Events
Postdocs' Coffee Hour - Presented by the Postdoc Association on the 1st Tuesday of the month
Tuesday March 5, 9-10 am, Computer Science Building, Graduate School Conference Room
Take a break from your morning duties and join the Postdoc Association for the SBU Postdocs’ Coffee Hour. This will be an excellent opportunity to charge batteries for the day and network with your peers and colleagues. Coffee/tea as well as cookies will be served. Sponsored by: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and SBU Postdoctoral Association. For more information Email us at: Postdocs@stonybrook.edu. This event is free!
Winter Celebration - Presented by the Postdoc Association
POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, 5:30-7:30 pm, Computer Science Building Lobby
Please come join the members of the SBU Postdoc Association in this Winter celebration and meet other postdoctoral fellows at SBU. The event would be an excellent opportunity to start networking among your peers. Spouses, partners, and children are welcome! Food and drinks will be served. This event is FREE of cost. Please RSVP to postdocs@stonybrook.edu by January 31st!
Each year the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF) strives to identify and recognize secondary school students, predominantly in grades 9-12, from private, parochial, and public schools in Nassau and Suffolk counties, with the potential to become outstanding natural, physical and behavioral scientists, engineers or mathematicians. To this end, they organize a yearly forum for such outstanding students to submit and exhibit their research projects in an effort to identify and select finalists from over 500 student participants to attend the annual International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). LISEF is in desperate need of qualified judges to help evaluate approximately 400 student projects in over 17 disciplines. Judges are typically asked to evaluate and score between 8-12 projects depending on the category.
Please consider assisting LISEF on either or both days of the fair at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY on Tuesday, February 12th, 2013 and Monday, March 11th, 2013. The greatest need for judges is on February 12th. All judges are provided a complimentary buffet lunch. To register as a judge for one or both fair dates, please visit: www.lisef.org and follow the directions below:
1) Click the “LISEF Judges” button.
2) Click the “Register Now!” button.
3) Select and enter a username and password, your e-mail address, name, degree (or degree status), phone contact numbers, and employer name and address and click the “Continue Registration” button.
4) Confirm that your login information is correct on the screen and click “Continue Registration” button.
5) Select the date or dates you would like to judge at the fair and select your top 3 choices of category preference. Select the number of years you have previously served as a judge for our fair and if you would like to recommend a colleague for judging, fill in those fields as well. Finally, click the “Complete Registration” button.
JSHS reviewers and judges needed
This opportunity will provide you with valuable service experience that you can add to your CV. If you are interested in participating, please contact SBU Professor Janet Hearing.
Thought about what you want to do with your PhD? Curious about career options available to you? Want to build a network to jumpstart your career? Join us for a one-day career development symposium to gain the tools needed for a successful career - panel discussions, networking, cocktail hour and more. Keynote Address given by P. Roy Vagelos M.D., Retired Chairman and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc. Chairman of the Board, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The symposium is made possible through a grant from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Co-sponsors are: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, The Feinstein Institute and Pall Corporation. Event is free to participating institutions' students and postdocs. Registration will remain open until all spots are filled. For more information and to register, click here.
Chalk Talk: Everything you ever wanted to know but never dared to ask
Thursday April 11, 4-5 pm, Wang Center Room 201, Professor Alfredo Fontanini Department of Neurobiology and Behavior
Chalk talks, informal presentations of future research plans, are an integral component of the job-interview process in the Life Sciences. Sometimes part of the first interview, sometimes reserved for second visits, a chalk talk is the key to a successful interview. Despite its importance, a cloud of mystery surrounds chalk talks: They are often held behind closed doors and attended only by faculty. For 99% of postdocs, the first encounter with a chalk talk is when it's time to give one. So ... what is a chalk talk? What should be presented? Can slides be used? What tone should be used? What are the messages that should be given? How much should one improvise? I will address all these questions - and more! - from the perspective of someone that has experienced multiple chalk talks from both sides. At the end of this presentation you will learn that a chalk talk is not a scary gauntlet every postdoc aiming for an academic career has to face, and it is also a great chance to be creative, lay out your plan for the future and have fun with your ideas. Workshop is free. Register here.
Tips to Win NIH Fellowships
Thursday April 25, 4-5 pm Wang Center Room 201, Professor Mary Kritzer Department of Neurobiology and Behavior
Does it surprise you to know that the actual science proposed in a fellowship grant is low in priority for reviewers? Did you know that a fellowship proposal does not share the same sections of Impact and Innovation that a regular grant does? Learn from the chair of one of NIH’s fellowship review boards what reviewers look for when they decide whom to fund. The training plan is KEY! Professor Kritzer will systemically go through the parts of an NIH fellowship application and indicate what reviewers deem important, what to emphasize, and ultimately how to win the award. Workshop is free. Register here.
