Career + Leadership Symposium
Career & Leadership Symposium 2023
Brought to you by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) Invest in Your Future is a week of sessions to inspire, motivate, and give you tools to continue your life goals, career exploration and build leadership skills.
Register for all sessions in campusBRIDGE and with the permission of your faculty/department, sessions can be counted towards professional development credit. Events are free and open to anyone on campus.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
- Session 3: Pivoting Your Career
- Session 4: Build Your Job Search Project Plan - A Must to Navigate The Advertised and Hidden Job Market
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023
- Session 7: Leading Others
- Session 8: Leading Small Projects, Making a Big Difference
- Session 9: Leading Your Way Through Conflict
Monday, November 20, 2023 - Just Added!!!
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Session 1: Setting Boundaries and Communicating Assertively (1 Hour PD Credit) | 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. MST | Online
Facilitator
Becky Ponting is a registered psychologist with the University of Alberta Counselling and Clinical Services unit. She has been a long-time guest author on Dear Maddi - a student academic column that helps students navigate many issues they encounter during their academic programs. She has great familiarity with the topic of Imposter Syndrome and has a good grounding of the challenges postdocs and graduate students face in their academic experiences.
Session 2: Acing the Academic Interview (1.0 Hours PD Credit)| 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. MST | Online | Register | Zoom Link
Description
While we know the academic job market is discouraging, the trend for UofA doctoral and postdoctoral fellows to land a position in academia is about 30%. How are U of A candidates making themselves competitive? To shed some light on what is expected from candidates, we will hear from faculty members who have been part of hiring committees and can share some insights into what makes candidates shine.
Panelists:
Dr. John Nychka, Vice-Provost (Learning Initiatives), Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Teaching Award winner, former Associate Dean GPS, entrepreneur, champion of graduate students and mentor to many.
Dr. Vicky Ruetalo, Chair (Modern Languages and Cultural Studies), Professor, author, former Associate Dean GPS, currently working on from 'Monster" to Mentor: Developing PhD Supervision Competencies, creator of the Graduate Student Supervisory Training program, and advocate for students, postdocs and supervisors.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Session 3: Pivoting Your Career (1 Hour PD Credit)| 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. MST | Online
Register | Zoom Link
Description
Think that your education credentials and employment history leave you stuck in a certain type of career? Not true! There are many paths you can take that can lead to a different, fulfilling career. Prepare to be inspired as you learn how our distinguished panelists successfully navigated from one career path to a completely different one.
Panelists
Katayoon (Katy) Navabi, PhD Plant Breeding and Genetics
Katy Navabi, R&D lead for Canola North America with Nuseed, is a plant breeder by training. After completing her PhD in plant breeding and genetics at the University of Alberta, she moved to Agriculture and Agri/Food Canada Saskatoon Research Center under a NSERC postdoctoral fellowship. Before joining Nuseed she worked as a senior canola breeder with Cargill, leading the parent line breeding program, and briefly for about as a Program Director for DivSeek International at the Global Institute for Food Security at University of Saskatchewan.
Andrews Ahiabu, PhD Chemistry
Andrews (Andy) Ahiabu obtained his PhD from the Chemistry Department at U of A in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. Michael J. Serpe. Prior to his PhD defense he accepted the position of a Technical Sales Representative with PerkinElmer, and began immediately after his defense.
Andy is responsible for developing business within Western Canada. Growing account and customer base, while maintaining and supporting existing customers with relevant analytical instrument solutions for the Academic, Government, and Industrial labs across Western Canada.
Outside work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachel, and two kids, Enyo and Ena, as well as his church family. With his experience transitioning into the industry, Andy passionately speaks about “non traditional Chemistry careers” or simply put, addresses the question on the mind of most graduate students “is Academia the only career path for me as a PhD or PDF?”
