Academic Career Series (ACS) 2021

Academic Careers Series:  Designed for PhD’s, Academic Career Series will provide a series of panels and presentations addressing key elements of the doctoral process and the academic job search. Join us for conversations and workshops on preparing your teaching portfolio, exploring careers in CEGEPs, defending your thesis online, and equity, diversity, and inclusion in your research program.

CEGEP Panel: Faculty Careers
April 1, 2021
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
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Are you curious about teaching careers in postsecondary institutions in Quebec? Join a panel of CEGEP professors for a discussion, tips and tricks for applying for (and landing!) a job teaching in CEGEP.

Learning objectives:

• Learn about teaching careers in CEGEP
• Learn strategies for applying for teaching jobs in CEGEPs

SPEAKERS:

Sean Hughes, PhD., Department of Chemistry, John Abbott College

Sean Hughes has been a teacher in the department of chemistry at John Abbott College since 2006. In 1999, Sean earned his B.Sc. in Biology from Concordia University and was a graduate of their Science College program. He stayed at Concordia University to pursue his Ph.D. in Chemistry.  Prior to joining John Abbott College, Sean taught classes at Dawson College as a member of their continuing education department and assisted an e-course for non-science students at Concordia University. At John Abbott College, he became Pathways Coordinator in 2010 and has been an active member of several program committees (Pathways, Crossroads, Science and Nursing) as well as a long-standing member of the Student Success Committee. He became a member of Academic Council in 2020 and he has recently become the Science Program Coordinator. For more details, please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-rashad-hughes-3b062a186/

Esther Szeben, M.A., ‎Instructor, Information and Library Technologies Department · ‎CEGEP - John Abbott College

Esther Szeben, MLIS (McGill School of Library and Information Studies Class of ‘99) has worked in Libraries for over 20 years and in the CEGEP system for the last ten years. She discovered her love of teaching as Reference Librarian at Marianopolis College and went on to teach in the classrooms and labs at John Abbott College in the professional program in Information and Library Technologies.

The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the course start time. Please note that these sessions may be recorded. To qualify for CCR recognition, you must register for and sign into the online zoom event using your McGill email address.

CEGEP Panel: Non Faculty Careers
April 7, 2021
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
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Are you interested in non-faculty careers in postsecondary institutions? Join us for a conversation about opportunities in higher ed administration at the CEGEP level, how to prepare an application and strategies for navigating the hiring process.

Learning objectives

• Learn about non-faculty careers in CEGEP
• Learn strategies for applying for non-faculty careers in CEGEPs

SPEAKERS:

Valerie McDonnell, M.A., OCCOQ, Adapted Services Counsellor, John Abbott College

Valerie McDonnell works at John Abbott College as an Adapted Services Counselor and Chairperson in the Access Centre. She oversees operations including clinical activities. She completed her BA in Honors Psychology at Concordia University and an MA in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. She is a member of the Ordre des Conseillers et Conseilleres d’orientation du Québec (OCCOQ). She is currently completing a 3 year mandate with the Commission de l’enseignement et de la recherche au collégiale (CERC), a sub-committee of the Conseil Supérieur de l’Éducation (CSE). Prior to joining the John Abbott College Access Centre in 2016, Valerie worked as a Bilingual Client Care Counselor at Shepell-FGI, an employee assistance program offering telephone and in-person counselling as well as a specialized Career Counselor for SEMO Montérégie, a community organization financed by Emploi-Quebec which offers career counseling services for adults presenting with medical conditions and resulting limitations.

Azra Khan M.Sc., Professional and Pedagogical Development Specialist, Human Resources Department, Dawson

A consummate ‘academic’ with a passion for cities, social justice and education, Azra has worked as a teacher, researcher, and human rights fieldworker in educational institutions and international organizations. Azra works at Dawson in the department of Human Resources, where she aims to connect people and innovative initiatives across the college through organizing things such as pedagogical days for teachers and professional staff, and support staff training. She has completed her Sustainable Happiness Facilitator training certification and has co- lead a peer to peer SH introductory course for Dawson support staff. She is friendly, curious, and is mother to two boisterous young people that keep her laughing.

