Fall 2015

Science and Engineering Seminars
Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars
Seminars for All Postdocs and Graduate Students

The 2015-16 Academic Job Search Series is co-sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Services, The Graduate School, and the Career Center.

Note: Most of the seminars will be videorecorded and added to the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel. As each video becomes available online, the link will be added to the corresponding seminar description below.
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Science and Engineering Seminars

Tues Sept 1, 9-10:15 am

WHAT: Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Academic Application Process (for postdocs and graduate students in the sciences and engineering)
WHERE: Rm 143 Jones Bldg
REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/nzn2hn7

In this session, a faculty panel in the sciences and engineering will discuss the faculty recruitment process from the search committee’s perspective. Topics include what the search committee looks for in application documents (CV, cover letter, research/teaching statements), the screening process, and selecting candidates to interview.

PANELISTS:
– Patrick Charbonneau, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Physics, and Computational Biology & Bioinformatics
– Dennis Ko, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Medicine
– Jennifer West, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
– John Willis, PhD, Professor of Biology

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services Youtube Channel

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Thurs Sept 17, 9-10:30 am

WHAT: The Academic Interview (for postdocs and graduate students in the sciences and engineering)
WHERE: Rm 103 Bryan Research Bldg (corner of Research Dr and Coal Pile Dr)
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8iR2FZNGVaE5dQN

In this session, a panel of Duke faculty members in the sciences and engineering will discuss the interview process for faculty jobs, including the campus visit, the job talk/chalk talk, and typical interview questions.

PANELISTS:
– Nicholas Heaton, PhD, Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
– Ann Marie Pendergast, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
– Amanda Randles, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
– Jennifer Roizen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services Youtube Channel

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Tues Sept 22, 9-10 am

WHAT: Negotiating the Academic Job Offer (for postdocs and graduate students in the sciences and engineering)
WHERE: Rm 143 Jones Bldg
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6tBDDNUmP2SdsLb

In this session, a panel of Duke faculty members will discuss the negotiation process. Questions include:
– What does a typical start-up package look like? How much can you negotiate it, and how can you provide justification for asking for more?
– How much grant money are you expected to bring if you get hired?
– What are some common pitfalls in the negotiation process?

PANELISTS:
– Douglas Marchuk, PhD, Professor and Vice-Chair, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
– Amanda Randles, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
– Jennifer Roizen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
– John Willis, PhD, Professor of Biology

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services Youtube Channel

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Tues Sept 22, 3-4:30 pm

WHAT: STEM Faculty Careers Beyond Duke (for postdocs and graduate students in the sciences and engineering)
WHERE: Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Bryan Student Center (next to Duke Chapel)
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0TXzRSM85xcepXT

Academic positions can take many forms depending on the institution. The average day at an R-1 institution is very different compared to a liberal arts college or a community college. In this panel session, faculty from various institutions will discuss their career path, how they prepared to go on the academic job market, and how academic hiring and promotion work. They will also discuss the split between research, teaching, and service, as well as work-life balance. Of special note, each of the panelists is a Duke alum.

PANELISTS:
– Henrick Dohlman, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC-Chapel Hill (PhD ’88, Biochemistry)
– Meghan McIntyre, MA, Instructor of Math & Physics, Wake Tech Community College (MA ’09, Mathematics)
– Nancy Moore, PhD, Teaching Assistant Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, NCSU (MS ’02, Mechanical Engineering)
– Cammey Cole Manning, PhD, Professor & Department Head of Mathematics, Meredith College (BS ’96, Mathematics and Computer Science)
– Nathan Wymer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, North Carolina Central University (PhD ’02, Chemistry)

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Weds Oct 7, 3:30-5 pm

WHAT: Academic CV and Cover Letter Workshop for STEM Graduate Students and Postdocs
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://www.myinterfase.com/duke/event_view.aspx?token=T1Q9vW8vfERzb6l0MTyIhA%3D%3D (for graduate students); https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bfPt63K9FUZ9N1b (for postdocs)

A curriculum vitae (CV) and a cover letter are the centerpieces to the academic job search. An exceptional CV is more than a list of your academic accomplishments; it allows you to market yourself to postdoc mentors and academic job search committees as a compelling candidate with relevant skills and knowledge. Academic cover letters are your opportunity to expand on your CV, tell your story in a way that makes it explicit how and why you add value, and illustrate your communication and persuasion skills. In this workshop you will learn how to craft compelling CVs and cover letters that emphasize how your specific skills and experiences will fit within and enrich the targeted academic institution.

