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Academic careers are lifelong journeys that require professional skill sets to navigate successfully. More »

UPCI Workshop Series for
Professional Advancement


The Office of Academic Career Development and UPCI Research Services and Advancement have partnered to develop a series of professional development workshops for UPCI faculty and postdocs. All sessions are held on-site at the Hillman Cancer Center or UPMC Cancer Pavilion located in Shadyside.

Spring 2007 Schedule

Know Your K: Awards for Basic Scientists

Wednesday, May 9, 2007 11 AM – 1PM
Location: 202C Herberman Conference Center
              UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Shadyside 

Presenters: Joan M. Lakoski, PhD
                 Associate Vice Chancellor for
                 Academic Career Development
                 Executive Director, Office of
                 Academic Career Development
                 Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Education
                 Professor of Pharmacology

                 Robert J. Milner, PhD
                 Director of the Junior Faculty
                 Development Program
                 Professor of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
                 Pennsylvania State University
                 College of Medicine

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) primary grant mechanism for supporting new and mid-career investigators is the Mentored Career Development Award (a.k.a. K Award). This workshop explores the range of K Award options available, provides an overview of the K Award application process and review criteria, features a K Award application review by a mock study section (that reveals what really goes on behind those closed doors), and includes a step-by-step guide to preparing an outstanding and successful application.


Win-Win: Successful Strategies
for Resolving Differences

Monday, June 11, 2007       11AM - 1PM
Cooper Rooms B & C, Hillman Cancer Center

Presenters: Marick F. Masters, PhD
                  Executive Director, Center on Conflict
                  Resolution and Negotiation
                  Professor of Business Administration
                  University of Pittsburgh
                  Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business

                  Jared D. Simmer, Esq
                  Executive Director
                  Piedmont Private Adjudication Center


 

Fall 2006 Schedule

Presentation Skills for Scientists:
Making Your Content Come Alive


Tuesday, October 3, 2006       11 AM – 1 PM
Cooper Room B&C, Hillman Cancer Center

Presenter: Maureen Murray, MA
                Maureen Murray Associates

Have you ever felt confident about your science, yet uncertain about presenting it? You're not alone! 
Public speaking is challenging for most of us, maybe more so for scientists who haven't had the opportunity to acquire the speaking skills that transform a presentation from good to excellent. Learn how to organize and deliver an engaging presentation, and add polish and interest to your data so you'll get noticed by colleagues, faculty, and prospective funding agencies. 



Getting to the Payline: Writing Successful NRSA Fellowship Applications

Tuesday, November 14, 2006       11 AM – 1 PM
Cooper Room B&C, Hillman Cancer Center

Presenters: Joan M. Lakoski, PhD
                 Associate Vice Chancellor for
                 Academic Career Development
                 Executive Director, Office of Academic
                 Career Development
                 Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Education
                 Professor of Pharmacology

                 Robert J. Milner, PhD
                 Director of the Junior Faculty
                 Development Program
                 Professor of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
                 Pennsylvania State University
                 College of Medicine

This workshop provides an overview of a NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship Award – the National Research Service Award (NRSA) – along with a step-by-step guide to preparing a successful fellowship application. A special feature of this session is the opportunity to observe a mock study section conducted by experienced faculty reviewers.
 


Pathway to Independence: K99/R00

Thursday, December 7, 2006       11:30 AM – 1 PM
Location:  202A Herberman Conference Center
               UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Shadyside

Presenter: Joan M. Lakoski, PhD
                Associate Vice Chancellor for
                Academic Career Development
                Executive Director, Office of
                Academic Career Development
                Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Education
                Professor of Pharmacology

Provides an overview of the NIH's innovative new program that provides promising postdoctoral scientists the opportunity to receive both mentored (K) and
independent research support (R) from the same award.
NIH Announcement »
 


Spring 2006 Schedule



Searching for Grant Dollar$:
Grant Resources on the Web


Thursday, February 16, 2006      11:00am – 1:00pm
Cooper Conference Center at the Hillman Cancer Center

Presenter: Barbara Folb, MLS
                Health Sciences Library System
                Public Health Librarian

Take a tour of resources on the Internet that will help you find sources of funding and support your grant writing process. The Foundation Center’s The National Guide to Funding in Health, 8th ed., lists 10,700 U.S. foundations that fund health-related activities. Add corporate and government funding resources and it is hard to know where to begin the grant seeking process. This session will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of on-line information sources for identifying funding resources. In addition, major print and CD-ROM resources will be discussed and resources that support the writing of grants will be included.

