Fall 2021


The 2021-22 Academic Job Search Series is co-sponsored by The Graduate School and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Thurs Sept 9, 11-11:30 am

WHAT: New Faculty Zoom with Lauren Slosky, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0lhyRHLB2hyGflk

As part of a series of short, focused conversations with PhD and postdoc alumni who successfully navigated the academic job market during the pandemic, we’ll feature Lauren Slosky, PhD, an incoming Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota. Lauren is a postdoc in Cell Biology and will begin her role at UMN in November 2021.

We’ll ask each guest five questions about their experiences as new faculty members:

  1. Could you tell us a bit about your institution and your responsibilities there as a new assistant professor?
  2. How did you adapt to changes in the application and interview process and/or onboarding for your position due to the pandemic?
  3. Given the impact of the pandemic, are there any specific experiences, credentials, or qualifications (eg, online teaching experience) that your department or institution now seeks in potential hires?
  4. What advice would you offer current postdocs and grad students who will be applying for faculty positions soon?
  5. What is the hiring outlook at your institution? (please note that the answer to this question may be “We don’t know yet.”)

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Tues Sept 28, 3-4:30 pm

WHAT: The Teaching Statement: A Workshop
REGISTER: https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/events/teaching-statement-workshop

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). This workshop is suitable for postdocs and graduate students in all academic disciplines.

Speaker: Hugh Crumley, PhD, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, the Graduate School

Weds Sept 29, 1-2 pm

WHAT:  Preparing for Postdocs in the Social Sciences and Humanities
REGISTER: https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/events/preparing-postdocs-social-sciences-and-humanities

Join a panel discussion featuring Duke PhD alumni currently in postdoctoral roles to gain insights on navigating the application process for these positions, as well as making the most of your time in a postdoc.

Panelists:

  • Samuel Bagg, PhD ’17 (Political Science), Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow in Politics, Nuffield College and Departmental Lecturer, Politics and International Relation, Oxford University
  • Laura Bellows, PhD ’19 (Public Policy), Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Postdoctoral Fellow, EdPolicyWorks, University of Virginia
  • Meggan Farish Cashwell, PhD ’19 (History), Postdoctoral Research Associate in Legal History, School of Law, University of Virginia

We will address the questions below to start the conversation. Attendees can share additional questions for the panelists through the registration process.

  1. Can you tell us about your current position and what is expected of you as a postdoc? (e.g., teaching, presentations, mentoring/advising students, etc.)
  2. What advice would you offer to current grad students for crafting their application materials for postdoc positions? How do these materials differ from applications for faculty positions?
  3. Why did you pursue a postdoc? How do you see this experience fitting into your professional trajectory?
  4. What’s one piece of advice you’d share for making the most of a postdoc experience?

Thurs Sept 30, 10-11:30 am

WHAT: Managing Your Research Career Using an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6EvHiuluVCZqB02

For better or for worse, your experiences and the training you receive as postdoctoral researchers and graduate students can greatly shape the rest of your career. However, there are strategies and resources that can increase your chances of getting what you came for. During this program, participants will learn how to develop clear and specific goals and objectives, along with a plan for executing them.

Topics include:

  • The importance of setting goals and developing an IDP.
  • Introduction to the SMART goals model.
  • Resources for crafting and executing your IDP.
  • Strategies for establishing expectations and effectively communicating research and career goals with your mentor/PI.

Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is the Associate Director at the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career management education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.

NOTE: This seminar provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Note that you will not receive credit if you arrive for this event late or leave early. Questions? Email Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services, at molly.starback@duke.edu, or Hugh Crumley, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, at grad-rcr@duke.edu

Thurs Sept 30, 1-1:30 pm

WHAT: Alum Zoom: 5 Career Questions with Annie Jeong, PhD, Assistant Director of Education and Diversity, University of Pennsylvania
REGISTER: https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/events/alum-zoom-five-career-questions-annie-jeong-phd-17-assistant-director-education

As part of a series of short, focused career conversations with former Duke PhD students and postdocs, we’ll feature Annie Jeong, PhD ’17. Annie serves as the Assistant Director of Education and Diversity for the Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB), an NSF-funded, multi-institutional Science and Technology Center based at the University of Pennsylvania. In this role, Annie directs the center’s undergraduate and STEM outreach initiatives and strives to make a more inclusive and cohesive graduate and postdoctoral community through trainings, mentorship, and recruitment. Annie received her PhD from Duke University’s Program in Genetics and Genomics in 2017. Prior to joining the CEMB, Annie worked with biomedical PhD students and postdocs as the Assistant Director of Career Education in the Professional Development and Career Office at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

