So where am I going with this? On a well-worn path toward a comment about the importance of perspective. Twenty-one years deep in formal schooling, eight years into a university education, and four years into graduate school, here’s the advice that I would offer to a younger me, just entering a grad program: don’t lose sight of the specificity of the unique skill set you’ve acquired – the trainables that took you years of gradual accumulation to develop as well as the untrainables for which you’ve only got the experimental mind of mother nature to thank. Your charitable reading of the world might suggest the outlook that “well, given the time or inclination, anyone could do what I do,” but the reality is that you are invariably one of the few who actually took the time and has the inclination. Don’t be so shy about broadcasting to others what you can offer them; it’s not an imposition, it’s an invitation. Did you read the word “few” above and think the knee-jerk thought that “yeah right, the market is already saturated and academics are a dime a dozen”? Yes, there are others researching in your area, but the last thing that means is that it’s all been done before. A critical mass of researchers giving attention to some area is a desirable thing. They form your intellectual community.

So when the year 2013 ups its technological game beyond the mere glut of information offered by Wikipedia to match what The Jetsons and Back to the Future offered me as a child – namely, hovercars and time travel – I’m going to drive my hovercar right up to my past self and tell her about the Dunning-Kruger Effect. For now, I’ll just tag the “New Students” category and get back to work, a little less sceptical of my own arguments.

Gradifying is looking for a new writer!

Gradifying, the student blog of Queen’s School of Graduate Studies, seeks to fill the spot left vacant by the soon-to-be graduated Megan Bond (we’ll miss you, Megan!). To fill her shoes, we’re hosting a friendly competition. Demonstrate your journalistic prowess and show off all those time-management skills you’ve acquired during grad school by writing on a topic of your choice, related to one or more of the grad studies Gradifying themes (eg. finances, international, new students, thesis, events).  Your post must be submitted to gradify@queensu.ca no later than Friday, April 26. We will choose up to four submissions to post over the month of May.

Once all posts are up, we’ll choose our new writer – we may evaluate entries based on which one garners the best reader response, uses the funniest GIFs, or whatever else might make it shine. There are only four spots available in our competition – so don’t delay!

And here’s an upcoming event you won’t want to miss…

3MT Ontario University Championship at Queen’s, Thursday, April 18, 4pm, Abramsky House Room 032A

Last Thursday, Education Master’s student Xiaoqian Liu (supervisor: Dr. Liying Cheng) became the winner of Queen’s second annual 3-Minute Thesis competition. Second place went to Ryley Beddoe, a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering (supervisor: Dr. Andy Take), and the People’s Choice Award went to Ala’a Al-Helaili, a Physiology PhD student (supervisor: Dr. Michael J. Beyak). Liu and Beddoe will go on to represent the school among 16 other universities at the inaugural Ontario Championship, which Queen’s is thrilled to be hosting next month.

I was fortunate to be covering the Queen’s 3MT finals last week (click here for the full story), which was like watching a bunch of brilliant little TED Talks all in rapid-fire succession. If you’re thinking about how to frame your own project right now, or how to communicate your results in effective ways, check out this competition for an array of excellent models from a variety of disciplines. As someone researching at the interdisciplinary crossroads of Cultural Studies, I’m personally hoping to see more humanities and social science work represented in the Championship – anyone who can distill that kind of work down to a cogent three-minute explanation must posses an almost otherworldly clarity of thought, and that, I want to see!

But I am not popping the champagne yet. Although I feel so close to the end I still feel so far away. Reason being, I have yet to complete my final masters project. I am currently deep in the midst of writing, rewriting, editing, and battling with the editor in my head nagging at me that my work is crap. I wake up every day knowing that my number one priority (and only priority, really) until the end of the month is to write my project. My daily routine involves much mental coaching:

Okay, you can do this.

Power through. You have the energy.

You like what you’re doing, so DO it. No diversions.

