Grad News Forum

Everywhere researchers go, be it a conference, a job interview, or simply meeting a colleague in the hallway, people ask the obvious question: “So tell me about your work?” It goes without saying that the ability of researchers to describe their research in lay language efficiently is one of the most important skills to be acquired, regardless of the field of research.

On Monday, April 29, assistant dean of Graduate Student Affairs, Kerry Landers, initiated a speed researching event aimed at developing students’ communication skills. In this event, students were expected to explain their research to their smart, but not expert, colleagues in only two minutes!

“We have received feedback from faculty who attended the recent Graduate Poster Session and were impressed with many of our graduate students’ ability to explain their research to non-experts,” notes Landers. “The goal of this speed researching event was to provide another opportunity for graduate students to continue to improve this essential skill.”

At the event, a total of 10 students explained their research to each other in pairs over lunch, followed by a two-minute constructive comments session. Students came from programs in biology, chemistry, engineering, genetics, MALS, and physics and astronomy. A wide range of research topics were discussed, including black holes, prion diseases, and the causes of the Arab Spring. Each student had the opportunity to present his or her research five times, providing plenty of practice.

“This event was great! I now know what other students in genetics, engineering, and chemistry do,” commented Daniel Durcan, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies student, who also serves as the graduate student activities coordinator. Durcan continued, “The clarity for the presentations was very impressive. I thought it was a great opportunity to practice explaining my research to students from other disciplines.”

The event was somewhat similar to the Three-Minute Research Presentation sessions held by the Graduate Studies Office in the past. However, there is a subtle difference in emphasis between the two events. The Three-Minute Research Presentation sessions involve a single three-minute talk and aim to improve public speaking skills. On the other hand, “speed researching” aims to help students present their research swiftly to several people—a skill they will need at job fairs or conferences. Such a skill is crucial in a competitive academic environment.

Speed researching is, indeed, very helpful and from the looks of it, a very successful idea. Please keep your eyes open for the second speed researching event!

by Gilbert Rahme

The Graduate Forum would like to congratulate Sarah Henderson, a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, on her new position as a postdoctoral researcher at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan, New York. Henderson plans to graduate this summer and begin working in New York City this June. She is currently finishing up her dissertation on the influence of ambivalence on executive functioning and cigarette smoker’s emotional and neural responses to smoking cues.

Henderson grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut, and completed her undergraduate studies at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, majoring in psychology and political science. After graduating, she worked as a paralegal at a law firm, but then quickly realized that she did not want to pursue a law career.

Next, Henderson worked as a research assistant at the Children’s National Medical Center, conducting quality of life research with children suffering from epilepsy, Tourette’s Syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and autism. To this day she remains involved with Brainy Camps, a week-long summer camp for children with chronic health conditions. In addition, she volunteers weekly at David’s House, a volunteer-run home-away-from-home dedicated to supporting the families of children being treated at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

After working at the Children’s National Medical Center, Henderson worked for a contract research agency where she conducted pharmaceutical research for the National Institutes of Health. Following this, Henderson decided to come to Dartmouth to pursue her PhD in cognitive neuroscience in order to work with some of the top people in the field.

Henderson works with Professor Catherine Norris and employs fMRI and eye tracking as a means for studying ambivalence (i.e., emotional conflict), self-regulation, and addiction. Her dissertation examines how ambivalence, or the state of having contradictory feelings toward something, affects cognitive processing and subsequently, the regulation of cigarette smoking. For example, she found that when viewing images of smoking, participants with a desire to quit smoking showed less activity in reward regions of the brain and more activity in regions associated with internally directed attention.

In her time at Dartmouth, Henderson has presented posters at academic conferences, including the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, the Social and Affective Neuroscience Society, the Society for Social Neuroscience, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Henderson was also the recipient of the 2011 Basic Psychological Science Research Grant from the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students.

In her new postdoctoral fellowship position at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Henderson will research pediatric mood and anxiety disorders, using a variety of neuroimaging and neurobiological techniques. Along with her advisor, Vilma Gabbay, she will investigate new ways to improve the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of many of these disorders.

We wish Henderson all the best in her new position!

by Andrea Worsham

The final seminar in the Graduate Studies series, “Becoming a Faculty Member,” was held on February 15. Two graduate alumni came back to Dartmouth to give their advice on how to successfully obtain an academic job: Allan Weatherwax, professor of physics and the dean of science at Siena College, and Rose Finn, associate professor and department head of physics and astronomy at Siena College. Both are on the selection board for new hires for the science fields at Siena College and have useful knowledge about how to get an academic job.

