Advice Posts – Page 15 – UW Graduate School Skip to content

Archives: Advice Posts

How Prof. Phillip Levin Works

Phillip Levin, Professor of Practice

Department/program: School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Research focus: Conservation

Phillip Levin is one of only two Professors of Practice at the UW, straddling the academic and professional worlds to maximize impact in both. As the lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy–Seattle, he said in 2016 he hopes to “be a voice of science, to highlight where science can provide answers to our most pressing conservation issues and to act as a scientific adviser.” Levin joined the UW in 2016 after working for 17 years for the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration–Fisheries, where he received the Department of Commerce Silver Award and NOAA’s Bronze Medal for his work on marine ecosystems. His research into Puget Sound’s sixgill sharks was featured on KCTS-9’s award-winning documentary, Wildlife Detectives: Mystery Sharks of Seattle, in 2016.

Work

Give us a one-word description of how you work:

Collaboratively

How do you manage your to-dos?

I’ve tried various apps that sync across devices, but right now my favorite is Google Keep. It’s great for making lists as well as taking short notes.

What are your essential apps, software or tools?

I depend a great deal on my calendar (I use Apple’s calendar to combine my personal and work calendars). I am using Notability on my iPad now as a note taking tool. So far it’s great, and syncs over to my phone and computer. I have also found collaboration tools like Asana to be useful for group projects, but typically only during the start-up phase when there are a lot of moving parts. After that, use by everyone seems to decline.

Where do you most often work?

Right now, because I’m in a new position that requires lots of interaction, I am working quite a bit at our office site. Typically, when I write, I prefer to be in a place where I can experience long stretches without interruption. Often this is at home or on airplanes.

How do you manage your time?

Not very well. I never seem to have enough!

What is your best time-saving shortcut?

I prioritize and spend very little time on low priority items.

What are some of your productivity strategies you’ve honed over your years in academia?

Often I am most productive when I step away from a problem and let my mind wonder. So, when writing or trying to figure out a problem, a long bike ride or walk or gardening will help me. Most of my “writing” is done in my head away from the computer. When I do sit down to actually write, it’s more about organizing my thoughts and trying to express them coherently.

Life

What mundane thing are you really exceptional at?

I’m not sure anything is really mundane. I’m really good at doing nothing, but even then (especially then) the gears in my brain are turning.

What are you currently reading for pleasure?

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

What’s the last thing that made you laugh?

I laugh at everything.

How do you recharge?

Gardening

What’s your sleep routine like?

Listening to podcasts takes my mind away from the day. When I do so, I typically fall asleep within minutes.

Inspiration

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

When my paper or grant proposal is rejected it’s MY fault, not the reviewers. Sure, the reviewer missed the point, or is just plain wrong, but then I need to better express my point. This attitude has always helped me improve my products and reminds me that no matter how right I may think I am, other perspectives are important.

Who’s your support system?

My family

What pitfall do you consistently see students falling into?

Failing to consider the larger picture. Why should someone outside your immediate field care about what you do? And letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.

What do your most successful students do?

They persevere in the face of many obstacles. Persistence pays off.

How UW Works was inspired by LifeHacker’s How I Work.

Summer Lovin’ for your resume

Don’t have a summer gig lined up? Or maybe you’ve secured work unrelated to your field, and want to stay mentally sharp during the next few months? Here are 10 tips for professional and career development – a few of which will even get you outdoors! And, as Dylan High, student experience coordinator for Museology reminds us:

“No matter what you do over the summer, stay active and reflective about what you have been involved in over the school year. You never know when inspiration will hit — whether you are at a workshop or up on a mountain. Make space to be creative, and have time for intentional and spontaneous reflection.”

This answer has been provided after consultation with Kelly Hoeft, academic adviser for the School of Social Work, Linda Ruffer, assistant director for the School of Social Work, and Dylan High, student experience coordinator for Museology.