No diversions means no time for procrastinating (something of which I know we are all quite familiar). So I’ve been trying to incorporate rituals that motivate me to power though the long days and methods for inspiring greatness, because, of course, it’s not just about getting it done, it’s about producing something with impact. Otherwise, what the heck am I doing here?

We all – and I know I’m being fair in claiming all of us – hit the wall every now and then. While nestled in our favourite corner of the library or café, and after numerous amounts of tea or coffee, our working conditions quickly go from calm and comforting to less than ideal.

We.Just.Can’t.Go.On.

But, we must keep going. This is my reality right now as the deadline to complete and submit to my supervisor is fast approaching, and I’m sure many of you hardworking grad students out there are experiencing the same pressure. Which brings me to the focus on my post: inspiration. In the next two weeks, I will undoubtedly face moments when I will just want to ignore my alarm, press snooze and pull the duvet over my head, or shutdown the laptop in favour of another enthralling episode of Coronation Street.

So, I am asking all of you out there to share your tricks and advice for getting through the crunch. What inspires/motivates you to carry on when you just want to procrastinate or give up? (And I’m referring to the little things, not the obvious glory of the finished product).

Do you have any rituals that help energize you, help you to focus, bring on brilliance?

If you think about the number of grad students enrolled at Queen’s and all the idiosyncrasies that accompany each student, there must be a plethora of useful information out there that could really help a fellow student cross the finish line and reach the light at the end of the very long (longer for people like Shar and Atif, of course) academic tunnel.

So please, share your ideas, tricks, ideas, and words of wisdom. I, I mean, we all could really use the inspiration.

Halloween and Graduate School (courtesy www.phdcomics.com)

Ed Note: I originally posted this on my blog Mr Epidemiology, but given that we’re in the midst of grad school application season, I thought it would be relevant to our readers. I posted Part 1 last week, and this is the second half of that series.

I crowdsourced the internet for questions – among Twitter followers, other blogs and forums and came up with a list of questions. I also invited several prominent bloggers to participate. They have all graciously agreed to donate their time and effort to this piece.

Note that these are the opinions of those involved, and do not reflect our institutions or departments in any way. I’m trying to get a range of viewpoints here, and many different perspectives. If you disagree or have something you’d like to add, please feel free to comment either here or when we answer a question you’re particularly passionate about!

An introduction to the panel is available here.

Question 5: What if things aren’t going so well? What advice do you have for those who might having a tough time – either juggling multiple commitments, losing interest or falling behind?

Question 6: Is doing a Masters and PhD at the same school frowned upon? What about undergrad/Masters/PhD?

Question 7: What has surprised you so far about the grad school experience? In which cases did it meet your expectations and when did it fail to do so? (i.e. How is graduate school life different to undergraduate life?)

Question 8: What does it take to be a successful graduate student? Are there any last minute tips/advice/inspirational words you have for budding graduate students?

Halloween and Graduate School (courtesy www.phdcomics.com)

Ed Note: I originally posted this on my blog Mr Epidemiology, but given that we’re in the midst of grad school application season, I thought it would be relevant to our readers. I’ve included the first part of the roundtable below, and the rest will be up next week. Original post available here.

As a graduate student, you get a lot of people asking you about what graduate school is, and what it entails. Is it worth it? How difficult is it? And once you’re in, the questions don’t stop – if anything, they multiply! How do you pick a supervisor? How do you deal with rejection? What do you do next?

I crowdsourced the internet for questions – among Twitter followers, other blogs and forums and came up with a list of questions. I also invited several prominent bloggers to participate. They have all graciously agreed to donate their time and effort to this piece.

Note that these are the opinions of those involved, and do not reflect our institutions or departments in any way. I’m trying to get a range of viewpoints here, and many different perspectives. If you disagree or have something you’d like to add, please feel free to comment either here or when we answer a question you’re particularly passionate about!

An introduction to the panel is available here.

Question 1: Why did you go to graduate school?

Question 2: What are the things that are important when picking your adviser/PI? What about your committee?

