Monday, October 23, 2017

The Yale Postdoctoral Association is dedicated to connecting Yale postdocs to campus resources and creating opportunities for networking with other postdocs. November promises to be an exciting month for the YPA, with many events happening. Don’t miss out!

On behalf of the YPA, we would also like to wish you a very happy thanksgiving.

If you have any question or would like to get involved, pop us an e-mail at ypa@yale.edu.

Regular meetings are held monthly. If you would like to become involved in the YPA, attendance at these meetings is highly recommended. The next one is on Tuesday, 14th November at 6:00 p.m in the Simbonis Conference Room of the Medical School Library. 

All postdocs are welcome to attend all YPA events!


Synopsis


NEW: Spotlight

Advocacy Subcommittee

Follow-up from the First Postdoc Forum

Featured: Postdoc Demographic Survey

Good Scientific and Mentoring Practices

Save the Date: Minority Faculty Panel

Recommended: Diversity and inclusion in Academia & the Public Good.

Networking Subcommittee

YPA Music Series: Yale Family Weekend Gala Concert

Tea, Cookies & Crafting

Happy Hour

Last Saturday at the Museum

Escape Rooms New Haven

Volunteers Needed

Food, Toy & Book Bank

Professional Development Subcommittee

Postdoc Orientation 201

Recommended: Research Paper Series: Titles, Abstracts, & Figure Legends

Other Events

Useful Links & Newsletters


Spotlight


Spotlight is a new feature in the newsletter. In this section, each month we will focus on a topic or interview postdocs across Yale. Please stay tuned, or if you have an interesting topic for spotlight, contact the YPA.

Animal Research Under Fire

Christine Lattin is a postdoc in the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Research Center here at Yale. Her research focuses on avian stress physiology with broader implications for health and conservation. You can read more about her research in this article or on her personal website.

Recently, Christine’s (pictured on the left) research has been unfairly and dishonestly attacked by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) who have harassed her at work and at home. You can read more from the surrounding media coverage and fact check.

The YPA Executive Board wants to express wholehearted support for Christine and all postdocs involved in important research utilizing animal models. If you personally would like to show support for Christine, a letter has been written by an undergraduate student and is circulating among Yale scientists. You can add your name and voice to this letter here.

We wish Christine the best of luck with her research and encourage all postdocs to come together to support her and each other. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, please don’t hesitate to contact the YPA for any support or assistance we might be able to give.

Please visit us next month for the December feature on the YPA, “A day in the life of our departing board members”!


Advocacy Subcommittee


Follow-up from the First Postdoc Forum

Thank you for participating in the recent YPA Postdoc Community Forum, held on September 19th. If you were not able to attend or wish to review the outcomes of the forum, please CLICK HERE for a summary of the Panel session and small group discussions, and HERE for the power presentation that includes preliminary demographics data on Yale postdocs.

Thank you also for submitting questions and concerns before the forum, they were very helpful for guiding the Q&A session and discussions. The anonymous submission link remains active, please feel free to submit questions, concerns, and ideas at anytime.

YPA Demographics Survey

The purpose of this 2 minute survey is to better understand the makeup and needs of our postdoc community at Yale. With this information, we hope to improve the work and life experience of postdocs at Yale. If you haven’t already participated in this survey, click here.

Good Scientific & Mentoring Practices

Description: Undertaking a postdoctoral position is the most transient yet career-defining phase of an individual’s career, with the potential to impact achievements and future career aspirations. The quality of the postdoctoral experience can be a strong determinant of future career success. We want to offer some guidelines to the university community from the perspective of the postdocs on what we feel is important for developing and maintaining an enriching training environment.

The YPA is opening a call for all current postdoc scholars who are interested in joining a working group that will collect opinions and experiences of current professional, personal development and mentorship resources at Yale from the postdoc community, and determine how these align with the aspirations and expectations of postdocs.

This information will be used to develop a series of recommendations on improvements to the overall postdoctoral experience. If this is something you would like to know more about, or if you would like to get involved, please contact Zahra Rattray. Our next monthly meeting will focus on actions in the upcoming months.

When: Tuesday, November 21st | 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Where: ​To be confirmed- If you would like to become involved, please contact zahra.rattray@yale.edu.

SAVE THE DATE: Junior Faculty Panel

Description: Please join the Advocacy subcommittee and a panel of Junior Faculty members

When: Monday, December 11th | Time to be confirmed.

Where: Details to follow.

Recommended: Diversity & Inclusion in Academia & the Public Good

Description: The speaker will be Dr. Joanne Berger-Sweeney, President of Trinity College. This hour-long session will focus on the special responsibility that highly selective institutions like Trinity and Yale have in promoting diversity and inclusion to advance the public good.

When:  Monday, November 6th | 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM

Where: Yale School of Medicine, Hope 110, 315 Cedar St.

RSVP: RSVP here.