  1. Ship’s not sailed for summer internships
    The Career & Internship Center says it’s not too late to find summer internships. Don’t know where to start? Check out the career fair in the HUB on June 14.
  2. Temp work
    Temp agencies can help you find short-term paid work, and will also help build your contacts at employers across the city.
  3. Plan the next Fyre Festival SXSW
    Event planning and event management skills are well sought-after, especially in the areas of non-profit work. Hone these skills by helping plan a summer festival — either by getting involved with the organization hosting the event or the participating organizations that set up booths or activities.
  4. Head back to summer camp
    Summer camps may have opportunities to volunteer or lead activities outside of working as a camp counselor. If you’re interested in education, it’s an opportunity to hone your lesson planning, facilitation and classroom management skills.
  5. Join professional associations and attend workshops
    This is an opportunity to learn something new and build your network. If a workshop or conference is expensive, consider volunteering for it. If your local association doesn’t have anything planned, talk with the leaders of the chapter to see how you could organize a meet-up. There are also plenty of one-day workshops or short-term courses offered by colleges, universities, and other organizations during the summer.
  6. Set up informational interviews
    Informational interviewing — casually meeting with someone in your field without the agenda of a job offer — is a great way to learn about successful careers, gain insights into an industry and expand your network. Use LinkedIn to connect with someone, then ask them to grab coffee.
  7. Prepare for job hunting
    Visit UW Career Services, where they can help you polish your resume, conduct a mock interview and more. Alumni can visit for free for up to two years.
  8. Contribute to a blog
    Most of your favorite blogs will be happy to have guest contributors. Blogging will keep your writing skills in shape over the summer, get your ideas out in front of your peers, and keep you involved in your professional community.
  9. Read!
    Check out books, news articles and blogs that are not required for class but are related to your field, especially those that build your creative approach to your work.
  10. Stay in touch with your department
    Your department is a great resource to find out about new projects, research opportunities, and resources of interest. Share what you’re reading with your department, and ask them to do the same — this is what makes us all an academic community.

How Prof. David Domke Works

David Domke

David Domke, Professor

Department/program: Communications
Research focus: Political communication: messages by candidates, campaign, parties and news media; public attitudes and opinions

David Domke is a popular face on campus. Last year, he delivered a sold-out lecture series focused on the 2016 election and civil rights. He was named the UW graduating class of 2008’s favorite professor, and, in 2015, was selected as the keynote speaker for freshman convocation. In 2002, Domke was a recipient of a UW Distinguished Teaching Award. A former journalist, Domke worked for the Orange County Register and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before earning a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1996.

Work

Give us a one-word description of how you work:

Intensely.

How do you manage your to-dos?

Lists and calendars. I have a daily calendar, of course, but I also have wall calendars that show the whole year in one glance.

What are your essential apps, software or tools?

Google Docs, hard-copy calendar, wall calendar, cell phone for texting.

Where do you most often work?

Everywhere and anywhere.

How do you manage your time?

I compartmentalize and prioritize. I try to focus my mind on one thing at a time, then finish it and move on. Each day I have a plan for my time; these daily plans fit into a weekly, monthly, and yearly plan. The plans get fuzzier the farther out the dates, but I almost always have a working sense of what’s to be prioritized. This working sense allows me to focus my mind on tasks or work in sequence, which is where the compartmentalization occurs.

What is your best time-saving shortcut?

Being ahead of the curve on things rather than playing catch-up or working at the last-minute. Being ahead of the curve on items reduces stress for me and allows me to operate efficiently without wasted energy due to stress.

What are some of your productivity strategies you’ve honed over your years in academia?

Developing healthy boundaries that guide me in knowing when I’m responsible and when I’m not.

Life

What mundane thing are you really exceptional at?

Being hopeful and seeing positives.

What’s the last thing that made you laugh?

My Twitter feed. I intentionally populate it with funny people so that I have go-to humor at pretty much all times.

How do you recharge?

Reading, eating comfort food (cookies) and thinking big ideas.

What’s your sleep routine like?

Pretty regular. I go to sleep at 11 p.m. and wake up between 6 and 6:30 am.

Inspiration

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Pursue the good, not the perfect.

Who’s your support system?

My spouse and a small group of close friends and colleagues.

What pitfall do you consistently see students falling into?

