A curriculum vitae sample is an essential document for anyone applying for research or academic jobs. It provides a concise summary of your qualifications, skills, research experience, publications, honors and awards. While a resume focuses more on work history and responsibilities, a CV emphasizes research, teaching, and service accomplishments.
For research careers in particular, your CV will be one of the key documents reviewed by hiring committees. It is a chance to highlight your unique contributions and demonstrate why you are well-suited for the role. Careful preparation of your CV is crucial to making a strong first impression and getting your foot in the door.
This article provides an in-depth research paper curriculum vitae sample to use as a template. The sections and content are intended to align with common academic CV guidelines. It can be adapted to fit your specific discipline, years of experience, and personal qualifications.
Education Section
Starting with education is standard on academic CVs. List your universities, degrees earned, majors/minors, dates, and any honors or awards. For example:
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
PhD in Neuroscience, anticipated May 2023
Minor: Biochemistry
GPA: 3.9/4.0, Dean’s Honors List (2018-2021)
Dissertation: “The role of circadian rhythms in memory consolidation”
Advisor: Dr. Jane Doe
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
BS in Biology, May 2015
Minor: Chemistry
GPA: 3.8/4.0, Magna Cum Laude
Research Experience Section
Highlights research positions, projects, and laboratories you have worked in. Describe your role, responsibilities, and any notable outcomes or findings. For example:
Graduate Research Assistant, UC Berkeley Neuroscience Department, Aug 2018 – present
Conducting experiments investigating circadian regulation of gene expression in the hippocampus
Analyzing hippocampal tissue samples using RT-qPCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence techniques
Assisted in writing and publishing two papers in Journal of Neuroscience
Undergraduate Research Intern, City of Hope Medical Center, Summer 2014 & 2015
Studied chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer cell lines under Dr. Smith
Developed culture and treatment protocols, performed cell proliferation assays
Presented findings at annual campus research symposium
Publications Section
List full citations for any published or forthcoming papers. Peer-reviewed publications give strong evidence of your research accomplishments and competency in the field. For example:
Refining, T., Johnson, B., Doe, J. (2021). Conditional deletion of BMAL1 in the hippocampus impairs long-term memory consolidation. Journal of Neuroscience, 41(7), 1492-1502.
Zhang, X., Refining, T., Doe, J. (In Press). Circadian disruption altersCLOCKprotein expression and downstream effects in the hippocampus. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.
Conference Presentations Section
Share relevant talks, posters, or workshops given at scholarly conferences. These networking opportunities further demonstrate your involvement in the research community. Include presentation titles, events, and dates. For example:
Refining, T., Doe, J. “Circadian regulation of long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.” Poster presented at Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, November 2019.
“Manipulating Bmal1 expression to study circadian effects on memory.” Oral presentation given at International Conference on Genetics of Behavior, Portland, OR, July 2020.
Teaching Experience Section
Highlight any teaching assistant (TA), tutoring, or instructor roles. Outline duties, courses assisted with, and any feedback/evaluations. This section corroborates teaching potential. For example:
Teaching Assistant, UC Berkeley, Fall 2020 – present
Lead discussion sections for Introductory Neuroscience (50 students each semester)
Held weekly office hours and review sessions, graded homework and exams
Received “Highly Effective” evaluation both semesters from faculty supervisor
Professional Development Section
Include seminars, workshops, or certifications related to research, teaching, or career advancement. For example:
Grant Writing Bootcamp, SfN Careers, August 2020
Data Visualization Workshop, UC Berkeley Data Institute, November 2019
National Institutes of Health Grant Writing Seminar, Stanford University, June 2018
Skills Section
List technical skills such as laboratory techniques, data analysis programs, research databases, or languages that are applicable to the role. For example:
Lab Techniques: Cell culture, PCR, immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, animal handling
Data Analysis: GraphPad Prism, RStudio, ImageJ, Excel
Research Databases: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov
Languages: Python, HTML/CSS
Honors and Awards Section
Note competitive scholarships, fellowships, or other recognition that highlights your achievements and potential. This section boosts your candidacy. For example:
NIH Neuroscience Training Grant, 2020-2022
UC Research Travel Award, 2019
Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society, 2015
Dean’s Scholarship, University of Southern California, 2011-2015
References Section
Provide contact information for three professional references, usually advisors or collaborators, who can speak to your qualifications, work ethic, and track record. For a research position, it’s best if references are also academics or researchers.
This concludes a sample academic curriculum vitae geared towards a research career. The key components emphasize research productivity, teaching merits, and relevant skills that qualify you for academic research roles. With careful customization of content, formatting, and design, a strong CV can help differentiate your application from others and lead to more interviews. Maintaining an up-to-date CV is also important to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Andrew Stroud