Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop Program
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HideNote: the 2009 workshop is over. Find out more about the Early Career Geoscience Faculty workshops, or scroll down for more information about the 2009 workshop, including links to most of the workshop presentations.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Check in to the hotel (the Williamsburg Hospitality House ) at any time (your room might not be ready until 3:00 pm). Registration for the workshop will be in the William and Mary Parlor of the Hospitality House from 3:00-5:30; workshop registration for later arrivals will be at the Sadler Center during dinner or the evening program.
5:30 Informal Reception with Cash Bar, Sadler Center, Tidewater A and B
6:00-7:00 Dinner, Sadler Center, Tidewater A and B
7:00-9:00 Welcome and Introductions, Workshop Goals, Discussion, Logistics, Sadler Center, Tidewater A and B
Monday, June 15
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Sadler Center Dining Hall
8:15-9:40 Alumni House, Leadership Hall
Preview schedule
Course Design: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment (Acrobat (PDF) 865kB Jun12 09)
- The Course Design Tutorial has pages on Setting Course Goals and on Assessing Student Learning, which includes a section on cooperative exams.
- the Role of the Affective Domain in Geoscience Learning
- Learning Styles
- Assessment
Successful Activities and Assignments: composite list of characteristics, from our discussion
9:40-10:00 Break
10:00-11:10 Course Design: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment continued
Bloom's Taxonomy Exercise (Acrobat (PDF) 514kB Jun9 09)
11:10-12:00 Interactive Lectures (Acrobat (PDF) 236kB Jun14 09) - Greg Hancock (Department of Geology, College of William and Mary)
- Interactive Lectures
- Interactive Lectures: Overview and Examples (Microsoft Word 207kB Jun15 09)
12:00-1:00 Lunch, Sadler Center Dining Hall
1:30-2:20 Teaching Strategies: Concurrent Sessions, McGlothlin-Street Hall (MS): Participants will attend a session selected from the list below:
- Designing Class Activities and Assignments (Microsoft Word 36kB Jun9 09) - Rachel Beane, MS 201
- Search the SERC online collection of Geoscience Activities
- Plan a Class Period
Sharing and reviewing teaching activities and assignments is a great way to grow and learn as an educator. During this session you will share and receive feedback on one of your own class activities or assignments that you will submit prior to the workshop.
- Engaging Students in General Education Courses through Interactive Activities (Acrobat (PDF) 3.7MB Jun14 09) - Randy Richardson, Liz Ritchie, and Katryn Wiese - MS 20
- Integrating Research into Courses (Acrobat (PDF) 111kB Jun9 09) - Jen Roberts, Julia Sankey, and Steve Wojtal, MS 230
- Examples from geoscience faculty (Acrobat (PDF) 1.3MB Jun15 09)
- Initial Experimental Design Exercise (Acrobat (PDF) 230kB Jun15 09)
- Teaching the Principles of Geomicrobiology and the Process of Experimental Research to Undergraduate and First-Year Graduate Students (Acrobat (PDF) 336kB Jun15 09)
- Greg Hancock's Criteria for One-Semester Undergraduate Research Topics
- Student Research in the Geoscience Classroom
- Working in Groups: From Debates to Jigsaws (Acrobat (PDF) 10.3MB Jun15 09) - Rowan Lockwood (Geology Department, College of William and Mary), MS 224
We will discuss the benefits and challenges of using interactive activities in a lecture class. We will demonstrate three short activities that actively engage a diverse and potentially unmotivated student group and that can easily be incorporated into lecture classes. And we will spend some time brainstorming about ways to develop and incorporate similar activities in your own classroom.
Watch a video clip from this session.
Integrating research into the courses we teach can help bridge the gap between our teaching and our research. In this session, we will explore strategies for integrating different components of research into courses. We will also explore how teaching can broaden the impact of our research.
Group activities, such as jigsaws, gallery walks, and debates, encourage whole class participation and give students the opportunity to learn from each other. This session provides a basic approach to group activities and suggestions about what works and what doesn't.
