Liz Salm
Posted in Staff Spotlight
January 11, 2024
- Name
- Liz Salm
- Preferred Pronouns
- She/her/hers
- Title
- Director, Graduate and Postdoctoral Training & Development, Biomedical Graduate Education
- How long have you worked at Georgetown?
- Four years
- What led you to your position here at GUMC?
- While completing my PhD in neuroscience at Yale University, I found myself growing more interested in the structures supporting the research enterprise. I knew that I wanted to pursue a position in academic administration where I could make an impact on others in the biomedical field. This role at Georgetown has allowed me to use my background knowledge of biomedical research and graduate education to work broadly with the GUMC research community.
- In your role, how do you interact with the GUMC community?
- One part of my role allows me to work directly with Biomedical Graduate Education students and postdocs through career development resources and workshops. I also support faculty with NIH training grants throughout the lifecycle of the grant including applications, progress reports, administration and policies. Both aspects give me the opportunity to collaborate with staff members across GUMC in many ways.
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
- I enjoy helping others, whether through my interactions with students and postdocs as they navigate their career journeys or through supporting faculty as they put together training grant applications.
- What is a skill you have that might surprise people?
- I really enjoy knitting and am almost finished with my largest project to date: a blanket!
- What did you learn about yourself as a professional during the pandemic?
- I learned that I can focus much better with fewer distractions, which is very important for some of my work. But I also found that I generate ideas more quickly when interacting with others, which means I need balance in my work.
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- In my free time, I like to read, walk in nature, and play board games and Dungeons & Dragons.
- What is your greatest achievement (personal or professional)?
- Both finishing my PhD and the relationships I’ve built with my family.
- What is the best lesson you have learned from working at GUMC?
- I’ve learned that working in a collaborative environment is both healing and inspiring. The connections we build with others can feed the soul, making life more enjoyable.