More Than STEM
for doctoral talent

Your journey doesn't have to be linear to be powerful.

My journey began with a bachelor's degree in biology, followed by a PhD in cell biology, where I studied the molecular mechanisms of cell signaling. I then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in virology at one of the nation's leading research universities, investigating the molecular mechanisms of HIV infection. During my postdoctoral training, I successfully competed for and secured an independent training grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—a milestone that positioned me well for a traditional academic career.

Yet after nearly 13 years at the bench, I realized that while I loved science, I no longer wanted the career path I had spent years preparing for. Like many doctoral-trained professionals, I found myself asking a question few people around me could answer: What comes next?

Choosing to leave academia wasn't a fallback—it was a strategic decision to pursue a career better aligned with my interests, strengths, and vision for impact.

That decision led me to Washington, DC, as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, where I discovered the many ways scientists can shape policy, influence decision-making, and solve complex problems beyond the laboratory. Since then, I've built a career spanning science policy, strategic communications, biodefense, program management, and management consulting, partnering with organizations across government, industry, and the private sector to solve some of our nation's most complex scientific and strategic challenges.

Along the way, I've also had the privilege of reviewing hundreds of résumés, interviewing talented life-science and adjacent STEM professionals for positions ranging from subject matter experts and consultants to program managers and scientific leaders, and helping organizations identify the qualities that distinguish exceptional candidates. I've seen career transitions from both sides of the table—as the scientist navigating change and as the leader evaluating talent.

That perspective is what makes More Than STEM different.

More Than STEM wasn't created from theory or generic career advice. It was built from lived experience. I've been where you are—wondering how to translate years of specialized training into meaningful opportunities beyond academia, searching for guidance that simply didn't exist.

I've been doing this work for nearly 26 years — since I earned my PhD in 2000. It's a passion and a way of life, not a passing interest. I formalized it as More Than STEM in 2020 because I still hear the same frustrations from newly graduated PhDs that I heard decades ago — and I'm committed to getting as many resources as possible to those who need them.

I understand the nuances of transitioning into science policy, consulting, communications, government, and industry because I've successfully navigated those paths myself. I know what hiring managers are looking for, how different sectors evaluate talent, and how to position scientific expertise so it resonates beyond the academic environment.

More Than STEM exists to bridge the gap between technical excellence and professional opportunity. My mission is to help life-science and adjacent STEM doctoral professionals build careers that are aligned with their strengths, values, and aspirations—not by starting over, but by recognizing, communicating, and leveraging the expertise they already possess.

If you've ever wondered whether your scientific training could lead to something more, you're in the right place. This community was built by someone who has walked that path—and is committed to helping you navigate yours with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

You don't need to become someone different to succeed beyond academia. You need to learn how to translate the value of who you've already become.

Read more about Dr. Thomas in a recent interview in The Sway.