2010 SACNAS National Conference Postdoc Events

37th annual SACNAS conference, Anaheim Convention Center, California, Sep. 30 - Oct. 3, 2010. Here is the entire conference agenda. Pre-registration deadline is September 2.

The following sessions are being coordinated by the Postdoc Committee. Download calendar of events. If you have any questions about the agenda, contact us at

Thursday September 30

Panel: Creating your Individual Development Plan to Prepare for Your Career

The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool that helps you to identify both professional development needs and your career objectives. Using interactive exercises, this workshop will guide you through the step-by-step process of creating an IDP.
9am-12pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 304D

Philip Clifford, Ph.D.
Professor & Associate Dean of Postdoctoral Education, Medical College of Wisconsin

William Lindstaedt, M.S.
Director, Office of Career & Professional Development, University of California, San Francisco

Workshop: Technical Science Writing for Peer-Reviewed Journals

Publications will determine the success of your career. Here you will learn how to write strategically for peer-review. The session is open to postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.
9am-12pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 304C

Kim Barrett, Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine; Dean of Graduate Studies; University of California, San Diego

Barbara Horwitz, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior; Vice Provost for Academic Personnel; University of California, Davis

Melinda Lowy, Ph.D.
Higher Education Programs Coordinator, American Physiological Society

Workshop: Preparing Applications for Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowships

Fellowships can drive the success of your training experience since receiving independent funding gives you a competitive edge as well as stability. Learn how to prepare your research proposal, personal statement, and training plan.
9-10:30am in Anaheim Convention Center Room 202A

Bettina Aptheker, Ph.D.
Professor of Feminist Studies and History, University of California, Santa Cruz

Margarita Curras-Collazo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside

Gayle Slaughter, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Graduate Education and Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

Friday October 1

Postdoc and Ph.D. Graduate Student Networking Reception & Postdoc Poster Session

This networking event will allow faculty and other professionals to interact with postdoctoral fellows and Ph.D. graduate students. In addition, this session will showcase research posters from postdoctoral fellows. This is a forum to learn about postdoctoral and professional job opportunities. Recruiters and exhibitors are encouraged to publicize open positions. Sponsor/exhibitor info found here. For sponsorship rates and information, contact exhibit@sacnas.org.
Remaining space is limited!
7:30-9pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 204AB

Current Sponsors/Exhibitors

Jorge Cham Talk: Using Humor to Survive Graduate School

Join us for a discussion on the highs and lows of the graduate school experience. Book author Jorge Cham will present his humorous perspective on academic life (described at www.phdcomics.com) and will sign copies of his books. The Postdoc Committee will also lead a discussion on surviving graduate school.
9:30-11pm in Anaheim Marriott Hotel Room 208AB

Saturday October 2

Panel: Postdoc Fundamentals: Selecting an Advisor & Project to Match Your Career Goals

Learn how to tailor a postdoctoral experience to your professional goals. Topics include basic advice as well as the expectations of the trainee and advisor. Key lessons are the professional skills central to a successful career. Speakers will describe each of the major postdoc options: research, teaching, industry, and policy.
1:30-3pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 212B

Christine Des Jarlais, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs, University of California San Francisco

Leslie Pond, Ph.D.
Scientific Education Manager, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research

Vicky Ramirez Rahamatali
Senior Manager, Outreach & Communications; American Assoc for Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

Alberto Roca, Ph.D.
Founder, SACNAS Postdoc Committee

Maggie Werner-Washburne, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico

Panel: HHMI Showcase: Effective Strategies in Science Education Research and Practice

The revolution in the biological sciences calls for a change in education practice. This session showcases projects that are improving science teaching/learning and that are funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Speakers will discuss new ways of teaching biology and of training future faculty teachers.
1:30-3pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 209A

Cynthia Bauerle, Ph.D.
Senior Program Officer, Precollege and Undergraduate Science Education Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)

Diane O’Dowd, Ph.D.
HHMI Professor; Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine

Tuajanda Jordan, Ph.D.
Senior Program Officer, Science Education Alliance, HHMI

Sarah Miller, M.S.
Co-Director, Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rafael Romero, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles

Panel: Fellowships and Opportunities for a Successful Postdoctoral Experience

This session is for graduate students and beginning postdoctoral fellows to learn about specific funding opportunities. Participants will become aware of different fellowships and the application/selection process. Importantly, attendees will have the opportunity to network with fellowship representatives and award recipients to benefit from their expertise.
3:15-4:45pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 212B

Jane Dell’Amore, Ph.D.
Manager, Program Outreach, Fellowships Office, National Research Council

Victor DiRita, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Assistant Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies; University of Michigan

Heriberto Hernandez-Soto, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Grinnell College

Sheila O’Rourke, J.D.
Assistant Provost, Academic Affairs; Director, UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program; University of California, Berkeley

Lina Patino, Ph.D.
Program Director, Geosciences, National Science Foundation

Panel: Achieving Your First Academic Faculty Job

Competition is fierce for entering academia. This panel features speakers from research universities, a liberal arts college, and a community college. Speakers will describe the critical qualifications for a strong job application at each institution type. Also, a chief diversity officer will explain their role in the faculty search process.
3:15-4:45pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 212A