Before the Interview:

Before you even arrive for the interview, make sure you “do your homework” and that you “know where you are applying,” advised Professor Finn. You should know which faculty members you will be meeting with and read up on their research. Another extremely important point is to understand the type of institution where you are interviewing—is it a small college or a large university? Even before you step foot on the campus, you should come prepared with a research plan that is tailored to that school, commented Professor Weatherwax. Do not make the mistake of asking for resources that are not in line with the size and type of institution where you are interviewing because this shows that you did not do proper research before applying for the job.

During the Interview:

During the academic interview, you will be asked about your past research and what you would like to do for future research. You also may be given a topic in your field to give a sample lecture on. It is important to prepare extensively for these questions and lecture and to be able to clearly convey your research and ideas. Keep in mind that you may be discussing your research and techniques with people who are not in your field of study, so do not rely heavily on technical terms and phrases. During the formal, question-and-answer interview process, Professors Weatherwax and Finn agreed that you should remain humble. When it comes time to meet one-on-one with faculty, use the knowledge you have learned about each faculty member and do not be afraid to “ask people about themselves,” remarked Professor Finn. Being genuinely interested in your interviewer and their work is an easy way to be remembered.

When an Offer Has Been Made:

Once an offer has been made, it is time to negotiate, explained Professors Weatherwax and Finn. Have previous knowledge of the salary range of the position (either by asking directly or through the school’s human resources department). You can also ask for additional research start-up funds. If the salary or start-up funds cannot be negotiated, Professor Weatherwax explained that negotiating for use of equipment is your next step. Another issue to negotiate during this time is the job of your spouse/partner. While some schools cannot hire multiple family members in the same department due to institution rules, certain arrangements may be made for a spouse to become an adjunct or a three-quarter-time faculty member, depending on the situation.

In conclusion, in order to be a great candidate for an academic faculty position, acquire a postdoc (or two!), be prepared to discuss your research and future research plans in detail, research the department and faculty members at the new institution, and do not be afraid to negotiate once you have an offer.

by Molly Croteau

Interview “Do”

For the past several years, you have worn jeans and a t-shirt to the lab. With the exception of a graduate student social, you have not had an occasion to dress up. Now, however, you have an interview for a job in industry. What do you wear?

What you wear to the interview tells the interviewer a lot about you. Graduate students who want to make the jump from academia to industry must convince the employer that they can make the cultural transition. The first sign of your ability to do this will be in how you present yourself. Dressing in clothes that are not business appropriate conveys to the interviewer that you do not know what is expected in the business world, and, perhaps, you are not ready to leave academia.

When you realize you will be job searching, it’s a good idea to shop for interview clothes. Today, typical business dress is a blue or black suit that fits well. These colors convey seriousness and trust. Depending on the industry, it is generally acceptable for women to wear pants to the interview. However, for more conservative industries, a skirt is necessary.

Interview “Do”

While female characters on TV shows wear skirts short enough to make you blush . . . choosing a skirt for a real-life interview means buying one that falls not shorter than one inch above the knee. Anything shorter, and the focus will not be on your interview.

As for shoes, women can wear a two-inch leather heeled shoe, but not Sex and the City stilettos. For both men and women, it’s a good idea to practice walking around in your interview shoes, since you will be walking around all day at the interview. I once interviewed a candidate who said she could not walk to another building on campus because her very high heels were not comfortable to walk in that far. Needless to say, we did not hire her.

Shirts worn under the suit jacket should be white, opaque, or cream. Ties for men should fit in with the rest of the suit. Jewelry for men and women should be limited to a few pieces and not be distracting, such as earrings that dangle when you move your head.

Interview “Don’t”

It’s natural to want to splash on some perfume or cologne for the interview, but hold off! Many people are sensitive to strong smelling scents, and they do not want to hire someone who overpowers their office with perfume. If you are a smoker, do not smoke a cigarette before you head in the door. While you should not wear perfume, women should wear make-up—mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipstick. Again, some practice may be needed to avoid feeling like a made-up beauty contestant. Men need to have a clean shave. I sometimes get questions, such as, should I hide my tattoo or take out my nose ring? Yes, is the simple answer for most industries. Companies hire people who will fit into the culture, and being different can be perceived as being a bit rebellious.

