Workshop Program
Note: the 2007 workshop is over. Find out more about the "Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences" workshops, or read on for more information about the 2007 workshop.
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Hide 2007 Workshop. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
1:00-5:30 Registration and arrival
- Participant check in at Smith Hall. See travel and logistics page for additional information.
Optional Pre-Workshop Events on Thursday Afternoon
These pre-workshop events will be held in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, Weeks Hall.
2:30-3:30 Concurrent Sessions
- Careers in Museums, Rich Slaughter, University of Wisconsin Geology Museum Director, Room A230
The session will feature an overview of the opportunities for careers in museums including advice on how to position yourself to be competitive for such jobs.
- Enhancing Student Learning through Inclusive Teaching, Don Gillian-Daniel, Delta Program in Research, Teaching and Learning, University of Wisconsin , Room A257
Educators often approach diversity as a problem to be addressed, rather than an opportunity for all to excel. Adding a statement of inclusivity to your syllabus is one step, but what next? This session will model a range of approaches, as well as a rationale for selecting them, for creating a more inclusive learning environment throughout the semester. Participants will leave with resources to help them create inclusive learning environments in their own classrooms.
- Wiring the Megathrust: Drilling for Earthquakes in the Nankai Trough Subduction Zone / Above my Pay Grade: Teaching and Doing Geocience in the Era of Large Projects, Harold Tobin, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Room 235
For the past six years, I have been the Chief Project Scientist for the IODP program to drill into, sample, and instrument a subduction megathrust within the plate interface seismogenic zone at the Nankai Trough of SW Japan, site of repeated historical great earthquakes and tsunami. The NanTroSEIZE project, which will begin in September 2007, presents scientific, technical, and organizational challenges in roughly equal measure. I'll discuss some of the highlights of the science plan, as well as the path I've taken so far, and some ideas about future trends in research in the geosciences.
- Science for a Shrinking Planet: Sustainability and the Need to Turn Research into Solutions, and Education into Leadership - Jon Foley, Professor of Environmental Studies and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Director of the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), University of Wisconsin, Room A259
During this session, we will explore the evolution of a new "Sustainability Science" paradigm, and how this might help focus academic disciplines to address pressing problems related to water scarcity, food shortages, environmental pollution, and others related to global environmental change. In particular, we will engage in discussions of how different disciplines can work together (either through interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary means) and effectively connect to the real world.
3:45-4:45 Concurrent Sessions
- Incorporating Social Justice into Geoscience Topics - Herb Wang, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Room A259
This session will explore how social justice topics can be incorporated into geoscience classes. I will describe my experience teaching environmental justice courses that included a freshman seminar; a web-based, distance course; a three-week summer course, a spring-break trip to "cancer alley," and a graduate water-resources-management practicum in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.
- Tour of the Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin - Jean Bahr, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Meet on the 1st floor by the big globe in the lobby next to the Museum
- WiscSIMS Studies of Paleoclimate: Hadean Oceans to Holocene Weather - John Valley, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Room 235
Workshop Begins
View of Lake Monona from the Pyle Center. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
Workshop sessions will be in the Pyle Center
5:30-6:00 Informal reception (optional) with cash bar, ATT Lounge6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-9:00 Introductions and Opening Session, Pyle Center, ATT Lounge
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Welcome, Introductions, Workshop Goals and Overview
- Our career profiles page has links to profiles of many geoscientists, including many of of the 2007 Career Prep workshop leaders, in both non-traditional and traditional academic careers.
Heather Macdonald and Robyn Wright Dunbar
Where Do You Want to Go? - A Spectrum of Academic Careers: Panel and Discussion
Jean Bahr, University of Wisconsin, Kurt Friehauf, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania; Mike Phillips, Illinois Valley Community College; Ashanti Pyrtle, University of South Florida; David Steer, University of Akron
- Each panelist will give a five-minute overview of his or her current job. Following the presentations, all of the workshop leaders will field questions. The goal is for participants to learn more about the diversity of job opportunities available in academia.
2007 Workshop session on preparing now for your future academic career. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
Friday, August 3, 2007
7:00-8:00 Breakfast at Smith Hall
8:15-8:55 Overview of Day and Preparing Now For Your Future Academic Career in the Geosciences
Pyle Center Room 325/326
- Heather Macdonald
Theme for the day: Who are you as a teacher?
9:00-10:00 Research on Learning: Concurrent Sessions
Participants: Please complete the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire and record your results on the webpage set up to collect the data prior to the workshop. Robyn will use your (collective) data in her presentation.