Wilfred Denetclaw, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology, San Francisco State University

Angela Gallegos, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Occidental College

Pedro Gutierrez, Ph.D.
Instructor (Asst. Prof.), Biological Sciences, Coastline Community College

Gail Hanson, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside

Roger Worthington, Ph.D.
Professor of Counseling Psychology, Assistant Deputy Chancellor for Diversity, University of Missouri-Columbia; Former Acting Second Vice President of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)

Panel: Post-academic Ph.D. careers: a Spectrum of Alternatives

The majority of Ph.D. career paths lead to jobs outside of academia especially during these challenging economic times. SACNAS values leaders in all occupations and so this panel presents an opportunity for attendees to network with professionals in the careers of science writing, industrial management, and non-profit realms.
3:15-4:45pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 212B

Brianna Blaser, Ph.D.
Project Director, Outreach, AAAS

Cassandra Brooks, M.S.
Science Journalist; graduate of University of California, Santa Cruz Science Communication Program

Jerry Bryant, Ph.D.
Director, UNCF-Merck Science Initiative

Yvonne Klaue, Ph.D.
Student, Professional Postdoctoral Masters Program, Keck Graduate Institute

Panel: Tell Me About Yourself: The One-Minute Biosketch

This highly interactive workshop helps participants with the dreaded open question “Tell me about yourself.” Participants practice their presentations and listening skills that are critical to networking and that first impression.
3:15-4:45pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 210A

Emil Chuck, Ph.D.
Term Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Meeting: Postdoc Committee

Come meet with other postdocs and individuals who are planning activities for the next year. All are welcome to participate. We appreciate your feedback on the past year’s events as well as your new ideas. We take our annual group photo at the end of the meeting.
5-6pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 206A

Postdoc Committee Exhibit Booth #212

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.
Friday 1:30-6pm & Saturday 9am-12pm in Anaheim Convention Center

calendar 2010

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 2, 2010. On-site registration will open on Thursday September 30, 2010.

Funding to Attend SACNAS Conference

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 1, 2010. Details of the travel award found here. Postdocs should download the “Poster/Platform (Oral) Presenter Travel Award” application. Please contact the MARC Program office regarding any questions about these travel awards at marc@faseb.org.

Workshop: COAChing Strong Women in the Art of Strategic Persuasion for Professionals and Postdocs/Grad Students. This workshop combines self-presentation and faculty development in an interactive format that encourages highly personal learning. It will 1) teach participants techniques used in theater and leadership programs to enhance performance, 2) use role-plays of their own cases, 3) coach participants in strategic management of discussions and negotiations. We do have travel assistance available of up to $800 including round trip airfare, 1 night hotel accommodation, ground transportation and per diem meals for travel days to and from the conference. Apply here. For more information, contact Pricsilla Lewis at coach@uoregon.edu.
Sunday 8am-2pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 303B

Workshop: Integrating Sustainability into Courses
The workshop is designed for educators to expand their capacity to integrate sustainable development design principles into existing engineering curricula. Funds are available to support 5-8 faculty (or postdocs who plan to enter academics). Applicants should be from historically black or Hispanic colleges and universities or institutions with a high enrollment of minority students. Those who would like to obtain the support should send a message with the current contact information and a 500 word statement describing the courses you are (or will be) teaching, reasons for participating in the workshop, your expectation for the workshop, and a plan to integrate sustainability into your courses, to Dr. Qiong Zhang qiongzhang@usf.edu (Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida). There is no deadline so travel grants will be awarded as applications are received and reviewed. Those who are awarded the support will receive $1,000 for their participation after the workshop upon the completion of required documentation from the sponsored research office at the University of South Florida. This documentation includes answering a set of four reflection questions on the quality of the workshop materials and your use of the materials in the classroom.
Saturday 1:30-4:45pm in Anaheim Convention Center Room 210B

Postdoc Science Posters

Postdocs are invited to submit an abstract for the Postdoc Poster Session occurring at the Grad/Postdoc Networking Reception on Friday October 1. Recruiters from academia and industry will be present. The 2010 main exhibit hall attracts over 150 academic institutions including the nation’s top universities and here is the list of 2009 Reception exhibitors/sponsors. The science abstract does not have to relate to the SACNAS conference theme. Also, this is an inclusive conference so anyone is welcome to apply.

The summer travel award application deadline was July 9 (early deadline was April 30). Direct questions on travel to Perla Miranda at perla@sacnas.org.

The summer poster abstract submission deadline was July 20 (early deadline was April 30). If you will have just started your postdoc training, then you are welcome to present your graduate thesis. Direct questions on abstracts to Nancy Rocha at nancy@sacnas.org.

If you need assistance with your application, have questions regarding fees and/or dues, or would like info on how to work with someone at your institution to sponsor your registration and/or dues, please contact SACNAS at (toll free) 1-877-SACNAS-1 and ask for the aforementioned staff.

last updated 27-Aug-10