Fall 2019

The Mentoring and Communication Series is sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Services and The Graduate School.


Tues Sept 3, 9:30-10:30 am

WHAT: Communication Styles: Mine, Yours and How to Have an Effective Interaction
WHERE: Rm 143 Jones Bldg
REGISTER: https://tinyurl.com/Fall2018F32Intro

Ever wonder why you may have difficulty communicating with certain people? Are there exchanges with others that frustrate you? It’s probably not the person, but rather the difference in your styles of communication! In this workshop we will learn the four different types of communication styles. A short quiz will be administered to help participants identify their own personal style of communication. Participants will learn how to recognize the different styles, as well as how to best interact with those whose style differs from their own. Those who attend will acquire practical tools and applications for improving their communication with others.

SPEAKER: Rhonda Sutton, PhD, is Director of Leadership Programs for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University. She has over 15 years experience as a higher education administrator, providing professional development, counseling, and support for postdocs, graduate students, faculty and staff. She earned her doctoral degree in Counselor Education from NC State University.


Weds Oct 2, 9:30-11 am

WHAT: The Mentoring Relationship: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01
WHO: To facilitate small group discussion, class size is limited to 25 participants. Attendance is limited to Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Students – researchers in other job categories may join the wait list. Because space is limited, please do not register unless you are sure you can attend.
REGISTER: https://tinyurl.com/Fall2019Mentoring

Do you ever question your role in your lab? Do you hesitate to address issues with your mentor? Do you wonder how to be successful during this step in your career? In this interactive session, learn how to navigate the mentoring relationship, including how to promote open communication, work more productively with your mentor, and get the most out of your training experience.

SPEAKERMelissa Segal, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who has provided individual, couples, and family counseling; facilitated a variety of support and educational groups; and implemented professional development and training. She is currently the Senior Business Manager of Duke Neurobiology and serves on the Neurobiology Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the SOM Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the SOM Harassment Taskforce.

NOTE: This seminar provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Questions? Contact 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.


Weds Oct 16, 9:30-11 am

WHAT: Mapping your Mentoring Network: Identifying and Developing the Mentorship You Need
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01
WHO: To facilitate small group discussion, class size is limited to 25 participants. Attendance is limited to Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Students – researchers in other job categories may join the wait list. Because space is limited, please do not register unless you are sure you can attend.

REGISTER: https://tinyurl.com/Fall2019Finding

In an ideal world, your boss/PI would also be your mentor. However, that doesn’t always happen – and even if it does, you may need more than one mentor to get to where you want to go. In this workshop, we will discuss how to find your mentor(s), how to ask them for guidance, and what to do to keep your relationship strong.

SPEAKER:  Johnna Frierson, PhD, is Assistant Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Diversity and Inclusion for the Duke School of Medicine, where she expands and enhances the School of Medicine’s diversity and inclusion initiatives for graduate students and postdoctoral appointees working in biomedical research. Dr. Frierson was the founding director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the Pratt School of Engineering. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology at Furman University in Greenville, SC and received her PhD in Virology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University. She completed her postdoctoral training at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

NOTE: This seminar provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Questions? Contact 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.


Weds Nov 6, 9:30-11 am

WHAT:  Communicating Honestly (but Tactfully) with Mentors and Mentees
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01
WHO: To facilitate small group discussion, class size is limited to 25 participants. Attendance is limited to Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Students – researchers in other job categories may join the wait list. Because space is limited, please do not register unless you are sure you can attend.

REGISTER: https://tinyurl.com/Fall2019Tact

Many of us strive for perfection—or at least near perfection—and we want others to see us as exceptional. Perhaps for that reason, do you find it difficult to receive criticism from your mentor? Do you hesitate to be honest with your mentor? Do you struggle with how to provide feedback to the students or techs in the lab? Through discussion and role-plays, we’ll explore how to provide and receive feedback that will help us in our quest to be exceptional.

SPEAKERMelissa Segal, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who has provided individual, couples, and family counseling; facilitated a variety of support and educational groups; and implemented professional development and training. She is currently the Senior Business Manager of Duke Neurobiology and serves on the Neurobiology Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the SOM Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the SOM Harassment Taskforce.

