Workshop Program

Note - This workshop has already taken place. You can view PowerPoint files and workshop outcomes below.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

All workshop sessions will be held at the Nittany Lion Inn.

5:00 - 6:00 Opening Reception, Job Fair Icebreaker (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 139kB Jun27 13) (Ballroom C)

6:00 - 7:00 Catered Dinner (Ballroom A/B)

7:00 - 8:30 Opening Session (Ballroom A/B)


Thursday, June 27

All workshop sessions will be held at the Nittany Lion Inn.

7:00 - 8:15 Continental Breakfast (Atrium-outside Ballroom C)

8:15 - 8:30 Plan for the Day InTegrate Overview (PowerPoint 870kB Jun27 13) (Ballroom C)

8:30 - 9:30 Small Groups Session I: Where do the challenges lie? - Initial discussion with assigned small groups. Employer representatives will join a different group each time the groups meet. (Ballroom C)

Each group will use their own workspace page to guide their discussion and report-out. SERC account login required. Create or access your account

The purpose of this session is to

  • discuss both the successes your program has had and the challenges your program faces in preparing students for the workforce and assisting them in finding employment
  • identify the key questions/problems that you would like to find answers to at this workshop

9:30-10:30 Employer Panel - Employer Needs: A Diversity of Perspectives. Employer representatives will share brief remarks, with time for questions and discussion. (Ballroom C)

Gerald Fine, (Moderator) Professor of Practice and Director of the Engineering Product Innovation Center, Boston University
Terri Bowers, President, Gradient Consulting - Employer Needs (PowerPoint 68kB Jun26 13)
David H. Dombek, Expert Senior Meteorologist and Forecaster Hiring Coordinator, AccuWeather, Inc.
Rick Abegg, Staff Geologist, Chevron Careers in Petroleum Geology (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.6MB Jun27 13)

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45 - 11:30 the Uncertain Future of Higher Education (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 458kB Jun26 13) - David Schejbal, University of Wisconsin-Extension (Ballroom C)

11:30-12:30 Small Groups Session II - Program learning outcomes to meet the diversity of student workforce needs in our programs? (Ballroom C) In the same small groups you will

  • discuss how your programs describes what students learn during their course of study or are able to do as a result of completing your program (we are calling these program-level learning outcomes
  • discuss how your programs program-level learning outcomes align with competencies employers are seeking and successes/challenges you face in this area
  • review examples of different types of program-level learning outcomes addressing different types of workforce competencies
  • consider strategies that could help you better serve your students in moving from study to the workforce
At the end of the session we will discuss as a group what makes a useful program-level learning outcome, as well as identifying the primary areas where we collectively need help in creating these outcomes.

Employer representatives are encouraged to join a different group for this session. All others will stay in the same group.


12:30 - 1:30 Lunch (Ballroom A/B)

1:30 - 2:30 Academic Panel - Connecting Students to Careers: What do we know is working? Faculty participants will share their perspectives, with time for questions and discussion. (Ballroom C)

Tailoring a Geoscience Education to Workforce Needs: A Status Report - Kate Miller, Texas A&M University Concept map (Acrobat (PDF) 102kB Jun27 13)
Pasadena City College Geology Program (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 4.7MB Jun27 13) - Dave Douglas, Pasadena City College
Building Capacity in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences (PowerPoint 2.6MB Jun27 13) - David Blockstein, NCSE
Campus to Careers Environmental Alumni Survey (Acrobat (PDF) 143kB Jun27 13)
Immediate Trajectories of Graduating Geoscience Students - Carolyn Wilson, AGI

2:30 - 4:45 Matching Program Outcomes to Workforce Competencies

During this session, we will address the priority areas identified before lunch. This may focus on articulating the learning outcomes for specific student/workforce pathways (e.g. environmental consulting, resource management, sustainability consultant) or addressing particular skills (e.g. interdisciplinary problem solving) that cross sectors. At the beginning of the session we will determine how to organize this work and form small groups to address different types of program-level outcomes.
(Ballroom A/B, Ballroom D, Ballroom E, Penn State Room).

Go to Session III Workspace (login required)

4:45 - 5:30 Wrap Up and Report Out. Groups report out, employers reflect on day (Ballroom C)

5:30 Roadcheck Evaluation

6:00 Dinner (Ballroom A/B)

7:30 Employer Round Table - Each employer representative spends 3 minutes describing future directions for their field. After that, participants may visit employer tables and ask questions. (Ballroom C)



Friday, June 28

All workshop sessions will be held at the Nittany Lion Inn.

7:00 - 8:15 Continental Breakfast (Atrium-outside Ballroom C)

8:15 - 8:30 Plan for the Day (Ballroom C)

8:30 - 9:30 Linking Learning Outcomes to Program Design: Three faculty participants will share their perspectives, with time for questions and discussion. (Ballroom C)

Student Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Design at Montana State University (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 712kB Jun28 13) - Dave Mogk, Montana State University
Learning Outcomes, Program Design, and the Non-Traditional Geoscience Student (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.5MB Jun28 13)- Rick Ford, Weber State University
Geoscience Professionals: Competencies for the Global Job Market (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.6MB Jun28 13) - Phyllis Pouyat-Thibodeau, Chesapeake Careers

9:30 - 10:30 Creating a set of outcomes for your program: This session is designed to help you customize what you have learned for your own institution. We would like each participant to create a list of program level outcomes that would be suitable for your own department and the needs of your students and their potential employers. We also ask you to summarize new ideas from the workshop that may help your program to better help your students meet these outcomes and to move successfully into the workforce. You will have the opportunity to work independently and to obtain feedback from a small group that shares similar goals. Your outcomes will be used on the website to demonstrate how programs of different types can balance the variety of student goals and employer needs (Ballroom A/B, Ballroom D, Ballroom E, Penn State Room).

Friday AM Workspace (login required)

10:30 - 10:45 Break

10:45 - 12:00 Closing Session (Ballroom C)

  • What have we learned? - Develop a summary document (login required)
  • Next steps: How do we move forward as a community fostering connections between employers and academia?
  • End of workshop survey

12:00 Lunch (Ballroom A/B)