2007 Workshop participants are, on average, strongly visual learners.
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Teaching Science: What Research Tells Us About Science and Learning
- Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, (PowerPoint 104kB Jul30 07) from David Steer.
Robyn Wright Dunbar
- This session is designed for those who are not yet familiar with the application of research on learning to teaching or who want a review.
David Steer
- This session is designed for those who have a working familiarity with the application of research on learning to teaching.
10:15-11:15 Breakout Sessions
- Designing Effective Science Courses (PowerPoint 1.9MB Jul30 07) - Robyn Wright Dunbar
- Designing Your Courses is an introduction to the process of intentional course design.
- Designing Effective and Innovative Courses is a comprehensive set of resources on course design, including a course design tutorial.
- Developing Interactive Lectures (PowerPoint 951kB Jul30 07) - David Steer
- This handout (Microsoft Word 252kB Jul30 07) is a series of nine examples of interactive lecture exercises illustrating the techniques David uses.
- The Starting Point page on Interactive Lectures links information on pedagogy with teaching examples.
- Assessment Using ConcepTests has information about ConcepTests and their uses, as well as links to additional resources.
- Project-based Learning in Introductory and Upper-level Geoscience Courses - Kathy Surpless
- All of the following are handouts for Kathy's session: Project design considerations (Acrobat (PDF) 12kB Jul30 07) describes some of the factors to consider in designing effective course projects. Physical Geology final project (Acrobat (PDF) 383kB Jul30 07) and Physical Geology project supplement (Acrobat (PDF) 439kB Jul30 07) describe a final project for a physical geology course. Sed-strat syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 194kB Jul30 07) is the syllabus for a project-based sedimentology & stratigraphy course; Hickory project (Acrobat (PDF) 794kB Jul30 07) describes that course project in more detail.
- Teaching Geoscience with Data, Models, and Visualizations (PowerPoint 1.9MB Jul30 07) - Paul Hoskin
- The Starting Point sites Teaching with Data, Teaching with Models, and Teaching with Visualizations link information on pedagogy with teaching examples.
- Using Data in the Classroom provides access to data resources, teaching activities, and pedagogic references.
- The Cutting Edge Visualization site provides access to visualizations for teaching geoscience as well as ideas for selecting and creating visualizations for use in class.
- Apply what we know about science learning to design effective courses. This session hits the highlights of constructing a syllabus, setting instructional objectives, determining course format, and assessment.
- Lecturing is one of the most efficient ways for professors to deliver content to students, but even with the best lecturers, students sitting passively in a class may receive very little of the content delivered. We'll discuss numerous ways to make lectures an active experience for students, whether for a class of 20 or 200. Specific examples will include ideas for small group work, muddiest point exercises, think-pair-share activities, group data collection, and using personal response systems (clickers) effectively with conceptests.
Lunch at the Pyle Center. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
11:25-12:25 Breakout Sessions (repeated)
12:30-1:15 Lunch
1:15-1:45 Birds of a Feather Discussions: Dual careers, families, balance, and more; International scientists in the U.S.; and other topics
2:00-3:30 Designing Effective Classroom/Laboratory Activities
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Heather Macdonald
- Daily Class Planning links to resources to help you develop your own classroom, lab, or field activities, or to find existing activities that meet your needs.
- How to Plan a Single Class Period provides guidance in planning a lesson, from setting learning goals for the day to assessing whether students have met those goals. This page includes specific geoscience examples and a worksheet you can use to plan a class period.
- Characteristics of an Effective Assignment/Activity (Microsoft Word 21kB Aug4 07) is a list compiled by 2007 workshop participants during this session.
- For this activity, you will work in small groups to review and then develop or refine a classroom or lab activity that addresses a key concept or skill in your discipline. This session will be an opportunity to share ideas with other participants as you consider different ways to teach that concept or skill.
Robyn Wright Dunbar describes the key elements of a strong teaching statement. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
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Introduction to Teaching Statements
Robyn Wright Dunbar
- This session is designed to "jump start" the writing process for those who have yet to draft a teaching statement. Participants will articulate their teaching goals and accomplishments, and begin the process of folding these into a concise teaching statement.
Heather Macdonald and all other leaders
- Participants who submitted teaching statements in advance will work in small groups, each with a workshop leader, reviewing each other's statements and offering feedback. Leaders will also offer their comments.
- Your Teaching Statement is a list of resources describing how to write your own personal teaching statement. At the top of the list is a worksheet to help you through the process.
5:00-5:20 Reflection time and Daily "road check"
6:30 Dinner - Pyle Center
Saturday, August 4, 2007
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Smith Hall
2007 Workshop participants practice describing their research to colleagues. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
Theme for the morning: Who are you as a researcher?
