Are you close enough to finishing your degree to think about job hunting? Fortify yourself for the challenges of the current job market by attending a workshop offered by Academic Placement Adviser Carol Benet of Career and Graduate School Services, who will conduct workshops for students in all disciplines this spring.
The series of four workshops should be taken as a unit. Ph.D. candidates and postdocs, however, may join at any point, because all four workshops will be repeated monthly. Workshops will be held in Room 104A of Career and Graduate School Services at 2111 Bancroft Way. Call 642-5207 for more information.
"The Academic Job Search" --Introduction to the job search: How to prepare for finding an academic position and survive the present job market; letters, dossiers, leads, and networking. January 16, 9:30-11:30 a.m., and March 13, 3-5 p.m.
"C.V.'s, Cover Letters, Abstracts, and Teaching Statements" --Participants should have attended "The Academic Job Search" workshop and must bring 15 copies of an updated c.v. and sample cover letters to the workshop. January 30, 9:30-11:30 a.m., and March 20, 3-5 p.m.
"Interviewing" --How to prepare for the trip, the interview, the on-campus talk, and how to evaluate a potential employer. February 12, 9:30-11:30 a.m., and April 2, 3-5 p.m.
"Considering a Variety of Careers for Ph.D.'s" --February 27, 9:30-11:30 a.m., and April 16, 3-5 p.m.
Special Workshop This Spring
In addition to the regularly scheduled workshops, there will be a special workshop March 5, from 3 to 5 p.m., Room 104, 2111 Bancroft Way, to explore other career options for Ph.D. recipients.
"On Publishing: Starting Your Own Magazine or Buying a Suburban Newspaper" --Panelists include Barbara Gnoss, co-owner and coeditor-in-chief of the Ark Newspaper of Belvedere-Tiburon, a weekly publication covering local events and the arts, and Heather Findlay, a Ph.D. in English literature, who is founder and owner of Girlfriends Magazine.
The ever-popular workshops on dissertation writing entitled, "Practical Strategies for Writing a Dissertation," will be offered again this spring.
This semester, workshops for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences will be held on Friday, February 28; Monday, March 17; Thursday, April 10; and Monday, April 14. Workshops for doctoral students in the biological sciences, physical sciences, and professional schools will be held on Monday, March 3, and Friday, April 25.
The workshops are led by writing and organizational consultant Dorothy Duff Brown, director of Jaynes Street Associates, who earned a Ph.D. from Berkeley in 1976, and who has been working for the past 20 years helping clients finish dissertations and books.
Watch your campus mailbox in mid-February for a personal invitation, and be sure to register early. For more information and to confirm workshop dates and locations, call 642-7330.
If you want to learn about writing a successful grant proposal, take a workshop led by Sabrina Soracco of the Graduate Division's Grant Proposal Advising and Outreach Program. The following workshop will be offered this spring semester.
"How to Write a Grant Proposal: A Grant Writing Workshop" --Friday, February 7, from 1 to 3 p.m., 333 Sproul Hall. This introductory workshop covers the basic principles of writing an academic grant proposal.
For those interested in an individual grant proposal consultation, check the bulletin board outside the Graduate Fellowships and Appointments Office (318 Sproul Hall) for available appointment times. For more information, call Sabrina Soracco (643-9392).
GSI Forum workshops highlight specific teaching issues of interest to all GSIs and are offered three or four times throughout the semester. The following topics have been addressed in previous workshops: Leading Effective Discussion Sections, Motivating Students, Instructional Uses of Technology, Building Your Teaching Portfolio, and Developing a Teaching Philosophy.
"Leading Discussion Sections"
with Michael Ostland
Department of Statistics
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, 1996
Wednesday, January 29
Noon-1:30 p.m., 301 Sproul Hall
Both students and GSIs benefit from a good discussion section. Leading effective discussions requires careful planning, flexibility, and a toolbox of methods for getting through a diverse classroom. In this forum we will discuss, develop, and participate in strategies for conducting effective discussion sections.
"Reflexive Pedagogy"
with Sujatha A. Jesudason
Department of Sociology
Wednesday, February 26
Noon-1:30 p.m., 301 Sproul Hall
This workshop will begin with the premise that teaching is not a static position, but rather a reflective act that requires flexibility and fresh thinking. In a series of participatory and experiential exercises, GSIs will have the opportunity to locate themselves and their students within the context of the classroom and to explore alternative teaching styles and methods.
"Teaching Students to Read Critically"
with Eddie Perez
Department of Political Science
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, 1994 and recipient of Teaching
Effectiveness Award, 1994
Wednesday, March 12
Noon-1:30 p.m., 333 Sproul Hall
This GSI Forum will address various strategies that GSIs may use to train students to grasp the logic or structure of texts and arguments. These strategies will help students to separate essential points from trivial ones each time they read.
Whether struggling to finish your dissertation or just starting out in your graduate career, you may benefit from a free workshop sponsored by Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), a division of the University Health Services.
CPS is offering two spring semester workshops specifically for graduate students.
The first, "We Gotta Get Outta This Place! Time Management for Advanced Graduate Students," is for graduate students who have completed their course work and are now preparing for their dissertations or oral exams. This can be a trying time, full of such challenges as dealing with unstructured time and conflicting responsibilities. Facilitated by Carol Morrison, who also leads CPS's Dissertation Support Group (see "Dissertation Support Group Maps Rite of Passage" story), the workshop focuses on procrastination and time management.
