Mark you calendars now for Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW). The week of April 23-27 will be full of events just for graduate students with free food, drinks, prizes, and more. Events include a Wine and Cheese Reception, a screening of the PhD Movie, a beach BBQ, and an after hours party hosted by the Graduate Students Association. Most details are available now at the Graduate Student Appreciation Week page, but keep checking back for additional information as the week gets closer and event coverage as the week kicks off. Events will also be listed on our constantly growing Google Calendar, so bookmark the calendar for event details for GSAW and beyond.

All current Phd students should have received an email earlier this week asking for feedback in the UCSB Graduate Student Career Preparation Survey. The survey only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete, but is very important as student responses will help to guide Graduate Division programming and initiatives over the next few years. The survey assesses student perspectives on and experiences with interdisciplinary research as well as career and professional development programming. Responses are requested by the end of Winter quarter. Check your email for the survey link – and if for some reason you can't find it or believe you didn't receive it, you can contact Francisco Herrera at francisco.herrera@graddiv.ucsb.edu to receive a new copy.

Tying a tie. Eating salad. Shaking hands. Easy, right? Well, for some students at premier research university MIT, "correctly" completing these tasks can be a challenge. And since proper business dining etiquette and social graces go hand-in-hand with educational and professional success, Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers its students an elective Charm School program. Yes, you read that right, "Charm School," complete with bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.

MIT's Charm School was founded 19 years ago by Dean Travis Merritt. Former MIT President Dr. Charles M. Vest tells the GradPost: "Travis [Dean Merritt] explained that he continually noticed MIT students walking down the Infinite Corridor [an 825-foot hallway that runs through the Cambridge, Mass., university’s main buildings] looking at their feet rather than interacting with others. Wondering how to help them move beyond this led him to the idea of Charm School."

About 100 to 200 students a year participate in the daylong Charm School, which is conducted during MIT's Independent Activities Period (IAP), a four-week term in January and February.

"Charm" is defined as "the power or quality of giving delight or arousing admiration." The MIT Charm School classes aim to achieve just that, with mini-sessions ranging from "Attentive Listening 101" and "Dress With Success" to "Networking With Older Alums" and "How to Make a Charming First Impression." Successful completion of six classes earns students a B.Ch. (a Bachelor's degree in Charm); eight classes will get them an M.Ch., or Master's degree in Charm; and students will be bestowed with an impressive Ch.D., or Doctorate of Charm, after completing 10 Charm School classes. Grad students, imagine earning your Ph.D. in one day!

In a recent CBS News Sunday Morning show segment about the Charm School (see the video below), correspondent Bill Geist said: "You can be an absolute genius and still not know which fork to use." He said the MIT Charm School brings "social graces to a student body that's often stereotyped, however unfairly, as a bunch of science nerds."

Charm School "Professor-for-a-Day" Eve Sullivan teaches the practical "How to Tell Someone Something They’d Rather Not Hear" class. Sullivan, whose non-Charm School job for more than 25 years has been Senior Editorial Assistant for a theoretical physics journal at MIT, told the GradPost that her once-a-year mini-session is "pretty popular" with the students. She has been a Charm School presenter for 18 of the program's 19 years, beginning with her 1994 session called "Expressing Concern."

"Everyone has occasion to use the skills we teach," Sullivan told the GradPost. "We can all learn – or be reminded of – positive ways to address a difficult issue or speak with a person who may be struggling. We have given the same course to MIT parents, calling it 'Becoming the Parent Your College Kid Needs.'"

What are the most common faux pas students make when dealing with a difficult situation?

"It is all too easy to accuse a roommate or a family member with, 'The kitchen is a mess again; what’s wrong with you?' instead of 'I feel resentful about your leaving dirty dishes in the sink this morning because we all appreciate a clean kitchen,'" Sullivan said. "The latter approach appeals to the other person's better nature and opens the door to a solution."

Charm school courses fall into five categories: Professional Development (such as "Networking With Grace and Charm"), Interpersonal and Social Communication ("How to Make Small Talk"), Health and Wellness ("Taking the Time to Relax: Stress Relief and Meditation"), Leadership ("Confrontation: Reaching a Resolution"), and Financial ("Budgeting Basics").

What is the essence of charm? According to Charm School Prof Sullivan, it "may be the art of balancing interest in others with asserting one's own interests. If you take time to be genuinely concerned for others (whether the exchange is intimate, among peers, or in a formal social setting), ask questions and, most important, listen to peoples' replies, you will be, and be seen to be, charming. Do your best to be honest, respectful and caring in interacting with others."

OK, Gaucho grad students, so you’re not MIT students. But if you want to turn on the charm, you can check out some materials taught in previous MIT Charm School classes, ranging from how to budget effectively to how to ask for a letter of recommendation. You can find the materials here: http://studentlife.mit.edu/sao/charm/classes.

