Grad News Forum

Ever wonder what career options are out there for graduate students in the arts and humanities? Are you hoping to parlay your creative and qualitative skills into a position after graduation?

The Graduate Studies Office is hosting a humanities panel for graduate students on Friday, November 11th, 2011, from 12-1:15pm in Haldeman 031 (Kreindler Seminar Room). Lunch will be served.

The purpose of the panel is to expose current graduate students interested in careers in the arts and humanities to professionals currently working in such fields, all within a relaxed and informal setting.

Erin O’Flaherty, a current graduate student in the MALS program, will moderate the panel.  Coming from a background in arts administration and documentary film prior to coming to Dartmouth, O’Flaherty notes the difficulties that often come with choosing a career that is ‘off the beaten path’, especially in comparison to other industries with formal recruitment protocols.

“Establishing a career in the humanities is often difficult, as there’s not a uniformly clear trajectory laid out—you really have to forge your own individual path,” says O’Flaherty.  “That being said, it’s incredibly helpful to hear from seasoned professionals about their journey, and to learn from them through their professional and academic experiences.”

Each panelist will describe their current job, and will have the opportunity to address any questions that students might have about their individual industry. Possible discussion topics include each panelist’s own career/academic background, along with any overall advice for those seeking a similar career in the humanities.

Confirmed panelists include:

Anthony Helm, Director of the Jones Media Center

Craig Kaufman, Associate Director for Administration & Advancement, Arts and Sciences Development Office

Jim Kenyon, Columnist for the Valley News

Michael Taylor, Director of the Hood Museum at Dartmouth

Sarah Memmi, Managing Editor of Vox of Dartmouth and Dartmouth Now

Click here to sign up for the panel.

NSF Workshop for First and Second-Year Graduate Students

Wednesday, October 12 and 26, 2-4 pm, Jackson Conference Room, Thayer

In the world of academia, securing external funding is difficult. During this process, many graduate students become overwhelmed by the finite amount of research funding available, and the large number of grant applications submitted annually.  Even within this competitive atmosphere, preparing a proposal for the National Science Foundation (NSF) is often a particularly daunting undertaking.

The Graduate Studies Office is offering a workshop to help first and second year graduate students prepare NSF Graduate Research Fellowship applications.  Organized into two separate two-hour sessions—the first on October 12^th and the second on October 26^th—the workshop will aim to teach graduate students the ins and outs of the application process, and the specific qualities of a successful NSF application.

The first workshop session will cover the essentials of grant writing, and focus on the requirements of these fellowships.  In the second session, the group will evaluate draft materials produced by each participant, allowing each student to receive feedback from faculty members and their peers on his or her application.  Additionally, Dartmouth faculty members from different research areas who have grant-writing experience will highlight the elements of a successful proposal.

Joseph BelBruno, professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Director of the Center for Nanomaterials Research at Dartmouth, will present at the workshop.  Professor BelBruno’s research deals with the study of computational chemistry that focuses on the materials, and the chemistry, of the production process.  Kerry Landers, Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Affairs, will also present during the workshop.

“We’ve done these presentations for a number of years,” says BelBruno. “The students who attend and follow through with written materials find that the process is an important step in their training and development as scientists.”

An independent federal agency created in 1950 to “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense,” the National Science Foundation is the major source of federal funding in fundamental science and engineering fields.  Accounting for nearly 20% of all federally supported science research conducted in U.S. colleges and universities, the NSF awards approximately 10,000 new awards each year and has an annual operating budget of $6.9 billion dollars.

The workshop is open to all first and second year graduate students who are United States citizens.  To participate in this workshop, sign up here by October 6^th.

The transition from a PhD candidate to a professor can often be a daunting one, with the academic job search being notoriously competitive.  Alan Weatherwax, a Dartmouth Graduate alum and Professor of Physics at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, recently spoke with current graduate students to share his own experiences working in academia.

As a professor and associate dean who frequently leads academic search committees within his department, Weatherwax often reads hundreds of applications for just one open position. He stressed the importance of showcasing research abilities through postdoctoral positions along with teaching abilities.  According to Weatherwax, one of the most desirable attributes for a potential candidate is the ability to engage undergraduate students on a variety of levels.