The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the course start time. Please note that these sessions may be recorded. To qualify for CCR recognition, you must register for and sign into the online zoom event using your McGill email address.

Building Your Teaching Portfolio Workshop (in partnership with Teaching & Learning Services - TLS)
April 15, 2021
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
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This workshop will provide an introduction to the design and preparation of a teaching portfolio. In particular, we will address how to document the diverse elements of your teaching and effectively communicate your pedagogical skills to academic hiring committees.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Identify content appropriate for inclusion in a teaching portfolio
- Select content for your teaching portfolio that demonstrates the breadth and depth of your teaching experience for a specific audience

The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the course start time. Please note that these sessions may be recorded. To qualify for CCR recognition, you must register for and sign into the online zoom event using your McGill email address.

Grad Chat - Strategies for your Virtual Thesis Defense (in partnership with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies - GPS)
April 22, 2021
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
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In the early months of the pandemic, PhD candidates had to go where no earlier candidates had gone before – the virtual defense room. Join two newly minted McGill PhDs online for a chat where they will share their experiences, strategies for preparation, and tips to crush your virtual defense.

Learning objectives:

• Share strategies for preparing for virtual defense
• Share experiences of defending PhD online

SPEAKERS:

Claire McLeish, PhD (Musicology, 2020), Instructor, Concordia University

Claire McLeish earned a Ph.D. in Musicology from McGill University in 2020. Her dissertation research examines digital sampling and music copyright in golden age hip-hop. Claire was the recipient of a SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Graduate Scholarship. Along with her colleague Dr. Benjamin Duinker, Claire developed a new course entitled “Rap Music and Hip-hop Culture” in her final year at McGill. Claire is based in Montréal, where she works as a course lecturer at Concordia University and a freelance forensic musicologist.

Chloe Garcia, PhD (Integrated Studies in Education, 2020), Academic Affairs Officer, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University

Equity in Research for Academic Career Planning
May 3, 2021
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
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Academia has experienced a major positive transformation over the past decades, opening ranks to those who had previously faced many barriers to higher education. There is, however, much more work to do to create truly inclusive and equitable spaces of learning and research.

Understanding the place of equity, diversity, and inclusion in academia, and committing to practices promoting equity in research and innovation are vital parts of building your academic career in the 21st century, starting with planning your graduate research program.

Learning objectives

• Understand place of equity, diversity, and inclusion in research
• Reflect on practices promoting EDI in research in graduate school through an academic career

SPEAKER:

Dr. Uzma Jamil, Senior Research Equity Advisor, Office of the Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies) McGill University

The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the course start time. Please note that these sessions may be recorded. To qualify for CCR recognition, you must register for and sign into the online zoom event using your McGill email address.

ADDITIONAL BONUS EVENTS - Hosted by Teaching and Learning Services (TLS)

Date and Time

Wednesday, May 5 2021 at 3:00 PM EDT to

Wednesday, May 5 2021 at 4:30 PM EDT

Are you a graduate student interested in teaching at the university level? Are you preparing to teach a course? Curious about what it's like to teach as a graduate student? Register for this panel to hear from current grad students about their teaching experiences and learn about the successes and challenges of teaching during your degree.

The Teaching as a Grad Student panel will

• Discuss the best ways to find, apply, and prepare for teaching opportunities as a graduate student;
• Identify challenges and strategies for success as a graduate student instructor; and
• Reflect on how remote learning has shifted our teaching practices.

IMPORTANT: Students must register with their official McGill email address in order for the registration to be valid.

No-Show Fee Alert: There are no fees associated with SKILLSETS webinars; however, registering for an online event is a commitment to attend. If you can no longer attend, make sure to cancel your registration. Otherwise, a $25 No-Show Fee will be charged to your McGill student account. Exceptions will only be made for students in the case of emergencies or “extenuating circumstances”. (https://www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/policies)

Register here!