Did you know that "every $1 that a California taxpayer invests in the University of California and its students results in $13.80 in overall economic output" (Tam, 2012)?

University of California President Mark G. Yudof is touring California to talk about the contributions the UC system and its students make throughout the entire state. The UC System has state-of-the-art medical centers and top-ranked undergraduate and graduate programs. UC faculty members include Nobel Prize laureates, innovators, and leading experts in a variety of fields.

Read the Our University newsletter to learn more about Yudof's efforts to promote the UC system as well as his answers to questions from UC staff and faculty.

Tam, K. (2012). President Yudof highlights UC contributions in state tour. Our University: A Newsletter from the University of California President for the UC Community.

Our own Graduate Students Association has gone green, and is being rewarded for it. UCSB’s The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) Grant Making Committee has announced its grant recipients for the 2011-12 funding cycle, and GSA’s Bagel Hour is among those projects awarded a grant.

TGIF’s award of $742 will fund reusable plates, mugs, utensils, and 100% post-consumer recycled napkins for the GSA’s Bagel Hour. Previously, this event produced the equivalent of 40 pounds of trash each week.

The TGIF committee, which includes primarily undergraduate and graduate students, received 18 applications for campus sustainability projects from students, staff, and faculty. Thirteen projects, including the GSA Bagel Hour sustainability initiative, were selected to receive awards totaling $172,932. The projects are expected to produce big energy and water use savings.

"These TGIF grants reflect the values of our students and our entire campus community in promoting a more sustainable future for our university and our planet," UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang said in an Office of Public Affairs press release. "We are very proud of the leadership and commitment of our students, staff, and faculty who are working together to make our campus a 'living laboratory' for the research, teaching, and practice of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability."

Other TGIF-funded projects include an energy retrofit of the Student Health Building and 22 new campus hydration stations. For more information and a complete list of winning projects, read the Office of Public Affairs press release. For more information about TGIF, visit http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif. Congratulations to the "Greening GSA"!

The graduate peers are here to help you successfully navigate graduate student life at UCSB.

Drop by the Graduate Student Resource Center (1st Floor of the Student Resource Building) to meet with the peers during office hours (spring schedule). If the hours on the schedule do not work for you, contact the peers directly to set up a meeting that fits your schedule.

Here is a list of the graduate peers, their specialties, and contact information:

Courtney Gosnell

Title: Funding Peer

Contact: fundingpeer@graddiv.ucsb.edu

Specialties: Finding funding, Funding search tools, Fellowship Proposal Library (Application Samples), Department Specific Funding Opportunities and Presentations, Post-Doc Preparations

Mario Galicia

Title: Diversity Peer

Contact: diversitypeer@graddiv.ucsb.edu

Specialties: Around Campus/Town, School/Work-Life Balance, Intra- and Extra-Mural Research Opportunities, Graduate School Application Preparation and Strategy, Career Planning and Strategy, Research, Family Student Life & Resources (Campus and Extended Community)

Torrey Trust

Title: Academic Peer

Contact: torrey.trust@graddiv.ucsb.edu

Specialties: Academics, Networking, Wellness, Technology (designing presentations, using social media to find jobs, building personal learning networks, teaching with technology, Web 2.0 tools, search strategies)

We look forward to helping you excel at UCSB.

On behalf of the GradPost, we would like to congratulate the following continuing students for receiving the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship:

• Tessa Dover, Psychology
• Clayton Jackson, Materials
• Adam Kajdos, Materials
• Kyle Klein, Computer Science
• Eva Padilla, Psychology
• Janet Pauketat, Psychology
• Christopher Proctor, Materials
• Niva Ran, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Michael Rapp, Chemical Engineering
• Anthony Scroggins, Psychology
• Julia Willett, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

In addition to these winners, many more of our students received honorable mentions! Congratulations to you all! If you're interested to learn more about the NSF predoctoral fellowship, you can check out their website here and view the full list of winners from this year's competition. Planning to apply next year? Keep in mind that we have a binder of example NSF proposals (from previous award winning UCSB students)  in the Graduate Student Resource Center and also have compiled a list of NSF resources (including a video from a previous NSF fellowship workshop) on the GradPost.

Photos by Patricia Marroquin

You would have thought rock stars had descended on the campus. On a bright, sunny March day on the lawn outside the Student Resource Building, clusters of students formed circles around the special visitors, everyone reaching out to touch them and snap their photos. There were smiles and giggles, as well as exclamations of "Awww, how cute!" and "What’s his name?" The "celebrities" attracted a crowd of nearly 2,000 students, staff and others.

Dead Week came alive when UCSB Health & Wellness hosted Dog Therapy Day on March 14. These weren't your average household pooches, however. These four-legged friends were certified dog therapists, some with their own business cards. Their mission was simple: help their two-legged friends lower their blood pressure and stress levels, offer social support, and just make people happy and relaxed.  

