Selling yourself and your work!

It's one thing to know you're awesome, it's another to convince others of it! "Selling yourself" is one of the most important skills you will develop in graduate school. Successfully selling yourself and your work will get you scholarships, fellowships, offers to collaborate, and offers to work in new labs (among many other things). So how do you do it???? I am FAR from an expert and I learn more about selling myself every day, so leave your suggestions/corrections in the comments.

1) Get your name out there

This follows from my previous post on networking (http://evolbiology.blogspot.ca/2012/11/professional-development-and-networking.html). Talk to people, present your work, and take every chance to tell your colleagues about new and exciting things you're working on.

2) Know why your research is exciting

Selling yourself and your work goes beyond presenting at conferences. You need to convince your colleagues that your work is worthwhile and exciting (you might like doing it for the sake of knowledge or because you're "in love" with a particular organism or system but not everyone will agree with you!). Answering the following questions is a good start:

Why should the general public care about your work? In other words, what would you tell your grandma to get her interested?

What are the broader impacts of your work? How will the results affect science and/or society?

How would you pitch your work to a granting committee? Why should they fund your work?

You'll become more comfortable with the answers to these questions the more conferences you attend and grants you apply for (the better you get, the more grants you'll get too!). Keep a 2-3 sentence summary in the back of your mind for impromptu conversations with colleagues.

3) Write a lot of grant/scholarship applications

There's nothing like practice! You might get some money too! Also, see my previous post (http://evolbiology.blogspot.ca/2013/01/graduate-school-part-iii-money.html).

3) Publish

Publishing seems obvious and it is! But it's not as simple as publishing 1000 papers per year in low impact journals. In modern academia you're expected to publish in high(er) impact journals. This doesn't mean you have to publish only in Science and Nature (although I would certainly give anything to do that!). It means finding and telling a compelling story. Papers in Science and Nature tend to have simple but exciting punch lines.

What is the punch line for your work?

You're part way to a high impact paper! Of course, there is a lot more that goes into a Nature paper than a catchy punch line (well-collected data, compelling data analyses etc.) but without one, you're unlikely to be published there. Sometimes it is tempting to get caught up in details and methods. These are important things to consider when designing and performing research. But, unless you're specifically intending to publish a methods paper, they probably shouldn't over shadow your punch line.

4) Have a well organized CV

The following blog is a great guide (http://theprofessorisin.com/2012/01/12/dr-karens-rules-of-the-academic-cv/). If it's difficult to find pertinent information on your CV, you'll be overlooked for grants and jobs!

5) Share your work online

When you publish a new paper or present at a new conference, tell the world wide web about it! You can use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Academia.edu etc. It's also good practice to email your papers to close colleagues. So much new literature is published every day that your paper might be overlooked by relevant researchers. Don't be afraid to be a little self serving. Some day you'll be judged on the number of times your papers have been cited and you won't ever regret having distributed your work!

Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Wyoming

Since September I have been a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Wyoming. If you're a Canadian interested in doing study or research in the USA, check out the Fulbright Canada webpage (http://www.fulbright.ca/). I've been working in the lab of Dr. Mark Clementz (http://www.uwyo.edu/profiles/faculty-staff/mark-clementz.html), a specialist in the areas of isotope ecology and marine mammal palaeoecology. Dr. Clementz has written some of the seminal papers in marine mammal isotope ecology. I'm also working with Dr. Clementz's recent postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Sora Kim (http://geofaculty.uwyo.edu/skim11/Welcome.html). Dr. Kim is an isotope ecologist and has worked primarily on extant and fossil shark ecology.

My Fulbright project is focused on patterns of oxygen isotopes (from phosphates and carbonates) in the teeth and bone of pronghorns (Antilocapra americana). Pronghorns are "wicked cool" hoofed mammals from the family Antilocapridae. They are not members of the family AntiloCRAPridae, as I once reported in a departmental seminar. They are the only living or extant member of the family but were preceded by a large number of extinct species. I always have to mention the fact that they are the the fastest land mammal in North America (much faster than their current predators). Their speed is usually discussed as a hold over from times when faster predators pursued them.

Besides their coolness, why did I choose to work on pronghorns?

The obvious answer to the question is that UW houses a very large collection of modern and archaeological pronghorn specimens. But I had other motivations. First, pronghorns have an extensive geographic range (northern mexico to southern Alberta). This enables the study of geographic variation in pronghorn isotope values. From this you can create "isoscapes" and compare them to values from rainwater (http://wateriso.eas.purdue.edu/waterisotopes/). Second, because pronghorns are a game animal, they are numerous in collections all over the USA and Canada. These collections span thousands of years, enabling researchers to study temporal changes in pronghorn isotope values, which is relevant to changes in migration and climate change (among other things).