2:30-3:20 Teaching Strategies: Concurrent Sessions. Participants will attend a session selected from the list below.
- Classroom Activities that Help Build Quantitative Literacy Skills (Microsoft Word 34kB Jun10 09) - Randy Richardson, MS 20
- CO2 Exercise (Microsoft Word 43kB Jun10 09)
- Keeling CO2 Graphs (PowerPoint 251kB Jun10 09)
- CO2 Graph Paper (PowerPoint 70kB Jun10 09)
- Math Skills Pre-test (Microsoft Word 119kB Jun10 09)
- Teaching Quantitative Skills in the Geosciences
- The Math You Need, When You Need It
- Keyah Math Project
- Designing Class Activities and Assignments (Microsoft Word 36kB Jun9 09) - Rachel Beane (see description above), MS 201
- Search the SERC online collection of Geoscience Activities
- Plan a Class Period
- Integrating Research into Courses (Acrobat (PDF) 111kB Jun9 09) - Jen Roberts, Julia Sankey, and Steve Wojtal (see description above), MS 230
- Examples from geoscience faculty (Acrobat (PDF) 1.3MB Jun15 09)
- Initial Experimental Design Exercise (Acrobat (PDF) 230kB Jun15 09)
- Teaching the Principles of Geomicrobiology and the Process of Experimental Research to Undergraduate and First-Year Graduate Students (Acrobat (PDF) 336kB Jun15 09)
- Greg Hancock's Criteria for One-Semester Undergraduate Research Topics
- Student Research in the Geoscience Classroom
- Presence, Tone, and Body Language in Teaching (Acrobat (PDF) 133kB Jun15 09) - Katryn Wiese, MS 224
This session will focus on examples that build quantitative skills of students in introductory courses (including large ones). We will use a Mauna Loa CO2 example that helps students with tasks such as constructing best fit lines, calculating slope, and making predictions about future values. We will also look at examples that build other quantitative skills such as testing the reasonableness of quantitative answers and that help students overcome math phobia.
We will discuss the impact a teacher's personality and presence can have on a student's experience in the classroom. We will look critically at our own presence, tone, and language as seen through the eyes of our students. And we will develop strategies for making our students feel more comfortable and valued in our interactions.
3:20-3:40 Break, MS 20 Lobby
3:40-4:40 Taking Charge of Your Career (Acrobat (PDF) 72kB Jun14 09), MS 20
- Advice for New Faculty Members: Nihil Nimus by Robert Boice
- How to Write a Lot: a Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul Silvia
4:40-5:00 Overview of Individual Consultation Process and Daily Roadcheck
5:30-6:30 Dinner, Sadler Center Dining Hall
7:00-8:00 Informal Session (optional) - Sharing Ideas about Specific Courses - Alumni House (open until 9:00 pm)
- Course Goals and Syllabus Database
- On the Cutting Edge list of past workshops (including workshops on teaching specific topics)
Tuesday, June 16
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Sadler Center Dining Hall
8:15-8:30 Report from Daily Roadcheck, Your Research/Scholarly Career Sadler Center, Tidewater A
8:30-9:40 Working Effectively with Research Students: Different Models
- Collaborating with Research Students
- The National Academy of Engineering has an Online Ethics Center , which includes a page of case studies on publication and credit
Discussion summary: Synthesis of participants' discussions on guidelines for research students
9:40-10:00 Break
10:00-10:50 Research Strategies: Concurrent Sessions. Participants will attend one of the sessions listed below:
- Bringing Earth Sciences to the Community via Outreach Opportunities (Acrobat (PDF) 94kB Jun16 09) - Katryn Wiese and Randy Richardson, James Room (also offered at 11:00)
- Research with Undergraduates (Acrobat (PDF) 754kB Jun15 09) - Rachel Beane and Julia Sankey, Tidewater B (also offered at 11:00)
- Research with Undergraduates (Microsoft Word 51kB Jun9 09) handout
- Collaborating with Students
- Setting the Scope for M.S. Research Projects - Richelle Allen-King and Liz Ritchie, Tidewater A (offered one time only)
We will discuss the educational opportunities that exist outside the college setting, ways to reach out to those opportunities, and the benefits of doing so. These opportunities include working with K-12 teachers, local science workshops, local/state/national park programs, television, newspapers, radio, museums, teaching workshops (union/local/state/national, etc.), and research programs (where you're not the PI).