There were Chad and Dina, Lacie and Cooper, Otis and Lucy, Gunner and Tobee. A couple of collies, a cocker spaniel, a German shepherd, two Labradors, a "puggle" (a pug-beagle mix). In all, there were nearly a dozen certified dog therapists who came courtesy of the Ventura chapter of Love on a Leash, the Foundation for Pet-Provided Therapy, which provides visits by privately owned therapy pets and their owners. Love on a Leash's other certified therapy pets include cats and rabbits, but it was strictly a dog day afternoon at the UCSB event.

Dog Therapy Day is held during Dead Week each quarter, said Mark Shishim, Health and Wellness Educator, Wellness Program Coordinator, and a doctoral student in Education.

"Our goal is to provide some public therapy for all UCSB students in preparation for finals," Shishim told the GradPost. He said stress is the No. 1 impediment to success on campus, and the very presence of these cute, cuddly canines serves as a calming influence.

Research by his office's interns found that simply petting a dog has been shown to lower blood pressure; and the majority of dog owners felt their canine companions were sensitive to their emotions.

Shishim says in a special moment of the day, "kids from the children's center came over, and there was a synergy of cuteness. Dogs + cute little kids = explosion of 'awwwww' from several students."

He says the center is planning its next Dog Therapy Day for the week of June 4. But Shishim encourages all students not to wait for the next pet therapy day to take advantage of the many services and programs Health & Wellness has to offer.  

He says: "We host weekly health workshops on Wednesday nights in HSSB 1174, field trips on the weekends, free massage Monday through Wednesday, and a variety of special events like Dog Therapy Day each quarter. Our Fun Stuff to Do Calendar receives over 6,000 hits per day and has 10 to 15 events added each day. The Off-Campus Resources page is full of links to fun things to do in the surrounding area, and we have a new special page devoted to the UCSB Labyrinth. Our internship program is open to all students interested in making UCSB a healthier place and a great way to get involved on campus." Grad students, there's a wealth of wellness there, so make sure to take advantage of the center.

Goleta-based Deckers has launched feet first into an ambitious charitable effort to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes to donate to the global nonprofit Soles4Souls, and it is seeking UCSB’s help to meet this soleful goal.

The local footwear company is asking for donations of new or used shoes now through April 25. It’s your opportunity to do some spring cleaning while leaving a footprint on a worthy organization, Soles4Souls, whose mission is "to collect new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering and collect used shoes to support micro-business efforts to eradicate poverty."

A shoe drop box is located on the Bren School’s Deckers Deck, where the footwear may be placed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. In addition, donations will be accepted April 16-19 at the entrance to the Mirazozo Luminarium, an exhibit by Architects of Air that will be set up on the UCSB Faculty Club Lawn adjacent to the Lagoon.

Sean Knotts, corporate communications coordinator for Deckers Outdoor Corporation, tells the GradPost that the Soles4Souls drive is an excellent way for the company to strengthen its commitment to the nonprofit group and its cause.

"We began our partnership with Soles4Souls in 2007 because as a footwear manufacturer, it’s fairly easy for us to reduce our waste by donating shoes that are in great condition, yet aren’t fit for consumer purchase,” said Knotts, who earned his B.A. in History with a Minor in Professional Writing from UCSB last year. "We have a company Soles4Souls bin that we keep out year-round for these types of donations, in addition to employee donations."

Last year’s drive netted 6,000 full pairs of shoes and 3,000 half pairs (single shoes), he said. "We decided to step it up this year by focusing on a goal of 10,000 full pair donations."

"The Soles4Souls drive is just one example of our efforts to give back, but it demonstrates how we approach business," Angel Martinez, CEO of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, told the GradPost. "Because we’ve enjoyed success as a company, it’s our job to give back to the world and the communities that we call home."

Knotts explains that the Soles4Souls partnership is one element of a larger company program called Deckers Goods.

"Deckers Goods is a companywide program that encourages employees to give back to the causes they care about and the communities in which they operate," Knotts says. "We encourage employees to volunteer — paying them for up to 24 hours of volunteer time each year — and to give, matching employee donations to the charity of their choice, up to $1,000 each year. In addition, our six brands and our company support many different nonprofits around the world and in our local community."

One recent example of its local efforts is Deckers’ partnership with the Santa Barbara Zoo. Knotts explains:

"In 2010, the Zoo reached out to us and informed us of a penguin that was born with a foot deformity that was causing infections that were potentially life-threatening. So, our Teva brand offered their designers and their time, making multiple different prototypes for a boot that would allow the penguin — named 'Lucky' — to live safely in his habitat and provide his foot with protection. After creating a shoe model that Lucky responded to positively, Teva agreed to make shoes for the penguin for the duration of his life, in addition to special holiday-themed footwear. What’s more, Teva then partnered with an author/illustrator to create a children’s book that is sold in the Zoo gift shop, with proceeds supporting Lucky and the penguin habitat at the Zoo." The GradPost’s Torrey Trust recently paid a visit to the zoo and photographed Lucky the penguin.

