The University of Kansas

Medical Center

Office of

Postdoctoral Affairs

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Martin Chalfie, PhD Visited with Postdocs in March

POSTDOCS MEET WITH NOBEL LAUREATE

Martin Chalfie, PhD, professor at

Columbia University and one of three

2008 Nobel Prize winners for his work

on Green Florescent Protein, visited

the KUMC campus in March as the

keynote speaker for the 57th Annual

Student Research Forum.

In a casual discussion session, Dr.

Chalfie candidly shared his insight on

topics including mentoring,

postdoctoral scholarship, and the

climate for scientific funding and

employment with postdocs. Through

it all, his message was clear– let your

passion and excitement for the

science be the driving force behind

steering your career and competing

in the challenging funding and

employment climates.

The 2015 SRF event was one of great

collaboration for graduate students

and postdocs. SRF student organizers

were able to include an hour and a

half long session especially for

postdoctoral scholars with Dr.

Chalfie, and several postdocs served

as volunteer judges for the forum.

Above: KUMC Postdoctoral scholars attended a special session with Nobel Laureate Martin Chalfie, PhD March 27, 2015

Above: Martin Chalfie, PhD speaks with

postdocs

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

In This Issue

Postdocs Meet With Nobel

Laureate

Postdoctoral Professional

Development Scholarship

Fund Opportunity

Events Calendar

Perspective on PhD

Employment Concerns

Staff Tuition Waiver

KUMC Postdoc Association

National Postdoctoral

Association Annual Meeting

Transformation at AR Dykes

Health Sciences Library

Professional Development:

Social Styles

Beyond the Bench: Careers

Outside Academia

Career Development:

Become a Master Networker

International Programs:

Developing Cross Cultural

Competence

Exchange Visitor Program

Announcements

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is pleased to announce a call for

applications to the Postdoctoral Professional Development

Scholarship Fund. This opportunity is contingent upon funding and

is currently on target to award a maximum total of $5000 in

awards. The application will open Friday, March 27, 2015 and will

close promptly at 5:00pm on Friday, April 24, 2015.

The Postdoctoral Professional Development Scholarship fund is only

open to postdoctoral scholars that are employees of the University,

under the appropriate HR job code for postdoctoral scholars.

Requests are limited to $500. Applicants must demonstrate how

requested funds will directly impact their professional development

Priority will be given to applicants who can demonstrate who their

experience can directly benefit the postdoctoral community on the

KUMC campus. This could include leading a workshop to share skills

learned, writing an article for the Postdoc Press newsletter, or other

creative proposals.

Two types of expenses will be eligible: the cost to attend or

participate in a professional development activity, such as the

registration cost for a leadership seminar, the fees associated with

specialized writing skill development, or the registration fee to

present at a conference, and/or the cost of transportation to travel

to a professional development activity. Retroactive requests (funds

for a past activity) will be considered, however priority will be given

to activities that have yet to occur

If you have any questions, concerns, or difficulties, please contact

Ashley Carlson, Assistant Director for Postdoctoral Affairs at

acarlson5@kumc.edu or 913-588-2369.

Application is now open for the Postdoctoral Scholarship Fund

POSTDOC SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Click here to learn more and to

access the online application.

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

OFFICE OF POSTDOCTORAL AFFAIRS

April 10, 2015

& May 11, 2015

9:00-10:00am

KUMC Postdoc Association

Monthly Meeting

Hemmenway Building

Join the KUMC Postdoctoral Association for breakfast,

networking, and information. Details and sign up are

available online.

April 15, 2015

12:00-1:00

Speaking for Success

Clendening Auditorium

In a special training event for postdoctoral scholars, Paul

Casella will lead an intensive on the many facets of

successful communication– from teaching to

presentations. Lunch provided to registered attendees.

April 29, 2015

12:00-1:00

Professional Development

Beller 1009

A special guest speaker will lead this professional

development session, building skills for leaders, learners,

and everyone in between!