 

Success in Academic Science:
Avoiding Perils and Pitfalls


Thursday, March 30, 2006      11:00am – 1:00pm
Cooper Conference Center at the Hillman Cancer Center

Presenter: R. Kevin Grigsby, DSW
                Vice Dean for Faculty and
                Administrative Affairs
                Professor in the Department of
                Neural and Behavioral Sciences
                Penn State College of Medicine

The early stages of a career in academic science and medicine offer many opportunities. However, there are perils and pitfalls that may affect both near-term and long-term success. This workshop is designed to assist junior investigators in avoiding many of the mistakes or missteps that may occur early in a scientific career. Factors leading to success will be emphasized in an open format that allows for questions and an open exchange with the presenter and participants.


Developing Networking Strategies to Advance Your Career: How Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills Can Make the Difference

Wednesday, April 26, 2006      11:00am – 1:00pm
Cooper Conference Center at the Hillman Cancer Center

Presenter: Bonnie Budzowski
                President, WordCoach

Building your skills in research and your area of specialty has been the primary focus of your education to date. Now, how do you build the interpersonal skills you need to establish relationships necessary to move your career forward? This dynamic and interactive session will focus on practical strategies for young investigators to forge valuable relationships and connections in and outside the lab.


 

 

2004-2005 Schedule

Maximizing Your Effectiveness as a Mentor

Thursday, December 9, 2004      11:00am – 1:00pm
Cooper Conference Center at the Hillman Cancer Center

Presenters: Joan M. Lakoski, PhD
                  University of Pittsburgh

                  Linda Larson-Prior, PhD
                  Washington University

Mentoring is instrumental to the successful career development of mentees but mentors, too, need advice and role models to hone and expand upon their repertoire of mentoring skills. How do you support the development of a protégées while challenging them to grow? How do you more effectively mentor across differences in gender, race, or culture? This workshop will provide strategies to keep the mentor/mentee relationship on track and improves your effectiveness as a mentor.


Constructing an Individual Development Plan to Achieve Your Career Goals

Thursday, January 20, 2005         11:00am – 1:00pm
Herberman Conference Center Auditorium at the UPMC Cancer Pavilion

Presenter: Philip S. Clifford, PhD
                Medical College of Wisconsin

Where is your career headed? An individual development plan is a framework for planning a successful and satisfying career. This workshop will get you started on creating a career plan that takes into account your individual interests and expectations.


Developing a CV That Promotes Your Career

Wednesday, February 23, 2005     11:00am – 1:00pm
Herberman Conference Center Auditorium at the UPMC Cancer Pavilion

Presenter: Beth A. Fischer, MEd
                University of Pittsburgh
                Survival Skills & Ethics Program

Curriculum vitae, Latin for “course of life” or “a life’s course” is a record of what you have done and a passport to being allowed to do more. It is the traditional standard for presenting your qualifications for academic or research-related employment whose power and influence should not be underestimated. This workshop provides practical advice on the development of a well-constructed CV and strategies for optimizing your professional self-presentation.
Lunch is provided.


Establishing Ethical Relationships Between
Industry and Academe

Monday, March 14, 2005               11:00am – 1:00pm
Cooper Conference Center at the Hillman Cancer Center
Alternate date for workshop on Oakland Campus»»

Presenters: Barbara E. Barnes, MD, MS
                 University of Pittsburgh

                 Joan M. Lakoski, PhD
                 University of Pittsburgh

Pharmaceutical and device manufacturers have developed increasingly strong relationships with universities and academic medical centers to support research, training, and commercialization of new discoveries. While these partnerships are extremely beneficial in advancing clinical practice and scientific investigation, there is increased professional and public concern about how industry funding affects the scope and outcomes of research in addition to the cost and quality of care. This workshop will focus on how researchers and practitioners can capitalize on the resources available from industry while assuring that professional and ethical standards are maintained.
Lunch is provided


 Increasing Your Writing Efficiency

Wednesday, April 20, 2005            11:00am – 1:00pm
Herberman Conference Center Auditorium at the UPMC Cancer Pavilion
Alternate date for workshop on Oakland Campus»»

Pesenter: Susan R. Johnson, MD, MS
               University of Iowa

Academic success is greatly dependent on high quality, high quantity writing. The quality of your writing depends on having good ideas, properly carrying out studies, writing clearly and concisely, and getting your work published.
This presentation is not about these issues
. Instead, it tackles the issue of the quantity of your writing. Too many times, scientists do high quality work that never sees the light of day. The common name for this problem is “writer’s block.” Having writer’s block is a cause of anxiety and depression at best, and is career threatening at worst. This presentation will address several (proven) methods to prevent this from happening to you.
Lunch is provided.