UC Santa Barbara Extension will be offering degree-transferable courses this summer at its UCSB Extension Ventura Center, the first time since 2009, and a UCSB graduate student is among the UC-approved instructors. Nine degree-credit courses will be taught as part of this initiative, called UCSB Extension Special Sessions.

Degree-credit courses ceased to be offered in 2009 when the long-running Off Campus Studies Program was discontinued for financial reasons. In addition to the new initiative, UCSB Extension Ventura Center – which serves the communities of Ventura/Oxnard, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks/Simi Valley – will continue to offer its regular curriculum of personal and professional development courses.

Communications Ph.D. student Stephanie Robbins will teach a communications class called “Relationships and New Media” (COMM XSB 160SC). The class will explore the growing influence that social networks, smartphones, email, and other such devices and means have on interpersonal relationships.

"The course focuses on the intersection of new media and relational communication, from co-workers to romantic partnerships to parents and children," Robbins said in a UCSB Office of Public Affairs press release. "I hope to take a practical approach. Research shows we can even have better relationships through new media than we do in person. Part of a student's job in this class is to learn to be a critical consumer of that type of media."

For more information about the UCSB Ventura Center and the other offerings on its Special Sessions docket, read the Office of Public Affairs press release and view the video interview with Michael Brown, dean of UCSB Extension, below.

Photo Credit: Vox Efx

Thank you for voting in the 2012 Graduate Students Association election. The results are in! Here are some interesting notes:

• Only two members from the current GSA Executive Committee are returning next year (Ellie Sciaky and Dusty Hoesly)
• The GSA board has a strong representation from education and the humanities (if you are in a STEM field, please consider running for one of the unfilled positions!)
• Marcel Brousseau was the only write-in candidate and received 21 percent of the write-in votes

Here are the overall results (to learn more about each of the candidates, visit: http://ucsbgsa.org/2012-spring-elections/):

We would like to extend our congratulations to three UCSB graduate students who were selected to receive Critical Language Scholarships from the U.S. Department of State:

• Silvia Ferreira, Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Translation Studies, for the study of Arabic in Morocco
• Corinne Kalota, Religious Studies, for the study of Persian in Tajikistan
• Elizabeth Weigler, Anthropology, for the study of Punjabi in India

These students are among the approximately 575 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students who received a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State’s CLS Program in 2012 to study Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, or Urdu languages.  Students will spend seven to ten weeks in intensive language institutes this summer in countries where these languages are spoken. The CLS Program provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences. CLS Program participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

The life of a grad student consists of a combination of classes, work, research, and scraping by on minimal funds. We take for granted things like free access to recreation and MTD bus passes. However, the freedom to ride the MTD buses comes at a cost during summer ($52) if you are not enrolled in classes. 

The Graduate Students Association is here to help. According to Diana T. Dyste Anzures, the GSA President, the Graduate Students Association wants to help offset some of the costs for summer bus passes for graduate students. The GSA is currently considering ways to do this (ranging from offering 10-ride passes or $5 to
$10 rebates for grad students who purchase 30-day passes). 

The GSA wants to hear from you. Do you plan to take an MTD bus to UCSB during the summer? If so, how can the GSA offset the bus pass costs?

Share your voice in a survey that takes less than a minute to complete: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X5BDMT2

The survey closes this Friday, May 11. 

Please read below an invitation to a very special event being dedicated to the late Dr. Clyde Woods, Professor of Black Studies at UCSB. The event is sponsored by The Center for Black Studies Research and The Department of Black Studies.

Dr. Laura PulidoOn Thursday, May 17. at 3:30 p.m. at the MultiCultural Center Theater, The Center for Black Studies Research and The Department of Black Studies will be presenting the Inaugural Lecture of the Urban Studies Lecture Series in honor of Professor Clyde A. Woods, who passed away July 6, 2011. Although his memorial service on campus last August was well-attended, many students whom he mentored were away at the time and this is also their opportunity to pay tribute to Professor Woods.

Woods' close friend and colleague, Professor Laura Pulido, will be giving the keynote talk, "Bridging the University and Community Through Popular Education."  The program will start at 3:30 to be followed with a reception in the MultiCultural Center Lounge. We hope you will be able to attend.

The Henleys and Yangs. Credit: Monie Photography

You see evidence of their generosity every time you enter the UC Santa Barbara campus from the east and pass through Henley Gate. The gate is one of many philanthropic contributions over the years from Oracle Board Chairman Jeff Henley (B.A., UCSB Economics, 1966) and his wife, honorary UCSB alum Judy Henley. Now the philanthropists have committed $50 million to UCSB for the Institute for Energy Efficiency (IEE) and the highly regarded College of Engineering, it was announced at a reception on Saturday at Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. It is the largest gift in the history of the university.

The Henleys at Bren. Credit: Patricia MarroquinAt the interdisciplinary institute, created in 2008, “brilliant researchers from across disciplines come together to generate practical, measurable solutions to global problems in energy use,” UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang stated.

Graduate students play important roles in IEE and the College of Engineering. IEE has 50 faculty members and 120 graduate and postdoctoral students who collaborate on energy-efficient technologies. The College of Engineering, which had a Fall 2011 enrollment of 753 graduate students, awarded 90 master’s degrees and 77 doctorates in 2010-2011.

Of the total donation by the couple, $30 million will be earmarked for a new building to house IEE, to be called Henley Hall, and for investment in faculty recruitment for both the institute and College of Engineering. The additional $20 million will be in the form of an estate commitment and will support College of Engineering initiatives.

The Henleys not only want to support research but also to spotlight the importance of private giving at a time when all UC campuses face state funding cutbacks. "We hope to create new opportunities for research and discovery, and to support UC Santa Barbara's already strong commitment to preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers,” Jeff Henley said in a UCSB Office of Public Affairs press release.

Their gift is an impressive contribution to the Campaign for UC Santa Barbara, which launched its next phase with a goal of $1 billion.