Doing research with undergraduates can range from exhilarating to exasperating. In this session, we pose questions to ask of yourself and your students, summarize various models for project design, and discuss some specific strategies and considerations.
Working with M.S. students - taking the needs of your research program and the needs, experience, and abilities of your students into account and considering what is doable in a reasonable time frame.
- Starting New Research Projects and Collaborations - James Farquhar, Jen Roberts, and Steve Wojtal, York Room (also offered at 11:00)
You have finished your dissertation or post-doctoral projects and you want to use the resources at your current institution to grow in new directions. This session will focus on issues involved with starting and funding new research projects that are in your own field or are broadening the scope of your research. We will discuss the complex nature of strategies for succeeding and establishing new projects (including interdisciplinary projects), and how matters like paying close attention to what we can actually accomplish and recognizing requirements and limits on reinventing ourselves and our research methods can be used to advantage.
11:00-11:50 Research Strategies: Concurrent Sessions. Participants will attend a session from the list below.
- Bringing Earth Sciences to the Community via Outreach Opportunities (Acrobat (PDF) 94kB Jun16 09) - Katryn Wiese and Randy Richardson, James Room (also offered at 10:00)
- Research with Undergraduates (Acrobat (PDF) 754kB Jun15 09) - Rachel Beane and Julia Sankey, Tidewater B (also offered at 10:00)
- Research with Undergraduates (Microsoft Word 51kB Jun9 09) handout
- Collaborating with Students
- Setting up Your Lab and Obtaining Equipment - Richelle Allen-King and James Farquhar, Tidewater A (offered one time only)
- Starting New Research Projects and Collaborations - Jen Roberts and Steve Wojtal, York Room (also offered at 10:00)
This session will discuss strategies to get your lab producing high quality measurements for your research program and will include obtaining or accessing necessary equipment as a topic. Additional specific topics will follow participant interests.
12:00-1:00 Lunch, Sadler Center Dining Hall (12:15-1:15 - optional interest group discussions)
Related resources for lunch discussions:
- Kids and Careers: Balancing Your Career with Your Family Life on the Early Career website
- Teaching Large Classes: Teaching Large Classes, on the Early Career website; How to Give Interactive Lectures, on the SERC Starting Point website; Leaving the Lectern by Dean McManus
- Teaching with Case Studies: Using Investigative Case Studies in Geoscience, on the SERC Starting Point website; Case Studies in Science, (more info) from the National Center for Case Study Teaching at SUNY-Buffalo
1:25-2:05 Connections, Extensions, Opportunities: Concurrent Sessions, Alumni House and/or Sadler Center. Participants will attend a session selected from the following list:
- Getting Published: Strategies for Moving Forward - Richelle Allen-King and Steve Wojtal - Alumni House, Leadership Hall (repeated in second session)
- Simon Peyton Jones, from Microsoft Research, offers excellent advice on How to Write a Great Research Paper
- A Handbook for Scholars by Mary-Claire van Leunen
- Navigating Departmental and Institutional Politics - Randy Richardson, Alumni House, 2nd Floor Conference Room (repeated in second session in different room)
We often hear talk of the pressure to publish. That characterization of this vital aspect of our career does not acknowledge that we are drawn to our work by curiosity about the world and find great satisfaction from completing a research project and seeing the work published. Nevertheless, a laundry list of obstacles, which include a myriad of other 'urgent' obligations, limited time to devote to writing, feelings that our work is inadequate or incomplete, and negative reviewer responses, can add frustration to writing and contribute to the pressure mentioned above. In this session, we will discuss several practical strategies for preparing manuscripts and seeing them through review and into print.