Networking Subcommittee


Yale Family Weekend Gala Concert

Yale postdoctoral Association invites you to the joint concert of Yale Symphony Orchestra, Yale Concert Band and Yale Glee Club on Novemver 4th at magnificient Woolsey Hall. No tickets required but RSVP below. We look forward to seeing you in YPA Music Events!

When: Saturday, November 4th | 7:30 PM

Where: We will meet at 7:00 PM at Woolsey Hall lobby. (Enter the Hall in the main entrance at 500 College St)

RSVP: Register here.

Tea, Cookies & Crafting

With the holiday season around the corner, why not join us for crafting and work on those projects?! Bring your own project, or learn to knit! Bring necessary materials and cookies to share. Tea will be provided.

When: Wednesday, November 15th | 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Where: OISS (421 Temple Street)

YPA Happy Hour

Last month the YPA hosted a happy hour at Rudy’s- A great time was had by all. 

Description: Please join us for the YPA monthly happy hour.

When: Friday, November 17th | 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Where: Christy’s Irish pub (261 Orange Street)

 

Last Saturday at the Museum

When: Saturday, November 18th |12:30 PM to 1:30 PM

Where: Yale Center for British Art

RSVP: To register, click here.

Escape Rooms New Haven

“Escape New Haven is a cooperative, real-life “escape room” – an adventure space where nothing is as itseems. You and your team are trapped; you have 60 minutes to escape the room by solving a series of puzzles that will challenge your mind and confound your senses. Explore, adapt, work together, think creatively… and you just might succeed.”

When: Friday, December 1st | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Where: Escape rooms (103 Whitney Ave)

RSVP: Sign up here. and for payment ($20 per ticket, Venmo), click here.

Volunteers Needed

If you like to volunteer for Toy closet please call (203-688-5717) or email (auxiliary@ynhh.org) to find out more information.

closet

Food, Toy & Book Bank

During November and December, we are partnering with the ‘Connecticut Food Bank’ and ‘Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital’ to collect food, toys and books (toy closet brochure). Please bring a non-perishable food items (list of recommended foods), and/or a new or used (new condition) children’s book or toy (list of recommended items) to any of our upcoming events or contact (judit.jimenezsainz@yale.edu or esra.karaca@yale.edu) to drop them off (donation form).


Professional Development Subcommittee


Postdoc Orientation 201

This event will feature a short introduction of the Yale Offices for postdocs on-campus and will be followed by a booth session with representatives from Yale Core Facilities and Libraries. Lunch will be provided.

When: Wednesday, November 8th | 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Where: Cohen Auditorium (Yale child study center)

RSVP: To register, please click here.

Please see an event recommended by the professional development subcommittee below;

Recommended: Research Paper Series: Titles, Abstracts, & Figure Legends

Description: “At the fifth session of this series, we will explore how to write an effective title, abstract, and figure legends. You will first learn the keys to successfully write these important pieces. We will then examine and critique examples. Even if you missed the previous sessions in this series, you will still learn a lot from this event, so register today!”

When: Tuesday, November 7th | 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM

Where: Kroon Hall G01

RSVP: Registration Form


Other Events


Career and Life Vision; Job Search Strategies

Career and Life Vision (CLV) will give you alumni/ae insights/strategies for a more meaningful career and life. In 4 years, CLV has attracted thousands of Ivy Leaguer students and alums. Then, immediately following CLV: alumni/ae insights on job searches.

When: Saturday, November 11th | 11:00 AM to 4:45 PM

Where: The Graduate Club (155 Elm Street)

RSVP: Register-Space is limited. 

Humanities in Action–Career Workshops

Join us for insights from alums whose medical, nursing, and/or public health careers began with courses or degrees in the humanities; followed by a networking reception with fine finger food.

When & Where: Sunday, November 12th | 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Whitney Humanities Center

RSVP: Register

The Art of Public Speaking–Skill-Based Workshop

Join Yale Drama grad, stand-up comic, producer, and college public speaking professor Robert Russell. Later, be ready to talk for two minutes on whatever moves you.

When: Friday, December 1st | 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Where: Location TBC.

RSVP: Register ($9 per ticket)

 
Meet 3 Yale Public Service Award-Winners

Want to hear amazing public service stories? And why Yalies choose to do what they do? With the Yale-Jefferson Award, Yale annually honors incredible Yalies for their extraordinary public service. After they get their awards on November 17, we honor them with an informal reception (yes, with food!). Each will tell her/his story and field your questions. We want you there to honor these special alums and students!

When: Friday, November 17th | 3:45 PM to 5:45 PM

Where: Nick Chapel Theater (Trumbull College basement)

RSVP: Email stephen.blum@yale.edu


Useful Links & Newsletters


Office for Postdoctoral Affairs
OISS Newsletter
Mory’s Calendar
Future Leaders of Yale (FLY)
National postdoctoral Association