May 20, 2015

12:00-1:00

Career Development

Beller 1009

Melissa McClung will lead this career development

session, to help participants navigate career exploration,

job searches, applications, interviews and more.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Every Thursday

12:00-1:00

Culture Hour

G005 Orr Major

Calkins Conference Room

Bring lunch and enjoy a casual forum for students,

faculty, and staff. This informal discussion includes

insights, questions, and concerns about culture.

March 31, 2015

9:00-1:00pm

Tax Workshop

G027 Dykes Library

KU Lawrence Legal Services is coming to KUMC to help

you file your taxes.

April 21, 2015

12:00-1:00

Clinical Culture and Diversity

Series

G013 School of Nursing

A panel of medical professionals will discuss religion and

health care. Lunch provided for first 25 attendees.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Network, learn, and have a good time!

For more information on upcoming events from the Office of

Postdoctoral Affairs, visit the Postdoctoral Events webpage. For all

university events, visit the Events Calendar.

Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS)

First Friday of each

month

12:00-1:00

Moms in Medicine & Science

(MIMS)

Wescoe 2043

Mothers (and moms to be) from faculty, staff, and

students are invited to bring a lunch and share advice,

stories, and camaraderie.

First Tuesday of each

month

7:00-10:00am

WIMS Coffee & Conversation

5015 Wescoe

Join WIMS members for coffee and conversation. Learn

more about the organization and network with women

professionals.

April 14, 2015

TBA

The Elevator Speech & the Tweet

TBA

WIMS will present a workshop in three parts: developing

an elevator speech, managing visability on the internet,

and a networking session to put skills into practice. Visit

the WIMS website for details as they become available.

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

EVENTS CALENDAR

6th Annual Resident, Postdoc & Fellow Research Forum The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Office of Graduate Medical Education, along

with the Office of Research and the Office of Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies,

are proud to present the 6th Annual RPF Research Forum

Abstract Submission: February 9-April 5– submit online

Judge Registration: Ongoing– sign up online

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Opening Keynote Address, G013 SON, 12:30-1:30

Session I Oral and Poster Presentations, Beller Conference Center, 2:00-5:00pm

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Session II Oral and Poster Presentations, Beller Conference Center, 8:00-11:00am

Friday, May 8, 2015

Awards Ceremony and Closing Keynote Address, GO13 SON, 12:00-1:00pm

For more information please visit the RPF Research Forum website.

This last year I have been an

American Council for Education

Fellow. The fellowship is competitive,

and involves many workshops,

meetings, and an in depth placement

at a peer institution. I spent 3

months at the Oregon Health and

Sciences University in Portland,

Oregon. Unfortunately, I chose

October, November and December,

which is the rainy season there. Yes,

it rained every day but 3.

In addition to my placement at OHSU

I have been travelling to other

institutions to meet with their

Presidents and leadership groups.

These visits will continue for the

upcoming summer. I have visited

Purdue University and Notre Dame

University. I will be visiting the

University of Michigan, University of

Nebraska Medical Center, University

of Colorado Medical Center, and

Texas Tech. Overall, this will provide

me with information that we will use

to improve our programs here at

KUMC.

One of the common questions and

concerns that I have seen in my visits

to these institutions is the overall

worries that graduate students and

postdocs have in regards to their

futures. There have been a number

of articles published talking about the

dire circumstances and the failure of

higher education. These concerns

and worries are real for students and

postdocs, but the bigger question is:

what is the data that drives these

concerns. The published articles use

data and statistics to push their

agenda. What I plan to present to

you is some data so that you can

decide what is best for your career.

First, let’s start with the data from

the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and

the Department of Labor. The table

above shows the 2013

unemployment rate and the median

weekly earnings for the various

degrees. One common message is

A Closer Look at The Data Behind PhD Employment Concerns

PERSPECTIVE ON PHD EMPLOYMENT WORRIES

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Above: US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Labor 2013 earnings and

unemployment rates by educational attainment

Mike Werle, PhD, Associate Dean for

Graduate Studies, American Council

for Education Fellow

that your chances of having a well

paying job increase with education.