Question 3: How have you/do you deal with criticism and rejection; be it from advisers, professors, peers or funding committees? How did you deal with rejection when you were applying to schools?

Question 4: Are there tips for fighting impostor syndrome? (Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome)

In giving students advice about how to approach the way they write essays engaging with scholars’ arguments – advice about how they frame their thoughts – I’ve found ways to interpret what we read not as a matter of finding “the answer,” or even as being primarily about telling us what we “should” do. Shifting my frame of mind about the “what for?” of humanities scholarship is liberating.

Being a resource for my students has required me to clearly articulate a question for myself: what is it that we’re doing when we do theory? I’ve come to see that it’s about finding ways of understanding how the moments in our personal histories are not just unique to us, but are part of shared experiences. It’s about finding ways of discussing emergent phenomena. Of modelling macro-level patterns.

In past efforts intended to serve activist goals, I felt susceptible to burnout. Often I fell prey to looking past the descriptive in search of the prescriptive; I didn’t truly appreciate the value of work that offers us clearer ways to think about, for instance, whether and how and when to name ourselves, to group and organize ourselves, to see how power plays out among us, and so on. Only in trying to be helpful with writing conundrums at a distance from my own research have I come now to see how scholarship about politicized issues can be less a matter of adjudicating individual choices and more a matter of figuring out how to articulate how the conditions of possibility of those choices came to be. Now I understand – which is a different kettle of fish than knowing intellectually – that the value of asking questions about which ideas seem “normal” and which ideas seem counterintuitive is that their answers will tell us a lot about the specificity of the discourses, ideologies, and systems in which we’re steeped and in which our subjectivity has been formed.

What my students have given me is a new opportunity to become far more receptive to trusting in the (perhaps unpredictable) value of deepened understanding rather than stockpiling a bank of “answers.”

I’m writing this from our shared Student Advisor office, located on the second floor of the John Deutsch Centre. It is a cozy and welcoming space, adorned in literature and signage that speak to safer spaces, healthier mindsets, campus activism, and yes, it is blanketed in the most orange of orange carpets. Like our office, our job as Student Advisors is multifarious, steeped in a history unique to Queen’s and is intensely humane.

The Student Advisor (SA) program was launched in 2001 and is jointly funded by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and the Society of Professional and Graduate Students (SGPS). Through confidential advising and campus referrals, the program’s primary goal is to assist SGPS members negotiate their many roles as students, researchers, teachers, employees and colleagues. Our services typically take the form of face-to-face consultations between student (henceforth referred to as clients) and Advisor and are held in the SA office. We are also available to our clients over the phone and through email. The second half of the Student Advisor’s role is to advocate on behalf of graduate and professional students at Queen’s. This entails sitting on various university committees, attending campus workshops, orientations and events, and staying connected with the SGPS Executive and Council Members in order to keep abreast of the conversations floating around campus, and to intervene as needed. We loosely refer to these public engagements and the more specific — and time consuming —projects that emerge therefrom as our portfolio work. Finally, we offer preventative workshops and seminars that address prevalent issues such as the highly complex student-supervisor relationship.

The nature of our work is highly improvisational. Student Advisors undertake conflict resolution, positive space, discrimination and harassment training (among others), and we also receiving instruction in the policies and procedures of Queen’s. What makes this job exhilarating also makes it challenging. Each client who walks through our door brings a completely different set of circumstances, if not always a novel story or problem. Our job is to actively listen and to use our training, experience and foresight to assist our clients to the best of our abilities. Our assistance might entail the creation of an action plan for the near future, the drafting and editing of sensitive emails, attending meetings alongside our clients as note takers, advocates or both, or steering our clients through formal and informal appeal processes. Sometimes we simply listen, ask questions and provide an opportunity for our clients to be heard.