In a statement to the campus community on Saturday, Chancellor Yang thanked all students, saying: “You personify UC Santa Barbara and help make the case for supporting our campus. Every gift to UC Santa Barbara is an investment in your future, and in the future we all share.” For more information, read the UCSB press release and a Los Angeles Times article.

The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.  ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

At the Student Lobby Conference, one of the talking points for UCSB was our strength in numbers of registered voters. Over 10,000 UCSB students registered for the 2008 elections. UCSB students understand the importance and power of voting. At the new graduate student orientation in 2011, everyone in attendance was given a voter registration form. Living in Isla Vista, I’ve been visited on multiple occasions by students who want to help get people registered for the upcoming elections. It is great to be a part of a campus community that supports civic engagement.

With the June elections approaching, I wanted to take the time to remind you to register to vote if you have not yet done so. The last day to register for the upcoming Primary Election is May 21, 2012. According to the UCSB Voter Registration website, you need to re-register if you “move, change your name, wish to change your political party affiliations, or if your signature has changed.” To register, you can either fill out an online form (and print, sign, and mail it) or pick up a voter registration form from a county election office, library, or U.S. Post Office (more information: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm). It takes less than a minute to fill out the online form (this includes putting the stamp on the envelope and walking it to the mailbox). You can register to vote in-person or with a vote-by-mail ballot.

The California Primary Election is on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Visit the official Voter Information Guide to learn about the propositions and candidates that will be featured on the ballot.

Here are some important upcoming dates:

May 21, 2012

Last day to register to vote

May 29, 2012

Last day to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot by mail

June 5, 2012

Election Day

Ning Jiang, a Ph.D. student in the Bren School, works on her water filter projectNing Jiang, a second year student in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management Ph.D. program, wants to bring clean drinking water to developing countries and she hopes to achieve that goal partly through crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding, that is, raising money for projects through multiple small donations, has gained popularity in the last few years. Through websites like Kickstarter, RocketHub, and IndieGoGo, anyone can propose a project, set a funding goal, and ask for support from the general project. High-profile projects raising money this way include retro video game sequels, Bluetooth-enabled watches, and comic book anthologies.

Last year, seeing the potential to fund science research in this way, Jai Ranganathan and Jarrett Byrnes, researchers at UCSB’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, launched the SciFund Challenge. Using the RocketHub platform, they helped 49 researchers set up projects and raise $76,230 from 1440 donors in a six-week period. Building off this success, the second round of the SciFund Challenge launched on May 1 with 75 projects proposed by researchers around the world, including Ning’s clean water project.

Ning got involved with clean water research when Safe Water International approached her adviser, Dr. Patricia Holden, about testing an affordable, versatile water filter to use in developing countries. Jiang was able to conduct small-scale tests, but to do a larger project she would need more funding. While she has applied for traditional grants, she thought the SciFund Challenge would be an interesting way to raise money for her project.

“Doing a one-time preliminary testing is easy and cheap, and my adviser was very kind to provide supplies. But to do a controlled, well-thought-out research project, I'll need much more funding,” Ning says. “Safe Water International is a wonderful, but small, non-profit run entirely by volunteers and it doesn't have a big budget.”

With an initial goal of $2,000, Ning was able to meet her target in less than three days, becoming one of the first SciFund projects to be fully funded this round. Even though her goal has been met, any amount over the target will also go to directly fund the project, allowing her to do additional testing of the filter's efficiency at removing pathogenic viruses. Check out her project page, Save lives, one filter at a time, for more information about the project or to contribute.

While raising money for the project is the primary goal of the SciFund Challenge, Ning has found many secondary benefits. “Crowdfunding is an excellent opportunity for us to get out of the nerd loop and really engage the public in our research projects,” she says. “Not everyone has the chance to, or wants to read scientific journals, but when I put my project in a short video, more people are likely to learn about it.” As she moves forward with the project she plans to engage her supporters by sending them regular email updates or starting a blog. Eventually, she hopes to incorporate the research into her dissertation and visit Malawi to see the filter in action.

Of the 75 projects in the SciFund challenge, five are by UCSB graduate students. Projects will be open for funding until May 31. Besides Ning’s project, check out the pages for:

• Living outside the snail, Ana Elisa Garcia, Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
• Roads of the Ocean, Shaun Walbridge, Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
• African Clawed Frogs: The Mysterious Invaders, Emily Wilson, Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
• Can an abalone in a bag save two on the reef?, Tal Ben-Horin, Bren

Dr. Travis Dixon, Photo Credit: UCLAThe Department of Communication recently brought alumnus Dr. Travis Dixon back to UCSB for an informal discussion on academic careers. Dixon received his Ph.D. in Communication from UCSB in 1998. He was so involved during his time as a graduate student at UCSB with the GSA and various campus committees that the GSA named an award after him. The Travis Dixon award (now called the Dixon-Levy award) is for “outstanding members of the university community who have unselfishly devoted themselves to the improvement of graduate student life” (GSA Website).

Since receiving his Ph.D., Dixon has worked as a professor at the University of Michigan and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies at UCLA.

Being able to hear tips from an alum about life after grad school was comforting and helpful. I want to share some of his key points that may help you with your graduate career:

Motivation

Your motivation for research should stem from love or hate (Dixon’s research was motivated by his hatred of discrimination). According to Dixon, pursuing research because it is interesting is not enough. “There has to be something in your gut that makes you want to pursue this line of research.”

Publishing

Submit your articles to major journal outlets first. These journals are usually affiliated with an association, which means that all members of the association will receive a copy of the journal. This increases the chance that your article will be read by large numbers of individuals in your field. Be persistent—make the changes the editors or peer reviewers request. If your article is not accepted, look for other journals where it might be a better fit.

