2008 SACNAS National Conference Postdoc Events
35th annual conference, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 9-12, 2008. The entire conference agenda can be found here.
Postdoc Committee Planning Meeting
Committee volunteers will be gathering to discuss logistical
details of our events. Join us right before the Networking Reception to get involved!
Convention Center on Friday October 10, 7:30 p.m.
Graduate & Postdoc Networking Reception
New: Postdoc Poster Session!
Join us for a reception welcoming postdocs and interested graduate students to the SACNAS national meeting. This gathering is an excellent way to network and to learn about postdoctoral and professional opportunities. Professionals and exhibitors are encouraged to attend the reception to publicize open positions. Recruiters at the conference will have a chance to meet SACNAS postdocs. The inaugural Postdoc Poster Session will highlight our postdoctoral member’s scholarship.
Convention Center on Friday October 10, 8:30 p.m.
Interested postdocs may submit their poster session applications here. If you will have just started your postdoc training by October, then you are welcome to present your graduate thesis. The submission deadline is August 18 to have the abstract included in the printed conference program. If you have any questions about the abstract submission process, please contact Nancy Rocha, nancy@sacnas.org, SACNAS staff person, 831-459-0170.
Organizers
Alberto Roca, Ph.D.
Founder, minoritypostdoc.org
Greg Villareal, Ph.D.
SACNAS Board member
Scientist, Galenea Corporation
Sponsors
Procter & Gamble
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
NIH NIGMS
Panel: Fellowships and Opportunities for a Successful Postdoc Experience
This interactive session will provide an opportunity for graduate students and postdocs to answer questions about the postdoctoral experience. Participants will receive in-depth information on fellowship programs (such as stipends and annual fellow meetings) and vital tips regarding the application/selection process. Importantly, attendees can network with fellowship program officers.
Convention Center on Saturday October 11, 2 p.m.
Roberto Aguilar, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Irvine
University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Andrew Austin-Dailey
Acting Director, Minority Fellowship Program, American Psychological Association
Christian Dimaano, Ph.D.
Scientist/Cancer Biologist, Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Applying and receiving fellowships, succeeding in a postdoc position (and in positions beyond)
Judith Nyquist, Ph.D.
Deputy Director and Program Administrator, National Research Council
NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateship Program and
Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Diversity Fellowships
Leslie Pond, Ph.D.
Scientific Education Manager, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowships Program
Cliffton Poodry, Ph.D.
Director, Minority Opportunities in Research Division, NIGMS, NIH
IRACDA Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowships
Michael Sesma, Ph.D.
Chief, Research Scientist Development Program, Office for Special Populations, NIMH, NIH
Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research
Organizers and Moderators
Meda Higa, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
David Vigerust, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Leadership Institute for Postdocs: Creating your Individual Development Plan (IDP)
An IDP is an annual planning tool that helps you identify both professional development needs and career objectives thereby allowing you to set and achieve your goals. The workshop will take you through structured steps that will help you explore what career path(s) might be a good fit for you. Early career planning makes for a more productive and pleasant postdoctoral training experience.
Convention Center on Thursday October 9, 8 a.m.
Philip Clifford, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Education
Office of Postdoctoral Education
Medical College of Wisconsin
William Lindstaedt
Director, Office of Career & Professional Development
University of California, San Francisco
Workshop: NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award
This workshop provides an introduction to NIH and the grant review process, defines the unique features of the NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award, gives guidance on completing a competitive application for this award, and offers tips on successful grant writing. There will be an overview of NIH career development awards.
Convention Center on Thursday October 9, 1 p.m.
Joan Lakoski, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Career Development
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Robert Milner, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Penn State College of Medicine
Postdoc Committee Exhibit Booth #901
Find us at the SACNAS conference exhibition hall where the booth complements our other postdoctoral activities. Volunteer postdocs who staff the booth can address topics for conference attendees that are not discussed during the career development workshops. Search the posted job ads for a postdoctoral or professional position. We also distribute free materials about the postdoctoral experience such as:
COSEPUP’s book “Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience”
HHMI/BWF’s book “Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty”
Sigma Xi’s Postdoc Survey Highlights
Panel: Science Writing Careers for SACNAS Scientists
For someone trained in science, a science writing career offers much opportunity and few barriers to entry, yet minorities — including Chicanos and Native Americans — are under-represented in science writing. This session will provide guidance to conference participants who wish to pursue, or are considering, careers in science writing. Learn more at the National Association of Science Writers website. Attendees will also learn how they can have their articles considered for the SACNAS News publication.
Convention Center on Saturday October 11, 3:30 p.m.
James Austin, Ph.D.
Editor, Science Careers
Jenny Kurzweil
Senior Editor, SACNAS News
Camille Monica Rey, Ph.D.
Freelance Science Journalist
Lee Siegel
Science News Specialist
University of Utah Public Relations
Ed Yeates
Science Specialist and Correspondent
KSL–TV, Salt Lake City, UT
Workshop: COAChing Strong Women in the Art of Strategic Persuasion
This workshop is designed to provide participants with skills to succeed in accomplishing their goals in negotiations and meetings. Participants will be introduced to performance techniques that people in the theater and in leadership training understand about how to be effective. They will learn how to articulate a clear purpose, land their message, be heard, enhance personal presence, depersonalize attacks, and manage hot moments. Participants are asked to bring examples of past challenging negotiations or meetings. These moments are examined in the workshop through the use of role plays. Discussion, coaching, and the replay of scenarios creates a highly interactive, personal and powerful learning of the wide range of tactics available for success. Participants will leave with a superior sense of how to think strategically about their professional challenges and leadership opportunities. Pre-registration is required for all COACh Workshop participants. There is no fee for this workshop and Travel Scholarships are available to help cover round trip airfare and one night hotel accommodations of up to $800 if qualified. To register for the workshops go
here.
Convention Center on Sunday October 12, 8 a.m.
Nancy Houfek, M.F.A.
COACh Facilitator, Harvard University
Who Should Attend
Graduate students and postdocs will have an opportunity to network with stakeholders in academia involved with postdoctoral issues. Recruiters are encouraged to consider SACNAS postdocs for job openings. Professionals, please join our efforts to diversify the scientific workforce by fostering the career of minority postdocs. We invite representatives from funding organizations, diversity committees in professional science societies, mentoring societies, academic institutions, minority networking organizations, and policy organizations.
Registration
Online pre-registration for the SACNAS conference is available here until September 15, 2008. On-site registration will open at the Convention Center on the morning of Thursday October 9, 2008.
Postdoc Networking and Mentoring
If you are attending the SACNAS conference and would like to meet other postdocs, please let us know. We are also interested in identifying postdocs who wish to mentor student attendees about the postdoctoral experience. Please contact us at
Postdocs requesting FASEB/MARC travel financial aid
The FASEB/MARC Program provides funding for travel awards for postdocs presenting their research at the SACNAS annual conference. The awards help to defray travel-related expenses associated with conference attendance. Travel awards (up to $1850) are processed as reimbursements to the award recipients. Deadline to apply is September 15, 2008. Details of the travel award can be found at this site: marc.faseb.org/pages/page2a.htm
Postdocs should download the “Poster/Platform (Oral) Presenter Travel Award” application. Please contact the FASEB MARC Program office regarding any questions about these travel awards at marc@faseb.org.
last updated 2-Oct-08