Negative self-talk and beliefs. You have to believe in yourself if you want to achieve big things; otherwise you’ll convince yourself you can’t do something.

What do your most successful students do?

Try. Just try. Don’t worry about potential success. Trying is the success.

How UW Works was inspired by LifeHacker’s How I Work.

Did you enjoy this series? Check back Wednesdays during the Spring quarter for the latest mid-week motivation! While you wait, you can read more in this series, nominate a student or professor to be featured, or answer the questions yourself! (Students should answer the questions via this form; faculty should use this form. If you prefer to answer the questions over email, drop us a line at gradnews@uw.edu).

Translating Your Postdoc Experience into Practice

An academic journey is an interesting thing. After focusing on developing specialized knowledge in a field during your PhD and then digging deeper during your postdoc, it is understandable to wonder how you might use your specific expertise in different settings – whether inside or outside of academia.

A recent panel of Ph.D.s working in industry highlighted the importance of translating your doctoral and postdoc experience into broader terms. Taking an inventory of your skills, capabilities, and strengths can help you gain confidence as you begin to imagine you do have something remarkable to offer to a future employer or to leverage for success in your career.

Skills learned during graduate school and a postdoc fellowship have set you up to be a competitive applicant for most industry and start up jobs, in addition to the traditional academic track. By the completion of your training, you are highly intelligent, with an ability to learn and teach yourself “what you don’t know.” You are adept at gathering all the available information and making a good decision regarding what it means and what’s next. You have developed great analytical and logic-minded skills, which you can apply to move an issue, experiment or conversation forward. All it takes is stepping back, and reframing your experiences for a different audience.

Need some ideas about how your graduate and postdoc experiences have prepared you for a rewarding career inside or outside of academia? Check out this list from Peter Fiske’s keynote at the National Postdoc Association meeting 2017 (#NPA2017) to get you started:

  1. Ability to function in a variety of environments and roles
  2. Teaching skills; conceptualizing, explaining
  3. Counseling, interview skills
  4. Public speaking experience
  5. Ability to support a position/viewpoint with argumentation and logic
  6. Ability to conceive and design complex studies and projects
  7. Ability to implement and manage all phases of complex research projects and to follow them through to completion
  8. Knowledge of the scientific method to organize and test ideas
  9. Ability to organize and analyze data, to understand statistics and to generalize from data
  10. Ability to combine, integrate information from disparate sources
  11. Ability to evaluate critically
  12. Ability to investigate, using many different research methodologies
  13. Ability to problem-solve
  14. Ability to do advocacy work
  15. Ability to acknowledge many differing views of reality
  16. Ability to suspend judgment, to work with ambiguity
  17. Ability to make the best use of informed hunches

As you develop your own inventory, keep in mind that similar skills or capacities may be called different things in different sectors or fields. Do your research when you are targeting a job prospect and develop tailored versions of your CV or resume and cover letters to reflect the field specific terms.  You are prepared – it just takes a little translation to help others see it easily. We invite you to budget an hour or so a week to explore the references below for more tools and ideas.

How Prof. Adam Summers Works

Adam Summers, Professor, Friday Harbor Labs

Adam Summers

Department/program: Biology & School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
Research focus: Biomechanics and Biomaterials

Adam Summers is known around campus as “the fish guy,” reflecting his passion for, and expertise in, all things fishy. With a focus on biomechanics in fish movement, he played a role in bringing Pixar’s most popular fish movie — Finding Nemo — to life. He earned his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Massachusetts, and, after nine years teaching at the University of California — Irvine, now runs the comparative biomechanics and biomaterials lab at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs.

Work

Give us a one-word description of how you work:

Curiously.

How do you manage your to-dos?

Wunderlist. Also email ping-backs: I send an email explaining I am working on something and the person who needs it should send me an email if they don’t get it in a certain number of days.

What are your essential apps, software or tools?

Word, Chrome, Amira (a 3-D software platform for visualizing, manipulating and understanding data from multiple image modalities), Fusion 360 (a software platform for designing, engineering and manufacturing), Photoshop, Illustrator, Papers.

Where do you most often work?