Teaching

Don’t neglect teaching. Dixon believes that “more people will be influenced by you in the classroom than will ever read your stuff.” If you want to have an influence on others, the classroom is a great place to do that. It is also important to get good evaluations if you want to be promoted. It takes years to become a great teacher, so don’t expect to achieve this in the first year of your job. The more experience you have as a Teaching Assistant, the better you will be in the classroom as a faculty member.

Mentorship

Find advocates both inside and outside of your field. You need to find someone who will read your work and give you honest feedback before publishing. Many times this will be senior faculty, but on occasion, it might be a colleague who has expertise in the same area as you.

Career Path

There is always something to worry about along your career path in academia. First you become an assistant professor and work hard to get tenure. Once you get tenure, you should aim for full professorship. Faculty are reviewed every two to five years and you will need to show that you have been productive (how many articles have you published? how many grants have you received?). Also, recognize that it’s okay to say no to all of the extracurricular work (i.e., sitting on committees), otherwise, it will be very hard to focus on getting a promotion. You can say something like, “I can either work on these five projects or I can sit on your committee, which would you like me to do?” You can express your willingness to serve on lighter committees (ones that take less time) to show that you are willing to do some extra work as long as it’s small.

Controversial Topics

If you are publishing about a controversial topic, make sure your work is high quality, follows all of the rules, your research is rigorous, and you do everything that is empirically correct. If you do all of these things, it will be hard for people to refute your research.

Negotiating a Job Offer

You need to negotiate (“all they can do is say ‘no’”). If you need housing or relocation assistance or a job for your spouse, ask for it. Also, ask how much you will be protected in the job (i.e., “will I have to sit on a lot of committees?”). If you are married to another doctoral student or academic, make sure both of your jobs are fully negotiated before you accept an offer.

Work-Life Balance

Dixon and his wife, Dr. Trina Wright-Dixon, have been blessed with twin sons. Dixon works hard to spend plenty of time with his family and maintain a very productive research and teaching life. How does he do it all? He recommends compartmentalizing your days (i.e., Tuesday/Thursday are just for lesson planning and teaching, Mondays are for grant writing). However, you should write every day (for at least 30 minutes, but Dixon recommends two to four hours). Also, try to teach the same classes so you don’t have to spend time developing brand new lesson plans.

Photo Credit: Sophia Quach McCabeThe UCSB History of Art and Architecture department recently welcomed back four of its graduate student alums for a career discussion panel.

• Amy Buono, Assistant Professor, Southern Methodist University, Getty Fellow 2011-2012
• Melinda McCurdy, Associate Curator of European Art, The Huntington Library
• Staci Scheiwiller, Assistant Professor, California State University Stanislaus
• Stephanie Schrader, Associate Curator of Drawings, The Getty Institute

They shared their stories and tips for success before and after going ABD, including grant applications, negotiating the paths to academia and museum positions, interviews, and the potential challenges of simultaneously working and finishing one’s dissertation.

Rachel Johnson, Lauren Gallow, and Sophia Quach McCabe, current doctoral students in the department, organized the event as part of the department's Professional Development Workshop Series. The program was partly funded by the Graduate Division in an effort to highlight the many venues in which UCSB graduates will find jobs.

(L to R): Amy Buono, Stephanie Schrader, Staci Scheiwiller, Melinda McCurdy (Photo Credit: Sophia Quach McCabe)

Read more and see photos on the UCSB Art History Grad Blog.

The hard-working staff members at the UCSB Library are constantly trying to make your experience there a productive, useful, and pleasant one. As grad students, you know how important and valuable this resource is. Here is your opportunity to weigh in on how you use the facilities and services there for your studies and research. Survey results will assist the library as it undertakes an Addition and Renovation Project, which will feature new services and spaces.

The following is a message from University Librarian Denise Stephens:

“The UCSB Library is conducting a survey in order to learn (1) how you use the library collections, and (2) how alternative access strategies will impact research and instruction.  This information will be essential in helping us address the challenges presented by the Library’s Addition and Renovation Project, including the need to relocate up to 130,000 volumes from the 8-story tower.

Regardless of which portions of the library collections you use, or even if your use of the library is exclusively online, your response to the survey is critical to the success of this space planning effort.

The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.  The survey will remain open through Friday, June 8, 2012.

Please go to:
https://secure.survey.ucsb.edu/index.php?sid=62253&lang=en

All responses are anonymous and confidential, and results will be reported only in the aggregate.

For further information, please refer to the Library Collection Space Planning Initiative at
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/library-addition-renovation/collection-space-planning.

Many thanks in advance!  Your participation is very important and greatly appreciated.”

Editor’s Note: In February, the GradPost featured Emmet Cullen (“Graduate Student in the Spotlight: Emmet Cullen”). Emmet, an Army veteran who fought as a sniper in Iraq, is an Education master’s student at UCSB with dreams of becoming a teacher. In December 2011, while on a desert adventure to celebrate his 30^th birthday, he lost two good friends in an ATV accident. In a couple of weeks, Emmet  – who has been teaching U.S. History to eighth-graders at Balboa Middle School in Ventura as part of his program – will walk on stage and receive his Master’s of Education as well as his single-subject teaching credential in Social Studies. As the academic year nears an end, we checked in with Emmet, who reflected on what the Teacher Education Program (TEP) and the support of friends, family, and cohorts has meant to him; how he has coped with his friends’ deaths; and what he hopes his future holds.

Friends of Chris Rice and Daniel Carbonaro form a circle in the Mojave Desert during search operations in December 2011.On the aftermath of losing good friends Chris Rice and Daniel Carbonaro while on an ATVing trip with them and others to celebrate his 30^th birthday:

For a few weeks [after their deaths] I missed a few classes to go to memorials, and just couldn't seem to concentrate. I feel that being back with my teaching cohort was incredibly positive, and helped pull me around to get back on track.

Ten years ago I never imagined I would be where I am today. I never imagined I would see civil war in Iraq. I never imagined I would lose friends in war, and others to drugs, prison, and now in an ATV accident. The only thing to do is to try to use negative experiences to influence your life in a positive way. Today I am on the cusp of again graduating from UCSB, this time as a credentialed teacher with a master’s degree. I'm not sure why these things happen in life, but I can tell you that I am one lucky SOB, and appreciate so, so much being accepted into the TEP program. 

