1. Graduate

Professional Development

GEOG 695B: Professional Development

Fridays 1:30–3:00
ENR2 S495 (sessions will also be available via Zoom)

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. See Nicholas Wilson (sgde-programs@arizona.edu) for registration procedures.

Spring 2023 Schedule 

January 20: Non-Academic Jobs (Shawn Nordell, Associate Director of Graduate Career Services and Connie Woodhouse, SGDE)

While PhD students have traditionally been expected to follow an academic career track, non-academic jobs are increasingly considered for a variety of reasons and can provide equally rewarding careers. Non-academic jobs opportunities are also important for masters who are not interested in continuing on for a PhD. Dr. Nordell, from the UA Graduate Center, will provide an overview of the range of non-academic careers grads might consider as well as the wealth of resources that are available at the Graduate Career Services, including job search assistance, career advising, and grad student career support groups.

February 10: Doing Collaborative Research (Connie Woodhouse, SGDE and TBA faculty and grad)

Collaborative research, whether it’s with your advisor, other grads, other researchers, or non-academic partners, is now a standard research approach. In this session, we will discuss some concepts that are foundational to collaborative research as well as a handful of key practices that facilitate successful collaboration, regardless of who your collaborators are.

February 24: Working Towards an Inclusive SGDE (DEI Working Group)
Note: this workshop will take place during the SGDE colloquium time slot. Location TBA

March 31: Preparing for Field Work (TBD)

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 14: Allyship and Mentorship for Minoritized Students (DEI Working Group)
Note: this workshop will take place during the SGDE colloquium time slot. Location TBA