolve, stepping into life‑science consulting, and helping develop the Isthmus Project to spark conversation and address the career-development questions that are top of mind for graduate students and postdocs. I’m glad to offer practical insights, hot tips, and lessons learned along the way. Spoiler: none of it would have been possible without great mentors and a generous network.
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