Future Faculty Seminar Series

The Future Faculty Seminar is a must for those of you interested in becoming professors. Even if you’re undecided about staying in academia, this seminar will help you to make a more informed decision. You’ll learn what it takes to be a professor—from the job application process to earning tenure—and how the job description differs at top-tier research institutions, large public schools, small private schools, and community colleges.

Officially, the Future Faculty Seminar is a course listed as INDE 231/CTL 231, offered in the fall quarter. The seminar meets once a week, featuring a host of different panel speakers at each session. The panel aspect is key, as the speakers provide a wide variety of backgrounds, knowledge and experience. For an idea of the course content, there is a detailed list of session descriptions for the Fall 2010 Future Faculty Seminar.

For more details, visit the Future Faculty Seminar website. The mastermind behind the course is Stephanie Eberle, Manager of Educational Resources and Client Services in the School of Medicine Career Center (SoMCC). This course emerged from a collaboration of the following entities: the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE), the SoMCC, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Career Development Center. Check back for future posts covering the aforementioned groups.

A Fabulous Feature on the SoM Career Center Website

As a follow up to the overview of the School of Medicine Career Center (SoMCC), I am dedicating this post to my favorite feature on the SoMCC website: Seminar Highlights. This section is located in the top left column on the SoMCC homepage.

Prepare to be amazed when you click ‘All Seminar Materials.’ At the top of this page, you will find links to several categories, including Banking and Finance, Biopharma, Health Care, Education, Legal, and Career Management, among others. If you don’t want to commit to one category, simply scroll down the page.

Here you will find power point presentations, videos, and video interviews accompanying the myriad of seminars the SoMCC offers every year. I’m sure you’ve seen advertisements for interesting seminars that you weren’t able to attend. If this conundrum burdens you with an overwhelming sense of disappointment, here is your solution. Read through and/or watch all the presentations you missed. How great is that?

Even if you weren’t aware of some of these seminars, likely you will find something of interest to you. The Seminar Highlights feature is an audio-visual buffet of all things career-related. As the categories above indicate, you can find information on topics ranging from career enhancement strategies to what it’s like working at the intersection of science, banking and finance. How cool is that?!

The next time you have to miss out on a seminar because you’re stuck at the bench, worry no more! Or if you’re simply open to learning more about the content of these seminars, take advantage of the Seminar Highlights feature, whenever it’s most convenient for you.

BioAIMS: An Organization for Everyone

BioAIMS is the clever acronym for the Biomedical Association for the Interest of Minority Students, which welcomes all students. The mission of BioAIMS is “to address the needs and concerns of current minority graduate students in the Biosciences.” Here are some other aims of the organization:

-   to promote the recruitment and active retention of minority students for graduate studies in the biological sciences

-   to facilitate academic success through academically focused workshops*

-   to stimulate professional growth through career development sessions

-   to foster a student support network through social interactions

The 2010-2011 BioAIMS officers are pictured below: 

From left to right: Antonia Dominguez (President), Jon Lynch (Vice President), Anjali Shastri (Financial Officer), Cecilia Sedano (Secretary), Diego Ramallo (Communications Officer)

There are lots of BioAIMS events throughout the year, including a Fall Fiesta, monthly meetings, a holiday party, a winter retreat (the first ever this year!), an annual student banquet, and much more. In addition, BioAIMS coordinates science outreach programs to serve Stanford and the surrounding community.

*Attention new students: as mentioned above, BioAIMS offers a series of workshops targeting new graduate students (you!). These seminars are well worth your time AND you get free lunch out of the deal. The fall quarter workshops will cover the following topics:

-   How to write an NSF

-   How to make the most of your first year

Keep an eye out for more detailed information. Be sure to check out the BioAIMS website. If you’d like to be added to the BioAIMS mailing list, contact Diego Ramallo.

BioAIMS wants YOU!

BioMASS Mentoring Program

The BioMASS Mentoring Program pairs incoming Biosciences students with current PhD students to facilitate one-on-one (or small group) mentoring. The program commences in the fall with a Welcome Event*, in which all program participants gather for food and a chance to get to know each other. During the remainder of the year, students and mentors meet once a quarter for lunch.

Why should you participate? Free food! That should be reason enough. It’s also a great way to meet people outside of your class and department. For incoming students, this is a valuable opportunity to ask questions and receive advice pertaining to anything related to life as a Stanford grad student. Mentors were once first-year students and have likely gone through a lot of what you’ll experience your first year at Stanford. For current students, mentoring is a worthwhile experience, and a nice way to contribute to the Biosciences community. Wouldn’t you have wanted a mentor your first year? If you did have a mentor, I bet you learned a useful thing or two.

If you’re interested in participating (as an incoming student or mentor), contact Moria Chambers, who has created and directed this program for the past two years. Thanks for making this possible, Moria!

*Information for this year’s Welcome Event:

-  When: September 29^th, 2010 at 4 – 5:30 pm

-  Where: LKSC 4^th floor balcony

-  What: snacks, socializing/group activities with all program participants

Hope to see you there!