This is a commonly cited fact, and it is

always good to have the data to back

up the statement.

But what about the imbalance in the

Health Science PhD market? This is a

great question, and again the data is

pretty compelling. The data in the

table to the right is all PhDs, but it

may be different in different fields.

The graph below is from the blog site

Persistent Astonishment. It shows

that unemployment is lowest in the

Health PhD category. The data is

from the National Science Foundation

surveys, and it is a very large sample.

It includes unemployed and those

that are involuntarily out of their

field. The numbers show that Health

PhDs are actually fairing the best

among the PhD categories.

On the other side of the argument is

data that shows the decline in Tenure

Track positions. This data is also from

the NSF survey, but note that it is

very long term, and includes data

from only those 5 to 6 years after

their PhD degree. The tenure track

faculty percentage was highest in the

1970s when the survey began, and

has been dropping since then. The

data from those who received their

degrees in 2006 show that very few

were in academia in 2011/12. But

the important message here is that

those PhDs are in other areas. There

is an increase in the number of

Postdocs, and this reflects the trend

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Above: Table showing unemployment rate and involuntary out-of-field rate by PhD

category; from Persitant, with data from National Science Foundation

Above: Table showing academic position trends in Biological Sciences; from The

Atlantic

A Closer Look at The Data Behind PhD Employment Concerns

PHD EMPLOYMENT WORRIES

for longer postdocs, or multiple

postdocs. There also is a strong

increase in the industry sector.

It is also interesting to note that the

percentage out of the labor force and

part time is 10% in the 2006 cohort.

The graph on the previous page is

from an article in The Atlantic. The

article is one that makes the claim

that Health PhD’s are in dire

circumstances. The data here

conflicts with data from the BLS

above, and from the same NSF study

cited above. Note how they include

‘out of the labor force’ and ‘part time’

into one group. The NSF data for ‘out

of the labor force’ is 1.5%; so ‘part

time’ must be 8.5%. The clear trend

for the decrease in tenure track

positions is probably due to the fact

that the baby boomers were entering

college in the 70s. There was a huge

increase in the enrollment of colleges

at this time, and this resulted in an

increase in the number of faculty.

Since that time there has been a

change in the support for higher

education institutions, and this is

probably a major factor explaining

the above trend.

Now the final graph is the ‘shocking’

graph of employment at graduation.

This is also from The Atlantic and

note that it is now referring to the

survey of PhDs right after graduation.

There is a strong upturn in the

number of PhD students with

‘nothing’ for employment. Is this due

to them being ‘unemployed’ or

simply not knowing their

employment. If it means

‘unemployed’ then it

completely conflicts with

the NSF data for the 5 year

cohort above. More likely

it is due to the questions

being asked by the survey.

The bottom line is that you

need to look at the data

and make your own

conclusions. As scientists

we are compelled to look at

the data to draw our

conclusions. The links in

this article will take you to

two different and

contrasting presentations

of the same data. It is up

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Above: Table from The Atlantic showing employment at graduate for life science PhDs

A Closer Look at The Data Behind PhD Employment Concerns

PHD EMPLOYMENT WORRIES

KUMC, along with other Kansas

Regents institutions, offers a waiver

of required campus fees and the

difference between resident and non-

resident tuition rates to eligible

employees and their dependents.

Medical residents, fellows, and other

groups are not eligible for this

benefit.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs,

Enrollment Services, Human

Resources and General Counsel

recently worked together to review

this policy and clarify that

Postdoctoral Scholars who are

employees of the University are

indeed eligible for this benefit as

employees.

Postdoctoral scholars who are

interested in taking advantage of this

benefit should visit the Staff and Staff

Dependent Rates page. For

assistance confirming eligibility,

please contact the Office of

Postdoctoral Affairs.

