Injury Brown Bag Series

About the Brown Bag Series

The Penn Injury Science Center’s PhD Injury Brown Bag Series is a monthly lunchtime program that brings together doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, and injury science researchers from across the University of Pennsylvania.

Designed to foster mentorship, collaboration, and career development, the series provides an informal setting to learn about ongoing injury research, discuss career pathways, and build connections across disciplines.

What to Expect

Each session features:

  • A 30-minute presentation from an injury science researcher
  • An interactive discussion with trainees
  • Opportunities to discuss research methods, funding, career development, and collaboration
  • Networking with peers, mentors, and experts from across Penn

Lunch is provided at all sessions!

 

Who Should Attend?

 The series is open to:

  • PhD students
  • Postdoctoral fellows
  • Medical residents and clinical fellows
  • Other trainees interested in injury science

Participants represent schools and departments across Penn, including public health, medicine, nursing, social work, and other related disciplines.

Why Participate?

Brown Bag sessions are designed to help trainees:

  • Learn about current injury-focused research across disciplines
  • Explore mentorship and dissertation committee connections
  • Discover opportunities for collaboration
  • Share their own research interests and works in progress
  • Gain practical insights into funding, grants, and academic career development
  • Expand their professional network within the Penn injury science community 
Join the Brown Bag Series

 

Session Format

Guest speakers share their line of research, which may include a single project or a broader research program. Presentations take place in a casual environment that encourages question, dialogue, and learning opportunities. Group discussions are facilitated by Sara Jacoby, PhD, MPH, RN and John Holmes, PhD, FACE, FACMI.

Speakers often discuss:

  • Current and emerging research
  • Collaboration opportunities for trainees
  • Funding and grant experiences
  • Career lessons and advice for early-career researchers
  • Future directions in injury science

Collaborative environment with insightful questions

“The sessions felt like a collaborative environment with insightful questions and discussion occurring that kept it engaging.”

 

Great feedback

“I contacted some of the researchers after sessions and got great feedback on how to seek partnerships in this moment of limited funding and identified a new potential research partner.”

 

Extending mentoring relationships with researchers in my field

“It facilitated my meeting and extending mentoring relationships with researchers in my field and has provided an exciting view into the many ways injury science can be done.”

 

Join the Brown Bag Series!

Join the Brown Bag Series

Participants report that their own work was influenced or refined through participation in the series and conversations with fellow trainees and researchers.

By participating, you’ll become part of a growing network of injury science trainees and mentors while gaining exposure to research, funding opportunities, and collaborations across Penn.