For a full list of shoe drop-off locations, read Knotts’ article on Noozhawk.

Shoe donations were packaged and placed on pallets by Deckers last year.

With a tough job market, it is important that you find a way to set yourself apart from other applicants when applying for faculty positions. I recently sent out an informal survey to the chairs of various departments around campus to ask them for advice. Since many department chairs play a role in hiring new faculty, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to learn how to prepare for a faculty position.

In this three-part series I will highlight my findings from the survey. I want to thank Dr. Sabine Fruhstuck (East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies), Dr. John Majewski (History), Dr. Josh Schimel (EEMB & Environmental Studies), Dr. Doug Burbank (Earth Science), Dr. Eileen Boris (Feminist Studies), Dr. Joel Rothman (MCD Biology), and Dr. Greg Ashby (Psychological & Brain Sciences) for their support with these articles.

What advice do you have for graduate students interested in finding a faculty position?

Not surprisingly, no two department chairs offered the same advice. This is because faculty positions vary among departments and institutions.

Dr. John Majewski shared that it is important to “keep in mind that different institutions are looking for different candidates — a Research I (R1) institution will have different criteria than an institution less focused on research.”

Dr. Josh Schimel said there is no one-size-fits-all solution for finding a faculty position.“Remember that Departments sometimes don't know exactly what they are looking for — in the end they are looking for a person, not an area of scholarship. So if you can reasonably argue that you overlap into their target area, go for it. Then it may be up to you to show them ‘I may not be a round peg, but I cover your round-hole needs, and I bring other strengths to the table.’”

Fortunately, I did find some common themes in the responses and hopefully these will help you prepare for a faculty position.

Publications

Photo Credit: Michigan TechA common thread among the department chairs was their advice to publish high-quality, peer-reviewed articles.

“Focus on research productivity in the form of important, high-profile publications. Publish as many papers in top journals as possible both as a doctoral student and as a postdoc.” – Dr. Joel Rothman

“The best way to ensure a successful search for a faculty position is to publish as much as possible. Everyone who applies will have a Ph.D., and most will have strong letters, but your competition will differ markedly in their publication records.” – Dr. Greg Ashby

“Publish while in grad school at least one peer-reviewed piece.” – Dr. Eileen Boris

“Write first-authored publications based on your research.” – Dr. Doug Burbank

“You need to think of yourself as an assistant professor and not a graduate student. It is a highly competitive job market, so having a strong dissertation, publications, and conference presentations is really important.” – Dr. John Majewski

If you have not published anything yet, it might be wise to consider meeting with your faculty advisor and asking what you can do to get published.

Dissertation Writing

Photo Credit: Peter EtnoyerA dissertation is not only necessary to graduating, but many department chairs also look at it when deciding whether to hire you.

“Write a fantastic dissertation.” – Dr. Sabine Fruhstuck

“Take a lot of initiative in creating/pursuing your dissertation topic.” – D.B.

“Most important, make sure your professors will act as advocates and FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION – few get hired before dissertation is done.” – E.B.

Networking/Mentoring

Department chairs encourage collaboration and networking, and recommend that you seek out a mentor who will help you thrive in graduate school and assist you in the process of finding a job after you graduate.

“Network, network, network: the more people who know about your work and think highly of it, the better you have a chance of getting an interview – though at that point it is up to you.” – E.B.

“Get out and connect with senior and junior people who are interested in the same things you care about. Identify a mentor and build a relationship.” - S.F.

“Seek ways to collaborate with other students or faculty to diversify your skills, exposure, and publications.” - D.B.

Teaching

If you are planning a career as a faculty member, teaching experience and/or education coursework will show that you are prepared to be in a classroom.

“At least in the humanities, showing that you have carefully thought about teaching is really important as well.” – J.M.

“Make sure you do some teaching and be an ‘instructor of record’ if possible.” - D.B.

Prepare

It is up to you to stay ahead of the curve. What skills do you need? Do you really want an assistant professor job or should you go for a postdoc? What jobs will be available when you graduate? These are all questions to consider early on in your graduate career.

“Be prepared – go to job talks while a grad student, give papers, think about the shape of your field and know the department or program that you are interviewing for. Talk to those who were on the job market recently. Shadow an assistant professor to know what the job really entails.” – E.B.

Final Advice

“BE YOURSELF. The worst thing is for a department to think they hired one type of scholar and discover they have someone else – you will not make it to tenure. It is no one's business and against the law to be asked about your social status but if you are hired in an uncomfortable environment due to your sexuality, religion, politics, culture, etc., you better think twice.” – E.B.