This workshop will be held March 10, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. To sign up, stop by Counseling and Psychological Services, Room 3284, Tang Center.
"Dealing With Departmental Politics: A Workshop for Grad Students" is for graduate students at any stage of their studies. Facilitated by Gloria Saito, this workshop shares stories, strategies, and support on issues such as dealing with a difficult faculty member, finding a faculty mentor, and generally negotiating the politics in your department. The workshop will be held April 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. No preregistration is necessary.
For information on these and a range of other career, academic, and personal workshops offered this semester, visit the CPS offices on the third floor of the Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or call 642-9494.
Need To Brush Up on Computer Basics?
Want to get the most out of your word-processing program, spreadsheet, and e-mail? Information Systems and Technology (IST) offers free, walk-in computer courses on Saturdays for students, faculty, and staff. No registration is required, but you're encouraged to come early to make sure you get a seat.
Classes for Macintosh users are held in the Language Microcomputer Facilty, B-21 Dwinelle Hall. PC (DOS and Windows) users meet in the Tolman Microcomputer Facility, 1535 Tolman Hall. Course offerings include:
"Introduction to the Macintosh" --An overview for the beginning Macintosh user with little or no prior computer experience. Topics include working with the menu bar, understanding the concepts of the Macintosh operating system, and file management. February 22, 9:30-11 a.m.; April 5, 12:30-2 p.m.
"Introduction to the PC" --Covers the fundamentals of the DOS operating system, basic components of the personal computer, and an overview of basic DOS commands. March 8, 12:30-2 p.m.
"Beginning Microsoft Word 6.0" --Word-processing basics: how to use the ribbon, ruler, and toolbar; navigate through a document; insert and delete text; use spelling and grammar tools; and insert footnotes and page numbers. Macintosh: March 1, 9:30-11 a.m.; March 15, 2-3:30 p.m. PC: March 1, 9:30-11 a.m.
"Intermediate Microsoft Word 6.0" --How to customize documents, create and edit tables, import graphics into documents, and format columns. Macintosh: April 5, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PC: April 5, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
"Beginning Excel 5.0" --This class introduces the Excel spreadsheet: creating, saving, opening, and printing a worksheet; using the toolbar tools; entering text and values; understanding formulas and functions; using the AutoSum tool; and learning to copy, move, clear, insert, and delete cells, rows, and columns. Macintosh: Feb. 22, 2-3:30 p.m.; April 5, 2-3:30 p.m. PC: February 22, 12:30-2 p.m.; March 15, 9:30-11 a.m.; April 12, 12:30-2 p.m.
"Intermediate Excel 5.0" --A continuation of the beginning course, this class covers customizing worksheets, advanced formatting, creating charts and graphs, and such features as borders and shading, shortcut menus, numbers and text formatting, and duplicating information using AutoFill. Macintosh: April 12, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PC: March 1, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
"Introduction to Eudora" --How to send and receive electronic mail, use enclosures, and use address lists. Macintosh: March 8, 9:30-11 a.m.; April 12, 9:30-11 a.m. PC: March 15, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
For more information on these and other IST courses, call 643-6253, or pick up course descriptions and schedules at User and Account Services, 241 Evans Hall, or online through the IST Publications Web site (http://istpub.berkeley.edu:4201).
Graduate students in the past have found the Teaching Library's popular World Wide Web (WWW) courses particularly useful. The spring 1997 offerings should be no exception. Even graduate students who have taken the classes before may find something new or worth repeating in the second and third of the three-part series. The classes are designed to help participants explore and evaluate the Internet for themselves and have no specific prerequisites, though those taking WWW II and WWW III may benefit from a working knowledge of Netscape.
WWW I, "Introduction to Navigating the World Wide Web,"
provides an overview of the World Wide Web and the Internet, and allows
hands-on practice at navigating documents, directories, and e-mail using
Netscape.
Monday, March 17, 10 a.m.-noon.
Tuesday, March 18, 10 a.m.-noon.
Thursday, March 20, 2-4 p.m.
WWW II, "Fundamentals of Finding Web Documents," covers
search techniques. Improvements in search tools--some so recent students
may want to consider retaking this course--make it possible to zero in on
a subject like never before. Participants learn keyword searching along
with a graduated "fail-safe" strategy to find information on
virtually any topic. The class explores advanced techniques to focus
search results and work with difficult topics.
Tuesday, April 1, 2-4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 2, 1-3 p.m.
Thursday, April 3, 10 a.m.-noon.
WWW III, "Finding Information on the Web and Beyond," is
of particular interest to graduate students because of its emphasis on
finding rich sites and databases where information on a particular subject
or discipline is concentrated. This advanced search class begins with an
overview of what's "out there"--subject
"Webliographies," virtual libraries, specialized databases, peer
discussion groups--then allows time for participants to explore their own
interests.
Thursday, February 20, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10, 2-4:30 p.m.
Classes will be held in Moffitt Library, Room 350C. No sign-up is required, but participants are urged to arrive early, as some classes fill up. Priority will be given to UC students, faculty, and staff. Send inquiries to Joe Barker, Librarian, Web Class Program Coordinator (jbarker@library.berkeley.edu), or phone 643-1636.
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