PRESENTER: Dave McDonald, Assistant Director of Graduate Services, Duke Career Center

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Mon Nov 9, 3-4:30 pm

WHAT: International STEM Faculty in the US
WHERE: Rubenstein Library, rm 153
REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/IntlSTEM

In this session, a panel of international faculty members in the sciences and engineering will discuss their career process and experience in the U.S. They will also offer suggestions and advice for graduate students and postdocs who are interested in seeking jobs in academia.

PANELISTS:

Dr. Tuan Vo-Dinh, R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Chemistry, and Director of The Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics, Duke University
Dr. Sergei Sheiko, George A. Bush, Jr. Distinguished Professor, UNC Department of Chemistry
Dr. Haiyan Gao, Henry Newson Professor, Duke University Department of Physics

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Week of Nov 16

WHAT: Webinar: Careers in University Administration for STEM PhDs
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/AdminCareers

In this free online panel discussion, all panelists are ABDs and PhDs from STEM fields who have made the transition to careers in college and university administration. Panelists introduce themselves on Monday and take questions all week. You can interact with panelists through the discussion forum or follow the conversation via email. All questions welcome, from the most general to the very specific.

Duke’s subscription to The Versatile PhD is sponsored by The Graduate School. Registration at Versatile PhD is free and can be anonymous; use your Duke NetID upon registration to access subscriber-only content.

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Thurs Dec 3, 9:30-11 am

WHAT: “Productive Professor or Foibling Faculty? Starting Your New Academic Position Right” with Dr Mohamed Noor
WHERE: Rm 143 Jones Bldg
REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/op2mded

Are you a postdoc or graduate student planning to pursue a faculty career? Then please join us for a talk with one of Duke’s favorite professors and mentors, Dr. Mohamed Noor, Earl D. McLean Professor and Chair of Biology, and author of the book, You’re Hired! Now What? A Guide for New Science Faculty. New college faculty are well-versed in the scientific skills they’ll need for success in research, including design of projects, preparation of manuscripts and grant proposals, and interactions during peer review. Yet typically they receive no training in organization, management, or even basic college structure. In response to this need, Dr Noor will present his thoughts and advice for a successful faculty career. Dr Noor will be joined by fellow Duke faculty members Dr Jennifer Roizen, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and Dr Allison Ashley-Koch, Professor of Medical Genetics, for an informal discussion of the issues faced by new faculty.

SPEAKERS:

Mohamed Noor, PhD, is the Earl D. McLean Professor and Chair of Biology at Duke University. Having earned his PhD (Ecology and Evolution) in 1996 from the University of Chicago, he did postdoctoral work at Cornell. He joined the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University in 1998 as an Assistant Professor and held an adjunct appointment in Women’s and Gender Studies. In 2005, he joined the faculty at Duke. Supported from the outset of his career with continuous NSF and/or NIH funding, his research in evolutionary genetics focuses on the formation of new species and molecular evolution. Dr. Noor has received numerous research-related awards, including the prestigious Darwin-Wallace Medal from the Linnean Society of London. He is currently President of the American Genetic Association (2012) and has served in an editorial capacity for nine different journals. At Duke, he is Chair of the University Provost’s Advisory Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure. Despite these commitments, Dr. Noor is a tireless advocate and mentor for his students and lab members. In 2010, he received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Having negotiated his own balance between personal life (he is married with two school-age children) and the myriad responsibilities of a faculty position, he offers in his reader-friendly new handbook invaluable experience and insights for new faculty.

