Jen Heemstra

Thank you so much @dianvanderwaldr.bsky.social!!🙏

Highly recommended and should be read by all (future) group leaders! Thanks for sharing your personal struggles also
@jenheemstra.bsky.social 🧪

When setting goals, we often focus on achieving milestones like a PhD, job, tenure, or promotion. Those are great goals but they’re not enough.

We also need to think about:
-Why we’re pursuing that goal
-What specifically we need to do to succeed
-The values we will follow as we do the work

Thanks for adding the book to your collection!

An image of Jen Heemstra's book "Labwork to Leadership" over a background photograph of the Cambridge Chemistry Library

🚨New book alert🚨 We're very excited to add Labwork to Leadership by @jenheemstra.bsky.social (published by @harvardpress.bsky.social) to our collection! We hope it will be useful and of interest to our PIs and others planning their career in STEMM. #labworktoleadership #chemsky #chematcam

Super exited to be teaming up with #CASFutureLeaders and @petercarlton.bsky.social again to talk about strategies for growing leadership skills! It’s not too late to register for this free online event - link below.

And a few people will walk away with a signed copy of #LabworkToLeadership!

Back in August, @jenheemstra.bsky.social gave a wonderful talk to our 2025 #CASFutureLeaders. Now’s your chance to hear her strategies for science leadership. Register for this free webinar!

The more positional authority you have as a leader, the more you have to invite dissent if you want the best ideas to surface. Some of my favorites are:

-I’m not even sure I agree with my idea here…
-Please push back on this…
-I know there are a lot of good options…

Portrait of Taiwo Bankole, a doctoral student at University of Maryland, College Park, with text highlighting tenacity on an orange background.

Taiwo Bankole is a doctoral student at the University of Maryland, College Park. No matter what the challenge, she is determined to add “Dr.” to her name. Read more: https://awis.org/project/awis-member-spotlight-taiwo-bankole #WomenInScience

Three strategies to build science leadership skill, November 4

Excited to host @jenheemstra.bsky.social for our first #CASFutureLeaders webinar next month. If you’re an early-career scientist, don’t miss this opportunity! www.cas.org/resources/we...

Book Review: Labwork to Leadership Jen Heemstra offers essential skills for academic laboratory leadership, focusing on self-leadership and coaching others.

Thanks to Scott Hanton for a thoughtful review of #LabworkToLeadership in Lab Manager:
www.labmanager.com/book-review-...

Leadership skills are similar to research skills - we aren’t born knowing the best approaches but we can learn.

And just like learning how to be a researcher, growing as a leader involves making mistakes, listening to feedback, and improving over time.

Discovered on #ChemSky on Wednesday
Discussed with manager on Thursday
Purchased Friday
In the Library on Tuesday

Going to be a very useful resource, thanks @jenheemstra.bsky.social!

I hope you enjoy reading and best wishes on the job search!

Huge thank you to @rescorp.org and @jenheemstra.bsky.social for the signed copy of Labwork to Leadership! Perfect timing as I head into the chemistry faculty job market this year. 👀 #chemsky

Mindset: Becoming a professional ‘fail-er’ can prevent you from ‘fail-ure’ Making mistakes and failing are inevitable, especially in research. However, how you approach failing can impact your ultimate success.

Making mistakes and failing are inevitable, especially in research. However, how you approach failing can impact your ultimate success.

My latest blog post shares how becoming a professional ‘fail-er’ can prevent you from ‘fail-ure’
www.jenheemstra.com/resources/be...

As leaders, we often think about what we need to do each day.

Just as important is to think about who we want to *be* each day.

How we spend our time is important, but what we value and how we treat others is critical to achieving our desired outcomes for ourselves and those around us.

I’m glad it continues to be relatable even at this point in your career!

Wish I had read this book 7 years ago! Luckily, I could still find useful insights to apply tomorrow :) ‪thanks @jenheemstra.bsky.social‬

Thank you for reading!! I know how precious those moments of quiet are when your child is young!

Book

Traveling sans toddler so devouring this book! Thanks @jenheemstra.bsky.social for sharing your wisdom #Academicsky

A book and a QR code to a website

The new academic year means new goals, and if you're leading a research group (or yourself!) then some of those goals may be leadership goals.

To celebrate a new year and new goals, @harvardpress.bsky.social is giving 20% off #LabworkToLeadership through Sept.
www.hup.harvard.edu/books/978067...

New (academic) year, new goals! And one of the personal goals is to get back to training on the MoonBoard. Feels good to be back! #ChemistsWhoClimb

Excited to hear what you think @stefanierobel.bsky.social!

Got my Labwork to Leadership book by @jenheemstra.bsky.social today! Can’t wait to dive in #researchteams #researchleadership #PIs

The real magic of organic chemistry? The people who do it. Thanks to Professsor Malika Jeffries-EL (@chemdiva.bsky.social ) for sharing her story with us. We look forward to reading and watching yours. Please use #AmplifyOrganic

I often feel busy or overwhelmed and don't have the time I want for the things that bring me joy. Can you relate?

My latest blog post dives into the question we *often* ask when making decisions about our time and the question we *should* be asking instead.
www.jenheemstra.com/resources/wh...

Cover of Labwork to Leadership

In the new book Labwork to Leadership, chemist Jen Heemstra offers actionable leadership advice to principal investigators.

Read the #ScienceBooks Review: https://scim.ag/4mljVr1

Agreed! As we advance in our careers, the paths become more complex, and the need for guidance grows.

✅ Investing in mentorship relationships can bring transformative rewards to both your personal growth and professional development.

@jenheemstra.bsky.social

ACS Council approves the petition to establish the Committee on the Advancement of LGBTQ+ Chemists, 86% to 14%.

#chemsky 🧪⚗️ #acsfall2025