Rutgers OPA
Weekly Newsletter | August 30, 2018
Things you should know...
Dear Rutgers Postdoc community,
This newsletter includes reading material, upcoming events, and general announcements. Scroll down for more information.
Also, check out our website for a collection of previous OPA weekly newsletter.
Reading Material
9 Email Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job Offer
*Article published on Grammarly Blog
"When you’re job hunting, you’re on high alert for every mistake you can possibly make: you run your resume by every friend you have, carefully craft a cover letter, scrutinize every detail you put into the job application, and spend hours preparing for your interview.
But did you ever stop to think that you could make it all the way to a final interview only to lose the job offer to something as small as an email?" Read more.
OPA Events
Mentoring Up | Workshop for Postdocs | Today Last Day to Register!
Have you ever wondered how can you make the most of your mentoring relationships?
In this 1.5 hour workshop, we will use case studies and small group discussions to explore the dynamics of the mentor-mentee relationship and to build skills and reflect on how to be a more responsive mentor as well as a more proactive mentee as a postdoc. This workshop is based on evidence-based resources developed by the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), through a grant to the Big Ten Academic Alliance (NRMN-CAN).
The following areas of mentorship practices and interests will be addressed during this workshop:
• Maintaining Effective Communication
• Aligning Expectations
Presented by: Dr. Xenia Morin
When: Friday, September 7, 2018
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Where: Rutgers-New Brunswick - Nelson Biology Laboratories, Room D-406
Sponsored by: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Interested in improving your mentoring skills and increasing your productivity?
All interested postdocs, universitywide, are invited to participate. Enrollment for this workshop is limited to 25 participants. Register by August, 30th.
Dr. Xenia Morin
Xenia K. Morin, Ph.D. is the Senior Associate Dean for Learning at SEBS, Rutgers-New Brunswick, and an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Plant Biology. She is part of the NRMN-CAN leadership team, the Big10 affiliate of NRMN, and offers workshops to post-docs, graduate students and undergraduates to build skills and to enhance their educational opportunities. Dr. Morin has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Cornell University as was active in the early days of the National Postdoc Association.
Mentoring Up
"Mentoring up is the mentee’s proactive engagement in the mentor-mentee relationship, so that both parties mutually benefit from the relationship and move forward towards an agreed-upon purpose or vision. Mentoring up is a process in which the mentee continually learns about the relationship and develops skills to engage in it as the relationship evolves. Ultimately, learning the skills needed to proactively manage an evolving mentoring relationship will contribute significantly to the mentee’s ability to effectively navigate and manage a career."
(“Mentoring Up”: Learning to Manage Your Mentoring Relationships. Steven Paul Lee, Richard McGee, Christine Pfund, and Janet Branchaw)
Dr. Evelyn Erenrich
Evelyn S. Erenrich, Ph.D. is Associate Dean at the Rutgers University School of Graduate Studies; Director of Graduate Recruitment, Retention and Diversity (GR2aD); and a Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology. Her current efforts focus on developing and implementing strategies to promote inclusive excellence in graduate education. Initiatives span all transition points from undergraduate through junior faculty. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Big Ten Academic Alliance National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN-CAN). Dr. Erenrich earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Cornell University.
Register by September 11 !
Rutgers University to Celebrate the Contributions of Postdoctoral Scholars During National Postdoc Appreciation Week
The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is holding the ninth annual National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week, September 17 – 21, 2018. Rutgers University is joining the celebration by organizing and hosting a series of events and workshops on Busch and Cook campus.
The universitywide Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will host:
Welcome Orientation: The Postdoc Landscape at Rutgers
This event aims to orient new and current postdocs, curious to learn about postdoc demographics at Rutgers, learn the different types of postdoctoral appointments and their benefits, and how to make the most of their postdoctoral training at Rutgers.
When: Monday, September 17, 2018
Time: 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Where: Busch Campus, Nelson Biology Lab D-406
Grant Writing Skills Workshop: Tackling the Personal Statement in Grant Applications
The personal statement is often a critical component of a grant or fellowship application. If you are planning to apply for funding in the near future, and your application requires a personal statement, then this workshop is for you.
Through a series of interactive writing exercises, you will lay the foundation of an effective personal statement that conveys your motivation and preparation to conduct independent research. The workshop will feature short bursts of writing and peer sharing activities designed to help you write the best document possible. Bring a laptop and a ready-to-write spirit!
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Cook Campus, Rutgers Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Room 205
Bio:
Ben Arenger is a Project Manager at School of Graduate Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Spanish literature at Rutgers in 2016, and currently assists on School of Graduate Studies projects related to professional development, business administration, and degree certification. For six years, Ben served as a fellowship advisor, helping graduate students win prestigious awards from the National Science Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Fulbright.