While having TA experience is a plus, having independently taught at least one class is highly desirable.  In addition to developing teaching skills, Weatherwax stressed the necessity of becoming adept at applying for grants.  Even at small liberal arts colleges, the ability to finance your own research is key.  According to Weatherwax, being a grant recipient is one of the best ways to solidify the path to a tenure track position.

Many newly minted PhDs often only consider positions at large research universities, but this is not the only alternative.  Weatherwax spoke of the advantages of working at a smaller school.  Having gone from a position at a large public university to a smaller private university, Weatherwax is now currently the Associate Dean of Science at Siena.  In addition to increased grants and other funding from such agencies as the NSF and NIH, smaller undergraduate-focused schools generally offer more opportunities to actually teach and interact with students on a personal level.

When deciding between positions at different schools, Weatherwax also noted that it is important to ask for the guidelines for tenure in order to understand exactly what the expectations are.  While salaries are typically hard to negotiate at this stage, it is possible to negotiate other aspects, such as lab space or the number of classes you are required to teach.

For more information on postdoctoral career options, visit the Graduate Studies Career Page.

by Erin O’Flaherty

Kerry Landers

As I stand at the front of 101 Cummings Hall, I look out to a hundred sets of eyes staring at me. In the audience are first year graduate students attending graduate orientation. I start my career services talk by asking them the difference between a resume and a CV. A few brave souls raise their hands. Next, I ask how many think they will pursue an academic career. Almost all hands shoot up, with the exception of the Master’s students. “That’s great,” I tell them. Graduate school at Dartmouth will prepare them well for an academic job. They will learn how to conduct cutting edge research, they will be mentored by faculty members, and attend and present at conferences – all requirements to getting an academic job.

However, I suggest they might want to have a Plan B. This simple statement got me quoted in The Dartmouth on advice for PhD’s in the job market. Getting a tenure track faculty position is challenging. Only about one-third of all faculty jobs are tenured track positions. Additionally, plans may change; maybe your spouse only wants to live in New York or San Francisco and the only academic jobs in your field are in the Midwest. Or, perhaps you realize you don’t like writing grants.

As you begin your graduate student career why not allow yourself to have some career options and flexibility? It’s difficult to discuss possible career options when I meet with a graduate student who, in her fifth year, decides she does not want to pursue an academic career, but has done nothing outside the lab to demonstrate other skills and interests. By deciding to keep your options open early on, you can prevent this type of roadblock.

What can first year graduate students do to make sure they have career choices? Work hard in the lab – conduct research, analyze results, and help review grants – but also make an effort to participate in activities outside of the lab.

Years ago I was counseling a graduate student who wanted to take more exams so he could prove to future employers that he was exceptionally smart. I explained most employers would assume he was smart by virtue of his earning a PhD, but perhaps question his ability to transition to working with others in an industry setting since the only thing he had on his resume was his research.

Employers want to hire smart people with soft skills. This means knowing how to work on teams, leading people, and communicating your science to non-experts. Developing these skills will help you with both non-academic and academic positions. After all, faculty positions involve much more than just research; new faculty must learn to oversee labs, manage people, participate on academic committees, and teach students.

Dartmouth graduate students have an abundance of opportunities to develop their soft skills. They can improve their teaching by attending workshops at the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) or talk about their research with middle school kids by taking part in Science Cafés. Students can learn how to make their science ideas profitable by enrolling in the Introduction to Entrepreneurship Mini Course. They can develop their leadership skills by joining the Graduate Student Council or starting a new club. By writing articles for The Graduate Studies Department’s online publication “The Graduate Forum,” students have the opportunity to communicate their research and interesting departmental news to a larger audience.

There are countless groups and teams at Dartmouth and becoming a team member is a beneficial experience whether you’re playing inter-mural sports or engaging in cultural discussions. There are many opportunities, at Dartmouth, for graduate students to gain experience and develop skills that make valuable additions to resumes and CVs. The key is to take advantage of these opportunities!

By working hard in the lab and participating in activities outside the lab, graduate students can open up their career options and make their time in graduate school more enjoyable.

by Kerry Landers