Career Advice
Good advice from a legendary scholar.
News
Publication takes home a gold and three silvers at online publishing awards.
University Affairs took home one gold and three silver awards in the business to business (blue) division at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards, the most important online publishing honours for the magazine industry in Canada.
Web editor Tara Siebarth accepted UA's top prize in the inau...
https://universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/university-affairs-wins-best-media-website/
Ask Dr. Editor
My goal is to empower you to feel competent at making your own decisions about what is best for your work.
Question:
I’m in a writing circle with a few other tenure-track friends, and one of them keeps giving me detailed edits that don’t feel like improvements to me. She’s well published in her field, which is close to mine, and she won a big grant recently. How do I know if s...
Features
Lessons learned from the presidential transition committee at the University of Saskatchewan.
In 2015, the University of Saskatchewan undertook an extensive Continue reading to welcome Peter Stoicheff to the role. As two individuals closely linked to this process, here are some lessons we learned that may be of value to colleagues undertaking a similar ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/six-keys-successful-presidential-transition/
Career Advice
A University of New Brunswick study reveals the common characteristics of great grad students.
The best students often demonstrate common characteristics including purpose, working smarter (not harder) and disciplined habits. Collectively, these are known as best practices. Recently, we conducted an informal survey at the University of New Brunswick, asking approximately 50 graduate students ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/best-practices-of-graduate-students/
Careers Café
This is a guest post by Byrne Luft of Kelly Services.
The holiday season is traditionally a good time to relax, reflect and recharge. But it can also be a good time for networking. Individuals who want to advance their careers or find new jobs can take advantage of professional and offi...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/careers-cafe/holidays-may-best-time-year-advance-career/
The Black Hole
Peer Review and Publishing – the best of the worst?
A look at the peer review system and the idea that anonymity of reviewers is an idea of the past.
QUICK HITS:
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-black-hole/peer-review-and-publishing-the-best-of-the-worst/
- This is RALLY WEEK for the STEM CELL CHARTER - follow their Continue reading , twitter feed, or join theirContinue reading. David...
Features
Academics recognized for their ability to guide students through their studies talk about their approach to supervision.
In the academic world, certain professors aren’t just known for their research contributions, but also for their ability to shape graduate students’ paths. Well-versed in the subtle art of supervision, these academics guide their protégés toward excellence. Recently, University Affairs
https://universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/spotlight-on-best-graduate-supervision-practices/
The Black Hole
Many of the mental health challenges universities are trying to address tend to be exacerbated by the pride of academics themselves.
In my last post, I reflected on the Continue reading in scientific labs across the world and alluded to the mental health strain that
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-black-hole/how-can-we-best-support-the-mental-health-of-senior-academics/
Responsibilities May Include
Put yourself front and centre in your career planning.
“So, what are you going to do after you graduate?” This is a dreaded question for many graduate students. Not knowing the answer may feel paralyzing. At the 2021 Canadian Career Symposium for Graduate ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/responsibilities-may-include/looking-for-career-growth-the-best-way-to-move-forward-may-be-to-pause/
In my opinion
A response to the opinion article, “The rise of the experience industry on campus”.
Jonathan Finn’s recent opinion piece, “Continue reading,” is a well-intentioned critique about what our sector is doing to recruit, support and retain students. But, in my opinion, it misses the mark.
Dr. Finn argues that there has been a...
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/experience-best-teacher/
In my opinion
Use of letter grading in rapidly redesigned online courses further reinforces the many inequities already magnified during the current crisis.
The unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic means professors across Canada will likely be teaching online for the fall term. Regrettably, they will have little time to redesign courses or create assessments more suited to learning in online environments. As professors in a faculty of education, we...
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/a-universal-pass-fail-grade-is-the-best-option-for-pedagogically-compromised-courses/
In my opinion
Looking at how BIPOC faculty are paid and treated when they first enter academia, and truly listening to them, would be a good first step in changing white privilege.
The Globe & Mail recently ran an in-depth investigative article, “Continue reading,” w...
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/recognizing-the-intersectional-nature-of-oppression-is-key-to-making-universities-more-equitable/
Career Advice
An expert offers her top 10 tips to improve your grant writing skills
Grant writing is not as easy as it looks. First-time applicants rarely experience immediate success and even experienced applicants get rejected and have to re-apply. There is little formal instruction in proposal writing, although successful research teams will now often include specific training o...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/best-practices-for-grant-writers/
Career Advice
For the last five semesters I have co-taught an introductory biology course. Until now, this has not been the norm in our department. This semester has been different for many instructors: half of our courses are now co-instructed. This dramatic restructuring has caused me to reflect on my experienc...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/best-practices-teaching-course-team/
Career Advice
Focusing on feel rather than fit can promote greater happiness and engagement.
Career coaches often advise students to find a career that fits with their talents and interests. Various assessment tools and personality inventories are aimed at unearthing strengths and attributes which jobseekers can then use to identify roles that best suit them. Research by
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/intuition-might-be-the-key-to-finding-a-career-that-works/
From PhD to Life
One of the pieces of advice I give people considering their options after a PhD is to take risks. Not big ones, but small ones. One at a time.
These risks can take the form of drafting a resumé, just for yourself. Or conducting an informational interview, even with someone you already know. Or ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/taking-risks-key-successful-career-change/
Margin Notes
The federal government’s 2015 budget – the last before this fall’s election – contains a number of measures of interest to Canada’s universities. The two key areas highlighted as positive developments by stakeholders include sustained research support and changes to student financial aid.
...
https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/margin-notes/research-student-aid-are-budgets-key-areas-for-universities/
Career Advice
How an online career symposium created connections for graduate students, postdocs and staff.
With over 3,000 registrations for 16 sessions, “I am not alone,” may be the most surprising sentiment that describes the feelings of thousands of attendees at the inaugural Canadian Career Symposium for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows this past November. As 2020 was largely marked by ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/key-takeaways-from-the-inaugural-canadian-career-symposium-for-graduate-students-and-postdoctoral-fellows/
News
Participants at the fifth annual Building Reconciliation Forum discussed the importance of acknowledging past mistakes, building meaningful community relationships and “unlearning.”
Deep and meaningful engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people must be part of a university’s reconciliation efforts, participants at the fifth annual Building Reconciliation Forum heard. The forum, which took place at Algoma University on the site of the former Shingwauk Residential ...
https://universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/collaboration-and-community-key-to-universities-reconciliation-efforts-say-conference-speakers/
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