On the end of the school year:

The school year is winding down now, and everything seems to be going by at the speed of light. My eighth-graders are ready to fly the coop and move on to high school. This is kind of a bittersweet end of the year. On one hand I am thrilled to be done with school, but on the other hand I know that I'm going to miss my students as well as the school cohort. 

The rush at school now is searching for elusive teaching jobs. Quite honestly I am so happy to simply be graduating after everything that happened this year, I have just been focusing on making sure I complete my master's and enjoying the moment and the little time we have left at UCSB. I have had a great time in the classroom and find that I am really enjoying teaching, so I'm confident that some type of job will come over time. For now I'm going to graduate, try my hand at substitute teaching, and keep an eye out for one of the few and far between teaching positions that come up.

Emmet Cullen at Balboa Middle School in Ventura.On teaching and TEP:

I think that my main challenge of becoming a teacher in general is building your ability and confidence day by day. I am lucky in that I have awesome  students, and a great teacher who I have been working under this year. His name is Eddie Guereña. He's a former graduate of the TEP program, and I think he very much deserves credit in helping me along this year. Eddie (Mr. G to the students) has shown me how to walk the fine line of discipline and compassion with the students. From day one he made me feel welcome in his room. We worked together on fun, creative projects with the students, dealt with problems and emergencies in the classroom, and have become great friends along the way. 

Ron Kok also deserves my gratitude. Unfortunately, this is Ron's last year at the TEP program. Ron has showed us how to use teaching methodology to make history interesting for the students mainly by making things interesting for us in the process. We would leave class learning about something new, and clamor for the opportunity to try it ourselves in the classroom. But beyond that, Ron is also a great friend. He is always kind and approachable. Often we would meet and walk our Labrador retrievers, just shooting the breeze about life. 

These kind of close-knit relationships I feel are what makes the TEP program a very special experience. I really am going to miss my friends in the program. I'm sure to see them along the way in our future careers, but I will definitely miss our sessions together, griping about problems in school, problems in class, and generally problems in life. 

On inspiration, support, and encouragement:

Emmet Cullen and his friend, Chris Rice. Chris died in an ATV accident.Bad things happen to people in life. Let's be honest, life is generally hard. All students are at times short on money. We all struggle in relationships, struggle to get assignments done.

We have all been at the end of our rope, stressed out at midnight and scrambling to get things done. I am, needless to say, one of these people.

What has been amazing to me this year has been that every time I have been down in this program, there has been someone there to support me. Someone to inspire me. Someone to encourage me not to give up.

That is so important when you're putting in 12-hour days of teaching followed by evening class and lecture. 

On life’s gains and losses:

Here I am just a few weeks from walking. I think about my friends who I have lost, this past December as well as overseas, and feel proud and happy to have known such people in life. On some level I feel that working to find success is one way to pay homage to those who are no longer here with us. 

Sunday the 17th, I will be happily graduating and looking forward to the future opportunities that life has to offer. I will also be thinking about the past on that day, and missing those not able to celebrate the occasion with me.

With the vast amount of information available online, lecturing is becoming an insufficient model. Why should students sit through a three-hour class about ANCOVA analyses when they can type “ANCOVA” into a search box and get lecture materials (PowerPoints, pdfs), view websites, and read articles within seconds? Did you know that there are over 450 free online courses from top universities around the world on the Open Culture website?

If you plan on pursuing a faculty position, it is essential to consider your teaching philosophy and how you will engage students in learning.

Dr. Duane SearsI would like to highlight a faculty member at UCSB who has found a way to move beyond the traditional lecture format by designing a learning environment based on gaming, technology, teamwork, critical thinking, and challenges: Dr. Duane Sears (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology).

I attended a faculty brown bag lunch discussion about social media and gaming earlier this quarter and I was thoroughly impressed with Dr. Sears’ efforts to transform learning through technology and gaming principles.

Students in Dr. Sears’ Medical Immunology class are given two to three patient cases a week. They log into a website to view the patient’s symptoms. Then, they must figure out which diagnostic tests to order (out of 100) and each test they order subtracts 50 points from their total (students start with 3,000 points). The goals of this exercise are to figure out the best diagnosis for the patient (students select the diagnosis from a long list of possible diagnoses), order all of the “key diagnostic tests” (the ones relevant to the patient’s symptoms), and achieve the highest score possible.

Medical Immunology WebsiteStephen Kimura, a graduate student who participated in the class, shared his experience with the case study challenges: “Students have the opportunity to diagnose diseases in patients with immunological dysfunctions ranging from simple cases such as minor allergies and HIV to complex but nuanced genetically linked severe combined immunodeficiencies among many other diseases. Based off the patients' histories and physicals, students intelligently select what tests to order and must be able to comprehensively analyze the results with the broad and in depth knowledge that they have learned from Dr Sears' classes in combination with fundamental biological concepts that are taught as part of the university's biology curriculum. The game initially seems to be medically oriented—not that it isn't—however the complexities of many of the cases and the great specificity of the diagnoses challenges the students to think like a researcher.”

Dr. Sears has developed an advanced scoring system that takes into account which diagnostic tests the students order, how many times it takes to select the best diagnostic option, and how many of the key diagnostic tests were ordered.

Diagnostic Test ScreenshotThe scoring system captivates students in analyzing, researching, and truly understanding the content by rewarding them with points for achieving the goals of the game. Dr. Sears said that the students score, on average, 2100 points per case study. He also explained how students return to the site after completing a case study to learn more about the patient or the diagnostic tests. Students are allowed to work in teams, but they have to select their tests and submit their answers using their individual accounts.

The use of technology and gaming principles helps improve students’ in-depth understanding of medical immunology and ability to problem-solve and think critically about the content. It also requires all students to participate in learning, which is a significant improvement from a lecture or discussion.