Pyle Center
8:15-8:30 Overview of Day and Report on Daily Feedback8:30-9:10 Presenting Yourself to Others (PowerPoint 4.6MB Jul30 07)
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Heather Macdonald
- In the job search process you will have very brief, yet critical, opportunities to convey your work to others. Participants in this session will refine a personal "Elevator Talk," a paragraph that describes the nature and significance of your research, and which is geared to a more general audience. You will then practice giving this talk to others.
- 2007 Workshop participants generated a list of Keys to Effective Elevator Talks. (Microsoft Word 20kB Aug4 07)
- Heather Macdonald and other leaders
- This session will help you focus a vision statement for your research and start you thinking about how your research will integrate with your teaching, where it might lead in the future, and how it might differ depending upon the institution type.
10:00-11:00 Moving Your Research Forward to New Settings: Breakout Sessions
2007 Workshop participants, small group discussion. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
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Two-year colleges
- Scholarly activity for two-year college faculty lists resources for new faculty at two-year colleges, including a perspective on what (besides research) constitutes scholarly activity.
- Moving Your Research Forward to a PUI setting (Microsoft Word 37kB Aug4 07) is the advice offered by Paul Hoskins, Kathy Surpless, and Kurt Friehauf in this session.
- Moving Your Research Forward lists resources to help you both in publishing your current research and in thinking beyond your dissertation to a research program of your own.
- Moving Your Research Forward lists resources to help you both in publishing your current research and in thinking beyond your dissertation to a research program of your own.
Mike Phillips
Kurt Friehauf, Paul Hoskin, and Kathy Surpless
Jean Bahr, Liz Canuel, Ashanti Pyrtle, and David Steer
11:10-11:50 Research Statements: Concurrent Sessions
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Introduction to Research Statements
Heather Macdonald and other workshop leaders
- This session is designed to "jump start" the writing process for those who have yet to draft a research statement. It will include a short presentation on research statements and will include stime to work on your research vision and outline a research statement.
Robyn Wright Dunbar and other workshop leaders
- Participants who submitted research statements in advance will review each other's research statments and will discuss key aspects of research statements intended for a particular type of institution (e.g., liberal arts college, research university)different.
- Writing an Effective Research Statement (PowerPoint 50kB Jul31 07) is Heather's presentation for this session.
- Developing a Research Statement (PowerPoint 69kB Aug21 06) is the presentation by Armand Tanguay, Jr., of the University of Southern California, used by Lawford Anderson this workshop session in 2006.
- Your Research Interests and Plans lists resources for developing your research statement.
2007 Workshop participants, discussing their career choices. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
Theme for the afternoon: Choosing Where You Want to Go and Getting There
1:10-2:30 Mapping Your Career: Choices, Balance, and Action Planning
- Heather Macdonald
- Given where you are in your career and what you have learned at this workshop, reflect on your long term goals or "dream job." What are your next steps? What advice would help you most at this point?
2:45-4:00 The Academic Job Search: Applications, Interviews, and Job Talks
- Paul Hoskins, Kathy Surpless, Jean Bahr, and Mike Phillips
- The Job Search is a collection of resources for people looking for jobs in academia. It includes information on beginning your search, assembling your application materials, interviewing, negotiating, and dealing with additional considerations (such as being part of a dual career couple).
- The job talk, (PowerPoint 30kB Aug2 06) from Ann Bykerk-Kauffman, summarizes a few key points about how to give an effective presentation during an on-campus interview.
- How to tailor your application for each advertised position, what to expect during your interview, and how to prepare an effective "job talk" (research presentation or teaching demonstration). Brief presentations will be followed by a question and answer period.
- Jean Bahr and Liz Canuel
- Effective Negotiations (Acrobat (PDF) 219kB Aug5 07) is Liz Canuel's presentation for this session, highlighting the difference between an offer and a contract, and offering advice on negotiating salary, teaching load, start-up, and space.
- A View from the Other Side of the Table (PowerPoint 48kB Jul30 07) offers Jean Bahr's perspective on negotiations, as a department chair.
- Negotiating for What You Need to be Successful is a collection of resources about negotiating an academic contract -- what to negotiate for, and how to negotiate effectively (and pleasantly).
- Online articles on negotiation (Microsoft Word 33kB Aug1 07) is a list, from Jean, of additional online resources about negotiating a contract.
- What to expect in the negotiation process, what is negotiable, and the importance of negotiating for what you need (and making sure you get it in writing).