Networking Social
Thursday May 30, 4-7 pm University Cafe
Postdocs from Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor and Brookhaven National laboratories are cordially invited to a celebratory mixer. Please come and enjoy springtime merriment and great networking opportunities with your colleagues. RSVPs are a must through our website.
Getting Your Academic Career Off to a Good Start
Saturday October 19, 8:30 am-4:30 pm
It takes many skills to be a successful college professor. The first thing you have to do is get a job offer. Once you’re there, you have to plan, fund, and manage a research program, attract and retain graduate students, design courses and lectures and deliver them effectively, and deal with a wide range of problems related to research, teaching, and campus politics. As a rule, no one tells new or future faculty members anything about most of these things, and it is therefore not surprising that becoming a successful professor usually involves a long learning curve. This workshop presents strategies that will prepare graduate students and postdocs to get good faculty positions and become quick starters, offering answers to the following questions:
- How can I make a strong impression when I apply and interview for academic positions?
- What mistakes do new faculty members commonly make that limit their research productivity and teaching effectiveness, and how can I avoid them to become a quick starter?
- How do I get a research program started and make it attractive to both funding agencies and graduate students?
- How can I motivate students and get them actively involved in learning?
There will be a $20 registration fee, and lunch is provided for all attendees. Registration information will be made available in late summer 2013.
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Northern Brookhaven Toastmasters is a local, open-to-all club where people can practice their public speaking skills for a nominal annual fee. The group meets at Stony Brook University every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. The members are varied: Some desire to speak in front of large groups where others are more concerned with individual conversations. The Toastmasters program is structured so you can customize it to meet your needs and stay within the parameters so everyone can assist each other. The environment is friendly and supportive, and the self-paced program allows you to build confidence with each speaking assignment. Constructive evaluation is the heart of the Toastmasters program. Each time you give a prepared speech, an evaluator will point out strengths and suggest improvements. At first you’ll be applauded for your effort; later you’ll be applauded for your skill. For more information, visit Northern Brookhaven Toastmasters.
Provost's Postdoctoral Lecture Series
The OPA sponsors the Provost's Postdoctoral Lecture Series which is an opportunity for Postdocs to showcase their research conducted at either Stony Brook University or Brookhaven National Laboratory to the campus community. Lectures are for 45 minutes and are held during the fall and spring semesters at Stony Brook. Postdocs are also given the opportunity to receive feedback on their presentations from faculty involved in related research. Any Postdoctoral Scholar who has been in his/her position for more than one year and has the approval of his/her PI is eligible. Interested Postdocs must fill out an application and submit by May 1 for fall lectures - by December 1 for spring lectures. All applications are reviewed and approved by a selection committee. For questions, email postdocs@stonybrook.edu.
An electronic portfolio, or E-Portfolio, is a purposeful collection of artifacts and reflections saved on a website or DVD that showcases YOU. Postdocs can use E-Portfolios to document professional development over time, to identify patterns of growth and competencies in their chosen discipline, for self-assessment and reflection, and to share teaching methods and research information with their colleagues and students. The system is very user friendly, but you will need a short orientation before your account can be accessed. Orientations can be individually scheduled and usually take about 30 minutes. If you are interested in creating an E-Portfolio, please email your name and Net ID to Patricia.Aceves@stonybrook.edu.
E-Portfolios are offered through the Teaching, Learning & Technology center on campus. Visit their site to learn about the wide variety of workshops available for Postdocs. You can also visit TLT’s E-Portfolio site to see a showcase of E-Portfolios developed by other faculty on campus.
Frustrated with writing that proposal or abstract? In need of someone to edit your science work? Look no further! The Stony Brook Postdoctoral Association has started an Editors Club for the purpose of editing scientific works by graduate students and postdocs on the SBU campus. Submit your poster or paper abstract, proposal, or journal article and a qualified postdoc here at SBU will review your work for FREE! Turnaround time is about one week and all interactions are kept confidential. For more information or to contact an Editor, email: postdocs@stonybrook.edu. We’d love to help you become a better writer!
Corporate Education and Training
At the Center for Emerging Technologies through the Office of the Vice President for Economic Development at Stony Brook, a variety of courses are offered that are available to Postdocs. A sample of topics covered are:
- Project Management & Business Analysis (PMI)
- Management Development
- Excellence in Management & Operations
- LEED And Green Technologies
- Emerging Technologies & Software
All Stony Brook employees, including Postdocs, receive a 10% discount on the cost for any course taken. For more information, see http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/cet/index.html or call 631-216-7516.
Academic Advising Certificate Program
This course is offered each fall and spring semester by the Academic and Pre-Professional Advising Center (APAC) and is designed to enhance your overall knowledge of good academic advising practice at Stony Brook. The course will cover major academic policies and procedures, curriculum requirements, specialized pre-professional advising (undergraduate and graduate level health professions and law), academic standing policies and exceptions, and technology in advising. For academic and student affairs professionals working in advising capacities, and those with any regular direct student contact, completion of this course will enhance your ability to have more thorough, purposeful and meaningful academic planning discussions with students you serve. In addition, we hope the course will provide insight into some of the many choices and challenges facing students daily.