Staff and Staff Dependent Rates Clarified

STAFF TUITION WAIVER

Ashley Carlson is the

Assistant Director for

Postdoctoral Affairs.

to you to decide which view is closer

to the reality of your world. Overall I

remain optimistic for the future. The

jobs will be there for you, but the

jobs will be different from what we

currently see. There are other factors

that are driving the overall drop in

morale among faculty, postdocs and

graduate students. One important

factor is the funding rate for NIH

grants. The funding rates have

remained flat or have fallen since the

1990s. This has put added pressure

on the PI’s and also added pressure

on the students and postdocs. Thus,

the important message is that data

supports a strong future for you. The

options may not be the same, but the

future, and the decisions that you

make are yours.

Sources:

The Ph.D Bust: America's Awful

Market for Young Scientists—in 7

Charts

Jordan Weissmann Feb 20 2013, 2:23 PM ET

Six graphs answer questions about the PhD labor market

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

A Closer Look at The Data Behind PhD Employment Concerns

PHD EMPLOYMENT WORRIES

The KUMC Postdoctoral Association

(KPA) held elections in December.

This will be an annual event. Heather

Wilkins, Pavla Brachova, Hemant

Chavan, and Rebecca Burkhalter were

elected as President, Vice President,

Communication/Outreach

representative, and WIMS

representative, respectively.

The by-laws were updated over the

fall semester, to reflect the new role

of the KPA in working with the new

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the

Postdoctoral Advisory Committee.

Each of the KPA members serves on

the advisory committee.

We are currently working to update

our website. It will contain our by-

laws and information regarding

programming and how to become

involved with the KPA. In addition,

our goal is to provide information for

postdocs including grant

opportunities that are both internal

and external.

A monthly postdoc coffee hour has been initiated. Four of these meetings have taken place as of March. We are scheduling speakers, as suggestions are made. The meetings take place the second week of the month, alternating Monday/Friday at 9am. April will feature

Deborah Maloney, from the Sponsored Programs Administration office. She will cover information regarding funding opportunities for postdocs. The meeting will take place on April 10th at 9am, in a location to be announced. If you plan to attend or have specific questions you would like to submit ahead of time please email hwilkins@kumc.edu.

The KPA also serves on the Midwest

Postdoctoral Forum. This is a

conglomerate of Midwestern

university postdocs joining together

to share resources. The Annual

Midwest Postdoctoral Research

Symposium is scheduled for May 15th

at Iowa State University. This is a

great networking opportunity!

Two members of the KPA attended

the National Postdoctoral Association

meeting held in Baltimore. The

conference covered topics such as

how to instigate change at your

university, teaching and mentoring,

diversity, non-traditional career

paths, negotiation tactics, and

networking. This is an excellent

opportunity and perk to serving on

the KPA executive board.

Finally, we urge the postdoc community to become involved in the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs programming as well as the KPA events. Those interested in contributing ideas and outreach are always welcome!

What Has the KPA Been Up To?

KUMC POSTDOC ASSOCIATION

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

A monthly postdoc coffee hour

has been initiated.

Four of these meetings have

taken place as of March.

Heather Wilkins is a postdoctoral

scholar in Neurology and

President of the KUMC Postdoc

Association

The National Postdoctoral Association is a member driven nonprofit organization providing a unique, national voice for postdoctoral scholars. Established in 2003, their goal is to enhance the postdoctoral experience in the US. The NPA has taken on a major leadership role in addressing the many issues facing the postdoctoral community on a national level.

The NPA Annual Meeting is the largest meeting and networking event in the postdoctoral community. Each meeting is highly engaging and

productive for postdoctoral scholars, administrators, and other individuals working to enhance the postdoctoral experience.

The 2015 NPA Annual Meeting was held in March at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Three representatives from

KUMC attended– Ashley Carlson, Assistant Director for Postdoctoral

Affairs, Heather Wilkins, Postdoctoral Scholar and President of the KUMC Postdoctoral Association, and Pavla Brachova, Postdoctoral Scholar and Vice President of the KUMC Postdoctoral Association. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs was able to fully support the attendance of all three attendees, identifying the attendance of the KPA leaders as one of particular importance based on their leadership position in the KUMC postdoctoral community.

