6-WEEK VIRTUAL biotech CAREER ACCELERATOR
Launch Your Career in Biotech & Life Sciences
STEM Connect is a virtual, 6-Week Career Accelerator (July 9 - Aug 13) designed to help students & early-career professionals explore career pathways in biotech and life sciences, strengthen their professional network, and gain real-world industry insight through curated sessions, industry engagement, and community.
Included with MelanInScience Membership · $150 for non-members
STEM Connect is part of the MelanInScience Ecosystem. All participants receive full member access.
Explore Careers in Biotech, Build Industry Connections, and Accelerate Your career Growth!
Connect with Industry Professionals
Engage directly with scientists, founders, operators, and leaders across biotech.
Explore Biotech Career Pathways
Learn about both technical and non-technical roles across the life sciences ecosystem.
Build Your Professional Brand
Strengthen your resume, networking approach, LinkedIn presence, and career positioning.
Grow with Community
Join a cohort of ambitious students and emerging professionals navigating biotech careers together.
The STEM Connect Program
6 Weeks. live Virtual Sessions.
Led by real biotech professionals, each session is designed to provide real-world insight into biotech careers while building professional confidence and community.
Participants will also gain access to a supportive network of peers and professionals across the life sciences ecosystem.
Program Format
Weekly Live Sessions
Thursdays: July 9 – Aug 13 · 4:00–5:30 PM PST
On-going asynchronous support
By the end of the program you will:
Understand how the biotech industry operates end-to-end
Learn how to position yourself for science career pathways
Build real relationships within the industry
Develop communication skills for high-impact environments
To receive your end-of-program certificate, participants must attend at least 5 of the 6 live sessions.
Pricing:
Included with your MelanInScience membership at no additional cost · $150 for non-member participants
Enrollment is now open!
Program outline
Welcome 2026 industry partners & SPEAKERS!
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Sanofi
Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth.
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Bio-Techne
Bio-Techne empowers researchers by providing high-quality reagents, instruments, custom manufacturing, and testing services with our family of brands.
2026 program speakers
Dr. Carmen Banks, Ph.D.
Founder @ MelanInScience Senior Scientist, Root Applied Sciences
Aneesa Valentine
Senior SciOps Engineer, DataJoint Founder @ Impakt Bio
Jasmine Muse
Sr Manager, Global Regulatory Affairs, CMC, UCB
Dr. Michelle Collins, PHD, MBA
Senior Director, Strategic & Innovation Development, Bio-Techne
Adam Edwards
U.S. IPA-Payer & Reimbursement Lead | Vaccines, Sanofi
Allie Boutin
Director, Lead, US Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy, Rare Disease, Sanofi
Diego Perez Gamboa
Senior Associate Scientist II, Immunology & Inflammation, Sanofi
Sandra Casiano
Head of Global scientific communications, Sanofi
Frequently Asked Questions
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The STEM Connect is a career development program designed to expose students & early career professionals to careers in biotech, biopharma, and related STEM industries. The program bridges the gap between academic training and industry careers through educational programming, professional development, and direct engagement with industry leaders.
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Nope, the program is open to everyone!
We welcome students and professionals of all levels and backgrounds, including STEM and non-STEM!
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To receive your end-of-program certificate, you’ll need to attend at least 5 of the 6 live sessions.
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Absolutely! All programming is virtual and timezone-inclusive when possible.
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Plan for 1.5 hour per week, plus self-paced professional development assignments.
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Participants will gain:
Insight into diverse career pathways across the life sciences ecosystem
Professional development skills (career navigation, networking, personal branding)
Direct engagement with industry professionals and companies
Expanded professional networks and access to workforce opportunities
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Once registered, you will receive a calendar invite and virtual meeting link for all your chosen sessions, as well as access to our private slack channel.
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Although we do recommend joining the MelanInScience Professional Network to get the most out of the program and to receive access to all of our other events, resources, and community offerings — membership is not required to participate in the program.
Join the Community Today: https://melaninscience.memberful.com/Non-members are welcome to register at a rate of $150 per participant.
MelanInScience members receive access to the Accelerator at no additional cost as part of their membership.
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For questions about the UC Davis STEM Connect Program, please contact Carmen at: melaninscience@gmail.com