Breakout Sessions, ASPIRE to Connect 2018
Breakout Sessions offered at ASPIRE to Connect 2018 include the following options. You may attend three.
“Big Help for Small Talk”
Ruth Schemmer, PhD, Assistant Dean, Career Development, Vanderbilt University Graduate School
This workshop is aimed at helping students and postdocs learn how to carry on social conversations and talk with networking contacts and potential employers outside the formal interview setting.
“Video Interviewing”
Kathy Gould, PhD, Louise B. McGavock Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Associate Dean for Biomedical Sciences
One of the current trends in the application process for industry positions is to use video interviewing. Currently, business, science, and technology companies are using video interviews as the first step in the interviewing process. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2016 Recruiting Trends report, there has been a 50 % increase in the use of video interviewing in the past year, which means encountering one of these in your job search is increasingly highly likely. (OITE Careers Blog). Join Kathy Gould, PhD, as she discusses the different types of common video interviews, why companies are doing them, what some major pitfalls are in doing one and how you can avoid these and make the best impression possible.
“Leveraging LinkedIn”
Kim Petrie, PhD, Assistant Dean, BRET Office of Career Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Come discover why LinkedIn is the social media tool of choice for over 250 million professionals around the world! In this session, you’ll learn how LinkedIn can help you create a professional online presence, build your professional network, explore career paths, research companies and industries, and find job opportunities.
“The Art of the Follow Up or: I Met Somebody New, Now What?”
Ashley Brady, PhD, Director of Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, BRET Office of Career Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
You may be thinking, “Sure, I’m not so bad at networking and meeting new people, but what do I do after I meet them?” In this session we will talk about what you can do after that initial meeting to move the relationship forward without feeling phony or being too pushy. We will discuss strategies for appropriate, timely follow-up, identify useful tools that are available to you, and explore ways to maintain and strengthen relationships over time.
“How to Make the Most of Professional Conferences”(2 Panels)
Vanderbilt University faculty from various disciplines in two sessions offered based on discipline
STEM-discipline faculty include:
Ray Blind, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolism, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Jonathan Irish, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Scientific Director, Cancer & Immunology Core (CIC), Mass Cytometry Center of Excellence (MCCE)
Marija Zanic, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Humanities and Social Sciences-discipline faculty include:
Celso Castilho, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of History
Catesby Yant, PhD, Seniro Lecturer, Department of Anthropology and Assistant Director, CAS Pre-major Academic Advising
Professional conferences offer excellent opportunities to showcase your work AND develop new connections and relationships that can help you in your research, training, and career search. In this panel discussion, VU faculty will share their approach to preparing for professional conferences and provide advice for making the most of conference activities.
“International Student Deep Dive: Making Connections, VISA Sponsorship, and Your Questions”
Dan Beaudry, keynote speaker, author of Power Ties: The International Student’s Guide to Finding a Job in the United States
“Telling the Story of Your Research”
Leah Lowe, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Theatre
“So, what do you do?” is a common conversation starter between new acquaintances. As researchers, we sometimes struggle to answer this question in an engaging way, especially if we are talking to people outside our field, or outside the academy. In this interactive session, Dr. Leah Lowe of the Theatre Department will teach narrative and storytelling techniques to help us engage listeners about what we do professionally. Participants will practice creating and sharing their own research stories. Whether you’re speaking to one person or one hundred, the practical strategies you learn in this session will help you make the most of any future conversation about what you do.
*Please bring a pencil/pen and a pad of paper to this session
“Science and Social Media”
Josh Fessel, MD, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology, and Cancer Biology
Join Josh Fessel, MD, PhD, as he shares his experience and observations upon joining the scientific social media world. He will share tips on social media etiquette, explain why engaging in social media can help you promote your science, and share some of the social media pitfalls you want to avoid when presenting your professional persona.