Allison Ashley-Koch, PhD, is Professor in the Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She received her PhD in genetics and molecular biology from Emory University. Dr. Ashley-Koch is a genetic epidemiologist whose primary goal is the identification of genes that contribute to human genetic disorders, including gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. Much of her work focuses on disorders of a neurological or psychiatric nature. Additionally, she is part of larger, collaborative efforts to examine the genetic contributions to birth defects through the Duke Taskforce for Neonatal Genomics, as well as risk for primary open angle glaucoma and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Ashley-Koch’s lab is taking a variety of molecular approaches to dissect these diseases, including next generation sequencing technologies, epigenetic methods, genomewide SNP analyses and candidate gene mutation analysis. Dr. Ashley-Koch’s administrative efforts include serving as Director of Graduate Studies for the Duke University Program in Genetics and Genomics, and Chair of the Scientific and Education Advisory Board for the Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation, Inc.

Jennifer Roizen, PhD, graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Chemistry and earned her doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology. She was awarded a Kirschstein-NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford University, and joined the Duke Department of Chemistry in 2013. Inspired by small molecule natural products, the Roizen lab research focuses on access to improved antibiotics and selective ion channel inhibitors, with implications for the study and treatment of cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders. Access to these small molecules enables the Roizen group to collaborate with colleagues to probe the biological activity of these molecular architectures.

Questions? Contact Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services.

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services Youtube Channel

“You’re Hired! Now What?” session, 2014

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Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars

Tues Sept 15, 3:30-5 pm

WHAT: Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Academic Application Process (for postdocs and graduate students in the humanities & social sciences)
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cVowGh2DZWFgB93

In this session, a panel of faculty in the humanities and social sciences will discuss the faculty recruitment process from the search committee’s perspective. Topics include what the search committee looks for in application documents (CV, cover letter, research/teaching statements), the screening process, and selecting candidates to interview.

PANELISTS:
– Candace Bailey , PhD, Professor, Music, North Carolina Central University (PhD ’92)
– Rodney Clare, PhD, Associate Professor, History, Elon University (PhD ’01)
– David R. Long, PhD, Chair, Social Sciences and Humanities, Durham Technical Community College
– Wahneema H. Lubiano , PhD, Associate Professor, Literature and African and African American Studies, Duke University

All graduate student and postdoc attendees at this event will be entered into a raffle to win a copy of Karen Kelsky’s book The Professor is In: The Essential Guide To Turning Your Ph.D. Into a Job. One copy will be given away at the end of the event; must be present to win.

Questions about this event? Contact The Graduate School’s professional development team at grad-profdev@duke.edu.

Access to the videorecording of this panel discussion is available by permission only. Request access via email to grad-profdev@duke.edu.
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Weds Sept 23, 3:30-5 pm

WHAT: The Academic Interview (for postdocs and graduate students in the humanities & social sciences)
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_dnDlWWTjsWL3yzX

In this session, a panel of faculty members in the humanities and social sciences will discuss the interview process for faculty jobs, including the campus visit, the job talk, and typical interview questions.

PANELISTS:
– Gregory Lilly, PhD, Associate Professor of Economics, Elon University (PhD ’88)
– Jeffrey Reaser, PhD, Associate Professor of English, North Carolina State University (PhD ’06)
– Joshua Sosin, PhD, Associate Professor of Classical Studies and History, Duke University (PhD ’00)

Questions about this event? Contact The Graduate School’s professional development team at grad-profdev@duke.edu.

View on the Office of Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

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Weds Sept 30, 3:30-5 pm

WHAT: Negotiating the Academic Job Offer (for postdocs and graduate students in the humanities and social sciences)
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eMa3ArUVjp1aFMN

In this session, a panel of faculty members from the humanities and social sciences address common elements that can be negotiated when an offer is extended. They also answer questions about common pitfalls in the process.