5 Questions:
1.  Can you tell us about your background?
2.  How did you get your job?
3.  What’s a typical day like at your organization (pre- and post-COVID)?
4.  What can postdocs and students who would like to work in this field (or explore it further) do to prepare?
5.  What is the employment outlook for this field, given the COVID crisis? (please note that the answer to this question may be “we don’t know yet”)

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Weds Oct 6, 11-11:30 am

WHAT: New Faculty Zoom with Kate Ostevik, PhD, Assistant Professor of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5ijdKc6qbfPKLYO

As part of a series of short, focused conversations with PhD and postdoc alumni who successfully navigated the academic job market during the pandemic, we’ll feature Kate Ostevik, PhD, Assistant Professor of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside. The Ostevik Lab studies diversification in flowering plants (ie, how and why species arise, change, and go extinct) using field collections, greenhouse experiments, and population genomics analyses.

We’ll ask each guest five questions about their experiences as new faculty members:

  1. Could you tell us a bit about your institution and your responsibilities there as a new assistant professor?
  2. How did you adapt to changes in the application and interview process and/or onboarding for your position due to the pandemic?
  3. Given the impact of the pandemic, are there any specific experiences, credentials, or qualifications (eg, online teaching experience) that your department or institution now seeks in potential hires?
  4. What advice would you offer current postdocs and grad students who will be applying for faculty positions soon?
  5. What is the hiring outlook at your institution? (please note that the answer to this question may be “We don’t know yet.”)

Thurs Oct 7, 11-11:30 am

WHAT: New Faculty Zoom with Crystal Reynaga, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology, Bryn Mawr College
REGISTER:  https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39vw6MDQl4TygvQ

As part of a series of short, focused conversations with PhD and postdoc alumni who successfully navigated the academic job market during the pandemic, we’ll feature Crystal Reynaga, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology at Bryn Mawr College since June 2020 and former Duke postdoc in the Patek lab, Biology. Dr Reynaga’s research investigates questions that lie at the intersection of musculoskeletal physiology and movement mechanics. Her lab employs an integrative approach using modern physiological and engineering tools, such as electromyography, muscle imaging, biological materials testing, high-speed videography, computer vision, and 3D printing. As a Chicana scientist, her experiences in STEM have motivated her to devote her career to help increase diversity in STEM fields and broaden the public’s perception of science and scientists.

We’ll ask each guest five questions about their experiences as new faculty members:

  1. Could you tell us a bit about your institution and your responsibilities there as a new assistant professor?
  2. How did you adapt to changes in the application and interview process and/or onboarding for your position due to the pandemic?
  3. Given the impact of the pandemic, are there any specific experiences, credentials, or qualifications (eg, online teaching experience) that your department or institution now seeks in potential hires?
  4. What advice would you offer current postdocs and grad students who will be applying for faculty positions soon?
  5. What is the hiring outlook at your institution? (please note that the answer to this question may be “We don’t know yet.”)

Tues Oct 12, 11 am – 12 pm

WHAT: Writing Your DEI Statement
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5AyBAta6glxZsh0

Many employers – not just colleges and universities – have made a commitment to hiring and retaining a diverse and inclusive staff. As part of that approach, many job applications ask that you include a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement (or DEI Statement) in your application materials. But what exactly is a DEI statement, and what goes in it? We will address these and other questions in this workshop on Writing Your DEI Statement.

Speaker: Garth Fowler, PhD, is the former Associate Executive Director for the Center for Education in Psychology at the American Psychological Association, where he directed the APA’s efforts in producing resources and information to help psychology graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and those that teach them, improve their training and career success. Before coming to APA, Garth was a faculty member and Assistant Chair in the Northwestern University Department of Neurobiology. His first job after finishing his postdoc was the Outreach Program Manager for Science Careers, the online career resources for Science magazine & AAAS. Garth has a BA in Psychology from the College of Wooster, a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington-Seattle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Salk Institute in San Diego, CA.

Weds Oct 20, 1-1:30 pm

WHAT: New Faculty Zoom with Rachel Gevlin, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, Birmingham-Southern College
REGISTER: https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/events/new-faculty-zoom-rachel-gevlin-phd-20-assistant-professor-english-birmingham

As part of a series of short, focused conversations with PhD and postdoc alumni who successfully navigated the academic job market during the pandemic, we’ll feature Rachel Gevlin, PhD’20 (English), Assistant Professor of English at Birmingham-Southern College. Rachel served as Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Monmouth College during 2020-21 and began her role at Birmingham-Southern in fall 2021.