Finally, as a precaution, bring a little sewing kit—the kind hotels leave in the room—just in case a button pops off at an inconvenient time.

Now you are ready for your industry interview.

by Kerry Landers

Dartmouth’s Graduate Studies Office coordinates a Graduate Studies Externship Program, pairing current graduate students with alumni from Dartmouth’s graduate programs.  As part of the program, students spend a day shadowing their alumni host, becoming acquainted with their host’s place of employment and discussing professional goals. For his externship, Justin Richardson, a student in the Department of Earth Sciences, spent the day with Dr. George Linkletter, who has an AB and an AM in geology from Dartmouth and a PhD from the University of Washington. Dr. Linkletter is the senior vice president of the environmental consulting firm, ENVIRON. Justin writes of his externship:

The experience and insight gained from my externship with Dr. Linkletter was invaluable to my career development. Dr. Linkletter is an accomplished scientist and environmental consultant in Irvine, California, who credits his scientific success to his time at Dartmouth College. We began chatting in his office, which had a wonderful view of Orange County and a framed picture of Dartmouth Hall above his computer. As he told wonderful tales of faculty and life in Hanover, I was proud to be at Dartmouth College in the very department where he had studied.

Dr. Linkletter then offered a unique view of research outside of academia; he has worked both as a research scientist and as an environmental consultant. Dr. Linkletter described his research experience and work with consulting firms, all of which showed the applicability of skills learned in graduate school. Afterwards, Dr. Linkletter introduced me to some of ENVIRON’s past and current projects on soil and groundwater contamination. I noted that a consultant approaches a problem very differently from a research scientist. During the two conferences I attended, it was fascinating how their work moved between science, law, and business. Not only do they deal with scientific questions, but they are also held to legal timelines and financial guidelines.

Later in the afternoon, I met with two research scientists and discussed how they navigated from graduate school to a fulfilling profession. A theme emerged in these conversations: if academia does not suit you, do not feel compelled to pursue an academic career. The two scientists currently work on challenging scientific questions. However, they have greater control over where they live and the hours they work compared to when they worked in academia. A consultant’s work is more challenging and stressful than work in academia. The health and finances of residents facing contamination issues rests directly on their ability to properly conduct a study, correctly interpret the results, and act based on those results. However, Dr. Linkletter emphasized that the size and function of environmental consulting firms differ; some are small, personable firms, while others are large institutions with many employees.

As the workday came to a close, I was happy to know that working in consulting can be so captivating and rewarding.

by Justin Richardson

Early in the fall term, the Graduate Studies Office hosted a discussion panel on academic job searching, in preparation for the upcoming application season. Hosted by Kerry Landers, the Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Affairs, the presentation attempted to illuminate some of the details and nuances of searching for a position inside of academia. With Dean F. Jon Kull and Cindy Tobery from the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning adding insight, the event was informative and well received by the thirty students who attended.

Landers’ presentation cover a wide range of topics, from the writing and organization of a good curriculum vitae to the appropriate steps for negotiating the terms of a job offer. Focusing on clarity, professionalism, and staying “on” throughout the application process, she helped to guide the students through the cascading steps of academic career searching. Throughout the presentation, Dean Kull offered his personal insight – willing and wanting to be honest and truthful with students about the challenges of the application process. The back and forth discussion that resulted from his participation was engaging and personal.

Functions like this one are a large part of Landers’ position with Graduate Studies. Focused on preparing graduate students to realize their professional aspirations, she specializes in counseling from job search through job offer. Throughout the presentation, Landers pointed to the multitude of resources Dartmouth students have available to them in the job search. Her panels have proven to be enlightening for many students who have come through the programs. The Three Minute Thesis events, she notes, helps students to learn how to explain their research in a succinct and clear manner. And this winter she’ll be putting on the “Becoming Faculty” symposium, which will expand on many of the topics touched on in this presentation.

The next Three Minute Thesis event, which will be co-hosted by the Graduate Women in Science organization, will be tomorrow, October 17^th, at noon in 031 Haldeman. And watch for emails from the Graduate Studies office for more information about the Becoming Faculty Symposium.