When you step inside our office you will notice a small whiteboard on which it is written, “Our main objectives are to provide confidentiality and to encourage self-advocacy wherever possible.” The former is easy. I find the latter challenging. I am told this is common among those who are drawn to employment within the helping professions. We want to help, but we need to be careful not to help so much as to hinder. Part of our educational experience as students here at Queen’s is to learn how to deal with difficult situations and personalities, and to come to terms with the reality that the academy is not a meritocracy, nor is the world fair. Some of you will relate to what I’ve just said more acutely than others and that is why services including the Student Advisor program need always exist.

A good day for us is when we can assist our clients in achieving the resolution they desire. A bad day is when, despite incredible efforts, we find ourselves up against a brick wall. The most troubling day is when a client comes to see us and we cannot help but see a brick wall looming in the not too distant future. During a difficult case, we might consult with our fellow Advisors. We are the collective keepers of many secrets. We do not take any action unless expressly requested by you. Some of those who seek our services decide, in the end, to take no action towards resolving their conflict. This can be a painful, humiliating and infuriating decision for our clients. But it is almost always highly strategic and depressingly sage, given the power dynamics of some interpersonal relationships on campus.

When you come to meet me for the first time, I will invite you in, shake your hand and learn how you pronounce your name. I will invite you to sit down, I will explain my role and I will ask if it is ok with you if I take notes during our conversation. I will listen, carefully, to the things you say, to the things you do not say and your story will take shape. I will hope that you leave feeling listened to and more knowledgeable about your options. Clients have told me time and time again (allow me to paraphrase), “I felt crazy before coming here. I thought it was just in my head, that it was just me.” You will leave when our meeting comes to its natural conclusion. And I will wait until you’ve left, and I have shut and locked the door, to exhale deeply and occasionally cry.

Sara Pavan, David Thompson and myself currently hold the three Student Advisor positions. I am profoundly grateful to have Sara and David as my colleagues. At present and in brief, Sara’s portfolio work attends to accent discrimination and the experiences of international students on campus; David is engaged with matters related to the T4 versus T4A Research Assistant status, and to intellectual property rights as they pertain to the publishing of completed theses and dissertations on QSpace; I myself am focused on improving the student-supervisor relationship. You can read brief descriptions of our backgrounds on the Student Advisor page on the SGPS web site.

We are thankful to Gradifying for this opportunity to advertise the Student Advisor program and our (free!) services. If I can leave you, Queen’s graduate and professional students, with one closing thought, let it be this: you are not alone. Loneliness and isolation can lead to the resignation among graduate and professional students that this time of our lives need necessarily be plagued by frustration, anxiety and fear – that poor working conditions constitute a sort of ‘right of passage’ in higher education. Experience has taught me that there are structures and persons on this campus that uphold, if not actively encourage, this fallacy. If you have encountered obstacles in the form of your supervisor, your departmental polices (or lack thereof) or a colleague, and kept going, I applaud you. We Student Advisors hope that your time spent at Queen’s is productive, challenging and empowering. If this is not the case, please come and talk to us. Or, if you notice a lab mate or peer who is struggling, please refer them to the Student Advisor program. The best way to get started is to send an email to studentadvisors@sgps.ca. All (written and spoken) communications are strictly confidential.

Thank you and be well,

~ Victoria Millious

SGPS Student Advisor

For three months I have been preparing to venture back into the world of international teaching. I dusted off and updated the old CV, sought advice from Education Career Services at the Faculty of Education, gathered the necessary documents, and brainstormed strategies for outshining the competition. The time came to switch hats from ‘grad student’ to ‘professional’ with no time for self-doubt.

The search to find my next international teaching position has been made easier simply by studying at Queen’s. Every year my faculty hosts the Teachers’ Overseas Recruiting Fair (TORF) when administrators and recruiters from all over the world gather in McArthur Hall and conduct numerous interviews with candidates over the course of two days. It is a highly intensive weekend full of a wide range of emotions and by Sunday many candidates come away with solid job offers from international schools around the globe.