The Rutgers Postdoctoral Association will host:
Postdoc Appreciation Lunch
This event will introduce and welcome new postdocs to the community at Rutgers, as well as help connect new and existing postdocs to the various resources that are available during their time here at Rutgers. Come and meet the new postdoc members of the Rutgers Community and the staff of the universitywide Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
There will be several representatives from various Rutgers organizations and programs hosting tables, and providing information about opportunities available to postdocs within our community.
When: Friday, September 21, 2018
Time: 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: Busch Campus, Busch Student Center’s International Lounge
Lunch will be provided.
Rutgers PDA Events
Postdoc Appreciation Lunch
Register by September 14
The Rutgers Postdoctoral Association will host the annual Postdoc Appreciation Lunch as part of the celebration of the National Postdoc Appreciation Week.
This event will introduce and welcome new postdocs to the community at Rutgers as well as help connect new and existing postdocs to the various resources they have available during their time here at Rutgers. Come and meet the new postdoc members of the Rutgers Community and the staff of the universitywide Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
There will be several representatives from various Rutgers organizations and programs hosting tables, and providing information about opportunities available to postdocs within our community.
When: Friday, September 21, 2018
Time: 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: Busch Campus, Busch Student Center’s International Lounge
Lunch will be provided.
Scroll down to see flyer.
Rutgers iJOBS Events
iJOBS Workshop: Careers in Publishing Job Simulation | September 6
Come hear from PhDs who have decided to enter the world of scientific publishing whether as editor, commentor, or publisher. Learn how they transitioned to this exciting role that requires them to use the skills they learned during grad school and to be continually intellectually challenged. We will do a job simulation of a task they perform on a regular basis in publishing such as deciding if a paper should get accepting and writing and news blurbs so you can get a sense of what the career entails.
Location:
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
675 Hoes Lane West
Research Tower, Deans Conference Room 123
Piscataway, NJ 08540
iJOBS offers transportation. Limited spaces are available. Registration is required.
Have questions about this iJOBS event? Contact Rutgers iJOBS Program Directors:
Janet Alder; janet.alder@rutgers.edu
Susan Engelhardt; engels@soe.rutgers.edu
Doreen Badheka; badhekdk@gsbs.rutgers.edu
Thursday, Sep 6, 2018, 04:30 PM
675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway Township, NJ, USA
Opportunity for Female Postdocs | Young Women in Bio 2018 | Sign-up by September 14
Are you a female postdoc interested in a future career in academia, K-12 education or medical communication? If you are, the Young Women in Bio event is for you.
Rutgers University will be hosting its second Young Women in Bio event on Friday, October 12th. The goal of this event is for female high school students from New Jersey to come to campus and learn about careers in the life sciences including both research and medicine. Last year’s event was a huge success and was written about in many press releases. This year we will again be hosting 270 young women at Rutgers, and we need female postdocs to volunteer to help with the following activities:
- run a short (8 min) demonstration of a science activity to be repeated for 12 different groups. 2-4 postdocs needed to do the activity together. (See details below)
- have lunch with the high school students to tell them about grad school. Four postdocs needed.
Community service is always of value on a Resume or CV.
To sign up for demos and/or lunch contact Itzamarie at the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (ict@oq.rutgers.edu). Please respond by Friday, September 14.
Demo details
The aim of these demos is not to teach science, rather just to pique their interest. It does not have to be related to your research so you can look for ideas online if you don’t think what you are doing in the lab can be easily shown. A small hands-on component would be ideal, but since it is a short time, it cannot be too involved. The goal is to have duplicate demos on both sides of the room so going in with a partner or small group such that you can run demos simultaneously on both sides of the room would be best. There will be about nine girls coming to each station at a time, and each station would have a total of 12 groups coming by over the course of 2 hours.
If you are interested in running a demo then we need the following:
- 100-word description of your demo
- Please, let us know if you need access to electricity
- Any special requests (like an ice bucket, being in a corner away from windows, etc…)
- Will you be using technology? (computer, microscopes, etc…)
Examples of the demo: (1) showing a pre-done gel to demonstrate how genetically modified food has a distinct DNA marker to differentiate from non-genetically modified food, (2) green fluorescent protein function, (3) anatomy of sheep brain/pig brain
The preliminary layout of the event is as follows:
9:30-9:45 am Arrival, check-in, and assignments to groups.
10:00-10:30 am Introduction to different careers you can have with a degree in science. Also, how to prepare for graduate and medical school and things you can do while in high school and college.