Over the course of three days a series of workshops, plenary sessions, and networking events provided ample opportunity to learn from, and connect with, postdoctoral communities across the country. Some topics covered included:

Creating a Culture of Inclusion Facilitating Teaching-focused

Professional Development Institutional Diversity Learning Analytics for Career

Development Programs Addressing Challenges Facing

Women Postdocs Human Resources for

Postdoctoral Scholars

“Attending the NPA conference

was an excellent opportunity for

networking and resource

sharing. The time I will spend

serving the KPA and the

Advisory Committee will be

better served from my

attendance at this meeting.”

Heather Wilkins

KUMC Postdoctoral Representatives Attended the 2015 NPA Annual Meeting

NPA ANNUAL MEETING

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Above: New attendees are welcomed at an

opening breakfast

Above: Annual meeting attendees enjoy a

networking session

Above: A record turn out for the NPA

Annual meeting

Preparing Scientists for Professional Leadership Careers

Advocating for Postdocs The Future of Research Programming for International

postdocs and Their Spouses Achieving Meaningful Change at

Your Institution

The keynote address was delivered by Rosina Bierbaum, PhD, professor of natural resources and environmental policy at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Bierbaum spoke on her experience working under multiple administrations at the nation’s capital and with the World Bank. Her insight laid the groundwork for bridging the science-policy gap and the importance of the science community making science available to all audiences.

Following the NPA Annual Meeting, the attendees will continue to work with the postdoctoral community at KUMC to share lessons learned and

ideas for the future of postdoctoral scholarship.

The 2016 NPA Annual Meeting will be held in March at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Visit the NPA site to learn more.

KUMC Postdoctoral Representatives Attended the 2015 NPA Annual Meeting

NPA ANNUAL MEETING

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

“The NPA conference was a

terrific experience that has given

me immediate and long term

benefits. It provided me with

numerous professional

development resources and

allowed me to build on my

networking skills.”

Pavla Brachova

Above: Rosina Bierbaum, PhD delivered the

keynote address

Above: Heather Wilkins shows off her door

prize at the NPA opening reception

The University of Kansas Medical Center

is a Sustaining Member of the National

Postdoctoral Association.

As such, postdoctoral scholars, faculty,

staff and students are able to join the NPA

with a free affiliate membership.

Visit www.nationalpostdoc.org to learn

more and sign up.

Of the many changes taking place at KUMC, the transformation of A.R. Dykes Health Sciences Library is worth noting. Under the direction of the newly appointed director, Jameson Watkins, MLS, and with recent restructuring, the library is positioned to focus on customer needs. As healthcare research advances, health sciences libraries are evolving to best meet cutting-edge information and research needs.

Many scholars already know that Dykes Library provides KUMC-affiliated researchers with access to a premier collection of biomedical and health science information not freely available elsewhere, even online. In addition to our collections many items can be interlibrary loaned for a small fee. Additionally, helpful staff stand by to answer access and basic reference questions via phone at (913) 588-7166, email at dykesref@kumc.edu, or instant message from the library web site.

However, some may not be aware of the contributions that health science

librarians provide in fueling research and making important knowledge connections. Traditionally, this has been done by creating access to resources. Today, this also includes actively utilizing the expertise of librarians in applying information in research.

Research Consultation Service We can help customize a search path for your research questions. Collaborating with a librarian ensures that your research is conducted efficiently, does not overlook important information, and is more defendable from a methodology perspective.

Systematic Review Service Well-conducted systematic reviews identify, select, critically assess, and synthesize the relevant body of research regarding a specific question. Collaborating with a librarian will lend specialized expertise to the review process based on their understanding of the medical literature and search methods and will ensure that the review will be

comprehensive, unbiased, and transparent with a reproducible methodology.

Librarians can work with you throughout the entire process, including preliminary searching to determine the feasibility and scope of the question, the development and recording of search strategies, identification of appropriate databases and grey literature, organization of citation management software and file-sharing, and assured adherence to established systematic review protocols and standards. The librarian contributes to the writing of the methods section and receives co-authorship for participation in the committee and contribution to the work.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Health Sciences Library

TRANSFORMATION AT A.R. DYKES HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

As healthcare research advances,

health sciences libraries are

evolving to best meet cutting-

edge information and research

needs.

