Dr. Gian Carlo Molina-Castro is a neuroscientist, strategist, and educator at Johns Hopkins University, where he serves as the Assistant Director of PHutures. In his role, he works closely with the Executive Director of Doctoral and Postdoctoral Career Design to oversee the day-to-day operations of the university-wide career design hub, ensure financial integrity and budget allocation, spearhead strategic planning initiatives, and co-supervise and provide leadership for a diverse team of student staff members.

Throughout his tenure at PHutures since 2021, Gian has led a number of successful initiatives, including award-winning and internationally attended career conferences, data-driven hiring events, and career education curriculums. He has also been a frequent speaker at various universities and national conferences, where he shares his expertise on topics such as skill-building, career preparation, graduate education, and diversity and inclusion.

During his graduate studies at Hopkins, Gian led Project Bridge, the largest science education and communication student organization, and was an active participant at the Johns Hopkins Graduate Consulting Club. He also served as a member of the Doctor of Philosophy Board, which advises the Provost on graduate education issues and policies, and approves and reviews Ph.D. programs across the nine schools.

In addition, Gian is a strong advocate and proponent for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the student, faculty, and career services levels. Since 2020, he has led the strategy, execution, and implementation of the Passport to Future Technology Leadership program (PFTL). Funded by the Provost’s Office, PFTL is a 2-year career exploration, professional development, and mentoring cohort-based program for Ph.D. students from underrepresented backgrounds university-wide.

Gian has been recognized for his work with several prestigious awards, including the inaugural 2021 JHU Career Impact Award and the 2021 JHU Diversity Recognition Award. In 2022, he was one of five JHU Ph.D. candidates inducted into the Edward Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, which recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education. As a neuroscientist, he is an expert in glial biology and his scholarship has focused on studying cellular dynamics during cortical demyelination and remyelination in animal models of multiple sclerosis.

Gian obtained a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Johns Hopkins in 2023 and a B.S. in Cellular/Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus in 2018. In addition, he obtained a Professional Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus in 2015, and in Human Resources Management from the Ana G Mendez University in 2022.