Dr. Sears has spent a considerable amount of time designing the entire website for the course, including every single diagnostic and patient page, and this was time well spent as his course takes learning to the next level. Students may be able to research symptoms online, but they won’t be able to find answers to which diagnostic tests to order or justifications for selecting a diagnostic.

Flash-Based Immunology WebsiteAccording to Stephen, “The Medical Immunology course really stands out among other courses in regards to the Bloom's scale by the challenging case study exercises that strengthen the students' analytical and application abilities. I have been working at the emergency departments at Cottage Hospital for two years and have had a fair amount of exposure to the practice of medicine, the significance of a thorough history and physical, analysis of laboratory and radiological studies, medical decision making, and ultimately the diagnosis and the differential diagnoses. Students who exhibit mastery in Dr Sears' immunology courses will be extremely prepared for a career in immunological research or specialty practices in medicine such as pediatric intensive care, hematology, oncology, and rheumatology.”

Stephen continued, “Ultimately, the gaming portion of the class is an excellent vector in active learning by helping students to truly comprehend challenging material and allow them the opportunity to apply their knowledge and be capable of analyzing results. This will prepare them for a great career in research or a big head start in their healthcare endeavors.”

If you are currently working as a teaching assistant or plan to pursue a faculty position, think about how you can teach like Dr. Sears and use technology, gaming principles, and challenging analytical activities to help students gain a more in-depth understanding of the material.

Kelli Coleman and Kellyn Johnson, graduate students in the Theater and Dance department, received funding from the Graduate Division (see article) to bring alumni Dr. Anne García-Romero back to campus for a day of professional development.

Anne García-Romero graduated from UCSB in 2009 with a Ph.D. in Theater Studies. She spent six years at UCSB as a student and adjunct faculty member before receiving a Moreau Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. García-Romero is now an Assistant Professor in the Film, Television, and Theater Department at the University of Notre Dame.

Kelli and Kellyn organized a full day of professional development for their Theater and Dance colleagues. The day started with a packed morning session where Dr. García-Romero described her experience applying to faculty positions, writing a CV and teaching philosophy, preparing for phone/Skype interviews, participating in campus visits, and applying to post-docs. The afternoon sessions included interview workshops, mock interviews, and faculty feedback with Theater and Dance faculty members Dr. Leo Cabranes-Grant and Dr. Suk-Young Kim.

I had the opportunity to sit in on the morning session and learn from Dr. García-Romero and the Theater and Dance graduate students. Here is what I learned:

Applying to Jobs

Start applying to jobs when you are ABD. Many universities want you to have your dissertation finished before they hire you. However, applying early is a useful exercise because you will get to learn the steps of the process and you will have a chance to revise and prepare the materials you submit.

Cover Letters

Cover letters are the first thing employers read. According to Dr. García-Romero, it is “critical that cover letters are detailed and that they fully reflect who you are.” Outline your teaching philosophy, CV, and experience in your cover letter. It can be helpful to make a modulate cover letter with all of your experiences and use the modules (paragraphs) that apply to each particular job.

The cover letter is a formal business letter (no indentations, address at top), but this does not mean you have to be boring. Be enthusiastic, positive, confident, clear, and express a strong interest in the position. Also, don’t just focus on the past, look to the future and what you hope to accomplish with your research or in the position. If ABD, include how many chapters of the dissertation you’ve completed; and, if applicable, mention that your research is groundbreaking.

Teaching Philosophy

Many university positions require that you submit a Teaching Philosophy when you apply. This document should include your overall view of how learning works and what you are like as a teacher (how you organize your ideas in a classroom, how you engage students in learning). Depending on your field, you may want to include practical examples of teaching exercises you do with your students, your theory about pedagogy/epistemology, or both.

Online Portfolio

Dr. García-Romero recommends that students build a website to promote their work and have a central place for information. You can use your website to let people know what you do. You can highlight research, projects, publications, and teaching experience. Make sure to include your online portfolio URL on your cover letter and CV.

CVs

Make sure to update and maintain your CV throughout your graduate career. Dr. García-Romero handed out a copy of her CV (based on a model CV she received from her classmate at UCSB, Dr. Judy Bauerlein, Assistant Professor of Theater at Cal State San Marcos) and recommended the following:

Current Position

• Include your current position (TA, adjunct, lecturer, Ph.D. Candidate, ABD) at the top of your CV.

Education

• List your degree and emphasis
• Instead of writing “Ph.D. Student,” consider writing “ABD Doctoral Candidate” because writing “Ph.D. in xyz … anticipated graduation date” or “Ph.D. student” may make it appear as though you already have your Ph.D.
• Include classes you’ve taken to show classes that you could potentially teach.
• Include the faculty you have studied with for your Ph.D. and M.A./M.S.
• Areas of specialization

Teaching Experience

• Where you taught, course name, when you taught, and how long (1 quarter, 2 semesters)
• It is OK to include a Readership position, but try to rephrase what you did to highlight your teaching experience.

Publications

• Include academic and non-academic works (book/show review, blogging, writing for a website, plays)

Fellowships, Grants & Awards

Professional Experience

• List your practice in this section

Invited Lectures/Workshops

• If you are asked to speak somewhere, include that event in this section.

Conferences

• Include conferences you’ve attended and whether you participated on a panel, presented, or had any other relevant experience.

Professional Activities & Services

• Include any panels or selection committees you’ve sat on or peer-reviewing experience you have for a journal.

Membership & Organizations

• List all organizations you have been or are currently a member of.

References & Contact Information

Keep your CV clean and easy to read (use indentations). Be consistent with font types and sizes. Adding some white space helps. Also, it can be helpful to create a CV with everything and then cut out the sections that are not relevant to the job you are applying to. You may need to rearrange your CV based on where you apply (if you are applying to a Tier 1 research university, you may want to move the Publications section toward the top).