We’ll ask each guest five questions about their experiences as new faculty members:

  1. Could you tell us a bit about your institution and your responsibilities there as a new assistant professor?
  2. How did you adapt to changes in the application and interview process and/or onboarding for your position due to the pandemic?
  3. Given the impact of the pandemic, are there any specific experiences, credentials, or qualifications (eg, online teaching experience) that your department or institution now seeks in potential hires?
  4. What advice would you offer current postdocs and grad students who will be applying for faculty positions soon?
  5. What is the hiring outlook at your institution? (please note that the answer to this question may be “We don’t know yet.”)

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Weds Oct 27, 1-1:30 pm

WHAT: New Faculty Zoom with Ajenai Clemmons, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, University of Denver
REGISTER: : https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/events/new-faculty-zoom-ajenai-clemmons-assistant-professor-public-policy-university

As part of a series of short, focused conversations with PhD and postdoc alumni who successfully navigated the academic job market during the pandemic, we’ll feature we’ll feature Ajenai Clemmons, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy, the Josef Korbel School of International Relations at the University of Denver. Ajenai defended her dissertation during summer 2021 after securing a job at the same institution where she completed her master’s degree. She assumed her new position in fall 2021.

We’ll ask each guest five questions about their experiences as new faculty members:

  1. Could you tell us a bit about your institution and your responsibilities there as a new assistant professor?
  2. How did you adapt to changes in the application and interview process and/or onboarding for your position due to the pandemic?
  3. Given the impact of the pandemic, are there any specific experiences, credentials, or qualifications (eg, online teaching experience) that your department or institution now seeks in potential hires?
  4. What advice would you offer current postdocs and grad students who will be applying for faculty positions soon?
  5. What is the hiring outlook at your institution? (please note that the answer to this question may be “We don’t know yet.”)

Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Thurs Oct 28, 11 am- 12 pm

WHAT: Effective Communication: Sentence and Story with Joanna Downer, PhD, Associate Dean for Research Development
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8c4el1hLn7sNqS2

During this session, you will learn how to effectively communicate your ideas and plans in improved academic writing. Led by Joanna Downer, PhD, Associate Dean for Research Development for the Duke School of Medicine, this session will teach you how to apply the writing principles developed by Dr. George Gopen, Professor of the Practice Emeritus of the Duke University Writing Program, as well as Dr. Downer’s own tips and tricks for effectively revising your own work. Dr. Downer will share strategies for improved writing and storytelling to make all of your professional communications more effective. Topics will include knowing your audience, choosing the right information, telling a convincing story, and avoiding common pitfalls. Content will be broadly applicable to all types of academic writing.

Weds Nov 3, 11 am – 12 pm

WHAT: How to Avoid Self-Sabotage and Win at Salary Negotiations
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8dp5QsNTHsT323Y

Let’s face it, for most of us, the negotiation process is one of the most stressful parts of the job search. Not long after the initial excitement of receiving an offer comes panic followed by dread.

  • Do I negotiate for more money and risk seeming pushy or ungrateful?
  • Will I lose this opportunity if I negotiate for too much?
  • What should I ask for?

If one or more of these thoughts swirl through your head when you think about salary negotiations, you are not alone! This workshop is a step-by-step guide to navigating the negotiation process, especially when it comes to managing your emotions.

Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is Associate Director of the UNC Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Professional Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.

Tues Dec 7, 11 am – 12 pm

WHAT: Leadership and Management in the Lab
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_08k6eZWWL9LMpzE

 

Graduate School and postdoctoral training can make you an independent scientist, ready to tackle pressing questions and drive cutting-edge research. But running your own research lab involves more than applying your scientific skills; it requires managing both people and projects. In this workshop we will discuss approaches to being a leader and a manager, and how to guide and mentor the students, postdocs, and staff that will eventually comprise your team.

Speaker: Garth Fowler, PhD, is the former Associate Executive Director for the Center for Education in Psychology at the American Psychological Association, where he directed the APA’s efforts in producing resources and information to help psychology graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and those that teach them, improve their training and career success. Before coming to APA, Garth was a faculty member and Assistant Chair in the Northwestern University Department of Neurobiology. His first job after finishing his postdoc was the Outreach Program Manager for Science Careers, the online career resources for Science magazine & AAAS. Garth has a BA in Psychology from the College of Wooster, a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington-Seattle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Salk Institute in San Diego, CA.