Professional development for postdoctoral scientists and senior graduate students
This CBS professional development course is aimed at postdoctoral scientists and senior graduate students who envision transitioning to a project or group leadership position in academia, industry, or government research. The course will introduce principle areas where advanced planning and knowledge will facilitate a smooth transition to leadership, including best experimental and data tracking practices, managing finances, mentor-mentee relationships, collaborations, and managing field work. A guest lecturer will address differences in managing a research group outside of academia.
COURSE INFORMATION
The course will be offered in the second 7-week session of the spring semester following spring break. Class will meet once a week (Monday, 3:45-5:30pm timeslot, Gortner Lab 239). Format is lecture, small group discussions, exercises, and role-play.
When: Mondays, March 20 - May 1, 2017
Time: 3:45-5:30 p.m.
Where: Gortner Lab 239, St. Paul Campus
Instructors
Dr. Carrie Wilmot, wilmo004@umn.edu and Dr. Jennifer Powers, powers@umn.edu
REGISTRATION IS FREE. Click here to register.
SESSIONS
March 20: Creating a lab culture: Creating a “safe” environment (safety in the lab, creating an inclusion environment, co-worker respect); Promoting lab member interactions; Clearly defining expectations; Lab meeting structures (project, whole lab); Individual development plans; Time management.
March 27: Best experimental and data tracking practices: Experimental training (who will conduct it, lab protocols, rigorous experimental design; reproducibility); Notebooks (physical vs. electronic, organizing data); Use of shared computer server space (organization, data protection, storage and data back-up); Data management plan (grant applications).
April 3: Managing finances: Understanding personnel costs; Funding sources (institutions, federal and state bodies, charities); Fund restrictions and budget justifications (personnel, equipment, conferences etc); Understanding indirect costs; Equipment grants (matching funds, multiple users).
April 10: Mentor-Mentee relationships: Creating a supportive environment; Recruitment; Professional distance; Team building; Conflict resolution; Developing independence from your mentor; Exercise: Role-playing different Mentor-Mentee scenarios. What would you have your first lab member work on?
April 17: Scientific collaborations: Finding collaborators (internal, external [scientific literature, scientific conferences]); Collaboration requests (do you have the interest, expertise and man-power?); Defining collaboration goals and roles; Meetings with collaborators (physical, virtual, e.g. skype); Authorship.
April 24: Managing field-work: Logistics; Research permits; Local (on-site) collaborators; Data recording and tracking; Collecting and shipping samples; Emergencies.
May 1: (Guest presenter from BioTechne): Managing a project group or lab outside of academia.