Letters of Recommendation

You will need at least three letters of recommendation. One should be from your dissertation advisor. The two other letters should be from people who can speak to your work in a specific way (faculty, professional colleagues, a professor you’ve taught with). Make sure to ask for your letter of recommendation a few months in advance. Follow up with the individuals you ask to make sure they will have the letters done when you need them. Also, consider using the Career Services Reference Letter Service or Interfolio to collect and maintain your letters of recommendation. You will need to keep a current letter in your file every year so you can either ask your recommenders to add/revise your entire letter or you can ask that they just change the date at the top of the letter.

Overall Process

Apply to all the positions you are qualified for. Network with your colleagues and share information. Be persistent. Be patient. Trust in the process. Breathe.

Photo Credit: Microsoft OfficeCongratulations to two graduate students winners of the Fiona Goodchild Award for Excellence as a Graduate Student Mentor of Undergraduate Research! Here's the information from the press release:

Melissa Bator and Lisa McAllister have each received a Fiona Goodchild Award for Excellence as a Graduate Student Mentor of Undergraduate Research. Bator is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication, where her research interests revolve around interorganizational collective action. McAllister is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology, where she is a graduate student fellow at the Broom Center for Demography. Both have made exceptional contributions to the scholarly development of undergraduate students.

Photo Credit: SKILLSSKILLS (School Kids Investigating Language, Life, and Society) is an academic outreach program designed by linguistics and education faculty at UCSB. The program targets low-income Latino high school students in the hopes of building their academic and research skills as well as their confidence to pursue college. The program is being implemented in an elective class at Carpinteria High School, an after-school program at Santa Barbara High school, and through the UCSB Upward Bound Saturday college program.

The semester-long curriculum allows students to conduct original empirical linguistic research focused on the language and culture of their peers, homes, and local communities. The hope is that this experience not only teaches them practical research skills but also helps them to appreciate their own linguistic heritage and develop their identities as multicultural college-going students.

Linguistics professor and SKILLS director Dr. Mary Bucholtz believes linguistics "provides an unusually strong foundation for college-bound students because it involves a wide range of academic issues across the disciplines, from the sciences (e.g., physiology and acoustic physics of speech production and perception), to the social sciences (e.g., the patterning of language across sociologically defined populations) to the humanities and fine arts (e.g., the use of language for self-expression and in various cultural forms of verbal art)."

In addition to their research, the students also receive in-depth mentoring with UCSB students providing them practical information on selecting and attending college, financial resources, and college life. The culminating event for these students is SKILLS Day, which brings them to the UCSB campus to present their work, meet with university faculty and students, and learn more about college life first-hand.Photo Credit: SKILLS

We talked with 2nd year graduate student Chris VanderStouwe, who has served as a teaching fellow and coordinator for the SKILLS program, about his experience with the program. When asked what he enjoyed most about the program, Chris said, "I think my favorite part of this program has been seeing how the students react to learning something that they didn't know was out there to learn. Language is a fundamental part of who we all are, but studies about language are virtually non-existent in grade school (and even uncommon at the university level). Seeing students interact with their language in culturally and individually meaningful ways has been really powerful and exciting for those of us involved as well as the students themselves."

Chris noted that what the students really seem to enjoy most about the program is "learning about themselves through language, as well as sharing their own linguistic expertise with others. SKILLS Day is also always a very enjoyable moment for the students, who get the opportunity to present their own original research here at UCSB. It's something that I think really brings home how much potential the students have and how successful they can be."
Photo Credit: SKILLS
If you're interested in getting involved with the SKILLS program, you don't have to be a linguistics student! The program currently has students from Education, Chicano Studies, and other departments and is open to any students who have interest or experience in teaching and/or studying language in some capacity. Being English/Spanish bilingual is a plus, but is not required. Interviews for the program fellows typically take place in late August or early September, so contact Dr. Bucholtz (bucholtz@linguistics.ucsb.edu) if you are interested in applying or would like more information.

UCSB grad student Katie Stuwe holds a special gift: a framed flag given to her by her father on the occasion of his retirement from the Air Force in January 2011. The flag flew aboard B-52H aircraft on many missions. Photo credit: Patricia Marroquin

Cue the music “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Announcer: “Katie Stuwe, you’ve just earned your Master of Music in Flute Performance from UCSB. What are you going to do next?” Katie: “I’m going to U.S. Air Force Officer Training School!” OK, so this exchange did not take place. But what is true is that this talented winner of the 2010-11 UCSB Orchestral Soloist Competition – who will receive her master’s degree on Sunday at UCSB’s Graduate Division Commencement – has indeed been accepted into officer training school with the goal of becoming a Logistics Readiness Officer.

What would prompt a gifted musician to set her flute and formal gown aside to enroll in the military? The Stuwe family in 1995: Mom Barbara, dad John, Katie (bottom left) and sister Carolyn. Katie's dad had been pinned on to major.Growing up in a household with a 28-year Air Force Colonel and B-52 pilot for a father no doubt played a big role in her decision.

Air Force bases were the only neighborhoods Katie knew during childhood. She was born on a military base (the former Castle Air Force Base in Merced, Calif.) and has called four other Air Force bases in four more states home – the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, N.Y.; Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va.; Minot AFB in Minot, N.D.; and Offutt AFB in Omaha, Neb.

Katie’s dad, who was a meteorologist before he joined the service, and mom, also a meteorologist, are not very musically inclined, she said. So “it’s a wonder that Carolyn (her older sister who is an elementary school music teacher) and I have both spent the majority of our lives making music.”

Katie started taking private piano lessons at the age of six, but after she was allowed to take up a new instrument in the 5th grade band program, she began playing the flute.

The months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were difficult for the teenager as well as for her friends and family. Living on the North Dakota base meant increased security and long work hours for fathers and neighbors.

