As you likely know, Dr. Teresa Evans, a neuroscientist who graduated from our Biomedical Sciences PhD Program, has served as the Director of the GSBS Office of Career Development (OCD) since 2014. Dr. Evans has recently accepted an exciting new career opportunity as a partner at RealCo Accelerator, right here in San Antonio. Dr. Evans actually conceived and launched the Career Development Office.

In that role, she developed a multitude of workshops, seminars, symposia, and other initiatives to help our students decide, and in many cases, realize their career goals. In addition, she has grown our community-based Career Advisory Council to over 40 members and regularly deployed these professionals in a variety of capacities, all directed at helping our students on their journey. Her efforts on campus have also extended well beyond the career advisory role. She helped found the innovative, inter-school Voices program, provided oversight for the NISD summer high school research experience, interfaced with and helped guide the GSA in their activities, helped to develop and coordinate Science Fiesta, and led many science outreach efforts in our local K-12 schools.

Given the continuum in training of early career scientists, it is not surprising that Dr. Evans also provided pivotal assistance to postdoctoral fellows as they transitioned from graduate school into advanced research training. Indeed, all career development activities that she established have been of immense value to trainees throughout the continuum. Additionally, she actively contributed to on-going programs in mentoring, grantsmanship, career development, and the responsible conduct of research (Entering Mentoring, F-Troop, Pathways to Careers in Science, and Spotlight on Research Integrity, respectively). Throughout, Dr. Evans has been a tireless, inspirational role-model and advocate for Health Science Center trainees.

In addition to launching the OCD, Dr. Evans designed her position between the Graduate School and Postdoctoral Office to acquire valuable experiences as she developed her own career path. To this end, she is now a Partner at RealCo Accelerator, a one-of-a-kind business accelerator designed to support the growth of San Antonio technology companies with a Business-to-Business working model (https://therivardreport.com/realco-accelerator-at-geekdom-to-back-local-global-startups/). In this role, Teresa is building the foundational programming that will be tailored to the needs of each portfolio company; this will include one-on-one coaching, mentorship, and strategic training programs. Dr. Evans’ research and career experiences in the GSBS have prepared her well for these new professional challenges.

So, join us in thanking Dr. Evans for all the wonderful initiatives and programs she has developed on behalf of our trainees and wishing her the best as she takes on this exciting new career. And this is not goodbye, but rather au revoir, because she will maintain a formal presence on campus as we transition to continue to develop the dynamic programs she initiated.

David Weiss, PhD Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Linda McManus, PhD Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs