POSTDOC | NIGMS Workshop Prepares Postdocs for Independent Careers

FASEB Opens Registration for NIGMS Workshop to Prepare Postdocs for Independent Careers
DEADLINE November 30, 2011

Bethesda, MD - On behalf of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) is organizing the 2012 Workshop for Postdocs Transitioning to Independent Positions on March 12-13, 2012 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, will deliver the keynote address.

While the transition to independence is a challenge for all postdocs, young investigators who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical or behavioral sciences may have an especially difficult time finding and establishing themselves in their first independent positions. To prepare early career investigators of diverse backgrounds for this transformation, the Workshop will bring together 150 postdocs (including a small number of senior graduate students) and a distinguished group of outstanding researchers, prominent scientific administrators and nationally recognized career development experts to discuss key issues related to the cultivation of a successful career in science.

 Topics to be covered will include:

•  Career planning
•  Job application process
•  Funding resources
•  Grant writing
•  Establishing a lab
•  Work/life balance
•  Non-bench careers

The Workshop is intended for postdocs, however senior graduate students (within one year of completion of Ph.D. study) will also be considered, space permitting.
 
To download the Workshop application, please go to http://nigmsworkshop.org. Participants will be required to pay a $25 registration fee upon selection, however all eligible applicants (those not receiving federal funding and other criteria) who are selected to participate will receive travel awards (maximum $1,250). The deadline for registration is November 30, 2011.

For more information regarding meeting logistics, contact Meeting Assistant Danielle King, dking@faseb.org.

FASEB is composed of 24 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of  biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB enhances the ability of scientists and engineers to improve—through their research—the health, well-being and productivity of all people. Our mission is to  advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

POST ITS | Post It Notes Can Help Improve Your Teaching

Simple Post-its for Teaching Improvement

       by Heather M. Whitney (Originally posted on ProfHacker via
       Chronicle of Higher Education)

What we do and don’t recall easily is a funny thing. I’ve learned a lot of helpful information, science and teaching-wise, at the conferences I’ve attended, but some sticks in my mind without the help of notes and some doesn’t.

One bit of information I recall most readily is a handy tip I learned from attending GradSTEP (Graduate Student Teaching Event for Professional Development) at Vanderbilt University, literally days after I defended my Ph.D. During one of the sessions, a panelist, very new to the professoriate herself, mentioned that immediately after each class, before she does anything else or even touches her computer, she takes a large 5×8″ sticky note and writes down what did or didn’t work well in that class period. She sticks that to her papers from the class and then uses that note the next time she teaches the course to improve her teaching.

Read on for how post its help and find other tips HERE.

CLICK, SCAN & LEARN | Key Sites for Information on Academic Careers

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The links below provide information and insight into the skills needed to advance in an academic career. Click, Scan and Learn:

• Chronicle of Higher Education
• Inside Higher Education
• Diverse Issues in Higher Education
• AAUP
• PhDs.org Academic Career
• NSF: Employment Statistics Following the Postdoctorate Experience
• Career Outlook for Researchers in Academia
• Professor of Desperation (washingtonpost.com)
• National Postdoctoral Association

Courtesy National Postdoctal Association

 
 

POSTDOC | 2012 Kauffman Foundation Emerging Postdoctral Entrepreneur Award

Nominations Open for the Kauffman Foundation  Postdoctoral Entrepreneur Awards

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2012 Kauffman Foundation Outstanding Postdoctoral and Emerging Postdoctoral Entrepreneur awards. The awards recognize exceptional former and current postdocs who are working to commercialize research. The awards will be presented at the NPA 10th Annual Meeting, March 16-18, 2012, to be held at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. The Outstanding Postdoctoral Entrepreneur will receive a $10,000 honorarium and a travel stipend. The Emerging Postdoctoral Entrepreneur Award will receive a $2,500 honorarium and a travel stipend. To read detailed eligibility requirements and application instructions, click here.

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The Kauffman Foundation Seeks Your Input

The Kauffman Foundation is seeking input on a curriculum currently being developed for a life sciences entrepreneurship conference. The curriculum is being developed to help entrepreneurs in the life sciences transform their ideas and discoveries into commercially viable products or services. The content will initially be presented during a 2-day conference in 2012. Please complete the survey here to help in establishing the educational needs of today's life science entrepreneur.

FACULTY POSITION | Northern Arizona University

Position Available: Assistant Professor

Department: Psychology

Northern Arizona University’s Psychology Department and the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Native American Cancer Research Partnership invite applications for a tenure-track appointment beginning August 2012 for an Assistant Professor position (subject to final budgetary approval).

For the first two years of the appointment, the faculty member will be funded by the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Native American Cancer Research Partnership grant and devote 100% of their workload to building a research program related to the goals of the grant. During this time, the position is a 12-month appointment. More information about this grant is available at http://www.nacp.nau.edu. Duties will consist exclusively of research on health disparities in tribal nations, with a focus on cancer. Starting in the third year of the appointment, the position will transition to a combination of research and teaching within the Department of Psychology, and become an academic year appointment. Teaching responsibilities will be comparable to other faculty of similar rank, typically consisting of a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses. Teaching load is also negotiable contingent on the candidate’s success in obtaining external funding.

A Ph.D. in Psychology or closely related field (degree must be completed by the start date of the position) and college teaching experience is required, and evidence of scholarly productivity within the field of behavioral health research or psychology research with clear relevance to cancer control and prevention.

Preference will be given to candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to and evidence of scholarly productivity. Preferred health-related research topics include but are not limited to: social and/or cultural factors; screening; adherence; lifestyle interventions; prevention including cancer education; patient experience; and caregiving. Preference is given to candidates with demonstrated experience, expertise, and/or interest in Native American communities. Preference is also given to candidates with demonstrated excellence in teaching of undergraduate and graduate students, supportive of a civil work environment and interdisciplinary efforts, and who are committed to working effectively within a diverse university community.

The 22-person Psychology Department oversees an undergraduate program with about 800 majors and masters-level graduate programs. Northern Arizona University is a 25,000-student institution with its main campus in Flagstaff, a four-season community of about 65,000 at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks. NAU’s emphasis on undergraduate education is enhanced by its graduate programs and research as well as distance learning. The university is committed to a diverse and civil working and learning environment. The Department encourages applications from individuals with a commitment to creating a welcoming educational environment for students from all ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history verification and degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. Candidates may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Review of applications will begin October 1, 2011 and continue until the position is filled or closed.

To apply, send a cover letter describing your research interests; evidence of scholarly productivity and teaching competence; curriculum vita; unofficial transcripts of all college-level work, and names and contact information for three professional references. Please send all materials to the Search Committee (Department of Psychology, Northern Arizona University, Box 15106, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5106). Official transcripts will be required prior to an on-campus interview. No on-line applications will be accepted. Northern Arizona University is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. For further information, see our website at: http://www.nau.edu/~psych.

FACULTY POSITION | University of Maryland, College Park

University of Maryland, College Park

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS)

Joint Program in Survey Methodology

Title:   Open Rank Professor 

Level:                       Assistant / Associate / Full Professor

Position Number:     117701

Unit:                         BSOS - The Joint Program in Survey Methodology

Position Summary/Purpose of Position:         

The Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) seeks applications for an open rank faculty appointment from persons with research interests in survey statistics or survey methodology.  The JPSM is a graduate degree program teaching state-of-the-art principles and practices in the design, conduct, analysis and evaluation of sample surveys.  The JPSM is a consortium of the University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Westat and federal statistical agencies.  Responsibilities include graduate teaching, research, and supervising graduate students.  Research interests could include areas such as sample design, variance estimation with complex sample designs, weighting and imputation, confidentiality protection, model-based vs. design based inference, measurement error in surveys, small area estimation, mode effects, interviewer-respondent interaction, cognitive aspects of survey methodology, use of paradata, and question wording or context effects.  Doctorate in statistics, biostatistics, psychology, sociology, or a related field is required.  Applicants for a tenured appointment should have a strong public record in sampling, survey statistics, or survey methodology commensurate with rank sought.  A strong record in funded research is also desirable.

Apply online via the University of Maryland job website: https://jobs.umd.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp.  Click on "Search Postings" and select "BSOS-Joint Program in Survey Methodology" in the Unit dropdown box.  Include a cover letter, CV, and names of three references.  Applications are now being considered and will continue to be until the position is filled.  For more information email Dr. Richard Valliant at rvalliant@survey.umd.edu.  The University of Maryland is an EEO/AA Employer. Women and minorities encouraged to apply.  Detailed information concerning JPSM and its programs can be found on the web at www.jpsm.org.

Minimum Qualifications:        Ph.D. in Statistics, Survey Methodology, or related field.

Preferences:     Highest level of productivity