Top: Katie plays the Air Force Song on the flightline at her father's Change of Command ceremony in 2001. Bottom photo: The Stuwe family after her final Master Recital recently. “We baked cookies and brought refreshments out to the guys working on the flightline and the security officers at the gates,” Katie said. Her father’s deployments were stressful for Katie, then a high school freshman, and when he returned for good, he broke the news of the family’s next assignment: Offutt AFB in Omaha.

A prestigious music program at a public high school there “changed my life,” Katie said. She joined concert and jazz bands, performed in choruses and musicals, and served as head drum major in the marching band program. A flute professor she studied with privately urged Katie to apply to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study with Music Professor Dr. Brooks de Wetter-Smith. She continued with music, athletic, and community activities there, and spent her junior year studying and performing in Vienna, Austria.

While studying in the master’s music program here at UC Santa Barbara, Katie has worked as a Financial & Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor. She has served as a Teaching Assistant in the music department, and has performed with the UCSB Women’s Chorus, UCSB Symphony Orchestra, and UCSB Contemporary Music Ensemble. The busy student also finds time to give back, working for the Santa Barbara Symphony Music Van outreach program and volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Goleta. She has managed to handle all of this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA in her degree program.

Although Katie will be trading her evening gown hangers for Air Force hangars, she has no plans to be a pilot like her dad. Upon graduation from the 12-week Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Ala., she will join the service as a 2nd Lieutenant working in Logistics Readiness, a field to which she was assigned. According to the Air Force website, “Preparing our Airmen is at the center of what Logistics Readiness Officers do” and they “essentially set the stage for any mission.”

We asked Katie some questions, and were quite surprised she had the time to answer them! Read on...

What lessons did you learn by traveling all over the nation and the world growing up?

Adaptability is probably the biggest one. Picking up and moving every couple of years teaches a child a lot of valuable lessons and life skills – perhaps most importantly, the ability to accept change. For military kids, adapting to a new school, a new state, a new house, and making new friends becomes second nature. It’s just part of the job. I didn’t fully realize how lucky I was to have these skills until I went to college with a lot of people who had lived in the same place with the same friends for 18 years. I found that they had a much harder time of adjusting, mostly just because they hadn’t had to do it before.

I am sometimes asked if I enjoyed being raised in a military family, and the answer is that I simply didn’t know anything else. I did love what I knew, though. I loved moving every couple of years, and living on military installations, and getting to see the country at a young age. When you are surrounded by the men and women in uniform and see on a daily basis the heroic things they are doing and the sacrifices they make, it also gives you a lot of perspective in life. Their selflessness reminds me to complain less, to be thankful more, and to really prioritize what is important.

What brought you to UCSB?

Katie with her mentor, Professor Jill FelberThe chance to study with Jill Felber.  Before applying to graduate music programs, I sat down with my undergraduate flute professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and picked his brain for guidance. The most important question I asked him was who, in his opinion, is the best flute teacher in the country. He did not hesitate at all in saying, “Jill Felber – she’s the best.” He spoke of her kind heart, warm personality, and ability to mentor any level of flute player and transform their talents to unimaginable heights. It wasn’t long before I decided to move 3,000 miles across the country to study with her.

Tell us a little about your master’s program. Did you have a mentor?

Jill has been everything I could have asked for in a mentor. As her teaching assistant, I admire her natural ease working with students, and I learn from her every day. She is without a doubt the best teacher I have ever had. Earlier this year, I nominated her for the campuswide Distinguished Teaching Award, and I think I was more excited than she was when we found out that she had been selected to receive the award! The highlights of my Master of Music program have been performing my two full solo recitals, winning the UCSB Orchestral Soloist Competition (view a YouTube video here), and of course, the many, many hours I have spent learning from Jill. Also, two of my favorite things about our music department are the diversity of its students and the interdisciplinary collaborations that take place. There are performers, conductors, composers, theorists, musicologists, and ethnomusicologists, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to work with and learn from all of them.

What led you to make the decision to enter the military? How do you think your education at UCSB has prepared you for this?

Growing up as the daughter of an active-duty Air Force Colonel and pilot, I owe much of who I am to my father; his Air Force way of living taught me so much about character, personal responsibility, and the never-ending pursuit of excellence. To him, I also owe my love of country and a deep respect for the men and women who dedicate their lives in the service of others. I have been in a military community my entire life, always supporting and admiring those who wear the uniform, and gradually over the last couple of years, I began to feel a growing desire to serve, too.

After realistically considering all aspects of this decision, I chose to give it a shot and started working with a recruiter last fall. After months of forms, tests, workouts, and prayers, I was notified that I have been selected to attend Officer Training School! I can’t think of an organization that will do more to mold me into a better and stronger woman. The Air Force core values – “Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do” – are also my personal core values, and I look forward to wearing a uniform that stands for something so much greater than myself.  

One of the best things I’ve taken advantage of at UCSB is the RecCen Personal Training Program. Back in the fall when I began the USAF application process, I decided to give the RecCen program a try to work on strength training and conditioning, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I feel so lucky that they assigned me with such an incredible trainer, Jake Schwartz. His encouragement and guidance were exactly the motivation I needed, and I am a stronger, more disciplined, and more empowered athlete because of him.  

Will you be able to use your musical talents in the Air Force?

Photo credit: Patricia MarroquinI will always be a musician at heart, and I hope that maybe someday I will get to perform in the Air Force.  One of my dream jobs has always been playing flute in the backup band for the USAF Tops in Blue; as my career progresses, and, if the opportunity arose, I’d love to have the chance be a musician in uniform. But even if that opportunity doesn’t arrive any time soon, I know I will always find outside opportunities to keep performing and making music.

Do you consider your degree useful for what you plan to do in the future?

One of the most valuable aspects of my career in music has been the opportunities it has provided to learn about people and leadership. In musical ensembles, it is essential to have people who lead by example and who are committed to the excellence of the group. I’ve learned that excellence is about attitude, and deciding to make each day better than the last. Also, the most important lesson I have learned about leadership is that being a leader is not about having a title – it’s about confidence, common sense, compassion, and always having the courage to stand up for what is right. Lessons like these will be useful no matter where life takes me.