PANELISTS:
– James F. Kirkley, PhD, Associate Professor, Religion and Ethics and Chair, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Shaw University (PhD ’89)
– Elizabeth Marsh, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
– Mina Garcia Soormally, PhD, Associate Professor of Spanish, Elon University (PhD ’07)
– Yang Claire Yang, PhD, Professor, Department of Sociology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (PhD ’05)

Questions about this event? Contact The Graduate School’s professional development team at grad-profdev@duke.edu.

View on the Office of Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

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Weds Oct 21, 3-4:30 pm

WHAT: Academic CV and Cover Letter Workshop for Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate Students and Postdocs
WHERE: SSRI – Gross Hall, rm 270
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bmaOXHGgo0DmAx7

Refine and improve your CV and cover letter through the exploration of academic writing conventions–writing to your audience, technical aspects of the documents and promoting your personal narrative. Participants will be asked to participate in group-based activities and will provide and receive creative suggestions for document development.

Questions about this event? Contact David McDonald, Assistant Director, Duke Career Center, at dave.mcdonald@duke.edu.

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Mon Nov 2, 3 pm-4:30 pm

WHAT: Preparing for Faculty Positions in Liberal Arts Colleges: A Workshop for Humanities Graduate Students
WHERE: The Garage, Smith Warehouse, Bay 4
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/FacultyLiberalArts

The application materials for faculty positions at liberal arts colleges should look quite different from those at a research institution. This workshop provides the opportunity to get feedback on your materials and interview preparation from current faculty members at liberal arts institutions from across the country. The facilitators for this workshop are the 2015-16 Humanities Writ Large Visiting Faculty Fellows:

Max Gabriel Cherem, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Kalamazoo College
Amadou T. Fofana, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies, Willamette University
Meredith Goldsmith, Associate Professor of English, Ursinus College
Charles Edward McGuire, Professor of Musicology, Oberlin College & Conservatory

Due to limited enrollment, we ask that you only register for this workshop if you are certain you can attend.

Questions about this event? Contact The Graduate School’s professional development team at grad-profdev@duke.edu.

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Thurs Nov 5, 11 am-12:30 pm

WHAT: Humanities and Social Sciences Postdoc Information Session
WHERE: Rubenstein Carpenter Room 249
REGISTER: Registration closed

Join the discussion about Postdocs for the Humanities and Social Sciences. What opportunities exist? How do I find opportunities? What value does a Postdoc experience hold for me? If you are interested in speaking with current and former Postdocs, join us for a lively meet-up with three dynamic PhD’s who will share their Postdoc experiences.

PANELISTS:

–Anna Egalite, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development in the College of Education at North Carolina State University.

–Norma Marrun, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate and Dual-Language Specialist.

–Daniel Ahlquist, PhD, is a Fellow in the Thompson Writing Program.

Questions about this event? Contact Susanne Killian, Assistant Director of Graduate Student Career Services, at susanne.killian@duke.edu.

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Weds Nov 11, 12-1:00 pm

WHAT: A Social Sciences PhD’s Career Path as a Faculty Member
WHERE: Friedl Building 225
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/SocSciencesCareers

Our speaker for this talk is Alejandro Velasco, Associate Professor at New York University, where he holds appointments in the Gallatin School of Individualized and the Department of History. Before joining NYU, he held a post-doc fellowship at Hampshire College. A 2009 PhD in History from Duke, Alejandro specializes in urban politics in modern Latin America. However his work builds on deep interdisciplinary foundations he developed while at Duke’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, in working groups, courses, and conferences that brought together students and faculty in history, anthropology, literature, and political science. The recipient of a 2004-2005 International Dissertation Research Fellowship from the Social Science Research Council as well as several Duke Graduate School research and writing awards, he has published in journals like the Hispanic American Historical Review, the Latin American Research Review, and Labor. He also regularly writes for non-academic audiences, with op-eds in NACLA Report on the Americas, the New York Times, and History News Network, and contributing commentary on radio and TV outlets like NPR, MSNBC, Al Jazeera. His book Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela was published by the University of California Press in July 2015.