The weekend has come and gone and after a whirlwind experience such as this I can’t help but reflect on what I’ve learned from it all. On Friday evening, I prepared for the interviews that were scheduled for Saturday, and as I sorted through my notes on my professional practice, I knew that I had to take some time to consider my approach and what I was looking for professionally and personally. With the global economy in the state that it is in, competition for employment seems tighter than ever. The pressure to secure a job can sometimes overshadow the signs indicating if a certain job/place/employer is the right “fit” for the self.

Sunday was Decision Day for many candidates. Jobs had been offered and in many cases recruiters needed a response within hours. The question, “What does your gut tell you?” was in constant use, but there were other essential questions that I found helpful in the process of sorting out my thoughts and goals for the next chapter.

Why me? Why there? Why now? Know who you are and what you believe in. Stay grounded in what matters to you professionally and on a personal level. While questioning if you are right for a job, also consider if the job is right for you. Does it align with your beliefs and values, and will it allow you to be your best professional self? Also, remind yourself of your goals for the future. Where do you see yourself in five years, or ten years? Will [insert job description and employer] help you get to where you want to go and help you to reach your professional goals? Do no ignore your personal goals either. Think about what you want for yourself and keep them in mind as you weigh pros and cons in relation to what is right for you right now.

These are my own thoughts and are not representative of all grad students. Many of you out there are going through your own process throughout this recruitment season and I welcome you to share your own insights and experiences. We could all use the help. Good luck everyone!

How much personality do you show during an interview? Do you think personality is important in a professional interview?

How do you know when a job is right for you?

How do you prepare for an interview?

If you are immersed in the job hunt, the School of Graduate Studies can help. There are many workshops designed to help you search and prepare for jobs and interviews. Follow the links below to register for an Expanding Horizons workshop in the upcoming months.

 Using Social Media to help with your Job Search

How to find a Post Doctoral position

The Job Search for Industry, Government and Business

]]> http://www.queensu.ca/connect/grad/2013/01/29/job-searching-and-finding-the-right-fit/feed/ 1 http://www.queensu.ca/connect/grad/2013/01/27/thatcamp-update-registration-deadline-extended-till-feb-3/ http://www.queensu.ca/connect/grad/2013/01/27/thatcamp-update-registration-deadline-extended-till-feb-3/#comments Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:46:32 +0000 Sharday http://www.queensu.ca/connect/grad/?p=453 …

From the Organizers of THATCamp (The Humanities and Technology Camps) QueensU2013:

The ‘Digital Humanities’ are receiving increasing attention in academia. Despite the buzz, many newcomers from traditional humanities lack opportunities to connect with experienced DH practitioners who can help conceptualise, model, and launch a project, or teach the skills needed to realise research projects.

Queen’s University Libraries, in partnership with a group of graduate students, is hosting a one-day, inaugural event to help launch these kinds of productive collaborations at Queen’s.

“We’re hoping to initiate a strong digital humanities community at Queen’s, and to build relationships among researchers, students, archivists, and librarians from around the region,” says Emily Murphy, co-organizer of THATCamp QueensU2013. This event, part of a worldwide network of THATCamps (The Humanities and Technology Camps), will provide humanists and technologists of all skill levels opportunities to learn and build together in sessions proposed on the spot. Scholars, students, librarians, and archivists who seek to interrogate the intersections between technology and the humanities can participate in THATCamp to collaborate on projects, to explore how to use technology in their research, to learn new skills, and to gain new perspectives.

“The philosophy that undergirds the THATCamp movement,” says co-organizer Maya Bielinski, “is one that values collaboration. We are excited about the opportunity for members of the Queen’s, Kingston, and Eastern Ontario digital humanities communities to get together to work and talk about how technology can interface with our study of the humanities.”

All are welcome to this free event, which aims to attract participants with a broad diversity of backgrounds and skills. To register, visit queensu2013.thatcamp.org. Registration closes January 25^th.

THATCamp QueensU2013 will be held in Douglas Library from 9:30am to 5:00pm on Saturday, February 9^th.