Above: A.R. Dykes Health Sciences Library

Publication Consultation Service Librarians offer their knowledge of the publication landscape to help you make strategic decisions about your publication decisions. Resources and tools will expand your publishing options and assist you in making data-driven decisions regarding your publishing choices to maximize your impact. We can also help you evaluate publishing options and provide you with assistance in avoiding predatory publishers.

Author’s Copyright Consultation Service This service encompasses support for various questions raised by authors regarding copyright issues from ethical use of information (plagiarism

and copyright) to a better understanding of author’s transfer agreements. We can provide information which will help you determine your options in disseminating your works during various stages of publication. Additionally, you explore with us options for retaining your author’s rights.

Citation Management Consultation Connect with a librarian or attend a webinar to get started using citation management software. We are also available for consultations to organize information for special projects, or set up and share files with a group. Additional resources are available for those currently using citation

managers.

Research Subject Guides Dykes Library maintains several online research pathfinders for researchers to use in supporting their inquiries and tasks. These research pathfinders, “subject guides”, or “LibGuides” identify key resources and tips for conducting various types of work. The following guides may especially be helpful to postdoctoral scholars:

Animal Welfare & Animal

Research Alternatives

Citation Management Tools

Conference Posters

Gray Literature

Health Statistics

Software Resources

Problem-Based Learning

Researcher’s Guide to Publication

Instruction The Research and Learning Team at Dykes Library leads several continuing education and professional development events. These events are posted on the university calendar. Librarians are also available to work

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Transformation at A.R. Dykes Health Sciences Library

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

We can provide information

which will help you determine

your options in disseminating

your works during various stages

of publication.

with your team in customizing our services for groups.

New Era of Collaboration The library is excited to begin working with Ashley Carlson and the Postdoctoral Office in connecting library resources and services to you. Additionally, we recommend connecting to the following news

outlets:

Dykes Library Facebook Page Dykes Library Twitter Account Dykes Library webpage http://

library.kumc.edu/ Please contact the Dykes Library’s Office of Research and Learning to schedule a consultation or for more

information. e-mail: dykesresearch@kumc.edu Phone: (913) 945-7360 G023 Murphy Administration Building University of Kansas Medical Center 3901 Rainbow Blvd. Kansas City, KS 66160

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Transformation at A.R. Dykes Health Sciences Library

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

Jameson Watkins, MLS

Director of A.R. Dykes Health

Sciences Library

Director of Information

Services

1002 Dykes Library

(913) 588-7166

Heather Collins, MLS

Assistant Director of

Research and Learning

A.R. Dykes Health Sciences

Library

Murphy G026

(913) 588-7330

Rachel Vukas, MLS

Health Sciences Librarian and

School of Medicine Liaison

Research and Learning

Department

A.R. Dykes Health Sciences

Library

Murphy G023

(913) 588-7322

Meet the A.R. Dykes Health Sciences Library Team

Understanding patterns in your behavior, and the behavior of others can be the key to unlocking the potential in a

variety of situations. Based on Jayhawk Way materials from the Carden Group, the session looked at four styles:

Analytical, Driver, Amiable, and Expressive. Learning more about your preferred style and the style of those around

you can help you flex and adapt for more successful collaboration and leadership.

