Participant checklist to prepare for the Career Prep workshop


 

You must do the following before the workshop:

 

By May 6:

  • Decide whether you will attend the optional sessions on Monday afternoon and/or Thursday morning. These are explained on the travel and logistics and workshop program pages.
     
  • Make your travel plans. For information on travel options and minimum arrival and departure times, see the travel and logistics page.
  • Register for the workshop, which includes choosing concurrent sessions (see workshop program for choices). You will need to know your travel plans when filling out the registration form.
     
  • Complete the index of learning styles questionnaire. Report your results using the online ILS report form.

By May 31:

  • OPTIONAL, but STRONGLY encouraged: Upload your teaching and/or research statement(s) using the online statement upload form. Note: you don't need to have polished versions of these statements to upload; draft versions are fine. Participants who submit these statements in advance will participate in small group review sessions of their statements. Each group will work with one of the workshop leaders, who will offer their constructive feedback.

Prior to the workshop:

  • At the workshop, you will have an opportunity to present and work on an "elevator talk". This is a very brief, conversational description of who you are, what your research is, and why it's important - something that you could say in the length of an elevator ride (hence the name). Another way to think about it is the "30 second sound bite" version of who you are, what you do, and why. Before the workshop, plan what you might say in an elevator talk, and come prepared with a couple of different variants - one for a geoscientist who is not in your specialty, one for an administrator whom you might meet during a job interview, etc. You could even practice it (maybe in your head!) on your next elevator ride or plane trip or while you're waiting in line at the grocery store. 
     
  • If you have a teaching and/or research statement, print out five copies of each, and bring them with you to the workshop. Make sure that your name is on each statement.
     
  • Download the workshop health form, complete it, and bring it with you to the workshop in a sealed envelope.
  • Bring a laptop, if possible.
     
  • Bring an alarm clock or cell phone with alarm, as the dorm rooms do not have alarm clocks.