What isotopes am I using and why?

Stable oxygen isotope ratios covary with temperature and rainfall, thus varying with distance from the coast, latitude, and altitude (check out an isoscape of oxygen here http://iamtheweather.com/vveather/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/beverages.jpg). I am now about to describe geographic variation in oxygen isotopes as briefly as possible (so don't expect to become an expert!). Oxygen isotopes change with distance from the coast and with altitude due to the preferential rain out of heavy (18O rather than 16O) isotopes closer to the coast and at lower altitudes. So rainwater isotopes become progressively lighter inland and at higher altitudes. This explains some of the latitudinal variation in oxygen isotopes. Ambient temperature also affects oxygen isotopes in water on the ground. At high temperatures (low latitudes), the light isotope is evaporated from the ground, leaving more of the heavy isotope. At cooler temperatures (high latitudes), less of the light isotope is evaporated. This is an oversimplified explanation of oxygen isotopes but should give you a basic understanding of why oxygen isotopes vary across North America as in the linked map. I'm sure my temporary lab mates are ganging up for attack!

What is the purpose of my research?

My mains goals involve characterizing changes in oxygen isoscapes from mammals under conditions of climate change because these changes can provide indirect evidence for changes in terrestrial rainfall and temperatures on long timescales (thousands to millions of years).

Graduate School Part III: Money!

When you're admitted to graduate school, the university will send you a package describing your degree requirements and the details of your stipend. On average, a Canadian graduate student will make 19,000 per year (sometimes less, sometimes more). Your stipend summary will be broken down into teaching assistantship, research assistantship  and departmental scholarships. Having a stipend is great. I am ecstatic that I get paid to do Science. But, depending on your student fees, stipends can be eaten up pretty quickly. What can you do about it?

It seems obvious but the best solution is to apply for a lot of scholarships. All universities have an awards and/or financial aid office. You can usually request information on available scholarships or log on to their webpage. In Canada, most, if not all, science graduate students will be applying for funding from the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC; http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/) (for the social sciences there is SSHRC, for the medical sciences there is CIHR). NSERC awards are competitive and applications take a lot of time, so check the deadlines at your institution and start preparing early. Always ask your supervisor for feedback on your research proposal and request reference letters as early as possible (if you request letters the day before they're due, you're liable to annoy your supervisor).

Other Canadian awards include the Queen Elizabeth II graduate scholarships. At some (maybe most?) institutions these applications are reviewed internally so check with your awards office. Many provinces also offer provincial scholarships (Alberta Innovates, Ontario Graduate Scholarship) and most universities offer a suite of internal awards. Your awards office should have information on available provincial and internal awards.

There are also numerous small (and some large) awards available through professional societies including, but not limited to, the Society for the Study of Evolution (http://www.evolutionsociety.org/awards.asp), Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (http://www.vertpaleo.info/Awards.htm), and the Canadian Society of Zoologists (http://www.csz-scz.ca/awards/research_grant/description.html). All major societies offer grants and scholarships but you usually have to be a member. The good news is most student memberships don't cost more then $60 per year.

My biggest piece of advice is to apply for everything for which you are eligible. I have heard many graduate students say they won't apply for certain awards because "they won't get it anyway." Well, you CERTAINLY won't if you don't apply! The more scholarships you apply for (successfully or not), the more experience you gain and the better your applications become. I applied for NSERC three times before I was successful. My proposal improved a million fold from the first application to the third. My experience with scholarship applications has now earned me several competitive scholarships including a Fulbright Scholarship. So keep writing those applications! You're never wasting your time!

Graduate School Part II: Choosing a Supervisor

In a previous post I covered the characteristics that are important for success in graduate school (http://evolbiology.blogspot.com/2012/10/graduate-school-part-i.html). However, deciding to attend graduate school is only the first step.

It is of paramount importance that you be interested in your graduate research project. Hopefully, you will have some idea of the area(s) that interest you from your undergraduate courses. As a fourth year undergraduate, I knew I was interested in functional morphology and evolution (thanks to some of the really awesome zoology courses at the University of Calgary). But it can be difficult to judge whether or not you will enjoy scientific research. It is therefore important for most fourth year undergraduates to undertake a research project. Usually, undergraduate research projects last two semesters and can give you a taste of your future in graduate school. You can also volunteer for different labs in your department. Most PhD or MSc students would be excited to have a helper (it gives them more time to drink their precious coffee!). Ask to volunteer for a variety of labs doing different types of research. In Canada, you can also apply for summer internships through the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; deadlines for undergraduate applications are usually around December so check with your department). These scholarships look excellent on a CV and provide you with unparalleled research experience. It is also important to peruse the recent scientific literature and/or join a discussion group or club.