NOTE: This seminar provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Questions? Contact 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.


Weds Nov 13, 9:30-11 am

WHAT:  Moving From Mentee to Mentor
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01
WHO: To facilitate small group discussion, class size is limited to 25 participants. Attendance is limited to Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Students – researchers in other job categories may join the wait list. Because space is limited, please do not register unless you are sure you can attend.

REGISTER: https://tinyurl.com/Fall2019Moving

Congratulations! You are finishing your postdoctoral research and hoping to secure a faculty or industry position soon! You feel confident about your research, but you may have questions about building your lab personnel. How do you figure out whom to hire? How do you set up productive, working relationships with your mentees from the beginning? How can you give feedback? In this interactive session, discover how to successfully move from mentee to mentor.

SPEAKERMelissa Segal, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who has provided individual, couples, and family counseling; facilitated a variety of support and educational groups; and implemented professional development and training. She is currently the Senior Business Manager of Duke Neurobiology and serves on the Neurobiology Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the SOM Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the SOM Harassment Taskforce.

NOTE: This seminar provides Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) credit. Questions? Contact 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.


Weds Dec 11, 9:30-11 am

WHAT: Do You Know Your Rules? Improving Intercultural Interactions
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01
WHO: To facilitate small group discussion, class size is limited to 25 participants. Attendance is limited to Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Students – researchers in other job categories may join the wait list. Because space is limited, please do not register unless you are sure you can attend.
REGISTERhttps://tinyurl.com/Fall2019Rules

Do you ever wonder…

“Why is my relationship with my PI so formal, when others laugh and joke with him? Am I doing something wrong?”
“Why does my student mentee treat my instructions as more like suggestions? Am I not being clear enough?”
“Why does my lab-mate act like he understands what I’m saying, and then asks someone else the same question?”
“Why didn’t she speak up in the group meeting? We just discussed that she should stand up for herself to our mentor!”

Knowing your own internal rules and expectations can have a positive impact on interactions with your fellow postdocs and students, family, and most importantly, your mentor.  The rules that direct our behaviors are often cultural – learned in childhood.  Like fish unaware of the water they live in, we can be just as oblivious to the cultural norms that drive our behavior.  In this workshop, we’ll explore some of our own rules and what values we are maintaining by following the rules.  We will also discuss how to communicate our rules and expectations to others in a positive way, and how to understand how others’ rules may affect their behavior.

SPEAKER:  Paige Vinson is Assistant Director of Duke International House, where she creates programming for international students, scholars, staff, and their families.  In addition, she leads cross-cultural communication workshops for administrators and local business members. Paige is a certified ESL Instructor, Intercultural Trainer, and  Koru Mindfulness Instructor.


Weds Dec 18, 9:30-10:30 am

WHAT: Info Session: The PROMISE Study to Increase Diversity in the Biomedical Workforce
WHERE: MSRB Classroom 01

NIH supports the national the effort to increase diversity in the biomedical workforce. Peer mentoring has been shown to support academic success. Duke has received NIH funding to compare two different facilitated peer mentoring plans in racially and ethnically underrepresented biomedical researchers.  We are looking to recruit postdoctoral trainees from racially/ethnically underrepresented groups to participate in peer mentoring groups facilitated by senior underrepresented researchers.  Come to this info session to learn more about the PROMISE study.

You may qualify to participate in the PROMISE study if you:

  • Are involved in biomedical research (the investigation of biological/behavioral processes that advance the diagnoses, treatment, or prevention of disease)
  • Want a career in biomedical research
  • Identify as one or more of the following:
    • Black or African American
    • Hispanic or Latinx
    • American Indian or Alaska Native
    • Native Indian or other Pacific Islander
    • Multiracial (one or more of the above)
  • And have US citizenship or Permanent Residency Status (Green Card)

Incentives:

  • Peer group meetings facilitated by a senior underrepresented researcher
  • Professional development for personal gains and skills building to enhance scholarly outputs
  • Compensation up to $500