TurningScience was founded in 2017 By David Giltner to help scientists design and build rewarding careers in the private sector.  It began with career seminars that David began giving in 2010 following the publication of Turning Science into Things People Need, a book featuring interviews with scientists who transitioned from academic research into productive careers in the private sector. In the years since TurningScience has expanded to include every continent except Antarctica!

Working in industry is very different than academic research, and the habits that we learn in an academic research environment are often counterproductive in a private-sector career. Therefore, we provide seminars, workshops, and personalized mentoring designed to teach scientists how to transition from academic research into successful and productive industry careers. We focus specifically on three career paths: (1) scientists working in the private sector as an employee in an existing technology company, (2) scientist entrepreneurs working to commercialize a new technology in a startup, and (3) Academic scientists who would like to grow their programs by collaborating with the private sector.