In my office and lab.

How do you manage your time?

Google calendar.

What is your best time-saving shortcut?

Lots of open tabs.

What are some of your productivity strategies you’ve honed over your years in academia?

Write 750 words every day. Every single day.

Life

What mundane thing are you really exceptional at?

Landing in a crosswind.

What are you currently reading for pleasure?

Half Resurrection Blues by Daniel Older

What’s the last thing that made you laugh?

Daughter’s self-made spelling test which included ‘Parents,’ ‘Mission’ and ‘Revenge’.

How do you recharge?

Fly small planes, snuggle with small children.

What’s your sleep routine like?

Five to eight hours in one block or three and four in two.

Inspiration

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Make your teaching serve your research.

Who’s your support system?

My wife, kids and brother.

What pitfall do you consistently see students falling into?

Waiting to write. Write early, often and broadly. It makes writing for work less work.

What do your most successful students do?

They love morphology and poke at how things work. They tinker and make things.

Digging Deep for the Final Push

Spring is the time of year where several big projects come to the fore.  Your to-do lists may include one—or more—of the following:  doing a job search, writing up your thesis or capstone summary, continuing work on that dissertation, defending your dissertation, or making arrangements to move with your family after graduation.  And by no means are these small tasks.  So it’s no wonder why, for different reasons (a task feels too big, intimidating, or the long-term benefits don’t seem readily apparent because of immediate stress or anxiety), we put off doing these projects.

First things first, you are definitely not alone in these feelings. We at Core Programs hear you and encourage you to dig deep for that final push this quarter.  Fortunately, there are strategies that can help you do just that.  Below are just a few:

Practice self-compassion.  One of the biggest reasons we might procrastinate from doing a task is because we judge ourselves internally before we even begin.  We might tell ourselves that we “need to be perfect,” or that we are “incompetent” or “undeserving” of a graduate degree, getting that job after graduation, or even success in general.  Sometimes these are feelings we internalize, rather than verbal messages.  And all of this can stop us in right our tracks.  One way to move through negative self-talk is to practice being mindful.  When negative thoughts come up, avoid over-identifying with those thoughts and say to yourself, “That’s interesting that I’m thinking that.”  If you do judge yourself for not working on one of your projects, that’s a perfect moment to be self-compassionate. You can ask yourself, “What would a caring friend say to me right now?”

Negotiate with yourself.  We all have ways we can avoid getting things done.  For some of us, it’s spending a few hours on Netflix.  For others, it might be reading a book we enjoy, rather than the required reading for a graduate seminar.  Still for others, it might be playing video games.  And let’s be real—completely denying yourself of a coping mechanism for stress is neither realistic nor the complete answer.  Might you meet yourself halfway?  For example, can you set aside time in your schedule to write for 15 min., then watch a 30 min. Netflix show—eventually working your way up to 30 min. writing increments?  The goal is not to deprive yourself or even judge yourself for avoiding, but to aim for breaking down your projects into manageable tasks.

Be resourceful.  One important skill we know you have as graduate students is being resourceful.  You have developed this skill over time, and this has helped you tap into your strengths to navigate the university system, your graduate education program, and life in general.   It is also perfectly okay to reach out for support when you need it.  Check in with a peer, loved one, or member of your thesis or dissertation committee to hold you accountable to breaking down and completing your projects in a realistic manner—and to remind you to reward yourself for each, no matter big or small.  You can also schedule an appointment with at a UW writing center, form a writing group, or meet with advisors at your campus career center.

We hope you found these strategies useful, and we know you can do it!

Best,

Core Programs Team

Additional Resources

When Things Don’t Go As Planned… Now What?

As we’ve noted in past newsletters, this is the time of year where it seems everyone around you is hitting milestones, getting summer internships or jobs, being awarded fellowships, or graduating.  What happens when you find yourself in the midst of setbacks or what feel like roadblocks to your progress?

Maybe you’ve been applying for jobs and haven’t received calls for interviews.  Maybe all those fellowship applications are going unanswered.  Perhaps your committee or advisor decided to postpone a major exam until the fall quarter, throwing off the timeline of goals you planned for.  What now?

