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Science Communication
“If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” – Einstein
Effective science communication is a critical component in conveying our discoveries to the public. In addition, the ever increasing interdisciplinary research required to solve complex problems compels us to develop open lines of communication with scientists outside our own discipline. For more reading on the topic see here, here and here.
Want to improve your skills in science communication? Consider these ideas:
- Take a course or consider a Science Communication Graduate Certificate. For more information see https://science.arizona.edu/graduate-certificate-science-communication.
- Create meet-up events focusing on a specific aspect of science communication. These could be within your own graduate program or College wide. Use our online form and we will help connect you.
- ComSciCon is a Communicating Science workshop organized by graduate students for graduate students. Each workshop taps into a network of affiliated experts. Acceptance to the workshop is competitive; attendance is free, and travel support and lodging will be provided to accepted applicants. For more information see https://comscicon.com/.
- Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that helps individuals hone their leadership and communication skills. The UA has six active Toastmasters clubs on campus with a variety of specializations to fit your interests (https://toastmasters.arizona.edu/clubs). Think Toastmasters is not right for you? Before you disregard check out these "Myths on Why I Can't Join Toastmasters".
- KXCI Thesis Thursday is “a weekly segment featuring student researchers talking about their undergraduate thesis projects, or research projects while working with University professors. Students describe their research, their overall goals and career interests and where they think their research will lead. They also get a chance to share their music and interests that motivate them.” Please contact Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta at 621-1647 or mdramire@email.arizona.edu to request a date.
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Mental Health Self-Care
Is the stress of graduate school feeling insurmountable? Are feeling signs of burnout? Is the pandemic increasing your anxiety?
Potential options for stress mitigation
Would you like to understand the counseling options available to graduate students better?
- Wildcats R.I.S.E. (Resilience in Stressful Events): Connect with peers and talk about the stressors that are weighing you down http://wellbeing.arizona.edu/wildcats-rise
- Mindful Ambassadors A group of student volunteers, working in a program of the CAPS department of Campus Health, who receive ongoing training in select mindful practices, who go to various venues on campus to present brief Mindful Moments
- All enrolled graduate students are eligible to use Counseling & Psych Services (CAPS), which is under the umbrella of Campus Health
- A variety of insurances are accepted at CAPS: Aetna Student, Aetna Commercial, BCBS, Campus Health Supplemental, Health Net, United Health Care
- Fees are charged for most services, you can pay via cash, check, credit card, or post to your Bursar’s account. Cost for being seen at CAPS: https://health.arizona.edu/caps-faqs
Are you concerned about a friend or co-worker? CAPS has two locations to serve students:
- CAPS Main- Located on the third floor of Campus Health at Highland Commons (NW corner of Highland and 6th Street).
- Address: 1224 E. Lowell St., Bldg. 95
- Phone: 520-621-3334 *After hours callers in crisis may speak with a licensed counselor by pressing 1
- CAPS North- CAPS North is a full-service facility located on the 2nd floor of North REC at the new UA North District.
- Address: 1051 E. Mabel Street
- Phone: 520-626-3100 *After hours callers in crisis may speak with a licensed counselor by pressing 1.
- For more information see https://health.arizona.edu/caps-hours-locations
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- ENVS doctoral student, Nikki Tulley working with Dr. Sharon Megdal and Dr. Karletta Chief presented to the Wester Reginal Partners Tribal Engagement Temporary Working Group on a Drought Severity Evaluation Tool (DEST) back in August along with Dr. Crystal Tulley-Cordova, the Principal Hydrologist, of the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources. The title of the presentation was From Land to Space: Understanding Water on the Navajo Nation.
- On October 7, 2020, Rebecca Bernat, Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Science, presented her analysis of Arizona's water credit transactions at the 17th Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (virtual conference). Her talk entitled “Long-Term Storage Credits: Analyzing Market-based Transactions for Achieving Water Management Goals in Central Arizona,” was based on an article published with her advisor Dr. Sharon Megdal and Dr. Susanna Eden
- SNRE student Natalie Payne is only one year into her PhD program and published a paper (last month) in the journal “Viruses” describing a novel virus found in Sonoran bobcats
- ENVS student Roya AminiTabrizi published her second paper as a graduate student and her first as a lead author
- BE student Truman Combs received a $5K award/grant (2019/2020) from the Institute of the Energy Solutions & Sustainable BioEconomy for Arid Regions to conduct research on using Drone technology for fast infield Biomass estimation. He will pursue his Ph.D. research with funding from the DOE and will work on how to Accurately Calibrate Drone Observations
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Have a suggestion for the next Cause for Applause?
Have a suggestion for the next Cause for Applause? See someone deserving of recognition? Just because we are socially distancing, doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate achievements. Send your suggestions to Kirsten Limesand (limesank@arizona.edu) by the last Tuesday of each month.
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Graduate Student Council
During the Fall 2019 semester, I met with individuals from all CALS affiliated graduate programs to listen to the concerns of graduate students. Each Master the Month messenger will include an update from one of these topics because transparency and accountability are core values to me.