Photo Credit: ABE“Carefully consider the situation for postdoctoral training, which is essential to find an academic position in this field. Develop independence as a scientist and scholar.” – J.R.

“Be a good departmental citizen: serve on committees, volunteer, make good things happen. Develop strong communication skills, both oral and written. Read deeply, think widely.” – D.B.

“If you have doubts about a position, apply anyhow. First, you are under no obligation to say yes even if they were to offer you the job. But second, hiring is a fitting process and if you aren't the right fit, they won't offer you the job. But you may be surprised as well. … Don’t waste everyone's time applying for positions that you clearly don't fit. The first part of a search is filtering out the applicants that clearly don't fit. Try to avoid being one of those.” – J.S.

“Remain positive and patient – it is an extraordinarily difficult job market in many fields, so it might take some time to find a job.” – J.M.

Photos by Patricia Marroquin

Whitney Winn’s experience in funding research, workshop organizing, library science, and media helped pave the way for her new role as the Graduate Division’s Retention Services Director.

Winn, who grew up in north San Diego County, earned her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. While there she was an editor at the college’s newspaper and also worked in the library. She came back to the West Coast after graduation, and earned her Master’s in Library and Information Science at UCLA, completing an internship at National Public Radio during a summer at UCDC.

As Retention Services Director, Winn is in charge of coordinating workshops for graduate students, particularly related to career and professional development skills (see our spring 2012 workshops calendar); planning central events including Graduate Student Appreciation Week, Commencement, and new graduate student orientation; overseeing the GradPost; and supervising the Graduate Student Resource Center and the student peer advisors.

Graduate students are her top priority. “I want to increase the opportunities for grad students to learn about and practice the skills they need to succeed both in their time at UCSB and on the job market, through a variety of different mechanisms,” Winn said. “I also want to make it easy for students to find the information they need online, so I’m excited to be working on some new and redesigned Web content for Graduate Division related to professional development skills and student life.”

Winn’s advice to grad students is to take time to enjoy life and engage in activities outside the classroom. “Get involved in the community beyond your coursework and research, whether it’s a national academic organization, a social group on campus, outreach to K-12, or student governance,” she said.

She takes her own advice. When not working, she enjoys reading, particularly contemporary fiction, young adult literature, and graphic novels. “I also love television, movies, and music,” she said. “I am a big crafter, especially quilting and sewing, and love to do Web and graphic design.”

Winn would love to hear from students on any of the above topics. “You are welcome to contact me at whitney.winn@graddiv.ucsb.edu, 805-893-2671, or stop by the Graduate Student Resource Center in the Student Resource Building.”

From left, Allison Horst, Das Williams, and Lindsay Palmer

Allison Horst was destined to be a graduate researcher in California. As a child growing up in San Luis Obispo County, she loved science and nature – “very clearly a result of two environmentally conscious and adventurous parents” – and had a knack for math. She would spend hours building and launching model rockets with her dad and exploring the county’s creeks. That youthful curiosity and drive to delve into environmental issues have followed her into adulthood. Today she is a UCSB graduate student researcher who is working to understand the impacts of newly created nanomaterials to keep them from damaging our health.

Horst was among a delegation of 20 UC graduate students, deans, and others who traveled to Sacramento recently to deliver an important message to legislators: Graduate student research is a crucial component of success not only for the University of California educational system, but for California and the nation as well.

On Graduate Research Advocacy Day in March, Horst and Lindsay Palmer, a UCSB grad student whose studies focus on the media, met one-on-one with lawmakers to explain in detail what it is they do and why it’s so important to the state of California. The UCSB contingent also included Kirsten Z. Deshler, Director, Governmental Relations, and Graduate Division Dean Dr. Gale Morrison.

In addition to discussing their specific research, the students were armed with some dramatic and impressive statistics about the University of California, its grad students, and their graduate research:

Through public university research over the past century and a half, UC has generated new technologies and industries, and has produced a skilled work force that fuels California’s economy.

The University of California awards more than 3,500 Ph.D.s a year – 7 percent of the nation’s Ph.D.s. In California, 60 percent of all Ph.D.s and 70 percent of Ph.D. degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are awarded by UC campuses. UC awards 8 percent of all Ph.D.s in the U.S. that go to students who traditionally are underrepresented in higher education (African Americans, Latinos, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans).

UC graduate and professional programs rate highly in numerous surveys, including U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings. In the National Research Council’s assessment of Ph.D. programs, 141 UC programs ranked in the top 10 in their fields.

California’s universities draw heavily on UC’s grad programs to fill their faculty positions. A quarter of all faculty members at UC and California State University campuses received their Ph.D.s through a UC graduate program.

State funding supports grad students; pays the salaries of UC faculty who educate, train, and mentor these students; and helps to keep labs and classrooms open and maintained. UC attracts exceptional grad students, but vital research programs will be threatened if the university can’t continue to draw the best students because of budget challenges. 