The Student Notebook essay offers insight or opinion from a Dartmouth student or trainee. Marcella Lucas is a Ph.D. student in the Program in Experimental and Molecular Medicine. She was president of the Graduate Student Council in 2010-2011 and is now a coordinator of the International Graduate Mentoring Program. She is currently completing her Ph.D. and plans to pursue a career in health-care consulting.

My current research, though, is not going to end up in a scientific journal. Like many Ph.D. students, I am exploring what I might do with the advanced degree I will eventually receive.

Only about 15% of people who earn a Ph.D. in the sciences will become a tenured faculty member. So what happens to the other 85%? What happens to Ph.D. students who decide that academia is not for them? The truth is that their options are endless, but Ph.D. students often underestimate the importance of their degree, how much they have to offer, and the opportunities available to them outside academia.

If you ask Ph.D. candidates what they plan to do after completing their degree, you will likely hear that they are going to look for a postdoctoral position—or “postdoc.” After all, that is traditionally what new Ph.D.’s do. After two or perhaps three postdocs, maybe they will become a junior faculty member and start climbing the academic ladder.

At some point along the way, however, many students realize that they do not want to follow the traditional route and become an academic scientist—and I’m one of them. That’s why as I have pursued my scientific research, I have also worked on professional development. My extracurricular activities over the past few years have enriched my experience at Dartmouth. They have also helped me to understand my strengths and weaknesses and given me better insight into what might make me competitive on the job market.

While graduate students learn many technical skills on the road to their PhD, one of the most important (and difficult) aspects of a becoming a professor is often not taught in the classroom: how to become a good mentor.

On January 25, 2012, the Graduate Studies Office hosted a workshop for graduate students interested in developing their own mentoring skills while learning about the trials and tribulations of ‘mentoring.’ The third workshop in the multiple-part series “Becoming a Faculty Member,” the panel discussion included Joe BelBruno from the Chemistry department, David Bucci and Ann Clark from PBS, Jim Gorham from Micro/Immunology (primary appointment in Pathology), and Ross Virginia from the Department of Earth Science and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Proficient at mentoring themselves, each of the five panelists has been selected by their students as outstanding mentors and has previously won the Faculty Mentoring Award.

During the lunch discussion, the faculty members explained how their own methods of mentoring have developed throughout the course of their careers. Several of the panelists described less than ideal graduate advisors and postdoc experiences in which feedback and explicit instruction were extremely limited, if given at all. Noting that many new professors tend to mentor in the way that they themselves were mentored, the panelists agreed that getting to know the motivations of each individual student in order to best help them achieve their own unique goals is key to a successful mentorship.

“I was allowed to follow my research interests,” recalls Joseph BelBruno of his own graduate school experience. As a result, BelBruno says that he strives to cultivate a laboratory atmosphere in which he remains present and accessible, yet still allows his students to work comfortably at their own pace.

“I don’t check in on people on the weekends,” says BelBruno. “I find it counterproductive. However, you definitely need to have a proactive style in the first few years.”

For Professor Jim Gorham, it’s accessibility and caring that make the difference between a good mentor and a mediocre one. Explaining how his graduate advisor had “a very laissez-faire attitude” towards lab management, Gorham described how he has adapted his own mentorship style to provide the right level of supervision and feedback for each student. As some students require a more involved style of mentorship while others prefer a hands-off method, all of the panelists stressed that it’s imperative to tailor mentoring approaches to each individual student.

PBS Professor David Bucci noted that he actively resists micro-managing his students, instead allowing them space to make their own mistakes. “I like to let my students fail a little bit,” Bucci said. “It’s important to disassociate how a student reflects on you, and allow them to have their own experiences.  I think it’s better than constantly stepping in and finishing [tasks in the lab] for them.”

“It’s not all up to one person—we all make mistakes,” says Ann Clark, a PBS professor. Stressing the importance of students taking an active role in their own professional development, Clark suggested that it is very helpful to get additional perspectives outside of your research group, department, and even your school. Similarly, Bucci noted that it’s “nearly impossible” to serve all of the mentoring needs of each student in his lab. “It took me a while to become comfortable with not having ALL of the answers to some of my students’ questions,” says Bucci.

For Ross Virginia, explaining his own obligations and responsibilities as a faculty member ultimately creates a more relaxed lab atmosphere—and learning environment—for his students. “We’re in this together,” he notes. “Faculty are people, too—we like to avoid conflict as much as anyone. It might not be comfortable, but you need to ask for feedback on how you are doing.”