Certificates of participation are awarded to participants in attendance for the entire course only. However, others are welcome to sit in on one or more weeks if desired; one week’s advance notice requested. Course enrollment limited to 25 registrants. If interested, please email Mary Beth Powers, the Assistant Director of the Academic and Pre-Professional Advising Center, for times, dates, and registration procedures. Program is free.
Training on Stony Brook University's electronic proposal submission system (COEUS) is available through the Office of Sponsored Programs. COEUS provides an avenue for internal routing and approval, creating templates and sharing proposal information, and allowing involved participants to work on scientific material until submission to the sponsor. Visit the OVPR site for dates and times of training workshops.
Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship
Stony Brook University is a subscriber to the web based CITI training program. The curriculum includes modules for Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship (RCRS) training in any of various academic disciplines. For more information on these modules and to register, please see the Stony Brook Research RCRS training webpage. For follow-up, face-to-face instruction necessary for some funding sources, please consult your department.
The English Conversation Class will resume meeting on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 101 in the Wang Center on January 29, 2013. For further information please contact Marth Fink at mgfink@attglobal.net.
Practice your English speaking skills in an informal, weekly class. Attendance is flexible; you do not have to attend all sessions. The class is made up of visiting scholars, professors, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates from a dozen different countries. The topics discussed range from understanding idioms and slang to finding badminton partners, bicycles and carpools. Course is free. No registration required. For more information, you can contact Martha Fink at mgfink@attglobal.net.
Journal of Postdoctoral Research
The Journal of Postdoctoral Research, JPR, is a peer-reviewed international publication reflective of the quality of postdoctoral research work. The latest issue can be viewed at http://www.postdocjournal.com/jpr.aspx. All papers are subjected to a conventional peer-review process and revisions, where required, before acceptance for publication. JPR is chalked out to be a monthly publication with 12 issues in a year and at least 10 papers per issue. The submission to acceptance time-frame for a well written Review is generally less than 6 weeks. The make-up of the editorial board can be viewed at http://www.postdocjournal.com/editorial-board.aspx?s=jpr. For recommended guidelines and submission instructions, visit http://www.postdocjournal.com/instruction-author.aspx.
Innovation Boot Camp/Pre-Seed Workshop
This is an event that rallies community talent and resources to investigate and transform commercially promising technologies into pre-seed stage companies. More specifically, the Innovation Boot Camp supports entrepreneurial faculty, postdocs, graduate students and other technologists interested in exploring the business opportunities and commercialization strategies for their bioscience, advanced energy and/or information technology. Held annually since 2008, the Innovation Boot Camp seeks Idea Champions to participate in the 2.5 day program, to be held usually in March, including:
- Faculty, Postdocs, Students, Inventors, Patent holders and other Technical Experts who have an idea or invention that might have commercial potential.
- Those looking for business input and help with the commercialization and business planning.
- Researchers who never seem to be able to carve out time to think about that “nagging business idea.”
If you are interested, please contact Joseph Scaduto, Assistant Director of Business Development, Center for Biotechnology at jscaduto@stonybook.edu or 631-632-1064.
ANNUAL Fundamentals of the Bioscience Industry Program: Training Scientists Who Mean Business (held annually in the spring with an application deadline in the fall)
This program is targeted toward Postdocs and graduate students seeking to facilitate commercial activities within their academic labs or enhance their knowledge of the commercial sector in order to transition into non-academic careers. Early career professionals within the industry are also encouraged to apply to enhance their productivity and opportunity for success in the corporate environment.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Bioscience Industry from target identification through commercial application
- Increase your marketability by expanding your education beyond the typical classroom
- Build connections with industry leaders through on going classroom interaction
- Work hands on with technologies to advance an invention
- Join over 230 alumni in an active professional network providing career opportunities, mentoring and social interactions
APPLICATION DEADLINE - ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 30 ANNUALLY
To learn more about the program and its opportunities visit: http://www.fobip.org. For more information email or call Kate Hutchinson at the Center for Biotechnology: khutchinson@notes.cc.sunysb.edu, 631-632-8521
For a list of past events, see Archived Events
Postdocs' Coffee Hour, First Tuesday of every month
LISEF judges needed, February 12 and March 13
"Research Your Future" Career Symposium, March 19
Chalk Talk, April 11
Tips to Win NIH Fellowships, April 25
Networking Social, May 30
Getting Your Academic Career Off to a Good Start, October 19
Recurring Events
Provost's Postdoctoral Lecture Series
Journal of Postdoctoral Research
Academic Advising Certificate Program
Corporate Education and Training
Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship
Training Scientists Who Mean Business
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