Horst and Palmer shared these facts, as well as information on their own research, in meetings with legislators.

One of those meetings was with 35th District legislator Das Williams. California State Assemblyman Williams, D-Santa Barbara, is a Bren School alum who earned his master’s degree in Environmental Science & Management with a focus on water pollution, planning processes, and land-use law.

“He was very interested in the graduate research going on at UCSB, was very supportive of graduate research and funding, and took time to ask about both our specific research and our experience as graduate students,” Horst said.

Palmer told Williams and other legislators about her research involving media and news in California and beyond. “I specifically work on television news cultures, production, and content, looking at how these types of visual media shape our social histories, both in the state of California and in the nation,” she said. “I also look at media industries more broadly, thinking about convergence, conglomeration, and the Hollywood industry's negotiation with deregulation.”

Horst shared that a professor and mentor helped her thrive at UCSB. Horst earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, with an emphasis on Environment, Risk, and Management, in 2005.

“I was lucky enough to have a wonderful research experience my senior year, with Dr. Patricia Holden in the Bren School, which led to a great interest in research with an environmental focus,” Horst said. She continued as a Master’s student in the Mechanical Engineering program, with an emphasis in Ocean Engineering (“it used to exist!” she said), with Dr. Holden remaining as her advisor. “I researched the effects of TiO₂ nanoparticles and uranium on bacteria in aqueous systems.”

Horst is now working on her Ph.D., studying the effects of engineered nanoparticles on bacteria as a member of the NSF- and EPA-funded UC Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology.

“I am contributing to the overall mission of the center,” Horst said, “which is to ‘use a multidisciplinary approach to conduct research, knowledge acquisition, education and outreach to ensure the responsible use and safe implementation of nanotechnology in the environment.’” She expects to graduate in June and hopes to find “a teaching-focused position at a college or university so that I can help teach and mentor the next generation of scientists (and hopefully nanotoxicologists!).”

In their meetings throughout the day, Horst said, the senators and assembly members “were all friendly and receptive to our discussions about the importance of graduate research for California.” One assembly member in particular, Katcho Achadjian of the 33rd District, seemed especially interested in the economic benefits of nanotechnology in California, she said. “Everyone acknowledged that graduate research at the UC is important – but also acknowledged that the budget is making things more than a little difficult for public education and research.”

UCSB’s Deshler, who accompanied the students, said: “Governmental Relations does a number of advocacy events throughout the year in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and Grad Research Day is always our favorite. It is also a favorite of legislators because it brings UC research into tangible focus when graduate students talk about their projects.”

Dean Morrison also enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Sacramento with the students. “Allison and Lindsay were great ambassadors for our campus,” she said. “Their enthusiasm about their research programs and their very clear expertise impressed all of the legislators and staff members with whom we met. It was an honor for me to accompany them on this visit.”

Said Horst: “I think that discussing the diverse and cutting-edge research performed at UCSB helped the assembly members understand that ALL UC’s are contributing the research that benefits the state, and that UCSB is a major force in graduate education, innovation, diversity, and research. “

What did Horst get out of this trip? “For me, this day was a way for me to give back to UCSB, which has been my academic home since 2001. I love this school. I felt that attending Advocacy Day was a small way to support the incredibly important graduate research being conducted here, and the people (graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff) who make it possible. I was proud to be a Gaucho representative in Sacramento.”

For more information about Graduate Research Advocacy Day, read the University of California's article.

In the article, “Department Chairs Share Tips for Hiring Success,” I asked department chairs from around campus to provide advice about finding faculty positions and I discovered that having multiple publications, a strong dissertation, and a network of colleagues and mentors are essential to a successful transition from graduate student to a faculty position.

I followed up with the department chairs and asked the following question:

What do you look for in a candidate when hiring new faculty members?

The department chairs shared many similar responses. Here are the key features that the department chairs would like to see in a potential faculty candidate:

1. Photo Credit: University of Oxford“Cutting Edge Scholarship” (Dr. Eileen Boris)
2. Communication skills
3. Good colleague
4. Potential for the future
5. Strong publications

Since each department chair provided insightful and helpful advice, I have included the full responses below (edited for space and clarity) to give you a better understanding of what employers look for when hiring new faculty.

Dr. Sabine Fruhstuck (East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies)

The ideal junior candidate comes with an interesting project or several of them that several faculty members can connect to and is interested in scholarship beyond her/his own little field. He/she knows how to have a conversation and is engaging.

Dr. John Majewski (History)

We are looking for somebody making a really original contribution to the field, somebody who has demonstrated scholarly productivity, somebody with excellent communication skills (in terms of writing and speaking), and somebody who will be a great colleague and accomplished teacher, as well as a fine scholar.

