Upcoming Postdoctoral Professional Development Events
MAY SCIENCE CAFÉ
When: Thursday, May 23
Time: 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Where: Webster's Café (133 E Beaver Ave.)
In collaboration with Webster's Cafe downtown, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is creating a science cafe, where postdocs and assistant research professors from all disciplines get an opportunity to present their research to general audience. Typically, the cafe will be at 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays, once a month, with two presenters, with a short 15 minute talk each, followed by Q&A with the audience. May's presenters include Weston Eaton, PhD (Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education) and Kristen Brochu, PhD (Entomology). If you are interested in presenting from July onwards, please email postdocaffairs@psu.edu.
PAST EVENTS
WRITING A DIVERSITY STATEMENT – J. Marcela Hernandez
When: Friday, April 19th
Time: Noon-1:00 p.m.
Where: Online webinar
Marcela Hernandez will be hosting a webinar for Penn State postdocs on how to write a diversity statement for job applications. Dr. Hernandez received a Bachelor of Science, in Molecular Genetics, and an MS and PhD in Biochemistry. Her scientific training and research in biochemistry and molecular biology focused on control of gene expression at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Her role is to design and implement programs to enhance retention, and support of postdoctoral scholars including a special focus on those from underrepresented backgrounds. She became a scientist thanks to an excellent PhD advisor who inspired her, trained her, and mentored her. For this reason she is very passionate about mentoring and is working to help the next generation of STEM professionals navigate successfully to rewarding careers and become more competent in the areas of diversity and inclusion. Dr. Hernandez is also the mother of twin boys, one of whom has learning disabilities, which has made her active in the area of support and advocacy of students with disabilities at the K-12 and college levels.
A Zoom link will be sent to those registered during the week of the webinar.
REGISTER HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/fB8TschBx0i312Pc2
SEMINARS ON THE LANDSCAPE OF ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS IN USA & CRAFTING A TARGETED COVER LETTER – Pallavi Eswara
When: Wednesday, April 24th
Time: Noon-2:00 p.m.
Where: 229 HUB
Pallavi Eswara, Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, will be presenting back-to-back seminars on the landscape of academic institutions in the United States, as well as how to craft a targeted cover letter for faculty and research positions.
REGISTER HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/
WRITING A TEACHING STATEMENT WEBINAR – Brian Rybarczyk
When: Thursday, April 25
Time: 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Where: Online webinar
Dr. Brian Rybarczyk will be hosting a webinar on how to write a teaching statement for faculty positions. As Assistant Dean in The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brian Rybarczyk, Ph.D. coordinates and implements academic and professional development trainings for graduate students in all disciplines across a range of core competencies. He has over 15 years of college teaching experience teaching biology and education courses. As co-administrative director for UNC Chapel Hill’s involvement in the Center for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) and as co-director of the SPIRE Postdoctoral Fellowship program, he is most interested in supporting graduate students’ and postdoctoral scholars’ transition into the classroom and into their first professional academic positions.
A Zoom link will be sent to those registered during the week of the webinar.
REGISTER HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/
PLANNING YOUR FIRST COURSE - Larkin Hood
When: Wednesday, March 27
Time: 12:00-1:30pm
Where: 134 HUB
In this 75-minute session, you will begin to build the foundation of a course you plan on teaching in the future.
Specifically, you will engage with activities and resources to: 1) Identify a main learning objective for your course and describe it using precise language; 2) Identify appropriate activities, assignments, and exams that will teach to and test for the learning objectives; 3) Assess the appropriateness of your course plan
Dr. Larkin Hood is an instructional consultant and Assistant Research Professor at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include the pedagogical aspects of undergraduate research, and the roles of undergraduate students as teachers. Her areas of specialty include: teaching and learning in STEM disciplines, new faculty interests and issues, and teaching writing in the sciences. You can bring your own brown bag lunch and beverage.
REGISTER HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/QRKcnHJVG6xmV1033
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKSHOP
When: March 20, 2019
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
REGISTER AT https://goo.gl/forms/nMdqgXrHaB2FlZYh2
Know your strengths, interests, values and explore career options through this interactive session
STRUCTURE AND AGILITY IN YOUR PROJECT PLAN
When: Monday, March 11 from 12:00-2:30pm
Where: 134 HUB
Presented by Dr. Rose Baker, Assistant Professor in the department of Learning Technologies, College of Information, University of North Texas and adjunct faculty Penn State University.
The goal of this workshop on Project Management is to help you answer the following questions:
What do you consider during project planning?*When does a waterfall approach apply?*When does your project need agile processes?
This workshop is to help you determine what is working well in your research project, what is not working so well, how to maintain progress, and how to get your research project back on track, if needed. The knowledge and skills you will take away from the session have been used by other project managers to deliver research project outcomes within budget, schedule, and resource constraints. Included in the session will be an overview of the best practices for developing the project scope, building a work breakdown structure, creating and managing a project budget, defining and allocating resources, maintaining a communication plan with team members and stakeholders, and identifying and managing risks. Bring your questions about your research projects; opportunities will be available to receive suggestions and recommendations for your research projects. Participants will be asked to complete a survey prior to the workshop to provide information about their projects and challenges in advance to have solutions as part of the presentation.
WEBINAR
February 13, 2019
When: 3:00-4:30 p.m.
BEEN THERE DONE THAT are a series of webinars organized by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairswhere postdocs who have transitioned into various non academic and academic careers in United States or elsewhere will present their personal experiences and advice in finding their current career track. These webinars will also include resources by Office of Postdoctoral Affairs related to that career track. The first one will be a webinar featuring Dr. Sadiye Amcaoglu Rieder, an immunologist at MedImmune/AstraZeneca.
The webinar will focus on the personal experiences of Dr. Rieder on finding a job within the industry, specifically on how to look for positions, getting your resume noticed, the interview process, and the day-to-day responsibilities of a typical industry scientist position.
Jan 11, 2019
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Online
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Know your strengths, interests, values and explore career options through this interactive webinar. Set SMART goals and create a plan to achieve them.
Start building your own Individual Development Plan.
Via ZOOM. Link will be sent to those registered.
Open to postdoctoral fellows, scholars, assistant research professors from all disciplines.
January 16, 2019
from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
in 134 HUB
PANEL DISCUSSION ON INTERVIEWS AND NEGOTIATION FOR FACULTY POSITIONS
Panelists are
Dr. Christina Grozinger, Distinguished Professor of Entomology
Dr. Lauren McPhillips, Assistant Prof. Civil Engineering/Ag engineering
Dr. Christian Peco Regales, Assistant Prof. Engineering Science and Mechanics
Dr. Nitin Samarth, George A. and Margaret M. Downsbrough Department Head and Professor of Physics
Whether you are currently on the job market or intend to do so in the coming years, attending this panel will help you learn about the interview and selection process and also about how negotiation for a faculty position works.
If you are a Penn State postdoctoral scholar or fellow whose work is located outside University Park or you are working remotely on Jan 16, please indicate in the comment box of the registration form.
We will try our best to include you