ND POSTDOC NEWSLETTERTop
August 23, 2016
In This Issue

Quick Links
ND Postdoc Website
ND Resources
Community Links
Job Search Sites
ND Human Resources
Parking Shuttle Schedule
Faulty-Staff Classifieds
One Button Studio


Important Resources

One-on-One Consultations


Do you need assistance with career services, finding funding, developing an IDP or have questions but don't know whom to ask or where to go? Click here to schedule a One-on-One consultation with Kim Patton.

 
ND Calendar & Events


For a full listing of events on the Notre Dame campus for the week of August 22, 2016 - click here.
 


Academic iNDex

  • A secure, easily accessible, online repository for your academic and professional information
  • An index of your publications, presentations, grants, work history, and other academic achievements
  • A resource for identifying scholars eligible for specific grant and fellowship opportunities
  • A tool to quickly create personalized CVs, resume, lists of publication or presentations, and more
For more information about Academic iNDex and how to use it, click here.




National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)

 

The NPA is a member-driven organization that provides a unique, national voice for postdoctoral scholars. Since 2003, they have taken on the ambitious agenda to enhance the quality of the postdoctoral experience in the US. They have assumed a leadership role in addressing the many issues confronting the postdoctoral community that are national in scope and requiring action beyond the local level. 

  • The University of Notre Dame is a sustaining member of the NPA.
  • ND Postdocs can join the NPA for free.
  • Learn about the benefits of a NPA membership here.
For more information about the NPA and to become a member, click here.




Versatile PhD - Humanities & Social Sciences
  • Discover interesting career paths as an alternative to the faculty track
  • Join a large community of post-academics to consult about your situation and the versatility of your PhD, MA, or postdoctoral appointment
  • Read job listings appropriate for postdocs
  • Network with successful post-academic PhDs nationwide
For more information about Versatile PhD and how to use it, click here.




Spotlight Jobs of the Week
Positive Productivity Points
GPS for Mind, Body & Soul



Social Media


Postdoc Corner
Curation Nation: Thoughts on the Future of Textbooks

by Robert Harington for The Scholarly Kitchen

Of late, much of my time (and that of others) has been spent thinking through the evolution of ebooks.

Yesterday, a colleague I work with, Peter Krautzberger - who heads up the MathJax initiative - pointed me to an informative, if poorly written, post by Robin Good. It was entitled Textbooks Show Aging Signs: Curated Guides Are Next. The piece is somewhat messianic in its approach to open source materials. In my view, this approach clouds judgement when it comes to innovation. I have nothing against considering open source innovation as a part of the puzzle, but to me at least, conflating innovation and discussion of open source models is akin to considering scientific question from the point of view of a belief system rather than as an empiricist. When I read a piece like this, I experience a range of reactions. On the one hand I am excited about the potential of curation in education. On the other hand, especially in math, I do not see any less of a need for a textbook, especially one that allows an author to provide their view into the field. It is not just facts that enables effective learning, but the voice and vision of an author that can stimulate a student's imagination and guide them through a subject.

Click here to read the full article by Harington. 

Data From the 2016 Almanac 

by Jacqueline Bichsel for The Chronicle for Higher Education

Explore 120 tables on faculty and presidential salaries, fastest-growing colleges, major gifts to higher education, cumulative student-loan debt, starting salaries for recent graduates, college enrollment by state, and more. Choose your state and compare its data on higher education with national figures. For a deeper analysis, read articles on the impact African-American presidents have had on diversity at primarily white institutions, efforts to increase enrollment at Roman Catholic colleges, generous donations to colleges by presidents and professors, and the effect of required college-entrance exams on the pursuit of higher education in several states.

Click here to read the full article. 

The ND Postdoc Newsletter wants to share your research or article you have written with the ND Postdoc Community.  If you would like to submit an article for the newsletter, please email Kim Patton.

Career Services

by Meenakshi Prabhune for NatureJobs

The job search is difficult and intimidating, especially during a career transition. While there are tons of articles and advice on dealing with the much dreaded job interview, they rely on a major assumption: you've been called for an interview in the first place! What if you're still figuring out what jobs you should start applying for? This is where informational interviews come in.

Click here to read the full article by Prabhune. 



In the workplace, part of having a successful career often comes down to personal branding. While stepping outside of your comfort zone can be scary, it's important to take some risks and forge connections with others in the industry. This can be really tough for introverts who often crave alone time and tend to be shy. If you're an introvert, you may have searched for ways to promote yourself without being annoying.