At the "picnic," held indoors due to rain. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
5:00-5:20 Closing Remarks and Workshop Evaluation
6:30 Picnic
Sunday, August 5, 2007
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Smith Hall
Optional Workshop Sessions
Pyle Center
8:30-9:30 Concurrent Workshops: Session 1- Career Options in Geoscience Education (outreach programs, museums, other options) - Carol Ormand
- Career profiles is a page of profiles of geoscientists in both traditional and non-traditional academic careers, including careers in geoscience education, outreach, and public affairs.
- What are the options, why would I choose one, how can I find one (Microsoft Word 40kB Aug5 07) is an outline of Carol's discussion for this session.
- Early Career Participation in Professional Societies: Service with Benefits - Jean Bahr
- Early Career Participation in Professional Societies (PowerPoint 996kB Jul30 07) is Jean's presentation for this session.
- The Teaching Portfolio: Who Wants to See It and What Goes In It? - Robyn Wright Dunbar
- Documenting Your Teaching includes information on building a teaching portfolio.
- Working with Undergraduate Research Students - Kurt Friehauf, Kathy Surpless, and Paul Hoskin
- Working with Undergraduate Research Students (Microsoft Word 938kB Jul30 07) is Paul's handout for this session, which includes the syllabus he gives students who are doing their senior thesis or honors research with him.
9:30-9:45 Break
9:45-10:45 Concurrent Workshops: Session 2
- Families, Dual Career Couples, and Careers - Robyn Wright Dunbar, Ashanti Pyrtle, and Ben Surpless
- Successfully Managing Dual Careers (PowerPoint 1.3MB Jul30 07) is Ashanti's presentation for this session, which describes her and her husband's dual careers and the strategies that worked for them.
- Dual Career Couples is a collection of resources about and for dual career couples in science, including about a dozen "case studies" of dual career couples in geoscience.
- Improving Student Success by Scaffolding Learning - David Steer
Participants in this workshop will learn how to use Bloom's taxonomy to structure course learning activities to best promote student success. The various levels will be discussed using examples. Participants will devise a set of activities in their content area of expertise that are appropriate for an introductory class.
- Improving Student Success by Scaffolding Learning (PowerPoint 57kB Jul30 07) is David's presentation for this session. Scaffolding handout (Microsoft Word 79kB Jul30 07) is his accompanying handout.
- Tenure Considerations and Early Career Faculty Issues at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions and Research Universities - Jean Bahr and Kurt Friehauf
- Tenure and Promotion at Public PUIs and R1s (PowerPoint 1.1MB Jul30 07) is Jean and Kurt's presentation for this session.
- The Community College Interview - Mike Phillips
Participants will learn about common components of the community college interview process. A typical interview visit will be described, and sample questions will be presented and discussed.
- The Community College Interview (Rich Text File 42kB Jul30 07) is Mike's handout for this session.
By the front door of the Pyle Center. Photo by Carol Ormand, courtesy of Carol Ormand.
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00 Concurrent Workshops Session 3
- Balancing Your Life - Paul Hoskin, Ashanti Pyrtle, and David Steer
- Balancing Your Life (Acrobat (PDF) 164kB Jul30 07) is Paul's handout for this session.
- Making Choices: Finding your Balance is a collection of resources designed to help you figure out your priorities (at work and in the rest of your life) and then establish the habits that will allow you to balance them.
- Developing and Teaching On-line Courses - Mike Phillips
Faculty who can teach courses in part or completely on-line are in high demand. Participants will discuss the various types of on-line offerings and key steps in developing on-line materials and courses. The session will also discuss some of the common difficulties encountered in on-line teaching and learning and how those difficulties can be addressed.
- Developing and Teaching Online Courses (Rich Text File 14kB Jul30 07) is Mike's handout for this session.
- Tenure Considerations and Early Career Faculty Issues at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions and Research Universities - Jean Bahr and Kurt Friehauf
- Tenure and Promotion at Public PUIs and R1s (PowerPoint 1.1MB Jul30 07) is Jean and Kurt's presentation for this session.
- Who Are Your Students? Lessons from High School and College Teaching - Ben Surpless
With a better understanding of students' pre-college educational backgrounds, a college professor is better able to tailor everything from course design to class discussions, in-class activities, and laboratory experimentation. We'll discuss the impact that diverse high-school curricula have on the range of your students' learning styles, work ethics, science and math backgrounds, and pre-existing attitudes about and knowledge of the geosciences.
- Who Are Your Students (Microsoft Word 28kB Jul30 07) is Ben's handout for this session.