Dr. Eileen Boris (Feminist Studies)

1. Cutting edge scholarship in the sub-field we are hiring in

2. Teaching experience and enthusiasm

3. Willingness to do their share of department work (though we try to protect junior people)

4. Concern for students

5. Potential for the future

Photo Credit: University of ColoradoDr. Josh Schimel (EEMB & Environmental Studies)

I am looking for a colleague. Potentially a collaborator, but more likely someone who I think will bring skills, perspectives, and leadership to the department. I look to the long-term trajectory; in all personnel cases, from hiring to full professorship, my question is always: is this person clearly on the trajectory toward the NEXT step? You hire someone you can see is well on their way to tenure; you tenure someone you can see is well on their way to full [professorship]. I'm looking for someone who will make the department a better place—not just by being a famous scholar in their own right, but who will complete a cluster or ideally several, someone who will have a communal vision that goes beyond themselves, someone who I can see emerging as a departmental and even campus leader.

Dr. Doug Burbank (Earth Science)

Creativity, energy, communication skills, vision, technical skills, strong publication record, strong recommendations from faculty, breadth of interests, preparation for the interview, and needs for analytical facilities (a good way to expand the department's repertoire).

Dr. Joel Rothman (MCD Biology)

Strong publications, a strong record of accomplishment in the field as a postdoc and graduate student, strong signs of independence, creativity, and originality, an exciting and promising vision for future research both in the form of a written document and in a discussion meeting with faculty, glowing letters of recommendation from several mentors, presentation of a clear and stimulating, and inspiring seminar, and positive interactions with all the faculty. We are looking for someone who is both an exceptional scientist and a wonderful colleague. An independent track record of funding and evidence for making a high impact in two distinct fields are bonuses.

Julie Antilla, a doctoral student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (GGSE), is a dedicated student, researcher, mother, and wife. As the youngest of eight kids, Julie was the first in her family to attend a university and the first to receive both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree.

Julie exemplifies the characteristic that would be wonderful to see in all teachers and administrators – a thirst for knowledge. Even though Julie is ABD, she continues to take 4 to 5 classes a quarter to learn from the faculty and engage in conversations with her fellow graduate students.

Julie has spent more than 16 years in the field of education – 10 years as a teacher/coordinator and 6 years as a principal. Julie’s research on the education of migrant students earned her a Diversity Fellowship and a Dissertation Year Block Grant. Her dissertation focuses on the “Literate practices and indicators of value in the Migrant Education Speech and Debate Tournament.” Julie also has a passion for bridging the digital divide by providing increased access to technology and training to use technology as a learning tool.

On a personal note, Julie thoroughly enjoys living in Family Student Housing with her husband, Martin, and her totally adorable, awesome four-and-a-half-year-old son, Joaquin. Her favorite thing to do is visit the Santa Barbara Zoo with her family. She has spent a considerable amount of time traveling, with lengthy stays in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mexico.

When asked to describe her favorite thing about UCSB, Julie replied, “My colleagues in the GGSE! Oh, and reading the GradPost!”

It’s election week at UCSB, so we wanted to give you the inside scoop on the ballot and the voting process. For graduate students, the primary focus is on the Graduate Students Association officers. As your representative government, the GSA ensures that graduate student concerns are addressed in policy decisions, provides information concerning decisions that are relevant to student life, and provides social activities. All eight Executive Officer positions are up for election this year. Four positions have declared candidates, currently running uncontested. Their bios and platforms are available at the GSA Elections page.

• President: Mario Galicia, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (4th year)
• Vice President of External Affairs: Ellie Sciaky, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (3rd year) (incumbent)
• Vice President of Academic Affairs: Gary Haddow, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (4th year) (incumbent)
• Vice President of Committees & Planning: Dusty Hoesly, Department of Religious Studies (2nd year) (incumbent)

The remaining four positions are open to write-in candidates:

• Vice President of Internal Affairs
• Vice President of Graduate Student Affairs
• Vice President of Budget & Finances
• Vice President of Communications & Records

Officer duties are listed on the GSA website, with further information and quarterly stipend amounts ($500 to $2,000 per quarter) detailed in the GSA Bylaws. If you are interested in running as a write-in candidate, the GradPost is happy to provide a platform for you to announce your intentions and campaign. Contact the editors at ucsbgradpost@gmail.com for more information.

We've covered the GSA and its activities before. Check out Your Voice, Your Support Network: The Graduate Students Association from March and We Love GSA from last February for more about what the GSA does for you.

Besides the officer elections, grad students will also vote on the proposed amendments to the GSA Constitution (see proposed changes here) and a reaffirmation of the UCSB/MTD Superticket Bus Program fees (see voter guide).

Are you ready? Vote online starting Monday, April 23 at 8 a.m. through Thursday, April 26 at 4 p.m. through GOLD or at survey.ucsb.edu/elections.