We consulted a few sources for advice, including the UW Resilience Lab. First, it’s important to acknowledge and sit with the emotion you’re experiencing (perhaps shame, disappointment, frustration, anger, or all of the above).  Recognizing your feelings is an important step for moving forward, otherwise it can be difficult to see through the emotion and be creative about next steps.

Second, talk with trusted individuals about what you are facing.  It can feel like everyone around you is successful, but you may be surprised at just how many setbacks and failures are experienced by all of us (including advisors and mentors). Talking with others can help validate your feelings and also help you see additional perspectives on what’s happening–as well as generate more creative ideas about what you can do to adjust, adapt, and move forward.

Business consultant and author Chris Winfield offers these tips to address what to do in the face of setbacks, highlighting how setbacks can be learning and growth opportunities:

– Give yourself time. Lifehacker recommends 24 hours just to let it out.
– Avoid making any big decisions, if you feel panicked or overwhelmed.
– Make peace with your failures.
– Cut yourself some slack (but don’t let go of the rope).
– Regain your control.

For more on these tips, see Winfield’s blog post.

Whether you are sailing through the end of the quarter or not sure what’s next for you, we stand with you.

Best Regards,

Core Programs Team

Additional Resources

Should You Pursue An Academic Career?

“So what do you want to do when you graduate?” There is no better way that a well-meaning family aunt or uncle strikes fear into the heart of an unsuspecting grad student or postdoc over slices of turkey at the holidays. Although this question is well meant, it often makes you squirm and feel uncomfortable. Here are some tips to help you think about this quest:

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
About the answer to this – I will tell you what I tell my own students: “I have good news and bad news for you …” The good news is that you aren’t alone. On most days, I’m in the same boat with you, still trying to figure out what I want to be (n.b., please do not tell my department chair!). The bad news, however, is that if you don’t give this some serious thought, you run the risk of missing out on key opportunities in your immediate future.

NOT “Can I Become Faculty?”
Importantly, there is an absolutely wrong question to be worried about: “Can I become faculty?” I can’t emphasize enough that the question is not “can I do it?” The answer to this is an unequivocal “YES.” You already earned a Ph.D. and a postdoc at a world-class institution. If you are willing to put in the work to find mentors, network, learn the rules of the game and be disciplined about executing a plan, then you can do it.  

BUT “Should I Become Faculty?”
This is the far more interesting question to ask. Consider your time as an undergraduate and reflect upon your experience with faculty. Now think of life as a graduate student and  your interactions with professors. Finally, postdocs can do this exercise yet again. How have things changed? Faculty, perhaps more than most other professions, wear many different hats, usually at the same time. You have viewed the faculty experience up close, leading to an important conclusion: you may not really know how a professor spends all of their time. I highlight this simply to say that before you make one of the most important decisions of your life, you should learn more about the life of a professor.

Is Being Faculty A Good Fit?
I advocate that instead of worrying on the details of the future (Will I get hired? Will get I tenure? Will I get funding?), you spend time trying to learn if being faculty is a good fit for you. The happy news is that faculty love to talk about themselves, and if you do a bit of informational interviewing, you can learn a lot about how faculty you admire (and aspire to be like) spend their time. While you already know they work a lot, you should find out how they spend their time, what they like about their job, and importantly, what they don’t like. Try to do this with several faculty you admire; if possible try to do it with faculty at different types of institutions and with faculty of different rank.

Imagine YOUR Life As A Professor
This process works to create a clear picture of what YOUR life as a professor would look like. This is the easiest way to answer the question of whether you should do it or not. Being a professor is an awesome job, and I truly love it. But I recognize it is not for everyone. My last piece of advice is this – once you decide that you should become a professor, don’t waste any time! Put your full effort into making your dream become a reality – I already know you CAN do it, why not prove me right?

 

Acknowledgement: This guest blog post was graciously provided by Dr. Jim Pfaendtner, Associate Profession in Chemical Engineering, who was the keynote speaker at OPA sponsored professional development event Set Up for Academic Success: Getting Funding For Your Research Program in April 2017.