1. Graduate

Professional Development

GEOG 695B: Professional Development

Fridays 1:30–3:00
Sessions may be held in-person or via Zoom (TBD)

Dr. Connie Woodhouse
Office: ENR2 S526
Email: conniew1@arizona.edu

Seminar Description

This course is designed to support SGDE and MDP graduate students in their current work and as they move towards future careers. It is offered through a series of workshops scheduled approximately 4 times a semester (schedule varies to accommodate conferences, SAGA meetings, and other key events). Some sessions are designed for graduate students at any level. Others are specifically addressed to students at different stages in their programs.  Sessions are led by a variety of different faculty members.  They are interactive and discussion-oriented.

Session topics include:

  • Proposal writing
  • Publishing (submitting manuscripts and the review process)
  • Presentation practice (and conference participation strategies)
  • Finding a job (academic and non-academic, including interview skills)
  • Writing a CV

Other topics will be in response to student needs (e.g., TA and RA issues, ethics in the classroom or in research, work/family life balance). SAGA meetings will be one venue for determining student needs each semester.  Graduate students are also asked to provide feedback on topics of interest at the start of the fall semester via a survey.

Registration & Credit

Credit is optional, but students who participate in at least six sessions are eligible for 1 unit of graduate credit for 695B. You may register on completion of six sessions. See Elizabeth Cordova (elizabec@arizona.edu) for registration procedures.

Spring 2022 Schedule 

January 28: Working with a Research Team: Advice for Grads

Beth Tellman and Talia Anderson

This session will include a discussion on approaches for working in a collaborative research team, how to discuss and negotiate co-authorship, and ethical consideration to be aware of, as a graduate student. 

February 17/18: Practicing AAG Presentations

Students will have the opportunity to practice their presentation and receive friendly, constructive feedback from fellow students and faculty. We will schedule these as requested and schedules permit, Thursday 19 and/or Friday Feb 18, times TBD. An email will be sent out in early February to find out who would like to participate in this.

March 25: Getting Organized for Fieldwork and Beyond…..

Katherine Snyder and Greg Barron-Gafford

This session will focus on steps for preparing for fieldwork, including both environmental science and social science studies.  We will also discuss best practices for organizing data collected during fieldwork in order to facilitate data management tasks and analysis once you return. 

April 15: Publishing: Selecting a Publication, Submitting Manuscripts, and the Review Process

Jeff Bannister and Andrea Gerlak

This seminar will help you start to think about the steps towards publishing your thesis or dissertations papers.  Topics covered include how to select a journal to match your topic and the audience you wish to reach, the process of submitting a manuscript (what to expect, what to include), and how the review process works, including strategies for addressing reviews of your paper. 

April 29: Tentative: Non-Academic Careers

An overview of the resources and support available through the UA Grad College Career Center.