Understanding Social Styles and How They Help or Hurt Communication

SOCIAL STYLES

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Analytical

Like Amiables, Analyticals tend to ask and listen

more, speak softly, and show less opinion

Like Drivers, Analyticals tend to focus on facts and

tasks and spend less time on emotions

Keywords that often describe the Analytical strengths

include: objective, precise, and

controlled

Some keywords often used to

describe Analyticals’

shortcomings may include: slow,

overcautious, and inflexible

Driver

Like Analyticals, Drivers tend to focus on

facts and be task oriented

Like Expressives, Drivers can be louder, show more

opinion, and make faster decisions

Keywords that describe a Driver’s strength

include decisive, candid, and efficient

Keywords that can describe

a Driver’s weaknesses include:

overbearing, impatient, and

dominating

Amiable

Like those whose style is

Analytical, Amiables may speak

more softly, show less opinions,

and make less eye contact

Like Expressives, Amiables tend to be

more emotive, vary their pace, and focus on people

Keywords that often describe the strengths of

Amiables include: supportive, loyal, and team focused

Some potential keywords describing potential

weaknesses for Amiables includes pushover, passive,

and hesitating

Expressive

Like Drivers, Expressives

tend to be louder, work at a

faster pace, and are more

likely to express opinions

Like Amiables, Expressives

are often emotive, people

driven, and work at a varied pace

Strenghts of Expressives include: creative,

enthusiastic, and good promoter

Potential weaknesses for Expressives include:

excitable, emotional, and unfocused

This March, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs conducted a Beyond the Bench Career Panel as part of its continuing mission to increase postdocs’ exposure to a variety of career paths. It is becoming ever more clear that postdoctoral scholars must consider multiple career paths in order to be prepared for an ever changing, and potentially increasingly competitive, job market.

The March career panel featured five speakers from diverse backgrounds. Erika Devore, MS, RD is an alumna of the KUMC Dietetics and Nutrition program. In her career path in the nonprofit sector she began working on obesity related causes that tied into her education, and is now the Executive Director for the Kansas Recreation and Parks Association.

Mark Uhlig, JD, MPA is CEO and founder of Uhlig, LLC which is a cross-media publisher in a variety of industries, including the biomedical

field. His experience in science communications has fit with his entrepreneurial work to great success.

Aswini Betha, PhD is Licensing Associate for the KU Innovation and Collaboration center. As he finished his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology, he knew his goal would be to work with intellectual property and not in the lab.

John Gorsuch, PHR is HR Generalist at Catalent, an international pharmaceuticals company. His insight and experience into the recruitment and career paths of scholars at Catalent provided great insight into scholars considering

careers in industry. With him was Frederick Esseku, PhD, manager of Pharmaceutical Development. His career in research has

taken him to a leadership position in an industry lab.

A common theme from all panelists was the importance getting in the door can make for someone transitioning to their field. In the nonprofit sector, one approach to this is volunteering– there are countless ways to volunteer with a nonprofit to gain experience and make contacts.

From the publishing and entrepreneurial sector came the advice to do the job you want to do, even if it means striking out on your own. An internship can be a great way to make contacts and gain experience in intellectual property. Advice from industry included not allowing those who are hiring to pigeon hole you based on your credentials– be flexible and negotiate for a position that fits your goals and interests.

With Panelists From Nonprofit, Publishing, Intellectual Property, and Industry

BEYOND THE BENCH CAREER PANEL

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Above: Panelists discuss careers beyond the bench with postdocs

and grad students at the March career panel

Above: Grad students and postdocs hear from a diverse career panel

Networking is a skill that everyone

knows is important, but few do well.

Do you consider yourself a master

networker? Use these tips to improve

your networking skills:

Know Thyself: Having a quality

networking conversation means

knowing what you want and need

from your network, and being open

to conversations. It is important to

know where your strengths and

weaknesses and being able to

describe them to other people.

Master trick:

Can you describe what you do in 10

words or less? How about 3-5

sentences?

Be Prepared: Make sure you are

prepared for networking by putting

away your security blanket (cell

phone) and making quality eye

contact with others. Practice your

handshake and smile! Dress the part,

and work on being relaxed and

confident. Have plenty of business

cards and hand them out liberally.

Accept business cards and make

notes about your networking

encounters to keep track of later.

Evernote can be really helpful in this

as it can allow you to keep track of

who you talked to.

Master trick:

Make sure you make use of old-

school technology (business cards)

and new-school technology (LinkedIn

and Evernote) to perfect your

networking strategy.