Shaunaugh Whelan, Master of Geology
Shaunaugh Whelan is currently the Technology Program Founder at NorQuest, Alberta’s largest community college. Shaunaugh has changed careers so many times she could be a professional pivoter. She started at the University of Alberta in a pre-business year while working as a mortgage specialist, but as the 2007 financial crisis unfolded, she decided to pivot to science. Eventually she earned a BSc then MSc in Geology, but sadly graduated right when global oil prices crashed, and jobs evaporated. So, she pivoted again and did her MBA specializing in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Odette School of Business in Ontario. It was during this time she discovered a nexus for her many skills and interests: technology commercialization. She moved back to Alberta and began working at TEC Edmonton (now Edmonton Unlimited), eventually pivoting into a cannabis training project for NorQuest College. In April 2020, Shaunaugh pivoted once more into the technology program founder role at NorQuest, managing the Alberta AI Pathways Partnership while developing and launching a first-of-its-kind Machine Learning Analyst diploma. Over the last 6 years she has continued to work as a business development consultant and sessional lecturer. Having learned the value of upskilling, in the last year Shaunaugh has completed several software development management courses and a certification in Product Management. In her spare-time she loves to sew, paint, and explore Edmonton’s many parks for cool rocks and geology.
Deanna Davis, PhD Musicology
Dr. Deanna Davis has nearly two decades of experience in adult and post-secondary education. Her work is grounded in principles of collaboration and citizenship, and is designed to help individuals and teams be a force for positive change.
In her role with HRHSE, she leads and oversees several learning curricular areas for faculty and staff, including the institution's first onboarding program, Workplace Skills, and Management Intensive. Her exemplary service in this role was recently acknowledged with the U of A 2023 APO Recognition Award.
Prior to her role with HRHSE, Deanna designed and led several educational initiatives for graduate students, including the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program and U of A’s Ethics and Academic Citizenship Requirement–a first in Canadian post-secondary learning not only for its differentiation ethics education for masters and doctoral students, but also for its Indigenous content requirement.
In addition to a Doctor of Philosophy (Musicology), she holds certifications in EQi 2.0/360 and Serious Lego Play: Teams and Groups, and is a certified coach. When Deanna is not engaged in this work she sings in the award winning chamber choir, Chronos Vocal Ensemble.
Session 4: Build Your Job Search Project Plan - A Must to Navigate The Advertised and Hidden Job Market (1Hour PD Credit) | 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. MST | Online
Register | Zoom link
Description
Are you aware that something like "70% of jobs are never advertised"? How do you access this hidden job market? How should I approach job searching? Can generative AI play a role and what is some caution where not to use it? Join Dr. Don Back for a conversation to improve your job searching in 2023.
Facilitator
Dr. Don Back is a former academic (Queens University), company founder, teacher, coach, managing director of venture capital funds, researcher, project manager, and more. Through these many roles, he has developed a strong sense of what hiring managers look for in new employees and how to access the job market. He has sat on both sides of the table and has a keen awareness of how a graduate program builds skills beyond what is needed to complete a capstone or thesis. Come learn from an Ivory Tower escape artist how to start your career outside of academia.
Also on November 15...
Career Action: What Do Employers Want (1 Hour PD Credit) | 12:00-1:00 p.m. MST | Online
Register | Zoom Link | More on the Career Action Series
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Session 5: Bridging Leadership of Self and Others Through EDI (1.5 Hours PD Credit) |
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. MST | Online
Register Here | Zoom Link
Description
In this session, we will explore the concept of facilitative leadership in a distributed space, delving into what these ideas mean and how we can be leaders in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) when they are everyone's shared responsibilities. Through thought-provoking discussions and interactive activities, participants will then have the opportunity to reflect on the significance of EDI in leadership and explore ways to incorporate these principles into their own practices.
Facilitator
Jay Friesen, PhD, is an Educational Curriculum Developer at the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and an Assistant Lecturer in Community Engagement at Community Service-Learning at the University of Alberta. He received his PhD in Cultural Studies (MLCS) from the same institution in 2019, where his research focused on the relationship between comedy and multiculturalism in Canadian communities. Jay has taught diverse courses on a wide variety of topics, including community engagement, cultural studies, and pedagogy, and is particularly interested in making post-secondary learning accessible and equitable, especially through university and community collaborations. He is a two-time recipient of the CSL Instructor of the Year award, once as a graduate student and once as an ATS lecturer.