Solidifying your interest in science might seem like a lot of work. But doing the work is worth it. Graduate school requires a lot of time and mental energy. Being interested in what you do, makes your job fun. Hating what you do, can make graduate school a bitter experience.

Once you're certain that you definitely want to attend graduate school, you need to find an appropriate supervisor. The best first step is to ask professors with whom you are familiar about potential supervisors in the field. They likely know many people and can point you in the right direction. You can also search university websites. Most professors will publish a description of their research online along with a list of recent (hopefully!) publications. I recommend reading some of their publications. This will give you a good idea of their research interests and make you look keen when it comes time for meetings/interviews.

If you can, it is also a good idea to speak to graduate students. Most graduate students will give you their honest opinion about their adviser. After all, you don't want to end up working for someone who is never around or treats their students poorly. You'll be working under your adviser for years (2-5 depending on your degree level) so it's important to at least get along with them.

The next step is to contact potential supervisors. To get the ball rolling, an email is usually best. Be sure to make your email sound professional. Avoid spelling mistakes and don't use "LOLspeak" ("I can haz masters degree?" = BAD). Also, DO NOT send mass emails to professors. Many profs receive hundreds of mass emails from prospective students every year and yours is liable to be ignored.

I  also urge you to start contacting people EARLY. If you're emailing professors 2 weeks before the application deadline, you are likely to miss it. Professors are busy people! That being said, I would give them 2 weeks to respond before emailing them again (others might have different rules, so ask around). It is okay to remind a professor of your inquiry. It's possible that they tucked the email away for later and forgot about it. I'd forget emails too if I had several graduate students vying for my time, was teaching courses, and serving on departmental committees (among other things!). It doesn't mean that aren't interested!

Once initial contact has been made there are a few options for how to proceed. If they are at a nearby university, you can suggest a one-on-one meeting. These are great because you can often meet lab members and tour the facilities. If they are far away, it's a good idea to arrange for a phone meeting. They are less personal but will show that you're serious about applying. The professor will usually indicate during the one-on-one or phone interview whether they encourage you to apply.

In the event of a positive response, it's time to apply! University websites usually have good instructions and administrative staff that would be happy to help out.

Professional Development and Networking

Most of us know that the network we build will determine (at least in part) the success of our academic careers. The more people we know, both formally and informally, the more likely we are to be considered for post doctoral and other academic positions (assuming your interactions have been positive). Additionally, a larger network affords us more opportunity for collaboration (something that is very important to have on your academic CV when applying for positions). But how can we build a large and targeted academic network? I am far from an expert in this area and I hope this post will be a learning experience for me as well as other graduate students.

There are numerous resources for academics interested in learning how to build a network (websites, books, blogs). Most universities will also hold at least one seminar every year on the subject. I recommend you attend. Seminar coordinators will often invite people with varying levels of academic experience (professors, post docs, and graduate students) to speak on networking. There is usually something for both new and returning graduate students. I have attended a few seminars on networking and there are some recurring themes.

1) Attend conferences and other academic events.

The only way to meet other scientists in your field is to meet them on common ground. This seems really obvious but to some it isn't. Attending conferences can be expensive, especially if you have limited funding, and some graduate students opt out. However, most societies offer travel grants. I received one from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology to attend the 2009 conference in Bristol, England. Many universities also offer funding for attending conferences and/or professional development. Make sure to check with your Graduate Student's Association and faculty office. Even if you don't have a lot of funding, attending conferences is the best way to build your network and I recommend going anyway (even if that means giving up your daily cup of coffee to save!). I try to attend 2-3 conferences per year and to present something at every one. There is an added benefit of building the "presentations" section of your CV.

2) Introduce yourself or have someone else introduce you to more senior researchers in your field

In my opinion, this is the most difficult part of the networking process. It is really tough to walk up to a famous researcher (or a not so famous one) especially if they are surrounded by other adoring fans. In fact, I find conferences super awkward and stressful for these reasons. It is a lot easier to hang out with your friends at conferences because it's comfortable (I call it my "safety zone"). But you have to force yourself to do it. It will get slightly (very slightly) easier with time. As your network grows and you know more and more people, it is also easier to set up introductions, which is considerably less difficult than approaching a famous researcher at random. Your adviser is also a good resource. Most advisers are happy to set up introductions. The graduate students of said famous researcher are also good resources. They can set up introductions and help reduce any ensuing awkwardness. I had some help from other graduate students when I was applying for PhD positions (and it worked!).

