10. Professional Development and Your Career

SCIL 101 Learning Assistant

Formal opportunities at UNL exist to gain experience in teaching. One such opportunity is to serve as Learning Assistants in SCIL 101: Science and Decision-making for a Complex World. The course focuses on big questions about socio-scientific issues related to food, fuel, land and water systems in Nebraska, and on helping students engage in science-informed decision-making, evaluate popular and scientific media, and engage in systems-thinking. If selected for the program, the graduate student would be required to meet with 30 students 15 times during the semester to lead discussions about food, fuel, land and water issues, assess student learning, give students key feedback on their final project, and meet weekly with instructors. This program provides significant leadership and professional development in teaching and communication, as well as the opportunity to experience active learning in large lectures, the opportunity to lead active learning discussions with smaller recitation groups, and opportunity to hone your scientific argumentation and critical thinking skills. In the 2019–2020 academic year, a stipend of $1500 was offered for 10 hours a week (for graduate students, in addition to a regular assistantship). For more information, contact Dr. Jenny Dauer at jenny.dauer@unl.edu.

Publish Teaching Materials

Several organizations allow publication of case studies, instructional resources, and assessments of learning, for example, the APS Plant Health Instructor (apsnet.org/edcenter/resources/Pages/authorinfo.aspx) and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal (nactateachers.org). Both are outlets for publishing peer-reviewed articles.

UNL Teaching and Learning Symposia

These one-day workshops are offered typically in the middle of the Fall and Spring semesters. This symposium provides an opportunity to engage in conversations about teaching and learning, to hear from experts on emerging issues in improving student outcomes, and to network with others seeking to improve teaching at UNL. More information about the symposia can be found here:
executivevc.unl.edu/faculty/teaching-learning-symposium

NUtech Commercialization Analyst Internship Program

NUtech’s Commercialization Analyst Internship Program is open to UNL students with backgrounds in life sciences, engineering, chemistry, physical sciences, or other STEM fields, and preferably pursuing an advanced degree (Ph.D., J.D., M.B.A.). Commercialization analysts have excellent communication and analytical skills, with the ability to quickly learn about new technologies. Over the course of the one-year program, NUtech Ventures provides training in intellectual property rights and protection methods, technology commercialization, industry knowledge, and market analysis. NUtech also provides professional development workshops taught by staff members. Topics include resume and cover letter writing, career exploration, and more.

Commercialization analysts assist technology managers in the Technology Screening Evaluation process. They are involved in inventor interviews and perform intellectual property prior art searches and market analysis using advanced database resources. After conducting research, analysts work with the responsible technology manager to help recommend a potential IP protection and commercialization strategy. The final decision to move forward with a technology into the intellectual property protection and commercialization stage is made by the NUtech Ventures team. However, the research conducted by commercialization analysts provides critical data in the decision-making process. For more information about this program, contact Dr. Jeewan Jyot at jjyot@nutechventures.org.

Industry Internships

Internship opportunities in industry are often advertised via online job websites (linkedin.com, indeed.com, monster.com, ziprecruiter.com, etc.). However, it is essential that students form professional relationships with people in industry and reach out to those people when they are seeking an internship opportunity. It is recommended that students communicate their interest in an industry internship early on with their advisor; such arrangements often require investment from the advisor in terms of time and/or financial resources, and may not always be possible to facilitate.

APS Public Policy Early Career Internship

This is a competitive program and is open to all APS early career members (current graduate students or postdoctoral associates and junior professionals; U.S. citizenship not required). It provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in public policy at the national level that relates generally to agricultural science and specifically to matters of interest to APS. By working with the APS Public Policy Board, the intern will learn how scientific societies, non-governmental organizations, executive branch agencies (e.g., USDA, NSF, EPA, etc.), and the legislative branch interact in crafting public policy. The internship also provides opportunities to build connections and collaborations with renowned scientists and administrators from academia, industry, and government. Applications are typically due May 15. For more information, check the APS website:
www.apsnet.org.

APS Subject Matter and General Policy Committees

If you would like to get involved in APS at the national level, one of the best ways is to attend one of the Subject Matter and General Policy Committee meetings at the annual APS meeting. Joining a committee is an effective way to network with people that have interests relevant to your own and are at different institutions. At the meeting, there are usually opportunities for graduate students to get immediately involved in leadership, from working with others to co-organize an APS Special Session or workshop or volunteering to lead the group as vice-chair / chair of the committee.

General Policy Committees: Collections and Germplasm, Early Career Professionals, Extension, Graduate Student, Industry, Committee for Diversity and Equality, Regulatory Plant Pathology, and Teaching.

Subject Matter Committees: Bacteriology, Biological Control, Biotechnology, Chemical Control, Crop Loss Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CLARE), Diagnostics, Diseases of Ornamental Plants, Emerging Diseases and Pathogens, Epidemiology, Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, Forest Pathology, Host Resistance, Integrated Plant Disease Management, Molecular and Cellular Phytopathology, Mycology, Mycotoxicology, Nematology, Pathogen Resistance, Phyllosphere Microbiology, Plant Pathogen and Disease Detection, Postharvest Pathology, Seed Pathology, Soil Microbiology and Root Diseases, Tropical Plant Pathology, Turfgrass Pathology, Vector-Pathogen Complexes, and Virology.

Objectives and Purpose

Provides educational, leadership, and extension opportunities and training outside of the classroom.

• To serve as the representative body for graduate students in the Department of Plant Pathology
• To promote interaction and a closer relationship among graduate students
• To serve as a channel of communication between graduate students to faculty and staff
• To investigate problems and issues unique to graduate students and propose solutions to them as well as provide an outlet for implementing these solutions when possible

Positions and Roles within PPGSA

Officers of the Executive Committee include the following: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Graduate Student Association (GSA) Representative. Duties and responsibilities of specific officers are described within the PPGSA bylaws available by request from the current president.

1. President (Michael Richter) – schedule and preside over the meetings of the PPGSA and communicate club activities to the department
2. Vice President (Mahnoor Asif) – Assume responsibility of the President in case of their absence; coordinate and direct the activities of all Special Committees of PPGSA
3. Treasurer (Chikoti Mukuma) – Maintain and report on financial records, transactions, expenses, and income for the PPGSA
4. Secretary (Nawaraj Dulal) – Record and file records, report minutes, maintain correspondence, and chair committees involving document revisions and amendments for the PPGSA
5. GSA Representative (Chris Termunde) – Attend a GSA meeting monthly, practice governing procedures involving graduate students at UNL and collaborate with the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Senate, officers, and committees on issues affecting the entirety of the University’s student body
6. Faculty Advisor to PPGSA (Dr. Loren Giesler) – Nominated by the department head, this person serves as an advisor to the graduate student organization

Student Representatives in the Department

Occasionally there are opportunities for graduate students to serve on special committees within the department, including search committees and ad hoc committees involving student-related topics. Opportunities for graduate student participation will be solicited from the department head with prior permission obtained from the student’s Faculty Advisor.

Association of Students of the University of Nebraska

The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN) is the student government at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Its primary goal is to serve as the representative voice of UNL’s student body. ASUN Student Government derives its authority from the Board of Regents. ASUN Student Government elected officials represent the student body in a variety of ways. The ASUN President, Internal Vice President, and External Vice President serve as liaisons to the Board of Regents, University administration, and a variety of other stakeholders in the University system. Forty senators are elected to represent students from every college, and membership of the Senate is organized proportionally by college population. Elections occur every March. See http://asun.unl.edu for more information.