Session 6: Leadership of Self (1 Hour PD Credit) | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MST | OnlineRegister here | Zoom link
Description
Leadership begins with self. What kind of leader are you? Does this matter? What makes a good leader? How can you build your leadership acumen? Join us in a conversation about leadership styles, determine what are your tendencies, and gain a better sense of what matters when it comes to leadership of self.
Facilitator
Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Friday, November 17, 2023
Session 7: Leading Others (1 Hour PD Credit) | 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. MST | Online
Register here | Zoom link
Description
Once you have a good handle on how you respond and interact with others and to events, you will want to add the next dimension of learning about others. How are people similar and different from you? What dynamics can come into play so that you can be successful in leading? We will examine how people learn as a tool for understanding how leadership is received by others and how this can impact team dynamics.
Facilitator
Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Session 8: Leading Small Projects, Making a Big Difference (1.0 Hours PD Credit) | Online
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MST | Register here | Zoom link
Description
You may spend a part - even a good part - of your career working in positions outside of formal leadership. But that doesn't prevent you from leading projects that are innovative and inspiring. Indeed, working on the front lines often gives you special insight into the kinds of initiatives that will benefit those you serve.
Facilitator
Robert B. (Rob) Desjardins, PhD is a professional development instructional designer in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. A U of A alumnus and seasoned communicator (MJ Carleton 1994; PhD Alberta 2010), Rob has spent nearly 14 years supporting and advocating for graduate students, including a decade as graduate writing advisor in the Academic Success Centre. He is also an active researcher in the field of late medieval cultural history, and is co-editor of The Arras Witch Treatises (Penn State, 2016) and the Leab Award-winning exhibition "Tinctor's Foul Treatise" (Bruce Peel Special Collections).
Session 9: Leading Your Way Through Conflict (1 Hour PD Credit) | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. MST | Online
Register here | Zoom link
Description
Many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows experience conflict as they move along their academic pathway. This aligns with the Myers-Briggs Company's finding that 85% of employees experience conflict in their workplaces. Lack of conflict resolution skills is cited as a major reason for this high percentage. Learning about conflict and how it can be resolved is a great step towards growing your leadership and diplomacy skills. This is an opportunity to assist you with moving from leadership of self to leadership of others.
Facilitator
Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Session 10: Real Human Connection Can Change The World (1 Hour PD Credit) | 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. MST | In Person | South Academic Building SAB 3-3
Description
Even though we have more options than ever to connect with people, a 2021 study shows there is a prevalence of loneliness across more than 113 countries. This is just one indicator that people are struggling to have meaningful connections with each other, and human connection is a pillar of great leadership. Essentially by connecting within ourselves - mind and body - we can create stronger connections with others. This is an opportunity to learn some tools and techniques for creating meaningful connections and relationships. This is a good place to start for learning leadership within.
Facilitator
Mike Schoenberger, certified public speaker, is the CEO and founder of Sunco Communication and Installation Ltd. This full-service Telecommunications and IT Managed service company supports over 1,600 clients nationwide. Since its inception in 2001 as a small cabling company with two employees, Sunco has expanded to serve all of Canada, now employing 43 professionals. An active member of the business community, Mr. Schoenberger is part of the Entrepreneurs Organization. He is passionate about implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which has led to consistent double-digit growth at Sunco since 2017. Mr. Schoenberger actively supports the entrepreneurial community by mentoring IMYeg and the U of A Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) and serves on the advisory council at NAIT - Mawji Centre. He also holds positions on the Board of EO Canada and as the GSEA Canada National Committee Director for External Engagement. Acting board member of Nanastics DX a startup precision health company and 2022 Leaders In Edmonton Award recipient.