3) Get your research out there

This follows from point 1. If you don't advertise your research through presentations and publications, you are a lot less likely to be noticed. I love giving presentations at conferences, even if they sometimes go badly (usually because I didn't practice!). I also find publications to be a huge motivating factor when I am sitting in the lab or office. There is nothing like a "shiny" reprint with your name on it! Of course, presenting and publishing is only the first step. Emailing your new papers to colleagues or acquaintances will help them remember you and generate feedback on your work. Publishing titles and links to your papers on your website will also help alert the online community to your work. You should also bring reprints and abstract copies to conferences. This will help people remember you when they get home!

4) Get business cards

It might seem like something out of the movie American Psycho (it's up to you whether your business cards sport a fancy water mark!) but business cards are really important tools. As above, they can help people remember you when they return home from a long and stressful conference. However, I have definitely gone home with business cards and had absolutely no recollection of why I had them. I (and others) recommend writing what you talked about or the title of your poster/talk on the back of your business card before handing it off. I have recently started doing this and it REALLY helps. We can't all remember every face and conversation.

5) Online or email networking

Emailing other researchers is an obvious first step! We have all had "missed connections" at conferences. A well-worded email can help maintain or initiate relationships. There are also numerous other means of online networking including blogging, twitter, and websites such as Linked In. Of course, you should keep all of your online activity as professional as possible. Inappropriate online content can prevent you from building a successful network. You should also be prepared to get feedback from the online community! Not everyone will agree with your blogs or tweets (but you should have a thick skin if you want to succeed in academia!).

This is a very brief introduction to academic networking. I suggest you also speak to other graduate students as well as your adviser. We have all been there!

Professional Development

Dr. Sora Kim gave an excellent seminar on professional development in academia today and you can view the PDF on her website at the following link - http://geofaculty.uwyo.edu/skim11/Updates/Entries/2012/10/11_Building_a_Professional_Network.html.

I'll write a more extensive post about this soon!

Graduate School Part I

I have had a few inquiries from some undergraduate friends about applying for graduate school. I thought I would publish some advice here but also open up the comments to anyone who has further advice or competing views.

Many undergraduates are concerned about the fact that they don't have straight A's. Well, it's no big secret, but neither did I (at least for my entire program)! I did "okay" in first year but just scraped by in my second (by the skin of my teeth! Okay, teeth don't have skin, but you know what I mean). The good news is that biology programs normally only consider your last two years (or equivalent number of courses). You should always check with the program you're interested in, but many seem comparable. So if you're entering your third year and a little disappointed with your first two, you'll be just fine.

I also don't think straight A's necessarily make a good researcher. Does the ability to memorize thousands of facts make you a critical thinker? It might get you good grades but it won't help you design a relevant and interesting research project. This is not to say that all people with straight A's merely memorize facts (please, no angry comments!). All I am saying is that the person with the B+ average and the person with the A+ average may not be so different when it comes time for grad school. It all depends on personal characteristics that are at least partially independent of grades. Some important qualities that successful students possess are self motivation, competitiveness (healthy competitiveness!), and passion (not like a romance novel!).

Firstly, self motivation is important because no one is going to be there prodding you to finish your experiment. When your yearly committee meeting rolls around and you haven't made any progress, there will be no one to blame but yourself. You have to be good at setting goals and meeting them. I use two levels of goal setting. The first are long-term goals. For example, "I will submit paper A by January." The second are short-term goals. For example, "Today, I will write three paragraphs of paper A." Because I am self motivated I usually meet my goals (or at least come close).

Secondly, I want to be clear about what I mean by competitiveness. I define this as the desire to excel when your goals for excellence are set by the people around you. This means feeling motivated by how well others are doing and working hard to match their successes (or maybe to do a bit better!). I am only talking about hard work and not about immoral means of competing with others (purposely scooping their research, "bad mouthing" them, or sabotaging experiments). These are all unacceptable and place you into the category of ruthless rather than competitive.

I suspect there is a near linear relationship of healthy competitiveness with number of publications and number of scholarships. Publications and scholarships (in addition to experience and interesting research) are good determinants of future success (jobs, more scholarships) assuming they are of good quality. Of course, there may be exceptions to this "rule."

Finally, you have to be passionate about your research. If you are passionate you are most likely also self motivated and competitive. I think very positively about my research and am always generating new ideas. I wake up in the morning and immediately start thinking about science. But I don't want to be unrealistic. Every day will not be positive! Experiments fail and equipment breaks, but if it doesn't stop you from wanting to pursue research, then you're on the right track!

Part II will cover choosing a supervisor and a university.