Personal branding can be really intimidating when finding yourself in a professional world where you're forced to work alongside extroverts who are usually very sociable. The workforce does not have to be overwhelming for those who are not comfortable spending a lot of time around others building their personal brand. Here are six tips to help introverts make their way down the path to personal-branding success:

Click here to read the full article by Personal Branding Blog. 


  • Language Translation, Sept. 19-23 in the Humanities forum
  • Cultural Resource Management, Nov. 14-18 in the Humanities forum
  • Think Tanks (Humanities edition), Mar. 6-10 in the Humanities forum
Humanities and Social Science Postdocs - learn more of what Versatile PhD can assist you with by clicking here


International Postdocs
English as a Second Language (ESL) for International Spouses

International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) offers two ESL class levels for spouses of international students, scholars, staff, and faculty: Developing and Expanding. The Developing Level is for those with a beginning to intermediate knowledge of English. This level is for students who would like to expand English vocabulary, improve writing and speaking skills, and work on accent reduction. The Expanding Level is for students who have a good command of the English language and focuses on literature and building vocabulary.

Registration information: 
  • Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 
  • Time: 9:00am - 11:00am 
  • Location: Lower level of the Sacred Heart Parish Center (map
  • Cost for the class is $60.00 payable by check or credit card
Classes begin on Monday, August 29, 2016.  More information here.



Events and Workshops 
Postdoc Women's Summer Picnic

All postdoc women and their families are invited to a potluck picnic to celebrate the start of the semester!
  • Location: Battell Park
  • Date: Sunday, August 28th 
  • Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • RSVP here by by Wed. 8/24 to let us know you are coming (so we can get a count for food)
We'll gather at the picnic tables in Mishawaka's Battell Park. The Postdoc Office has generously offered to provide a main dish for us.

So please bring the following items:
  • Side dish or dessert to share with everyone
  • Plates/cutlery/napkins for yourself and family members
  • Beverages for yourself and family members 
  • Blankets, lawn chairs or something to sit on
Things to do at Battell Park:
  • Splash Pad
  • Playground
  • Basketball Courts
  • Tennis Courts
If you have questions, please email Tara. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sponsored by:  The Postdoc Women's Committee 


Grant Writer's Workshop for Social Science Postdocs
  • Date: Thursday, September 1, 2016
  • Early Registration is open now
Phase One is a one-day seminar entitled "Write Winning Grant Proposals" and is designed to help investigators hone their grant-writing skills in an increasingly competitive market. The seminar is open to all faculty and post-docs in the Social Sciences, College of Arts and Letters, and each participant will receive a free Grant Application Writers' Workbook (a $75 value) geared toward the agency to which you are most interested in applying.  

In Phase Two, members of the seminar audience are selected to work with the external consultant to develop a full grant proposal. Prior participants in this workshop have seen their success rate for funded proposals increase from the national average of under 20% to approximately 35%.

Space is limited, so please contact Lori Loftis (ISLA) with your registration information as soon as possible:  
  • Name
  • Department
  • Faculty Rank
  • Which Funding Agency Workbook (NIH, NSF, USDA, Any Agency) to order.
Sponsored by:  The Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts (ISLA), the College of Arts and Letters, and ND Research 


National Postdoc Appreciation Week

The University of Notre Dame is proud to recognize postdoctoral scholars and the significant contributions they make to research and discovery. National Postdoc Appreciation Week will be filled with both social and professional development events for ND Postdocs!  
  • Tuesday, September 20th - Kickoff Breakfast
  • Wednesday, September 21st - Munchie Bar
  • Wednesday, September 21st - Exploring Career Options After Your Postdoc - Sponsored by the Postdoc Women's Committee
  • Thursday, September 22nd - Ice Cream Social and ND Football Ticket Drawing
Mark your calendars to attend the above events. Click here for more information and to register for each event. 

Thank you for all your hard work! We appreciate you!


Rigor and Relevance in Scholarly Publishing - 
Save the Date

  • September 30 - October 1, 2016
  • Hesburgh Library, University of Notre Dame
In the digital age, the landscape for scholarly communications is rapidly changing-ideas once considered part of the new frontier are now mainstream. As scholarly careers hang in the balance, we must understand and navigate these new realities or run the risk of being left behind.
  • How do we evaluate electronic publishing in the sciences, engineering, and humanities?
  • What is the role of other-than-article contributions?
  • How should we evaluate article-level metrics as a measure of impact?   
  • What does post-publication review mean? Is this a new paradigm for evaluating scholarship?
  • How do we manage grant funded and university public access mandates?
  • How do we avoid predatory publishers?
Graduate students, post-docs and early-career faculty will surely confront these issues on their career paths, especially those who publish in non-print formats. Committees on Appointments and Promotion and chairs of departments need to understand these issues when making recommendations.

