Dr. Luay Nakhleh: The Expanded Scientific Skillset

In this episode, we introduce and explore the “expanded” scientific skillset. Dr. Luay Nakhleh, who was recently named Dean of Engineering at Rice University, describes how communication is a requirement for leadership. He tells us the story of when he decided to grow his own communication skills, how he began improving, and the rewards of being an effective communicator. Additional skills such as marketing are discussed. For instance, Dr. Nakhleh explains how skillful marketing can help scientists spread their work and increase their impact. Further skills discussed include writing, listening, reading, people skills, networking, and literature review. For each of these skills, we attempt to highlight how they complement traditional career skills in STEM, why they are important, and how this importance can change depending on a person’s career goals.