10:30-11:30 am Groups 1-15 will do demonstrations for Groups 16-30 will listen to speakers
11:20 am Spark Talks
11:30-12:30 pm Groups 16-30 will do demonstrations for Groups 1-15 will listen to speakers
12:20 pm Spark Talks
12:45-1:30 pm Networking pizza lunch with one grad/postdoc/med student at tables
Nominations Being Accepted for the 2019 Mentor Award | National Postdoc Association
The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), in partnership with Garnett-Powers & Associates, Inc., would like to announce the call for nominations for the 2019 NPA Garnett-Powers & Associates, Inc. Mentor Award. The award recognizes a faculty member or advisor who has engaged in exceptional mentoring of postdoctoral scholars.The deadline for submission is Friday, October 12, 2018.
The award recognizes a faculty member or advisor who has engaged in exceptional mentoring of postdoctoral scholars as exhibited by the following:
- Has advocated for postdoctoral scholars.
- Has been accessible and provided open lines of communication to postdoctoral scholars.
- Has created a supportive environment for research; has shown respect for the postdoctoral scholars' goals and assisted them in fulfilling those goals.
- Has provided them guidance in professional development, including, for example, encouraging the use of the Core Competencies for self-assessment and guidance, completing an individual development plan, and assisting the postdoctoral scholars in building a professional network through generous sharing of contacts.
- Has demonstrated a sustained commitment to creating a productive working environment that enhances the overall postdoctoral experience.
The recipient of the NPA Garnett-Powers & Associates, Inc. Mentor Award will receive a plaque, an honorarium of $500, complimentary registration to the 2019 Annual Meeting, and a $1,000 travel stipend. The award will be presented at the 17th NPA Annual Conference, April 12-14, 2019.
Call for Nominations for the 2019 Distinguished Service Award | National Postdoc Association
The NPA Distinguished Service Award (DSA) represents appreciation for an individual that has demonstrated either a profound, sustained, or leadership contribution to improving the postdoctoral experience.
The award recognizes an individual who has contributed to improving the postdoctoral experience through:
- Pioneering efforts to improve postdoctoral policies, benefits, and programs.
- Influencing sustained leadership in national systemic and/or local change for the improvement of the postdoctoral experience.
- Advocating and raising awareness of significant and important issues that have significantly altered the postdoctoral scholar landscape.
- Contributing to professional development, career development and resource development for postdoctoral scholars.
- Creating agency and opportunity for postdoctoral research and advancement into academic and nonacademic careers.
Read the nomination process at this link. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, October 12, 2018.
Fellowship and Grant Deadlines | Mid-September to December 2018
*Thanks to the Brain Health Institute and Teresa Delcorso, Assistant Dean at School of Graduate Studies, for sharing this information.
Below is a list of predoctoral and postdoctoral funding opportunities. This is not a comprehensive list.
- (September 15, 2018) - Altrusa International Foundation, Inc.: Graduate Incentive Award - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences, Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (September 15, 2018) - American Philosophical Society: Daland Fellowships in Clinical Investigation - Biomedical Sciences
- (September 15, 2018) - Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: German Chancellor Fellowships for Tomorrow’s Leaders - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences ,Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (September 15, 2018) - Kone Foundation: Grants - Biological Sciences, Humanities ,Social Sciences ,Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (September 17, 2018) - United States Department of State: Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship - Visual, Performing and Creative Arts, Social Sciences Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Humanities, Biomedical Sciences ,Biological Sciences
- (September 19, 2018) - National Science Foundation: NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF) - Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
- (September 21, 2018) - American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Inc.: Graduate Student Fellows Program - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences ,Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (September 25, 2018) - University of Michigan: Michigan Society of Fellows - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences ,Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences, Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (September 30, 2018) - Muscular Dystrophy Association: Fellowship - Biomedical Sciences
- (October 1, 2018) - Association for Asian Studies: AAS NEAC Korean Studies Grants
- (October 1, 2018) - Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society: Grants-in-Aid of Research - Multidisciplinary-STEM Focus, Biological Sciences ,Biomedical Sciences Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences
- (October 1, 2018) - Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia: Jessup and McHenry Awards - Biological Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
- (October 1, 2018) - Taraknath Das Foundation: Grant-in-aid
- (October 1, 2018) - Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education: Higher Education Research Experiences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Students- Biological Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
- (October 5, 2018) - Commission federale des bourses pour etudiants etrangers: Swiss Scholarships for University Studies, Fine Arts and Music Schools - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities ,Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (October 9, 2018) - Society of Toxicology: Graduate Student Research Award - Biomedical Sciences
- (October 9, 2018) - Society of Toxicology: Colgate-Palmolive Post-Doctoral Award in In Vitro Toxicology - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences
- (October 10, 2018) - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Gates Cambridge Scholarship - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Social Sciences
- (October 15, 2018) - C. Alma Baker Trust: Postgraduate Scholarship - Biological Sciences