Stay Locked On Target: Don’t forget

the first thing a network is a

collection of relationships. Give the

other person the gift of your

attention and stay in the moment.

Focus on the relationship. Ask good

questions. Listen more than you talk

and talk with purpose when you do.

Master trick:

How long can you stay focused on

another person? Work on improving

this skill now to better serve you in

the future.

Make a Graceful Exit: People can tell

when you are in a hurry to move on.

If you have a legitimate reason for

ending a conversation, be explicit but

professional. If not, devote your time

to that person.

Master trick:

Work on cultivating a style that

makes you a good listener.

Rock the After Party: Following up is

essential and a quality follow up can

help you to build a relationship. Use

your notes to pick a handful of people

Take Your Career To The Next Level

BECOME A MASTER NETWORKER

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

it is most helpful for you to follow up

with. Personalize your follow up, but

use all the tools at your disposal,

including social media (i.e. LinkedIn).

Master trick:

Consider starting a blog or listserv to

help everyone continue the

conversation after a conference; that

makes you the conference hero!

Put the “work” in “networking”:

Relationships take work. Don’t be

afraid to give and take in a

professional relationship. The

strength of a relationship is related to

the amount of work you put into it.

Do you want a network of

acquaintances or a network of

friends?

Master trick:

Understand the levels of relationships

and how those levels work to your

advantage. Remember that it’s the

quality of the relationship, not the

prestige of the person that makes it

count.

Be Grateful: The #1 mistake that

people make in networking is not

being grateful to their network

connections. People thrive on

positive feedback, make sure you are

passing it along

Master trick:

Get in the habit of thanking people

for things that you appreciate.

For more tips and tricks about

networking, or to talk to a

professional about taking your

career to the next level, email

Melissa McClung

mmcclung@kumc.edu. Post-

doctoral scholars can get individual

professional advising from a Career

Development Specialist by paying a

small fee. Come see us to discuss

career planning, application

development, job search strategy,

interviewing skills, or salary

negotiation. Also be sure to check out

the Career Development Lecture

Series hosted by the Office of Post-

Doctoral Affairs, a free monthly series

for post-doctoral scholars.

Take Your Career To The Next Level

BECOME A MASTER NETWORKER

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

Melissa McClung is

the Career

Development

Specialist in the

Counseling and

Education Support

Services center.

Are you connected?

Look for the KUMC Postdoctoral Association group on LinkedIn

And join the discussion with the KUMC Postdoctoral Association group on Facebook

The Office of International Programs

DEVELOPING CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETNECE

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

The Office of International Programs sponsors many different programs and events aimed at building cross-cultural competence. Global Connections is one such program that connects our international and local populations through individual relationships.

Ramiro Diaz Sanchez, a Mexican citizen who worked here at KUMC, and Andrew Winegarner, a first-year medical student, were introduced last year through this program. They subsequently established a strong friendship and tried to meet twice a week to exchange language and culture lessons, as well as to talk about current events and common interests.

Despite coming from very different backgrounds and having very different life experiences, Andrew and Ramiro were able to bond over a shared sense of humor and curiosity about the world. While both men plan to use their improved language

skills in the future – Ramiro in his work in America and Andrew during his international clinical experience in Spain this summer – they say that the language benefits are secondary to the friendship and trust that they developed.

For a more information on Global Connections and all of our cultural programming and events, please visit the International Programs events website.

Zachary Rogers is

the Education

Abroad Advisor for

the International

Programs office

Above: Andrew Winegarner, left, Ramiro Diaz Sanchez, right)

Midwest Postdoctoral Forum (MWPDF)

Connect on LinkedIn or Google+

A regional collaboration of postdoctoral associations.

May 15, 2015

2nd Annual Midwest Postdoctoral Symposium

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

Info at: szbar@iastate.edu and online

POSTDOC PRESS March 2015

The Postdoc Press is presented by:

The University of Kansas Medical Center

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

www.kumc.edu/academic-affairs/postdoctoral-affairs

PostdoctoralOffice@kumc.edu

913-588-2369