Many colleges and departments, with diverse personalities, complex group dynamics, effective leadership distinct from positional leadership, generation gaps, and communication gaps, seem to be difficult places to navigate This session will focus on developing your awareness of, and skill set for, citizenship and navigating politics in academic settings. We'll also discuss how to say "No" safely.
- Responding Effectively to Student Writing (Acrobat (PDF) 63kB Jun14 09) - Sharon Zuber, Director of the Writing Center, College of William and Mary, Alumni House, Chandler Room (repeated in second session)
- Keeping to the Core Demands and Dealing with Our Own Human Nature (Microsoft Word 61kB Jun9 09) - James Farquhar, Sadler Center, York Room
- Successfully Recruiting Graduate Students - Liz Ritchie and Jen Roberts, Alumni House, Pollard Room
Evaluating writing takes time and students often think the process is totally subjective.We will discuss specific ways to give students useful feedback without being overwhelmed with work by sequencing assignments to build on student skills and using a rubric that sets students up for success and minimizes the time it takes to grade. Participants will be given handouts for teaching and evaluating writing.
Whether one admits it or not, one's own human nature and the human nature of one's colleagues can become a worst enemy or a best ally. This session will be an open discussion of how issues such as jealousy, opportunity, following through and completing tasks, and follow up afterwards can shape our careers and determine how we feel about ourselves and live our lives inside and outside the academic setting, seeking to address questions about how much is enough and when is it too much.
Recruiting graduate students can be one of the most challenging and important aspects of a department's ongoing strength. Depending on the size of the department, the size and quality of the incoming class can be crucial to the continued development of research programs and growth of the department as a whole. This session will be an open discussion on the issues and problems with "passive recruitment" and we will talk about ways to actively recruit new graduate students in a positive way.
- What to Do When Our Teaching isn't Going Well (Microsoft Word 35kB Jun9 09) - Rachel Beane and Katryn Wiese, Alumni House, 3rd Floor Conference Room
- How Ongoing Learning Evaluation Works (Microsoft Word 27kB Jun26 09) from the Bowdoin College Consultants for Teaching.
Sometimes our teaching doesn't always meet our expectations, or we face difficult challenges from students, courses, or other conditions. In this session, we will review methods for evaluating the effectiveness of our teaching, offer resources and models for handling challenges, and discuss your questions.
2:15-2:55 Connections, Extensions, Opportunities: Concurrent Sessions. Participants will attend a session selected from the following list:
- Getting Published: Strategies for Moving Forward - Richelle Allen-King and Steve Wojtal, Alumni House, Leadership Hall (see description above)
- Simon Peyton Jones, from Microsoft Research, offers excellent advice on How to Write a Great Research Paper
- A Handbook for Scholars by Mary-Claire van Leunen
- Navigating Departmental and Institutional Politics - Randy Richardson, Alumni House, Chandler Room (see description above)
- Responding Effectively to Student Writing (Acrobat (PDF) 63kB Jun14 09) - Sharon Zuber, Director of the Writing Center, College of William and Mary, Alumni House, Pollard Room (see description above)
- Getting Involved in Professional Activities: Professional Societies and Consulting (Microsoft Word 33kB Jun9 09) - Julia Sankey and Liz Ritchie, Alumni House, 2nd Floor Conference Room
There are benefits in becoming involved in professional activities such as volunteering for professional societies or consulting in your field. These interactions can provide you with a network of colleagues, especially if you are the only 'one of your kind' at your institution or if you are in a small department. We will explore how to get involved, what the benefits are, and some pitfalls to avoid.