Marcel Brousseau has declared his intention to be a write-in candidate this week for Graduate Students Association Vice President of Internal Affairs. He is asking for graduate students' votes as a write-in candidate.

The following is a statement Brousseau submitted to the GradPost:

"I plan to be a good listener and a very active official. The life of a grad student is equal parts frustration and freedom, and it is the role of the GSA to help relieve pressure through persistent advocacy, communal events, and free bagels. Please help us with this process, and vote in the campuswide graduate student ballots that were recently emailed to you. They're electronic! Please attend our monthly assemblies on the first Tuesday of every month."

I recently found out about a wonderful educational and networking event being held here at UCSB. The UC Center for New Racial Studies is co-sponsoring an event with the department of Chicana/o Studies titled, "Doing Good Work? Bridging Activism and Scholarship in Latina/o Immigrant Communities." The event's registration is free and includes breakfast. Dr. George Lipsitz, Professor in Black Studies at UCSB, will deliver the keynote address. Dr. Lipsitz's research focuses on social movements, urban cultures, and inequality, and has many publications to document his research. 

The UC Center for New Racial Studies' symposium hopes to assist local community members, UCSB students (undergraduate and graduate), staff, faculty, and administration to bridge their networks and begin to discuss strategy for developing continued activism through scholarship in the Latina/o communities. Topics of discussion include, but will probably not be limited to: Education and Youth Opportunities, Community and Family Resources, Immigration Enforcement and Policing, and Organizing and Resistance. 

The symposium is to be held Friday, May 25, at the Mosher Alumni House at UCSB. The symposium is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Please click the following link to register and attend for free:

"Doing Good Work? Bridging Activism and Scholarship in Latina/o Immigrant Communities"

Want to share your art with graduate students? If you are passionate about design or are interested in becoming a part of UCSB GSA history, then you should definitely enter the GSA TGIF logo contest. In a recent GradPost article, "Graduate Students Association's Bagels Go Green With TGIF Grant," we reported that the Graduate Students Association of UC Santa Barbara had recently been awarded a TGIF (The Green Initiative Fund) grant and some of the funds are to be allocated to purchase reusable water bottles. You could have your logo design printed on reusable, sustainable Klean Kanteens.

The Graduate Students Association’s weekly Bagel Hour has gone green and needs your help. The Green Initiative Fund awarded GSA with grant funding to help cut down on waste generated during Bagel Hour. Some of the funds will be allocated toward the purchase of sustainable and durable Klean Kanteens.  The use of these reusable bottles will not only help reduce waste during Bagel Hour, but throughout our daily lives. These bottles will be sold at a subsidized price to all graduate students.    

We need your help to design a logo to make these bottles unique to UCSB grads. One lucky graduate student’s original design logo (GSA community theme) will be selected to appear on the Klean Kanteens. For questions or to submit your designs (single color) in vector format, please email  rhausheer@bren.ucsb.edu.

Deadline: Friday, May 4

All graduate students working as Summer Teaching Associates are invited to join the Summer Teaching Institute for Associates. This pre-summer program will provide assistance in planning and conducting your summer course through online and face-to-face modules and small mentoring groups. Register now at oic.id.ucsb.edu/stia-summer-teaching-institute-associates.

Program Details

Module 1: Planning Your Summer Sessions Course

Topics: Course design, learning outcomes, lecturing, concerns of first time associates, lesson planning. Associates are asked to prepare a draft teaching philosophy statement, three to five main goals for the course being taught, as well as a draft of the course syllabus.

Mode: This will run online in GauchoSpace. The site will be open to associates from late April through August, 2012, with the most intense period of online activity (with some synchronous activities and some deadlines) occurring in a 2-week period between May 18 and June 1.

Module 2: Teaching & Assessment

Topics: Instructional strategies for fostering collaboration and interaction in a variety of contexts; assessment and evaluation; technologies for student learning, professional development, last minute concerns.

Modes: A selection of more than 15 different Pedagogy, Technology, and Professional Development workshops will be offered between May and August, some designed for broad disciplinary groups (Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM). To complete STIA Module 2, you are required to attend or complete any five of these face-to-face and online options.

Mentoring

Associates will have at least four meetings with a departmental faculty mentor in a mentoring circle to discuss the concerns and issues that inevitably arise when teaching a course, and to offer each other suggestions for strategies and what to do differently. The day and time of sessions with be decided by the members of each mentoring circle.

STIA also satisfies requirement #2 of the Certificate in College and University Teaching (CCUT)—to qualify you must complete both STIA Modules and attend all four mentoring meetings.

For information about the STIA program and to register, go to http://oic.id.ucsb.edu/stia-summer-teaching-institute-associates. There is no registration deadline, but please register as soon as possible.

For questions about STIA, please contact Dr. Kim DeBacco at kim@id.ucsb.edu.

See our previous coverage of the STIA program here: Summer Sessions Expands Mentor Program for Teaching Associates.