- (October 15, 2018) - American Public Power Association: DEED Research Student Grants/Internships - Biological Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
- (October 22, 2018) - National Science Foundation: Graduate Research Fellowship - Biological Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences
- (November 1, 2018) - Smithsonian Institution: Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program: Predoctoral Fellowships - Visual, Performing and Creative Arts Social Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Humanities, Biomedical Sciences ,Biological Sciences
- (November 1, 2018) - American Association of University Women: American Dissertation Fellowships - Biological Sciences ,Biomedical Sciences, Humanities Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences
- (November 1, 2018) - Canadian Federation of University Women: Dr. Margaret McWilliams Pre-Doctoral Fellowship - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences ,Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (November 1, 2018) - Canadian Federation of University Women: CFUW Memorial/Professional Fellowship - Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Biological Sciences Biomedical Sciences
- (November 1, 2018) - Canadian Federation of University Women: 1989 Ecole Polytechnique Commemorative Award - nan
- (November 1, 2018) - Paul and Daisy Soros: Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans - Biological Sciences Biomedical Sciences Humanities Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Social Sciences Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (November 12, 2018) - University of British Columbia: Killam Postdoctoral Fellowships - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences ,Humanities ,Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Social Sciences
- (November 15, 2018) - American Museum of Natural History: Chapman Grants - Biological Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences
- (November 15, 2018) - American Association of University Women: International Fellowships - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences
- (November 15, 2018) - New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineering: Joyce Cunningham Scholarship - Biomedical Sciences
- (November 30, 2018) - Lady Davis Fellowship Trust-ISRAEL: Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellowships at Technion, Israel - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Humanities Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences
- (December 1, 2018) - American Society of Safety Engineers: ASSE Scholarship Programs - Biomedical Sciences
- (December 3, 2018) - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Postdoctoral Research Fellowships - Biomedical Sciences
- (December 6, 2018) - Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences ,Humanities, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (December 13, 2018) - Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences ,Humanities ,Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering ,Social Sciences ,Visual, Performing and Creative Arts
- (December 15, 2018) - International Society of Biomechanics: The Matching Dissertation Grant Program - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
- (December 15, 2018) - International Society of Biomechanics: The International Travel Grant - Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering
Save the Date | Eagleton Science and Politics Workshop | November 30
Please save the date for the first Eagleton Science and Politics Workshop session of the 2018-2019 academic year:
Friday, November 30th
Scientists in Politics
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (networking lunch included)
Confirmed Speakers:
- Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, PhD represents New Jersey's 16th Legislative District. Andrew is a lifelong New Jersey resident, a physicist, and the Head of Science Education at the Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory.
- Caroline Weinberg, MD, MPH is a New York City-based health educator and researcher. She was a national co-chair of the March for Science.
- Additional speakers TBA
Regular OPA Events
Welcome & Information Session | Friday, August 31 | Registration Required
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers Welcome and Information Sessions to help orient new and current postdocs. If you are a postdoc who is new to Rutgers, or just curious about the resources that are available to you, we strongly encourage you to register for an upcoming one-hour session.
Next session will be, August 31. Please register today as space is limited. Registration closes Thursday, August 30 at 3 p.m.
Time: 9–10 a.m. or 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Where: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs with Dr. Itzamarie Chevere-Torres located at Busch Campus, Nelson Biology Laboratories, Room D354. Registration is required.
For more information about sessions in Newark, contact Dr. Doreen Badheka badhekdk@gsbs.rutgers.edu on Newark Campus: Medical Science Building, Room H645.
Friday, Aug 31, 2018, 09:00 AM
604 Allison Road, Piscataway Township, NJ, United States
Individual Career Advising Sessions
If you're a postdoc looking for perspective on how to navigate your career path or career transition, contact Itzamarie Chevere-Torres to schedule an appointment.
For Newark postdocs, contact Doreen Badheka to schedule an appointment. Individual career counseling sessions for Newark postdocs will be at the Medical Science Building, Room H645.
Would you like to be our featured postdoc of the month?
Rutgers is proud to be home to a vibrant and growing community of over 600 postdocs! Would you like to highlight your research or your career goals on our website?
Contact us opa@oq.rutgers.edu
Is your faculty mentor exceptional?
Do you have a faculty mentor who has made a real difference in your life? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us opa@oq.rutgers.edu
Rutgers Universitywide, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)
Reporting to the University-wide Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, and committed to advancing the University’s mission to conduct cutting-edge research and advanced training, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs supports postdoctoral researchers and their faculty mentors by providing a central hub for professional development, knowledge sharing, and community building opportunities.
Location:
Nelson Biology Laboratories
Suite D350
604 Allison Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Email: opa@oq.rutgers.edu
Website: https://postdocs.rutgers.edu/
Location: 604 Allison Road, Piscataway Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 848-445-1800