- Motivating Students and Helping them Succeed (Acrobat (PDF) 141kB Jun16 09) - Katryn Wiese, Alumni House, 3rd Floor Conference Room
It's hard to be motivated when you're struggling with the material in a class. We will discuss the various ways in which we can help students build better study skills and motivate them to engage more fully in our classes, including mentoring and tutoring programs, study sessions, self-help review worksheets, exam study guides, and teaching good study skills through your class policies and procedures.Lecture Tutorials are short worksheets that students complete in class to make lecture more interactive.
3:00-3:40 Tenure: Issues, Questions, and Answers; Daily Roadcheck, Alumni House, Leadership Hall
3:40-4:00 Break, Alumni House
4:00-5:20 Individual consultations, Alumni House (also in the evening, by mutual agreement)
5:30-6:30 Canoe Lake Matoaka, walk through the College Woods, tour the Keck Environmental Lab
6:30 Picnic Dinner at the Keck Environmental Lab
Wednesday, June 17
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Sadler Center Dining Hall
8:15-8:30 Preview of Day, Alumni House
8:30-10:00 Developing a Strategic Plan for Research/Scholarly Activity (Acrobat (PDF) 111kB Jun14 09)
10:00-10:20 Break
10:20-11:30 Writing Proposals and Getting Funded (Acrobat (PDF) 332kB Jun17 09); Professional Introductions; Discussion of NSF Visit
Funding Your Research is a set of web pages including resources for proposal writing and a collection of recent, successful grant proposals
11:30-12:45 Lunch, Alumni House
11:45-12:45 Optional Interest Group Discussions
Related resources for lunch discussions:
- Dealing with Difficult Students: Close the Book. Recall. Write it Down. By David Glenn, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Volume 55, Issue 34, Page A1. May 1, 2009.
- Cooperative Exams are described on the Assessing Student Learning page of the Course Design Tutorial. See additional resources on the additional resources page for this workshop.
- International Faculty: International Faculty Members, from the Early Career website
- Being in a Department Outside of Your Specialty: Interdisciplinary Research and Teaching
1:00-3:00 Moving Your Research/Scholarly Activity Forward: Funding and Other Issues (concurrent sessions) NOTE EARLIER AFTERNOON START TIME
- Improving Research Proposals Through Review of Your Proposal Summaries - Sadler Center, Tidewater A
- Improving Research Proposals Through Critique of Successful Proposals and Feedback on Your Plans - Alumni House, Leadership Hall
3:00-3:20 Break, Alumni House
3:20-3:30 Poster Instructions (Microsoft Word 30kB Jun14 09), Daily Roadcheck Alumni House, Leadership Hall
3:30-5:30 Work on Poster, Individual Consultations
6:00 or your choice Dinner in town (self-organized)
7:00-9:30 Work on Poster, Individual Consultations, Alumni House (open until 10:00 pm)
Thursday, June 18
7:00-8:00 Breakfast, Sadler Center Dining Hall
McGlothlin-Street Hall Room 20 Lobby: coffee all morning
8:15-11:00 Poster Session, McGlothlin-Street Hall Room 20
11:00-11:30 Poster Follow-up and Reflection
11:30-1:15 Lunch in town
1:15-2:15 Balance and Time Management (Acrobat (PDF) 93kB Jun18 09), Alumni House. Leadership Hall - making choices based on priorities, scheduling, and more.
2:15-2:30 Break
2:30-4:00 Strategic Action Planning
4:00-4:45 Next Steps, Recommendations, Concluding Remarks, and Workshop Evaluation
7:00 Dinner, Nawab Indian Restaurant
Friday, June 19
Optional Visit to the National Science Foundation
6:45 Bus departs from Hospitality House
10:15-10:50 Welcome and Introduction to NSF
11:00-12:00 Small Group Meetings with Program Directors
12:00-1:30 Lunch
1:00-4:30 Individual Meetings with Program Directors and Concurrent Small Group Sessions
4:30-5:00 Debriefing Session
5:15-6:45 Dinner
6:45 Bus departs from restaurant for Williamsburg