You all have a voice and that voice matters to me. That said, no matter how approachable I think I am, the reality is many students may be reluctant to reach out to me. Fortunately, the CALS Graduate Student Council provides another communication channel for student concerns to reach college administration. The Council was created over the summer with representation from each graduate program affiliated with CALS. If you have a concern, please reach out to me (limesank@arizona.edu), GPSC representatives Norma Villagomez (nnv@email.arizona.edu) and Sarah Abney (seabney@email.arizona.edu) or a Council representative listed below.
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November Monthly Observations
- National Native American Heritage Month is observed in November and it’s important to remember that The University of Arizona is located statewide on the ancestral homelands of indigenous peoples. National Native American Heritage Month celebrates the diverse and rich culture, history, and traditions of Native people. A rich amount of material can be found at https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/
- National Adoption Month raises awareness and increases outreach concerning the need for permanent families across the United States. Learn more at https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/nam/
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Happening This Month
Bias Education and Support Team (BEST) was created in response to feedback needing a centralized place to report and respond to bias incidents was consistently expressed. BEST will provide appropriate care and support to impacted individuals; will offer opportunities for all involved parties to engage in optional activities and dialogue that promote education, understanding, and healing; and will track bias reporting trends and utilize data to inform campus leadership of tangible ways to improve the campus climate. Should you have questions, suggestions, or concerns about BEST, you can contact the team directly at bias@arizona.edu. Filing a report is easy; simply file a report with the Dean of Students Office
International Student Services and colleagues in the Cultural and Resource Centers, Initiatives for Organizational Inclusion have developed a resource and support website for people impacted by or interested in learning more about COVID-19 related anti-Asian harassment
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Nutrition Navigators podcast will feature interviews given to UA professionals on topics relevant to college student nutrition and wellness. Our newest podcast regarding implicit bias was released Monday, September 28th in honor of Weight Stigma Awareness Week. Listen to the podcast via this link: https://anchor.fm/nutrition-navigators
The Graduate College Diversity Team sponsors Weekly Grad Chats that take place each Tuesday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. To learn more about Grad Chats, click here.
Health and Wellness Fall 2020 Series: November 17, 2020: Stress, Survival, and Self-care
- 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Arizona Time via Zoom
- Register at: http://bit.ly/hwf2020-3
- Facilitator: Jenny Simon, Ph.D., MC, LPC, Life Management Counselor, UArizona Thrive Cente
- Description: Human beings have unconscious, automatic mechanisms that keep us safe and help us respond to stress. This talk will briefly describe how mirror neurons, the autonomic nervous system, and predictive coding in the brain protect us when we feel under attack. These are ancient structures (80,000 years old) that react and respond to stress. Understanding how fear is triggered and moves in the body will help us feel calmer and less judgmental toward ourselves. These automatic systems are always protecting us from danger. This talk will conclude with some ideas to self-soothe.
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“Let’s Talk Mentoring” lunch series: We are inviting everyone (faculty, staff, and students) interested in the mentor/mentee relationship to join us for a monthly brown bag lunch series. We are interested in an open dialogue covering wide-ranging viewpoints on the mentoring process in order to cultivate a culture of mentorship in CALS.
NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education Resilience Series and Fall Programing: Offering a series of webinars and small group discussions focused on helping undergraduate students, postbacs, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the sciences develop the resilience needed to thrive in high-knowledge environments. Trainees can register for the webinars using the links below or they can visit our website (https://www.training.nih.gov) and check under “upcoming events”. Trainees who participate in the webinar or who watch the webinar online at another time, are welcome to participate in the small group discussions. Groups will be held each Monday and Tuesday one week following the webinar. Trainees who complete five of the small groups and who participate in, or watch, all of the webinars will receive a certificate upon completion of the series. The series topics and dates are listed below:
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Ongoing Events
Dissertation Writing Workshops (.pdf): All sessions are free and will be held via Zoom on the 1st Wednesday of each month. The Zoom meeting link is the same for all sessions in the series, and it is provided after you complete the registration form. You are welcome to sign up for any number of the workshops
The Society for Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) is hosting a series of virtual lectures on the topic of racial justice. This will be tailored for a biologist audience. The title is "A call to action: Striving for racial justice in academic biology." They have invited speakers who are primarily people of color to discuss issues of race, equity, diversity, and inclusion to lead discussions or seminars virtually on Zoom. Please see this PDF flyer for the full list of speakers, titles, and dates/times.
Fall 2020 “Preparing for Faculty Job Applications Series” (PDF) will begin September 1, 2020. This 6-week, fully online, participatory workshop series addresses career pathways within academia and higher education, strategies for creating materials for faculty positions, and preparing for the academic interview and job talk. The series will conclude with an application materials review session in which attendees receive feedback on materials drafted throughout the series. The series is free to attend and will take place on Zoom. A list of the workshop topics and dates is provided below and in this PDF. Full descriptions for each session and the registration link can be found online at: https://oia.arizona.edu/content/1029. Materials from the series will be available online after the series concludes.
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