While in grad school at UCSB, what did you do to relax and have fun?

Photo credit: Patricia MarroquinMy favorite spot to spend free time is in Ellwood Bluffs down in Goleta. It is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I have ever been. I love to go there to watch the sunset, or for a run, or just with a book and a beach towel. Also, my roommate and I have made a regular routine of going to the movies; we also love Jersey Mike’s sub shop.

What has been your favorite place on campus and why?

I am so glad that I haven’t taken the beauty of this place for granted. I still look up at palm trees and the mountains every day and feel so lucky to live in paradise! I especially love driving up through Henley Gate, and I love watching the sunset from the Marine Biotechnology Lab. I love running along the bluffs and watching the dolphins swim by, and I love performing in Geiringer Hall. My favorite building on campus, though, is definitely the Kavli Institute – I would’ve majored in theoretical physics, too, if I could study in a building as pretty as that one.

Is there anything you wished you had done while you were here at UCSB?

I have a few things left on my bucket list – I'm checking one off this weekend by attending a concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl! Others include taking a trip out to the Channel Islands, seeing a movie at the drive-in theater, and eating one of those ice cream cookie sandwiches from IV Drip.

What are your short- and/or long-term goals for your future?

Something my dad always says is to aim for a life where I get excited to hear the alarm clock go off every morning. It sounds so simple, but I don't want to dread getting out of bed each day and have a life that isn't fulfilling. I have no idea where this life will take me, but that's the really exhilarating part. I am so excited to see where I go next. I think it's important to do something that rewards you, and we all are rewarded in different ways. I find that my greatest reward comes with service to others, so that’s what I’m striving to do for now. As long I live my life with integrity, happiness, and fulfillment, I think I’ll feel successful.

What advice do you have for current graduate students?

Photo credit: Patricia MarroquinA quote that has stuck close by is, "To those who much is given, much is required." It's actually a verse from the Bible, but I think it’s applicable to all of us fortunate enough to be in higher education. Having the wisdom and talent to be earning a master’s or doctoral degree is much to be applauded, but it is also a challenge to fully realize the potential we have to make an impact in our society and the world.  Also – take advantage of the free things! Free career services, free bus services, free bagels, free concerts, free chair massages. … I’m sure I only scraped the surface.

What has your education at UCSB meant for you?

I will always be proud to be a UCSB alumna. I was just 20 years old when I graduated with my undergraduate degree from UNC, and I think UCSB has been the perfect transitional place for me to spend a couple of years and grow more as a student, a musician, and as a person. Being at UCSB has allowed me to grow, but it has also encouraged and inspired me to grow.

Photo credit: Patricia Marroquin

Viewing the Commencement ceremonies of graduating UCSB students this weekend will be as easy as opening up your laptop. For those friends and family members who aren’t able to make it here to the Santa Barbara campus, UCSB will be showing all the ceremonies in live webcasts over the June 16-17 weekend.

Photo credit: Patricia Marroquin"One of the happiest and proudest moments for our campus community each year is when we come together to say ‘congratulations' to our graduating students," Chancellor Henry T. Yang said in an Office of Public Affairs press release. "We applaud our students' dedication and accomplishments, and we take great joy in celebrating this commencement milestone with our 5,958 graduates. This year, we are delighted to be able to share the celebration not only with those attending our ceremonies, but also with all of our proud family members and friends around the world who will join us via our commencement webcast."

Live viewing begins Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and will run through the three ceremonies that day – 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. On Sunday, the same schedule will prevail. The Graduate Division’s Commencement ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday. There are about 475 graduate students signed up to participate in Grad Division’s ceremony. The featured speaker is Dr. Lisa Parks, a faculty member in UCSB’s Film and Media Studies department. The student speaker is Dr. Indy Hurt, former academic peer advisor and GradPost staffer who now works at Apple. To read more about Graduate Division’s commencement, read our previous GradPost article, “Graduate Division Commencement Ceremony June 17.”

To view the webcast, where you may see scenes such as the ones pictured here from a previous UCSB Commencement ceremony, go to http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/commencement/cast.aspx. A Microsoft Silverlight plug-in will be required for viewing in your Web browser.

For those who will be traveling to the campus for the ceremonies, university officials suggest allowing for extra travel time. Ongoing roadwork on Highway 217, near the main entrance at Henley Gate, could result in intermittent traffic delays. Highway 217, the only road into UCSB’s main entrance, has been undergoing repairs and improvements for several months, necessitating a lane closure. Officials urge visitors to follow “Event Parking” signs to the parking lots. Transportation and Parking Services staff will direct traffic at key spots to ensure visitors park their vehicles in a timely fashion.

For more information about Commencement activities, including directions to the campus, visit the Commencement 2012 page.

Photo credit: Patricia Marroquin

Graduating on Sunday? With help from Dean Gale Morrison and other Graduate Division staff, we've put together a video with tips on how to hold your hood and what to do when you cross the stage.

All commencement instructions, including where to check in and how to line up are available at the Graduate Division website.

Congratulations graduates—we'll see you on Sunday!

A firefighter tends to a prescribed burn on UCSB's Lagoon Island in 2011.

If you see smoke and flames coming from Lagoon Island one day during the week of July 21-27, don’t be alarmed. A prescribed burn is scheduled for that week, to be conducted by UC Santa Barbara’s Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER), the UCSB Fire Protection Division, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and the county's Arson Task Force.

Lisa Stratton, director of ecosystem management at CCBER, said in a UCSB Office of Public Affairs press release that the burn will be part of an ecological restoration of the area, and will be done on a day with the least amount of fog. "The burn is part of a management effort to control non-native grasses and establish native coastal bluff scrub vegetation," she said in the release.

It will be the fifth year the university will be conducting a burn, and all needed permits have been secured.

For more information, read the Office of Public affairs press release.