For older graduate students who are looking to develop their own mentoring skills, taking on supervisory roles within the lab can help prepare those pursuing careers in academia. Pointing to the abundance of “great undergraduates who want to come into labs and help,” Virginia suggested becoming involved in programs such as WISP (Women in Science Project) that allow burgeoning graduate student mentors opportunities to interact with younger students.

“Having interns is a nice snapshot of what it’s like to be a faculty member,” explains Clark, noting that balancing mentoring duties while simultaneously keeping up with your own research is a requisite as a professor. This balance between maintaining a productive lab and teaching students to become independent scholars was a challenge voiced by all of the panelists, and one that they expressed they continually work hard at developing.

“Dartmouth is an educational institution as well as a research institute,” stresses Gorham.  “If you don’t focus on educating students, allowing them to learn from their mistakes, you might develop great lab technicians, but not scientists.”

 by Erin O’Flaherty

Lisa Sprute using eye tracking technology at Merchant Mechanics

This fall, Dartmouth’s Graduate Studies Office coordinated the first “Graduate Studies Externship Program.” Organized by Kerry Landers, Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Affairs, the program paired current graduate students with alumni from many of Dartmouth’s Arts & Sciences Graduate Programs. Over 80 graduate alumni signed up to host current students, and by December, close to 40 graduate students were paired with alumni.

Once paired, the participating graduate students contacted their host and scheduled a date for the daylong externship. Though the experiences of each graduate student who participated in the externship program were unique, most students discussed their professional goals with their host, engaged in career-oriented conversations with the staff at the alumni’s place of employment, received feedback on either their resumes or CVs, and finally, shadowed their host for a full day.

“I’m excited by the number of graduate students who participated in this year’s Graduate Studies Externship Program,” said Brian Pogue, Dean of Graduate Education. “I hope this program continues to be mutually beneficial for both our current student and our graduate alumni, and that in the coming years that more of Dartmouth’s graduate students are able to visit our alumni.”

Lisa Sprute, a student in Psychological & Brian Sciences (PBS), was hosted by graduate alumnus Kimberly Rose Clark at Merchant Mechanics, a market research firm in West Lebanon. While at Merchant Mechanics, Lisa learned how to use the eye tracking technology that the company uses to gather information related to a shopper’s visual attention in various environmental contexts. Also, both Lucy Mukura, a student in Dartmouth’s Program in Experimental and Molecular Medicine (PEMM), and Chelsea Boyd, a student in the Microbiology and Immunology department, visited Hillel Cohen GR ’84 in Cambridge, MA at Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, a vaccine manufacturer that produces products that prevent over 20 vaccine-preventable viral and bacterial diseases.

“The Dartmouth Externship was an amazing learning experience for me,” states Lucy. “[Dr. Cohen] introduced me to a number of his colleagues with diverse backgrounds who took time to answer questions that I had. This opportunity was an eye-opener—there are certain programs you can afford to miss in graduate school, but this is definitely not one of them.”

Lucy Mukura, Dr. Cohen, and Chelsea Boyd at Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics

According to Dr. Cohen, the two externs were a delight to host, and the visit was mutually beneficial for both his company and the graduate students. According to Cohen, while at Novartis, Lucy and Chelsea sat in on a multi-continental meeting and also had the opportunity to speak to several of the company’s staff members regarding both their current jobs and career paths.

“Regulatory affairs in biotech or at the FDA is something I have been considering as a possible career,” stated Chelsea. “My trip to [Novartis] really solidified this for me, as I was able to think about what a good fit for me this type of employment is. I would highly recommend this externship experience.”

In addition to private-sector employers, graduate alumni in education also hosted paired students. In December, Wesley Whitaker, a second year student in Dartmouth’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program, visited graduate alumnus Richard Hardej, an instructor at Phillips Exeter Academy. During his day on campus, Wesley sat in on three classes, and had the opportunity to speak with several of the academy’s teachers.

“I really enjoyed my externship at Phillips Exeter Academy,” said Wesley. “Mr. Hardej was a wonderful host, and it was a pleasure observing how secondary education works at the academy. All of the staff members that I spoke with during my day on campus were more than happy to discuss their career paths, and each took the time to explain their roles at Exeter. I learned a lot through my externship, and I think that every graduate student should participate in the program before leaving Dartmouth.”