Lunch will be served, please bring your own beverage to enjoy.

Questions about this event? Contact The Graduate School’s professional development team at grad-profdev@duke.edu.

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Seminars for All Postdocs and Graduate Students

Mon Sept 14, 12-1:30 pm

WHAT: The Tech-Savvy Job Search (for postdocs and graduate students in all departments)
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3ek5SbWE2b50Wcl

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use an RSS aggregator to simultaneously collect search results from hundreds of job posting sites, including the Chronicle of Higher Education and many other well-established, reputable sources of academic job postings (it really is much more efficient than getting email alerts.) Bring your laptop.

PRESENTER: Hugh Crumley, Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs, Duke University Graduate School
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Tues Sept 29, 12-2 pm

WHAT: Gender Differences in Academia: Challenges and Choices along Career Paths in Higher Education
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0ixv3Unq3KZ8jLn

Men and women are still treated differently based on gender stereotypes, and higher education is not immune to gender bias. Whether one is seeking a career as a faculty member or some other type of position within academia, knowing the potential challenges one can experience is important. This presentation explores some of the possible situations women and men may encounter as well as provide information on current research findings related to the gender divide in college and university settings. Case studies will be shared so as to explore solutions and develop approaches to addressing gender discrimination.

NOTE: This Forum provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Duke postdocs are required to take yearly RCR training as outlined at http://ors.duke.edu/orsmanual/rcr-postdoctoral-researchers. If you are a Postdoctoral Associate or Postdoctoral Scholar and have attended either the day-long Postdoctoral RCR Forum or the 5-part Trent Center RCR Course, you are thereafter required to attend one RCR Forum (such as this one) every subsequent year of your postdoctoral training.

SPEAKER: Rhonda Sutton, President, STEP Notes, Inc.; Owner, InnerSights Counseling and Consultation

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Mon Oct 5, 12-1:30 pm

WHAT: The Teaching Statement (for postdocs and graduate students in all departments)
WHERE: Rm 217 Perkins Library
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_elJYFO7MTa5pkJn

A teaching portfolio is more than a collection of documents: it is set of claims about your teaching and evidence to support them. In this workshop, you will examine how claims and evidence can be framed in way that allows you demonstrate your skill (or potential) as a university instructor in a teaching statement supported by materials created by you (such as videos, handouts and student assignments).

PRESENTER: Hugh Crumley, Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs, Duke University Graduate School

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Thurs Oct 8, 9-11 am

WHAT: Identifying and Correcting Common English Grammar Mistakes in Academic Writing
WHERE: Rm 143 Jones Bldg
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8BTfbC2OZxSXuC1

Please join Dr. Ben Mudrak of American Journal Experts (AJE), who will discuss how to identify and correct common English grammar mistakes made in academic writing. American Journal Experts (AJE) has helped thousands of international researchers to eliminate language barriers and get their work published in the best journals in the world. AJE editors are researchers themselves, so they understand the importance of publication and can help authors navigate the often-difficult publication process. They are focused on helping individuals present their papers in perfect, publication-ready English. As a result, AJE is uniquely positioned to help authors identify and correct English grammar mistakes.

This workshop will include both lecture and hands-on editing activities. The lecture will open with discussion about grammar basics (subject-verb agreement, punctuation, etc.) with a focus on specifics related to academic writing. Tips for writing more concisely and maintaining a formal tone will also be discussed in the context of how to correct mistakes that international authors (and at times, US authors) often make.

SPEAKER: Ben Mudrak is the Communications Manager at Research Square, the company behind AJE. In this capacity, he helps convey the company’s mission by overseeing messaging both internally and externally (through the company blog, website, emails, and social media). Previously, he launched AJE’s author education program, including workshops, webinars, and educational content on the AJE Author Resource Center. He received his PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Duke University and has previously held positions as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology at Elon University. He also has three years of academic editing experience with AJE as a contract editor.