This conference brings together researchers, administrators, and publishers to educate and collaborate on understanding the future of scholarly publishing and the subsequent tools for evaluation. Join us as we explore these and other key questions at the center of academic debate.

For more information, click here.


Women in Science Conference
  • September 30 - October 1, 2016
  • Early Bird Registration: September 2nd
The Association for Women in Science - Notre Dame chapter (AWIS) is organizing the first regional Women in Science Conference. This conference focuses on career and personal development as well as peer networking, through a variety of informative panels, workshops, and presentations. It provides an excellent opportunity to network, develop new skills, and explore career opportunities for individuals at early stages of their careers both in academia and industry.

For more information, click here.


Funding Opportunties
Society of Fellows - 2016-2017 Fellowships: Humanities, Arts, Sciences and Professions

The Michigan Society of Fellows was founded in 1970 through grants from the Ford Foundation and Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies for the purpose of promoting academic and creative excellence in the humanities, the arts, the social, physical, and life sciences, and in the professions.  The objective of the Society is to provide financial and intellectual support for individuals holding advanced degrees in their fields, who are selected for their outstanding achievement, professional promise, and interdisciplinary interests. Eight fellowships are available.  Four of these fellowships will be awarded in the humanities with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 

Applications will be reviewed by Society members and University faculty.  Final selections will be made in late January by Senior Fellows of the Society.  Fellows will be selected for three-year terms to begin September 1, 2017.  The annual stipend will be $55,000.
 
More information on the fellowships and application can be found here


ND Energy offers competitive fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral research associates to conduct energy-related research at Notre Dame. These fellowships support new advancements in energy technologies, while broadening the educational experiences for students and postdocs receiving these awards. If you are interested in energy-related research and would like to apply for a postdoc fellowship, please click on the appropriate link below. For Postdocs, the applications will be accepted year round. 

Click here for the ND Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship Program application guidelines.

Information is also available via the Funding Opportunities Webpage with an ND Net ID and Password required. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Barbara Villarosa (574-631-4776).
 

Professional Development
Graduate School Professional Development Programs
 
All postdocs may take professional development programs from the Graduate School. 

For more information on programming or to register, please click here.

Workshops from the Writing Center 
 
Use Writing to Teach Critical Thinking

Want to transform your students into active learners, engage them in solving disciplinary problems, and foster their critical thinking? Research shows that one of the best ways to achieve these goals is to integrate writing assignments into your classes. The University Writing Center is pleased to offer consultations with instructors who want help designing and integrating writing assignments. We welcome instructors from every discipline, especially STEM subjects. Email [email protected] with the subject "Teaching Consultation" to set up a meeting!


Workshops from the Kaneb Center
 
Are you interested in learning more about discipline-specific teaching and learning in the university setting?  The university offers workshops on university teaching and learning in various fields through the Kaneb Center!  Consider enrolling in one of the workshops.

For workshop descriptions, click here.  
  

Workshops from the NCFDD
 
The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity is an independent professional development, training and mentoring community of over 71,000 graduate students, postdocs, and faculty members. The NCDFF is 100% dedicated to supporting academics in making successful transitions throughout their careers.  They offer on-campus workshops, professional development training, and intensive mentoring programs.

The University of Notre Dame is an institutional member of the NCFDD. Through Notre Dame's membership, ND Postdocs may claim an Institutional Sub-account Membership at no cost and enjoy all the benefits of a NCFDD Individual Membership.  Register here to join NCFDD.

For a list of the Fall 2016 webinars, click here.
 

Hesburgh Libraries Workshops
 
The Hesburgh Libraries and Center for Digital Scholarship workshops are offered to all ND Postdocs.
 
Hesburgh Libraries Workshops
All CDS workshops take place in the CDS Classroom (Room 129), Hesburgh Library 1st Floor Northeast.
Library Workshop Calendar: nd.libcal.com/calendar/allworkshops
Questions? [email protected]

  

English for Academic Purposes Workshops
 
The Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures' English for Academic Purposes program offers workshops that are open to all ND Postdocs.

  


PhD Humor

Disclaimer: 
The views and opinions expressed in the media, articles, and comments included in this newsletter are solely the views and expressions of the original sources' authors and contributors, and do not necessarily represent those of the University of Notre Dame, The Graduate School, or the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars.