Welcome! Although it often feels like we as younger chemical educators work in a vacuum, in truth we are a community of scholars and professionals. We hope this blog will help younger scholars in the chemical education community support one another, share ideas, and exchange advice.

The blog is regularly updated with guest posts from chemical education researchers across the community.

By Kimberly Linenberger

With the beginning of a new year and a new semester the Younger Chemistry Education Scholars Task Force decided this was the best time to roll out the new blog. As Chair of the YCES Task Force, I was asked to make the inaugural post to welcome one and all to the site!

Traditionally, as I have been told, chemistry education scholars have been self-taught and few were trained in the discipline; however, times have changed. With a current count of 36 institutions across the U.S. that award a graduate degree in chemistry education, more and more chemists are graduating with specific training in chemistry education research. The issue still arises that from my experiences interacting with fellow graduate students there is not a large crop of CER students in all of these institutions to turn to for advice or “tricks of the trade,” resulting in “lone islands.” Members of the community have made great use of social media outlets available such as Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter to keep in touch and ask questions of one another, but we as a task force felt there needed to be a central location for this information thus sprung the impetus for this blog.

Source: Success Online Marketing <http://successonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/building-the-bridge-to-success.jpg>

This blog will serve as a resource for young chemistry education scholars looking for advice on how to get through the tedious task of transcribing data, where to look for postdoctoral appointments in CER, and tips on how to get through the first year of a faculty position. There are many blogs out there already that tackle these ideas, but none that are focused specifically for members of the CER community. There are just some things others don’t understand that members of the CER community can relate to, such as other graduate students questioning why you would ever want to be on RA, or faculty colleagues stopping by awestruck by what their students scored on an “easy” exam. This blog will eventually get at these topics. However, this blog is not just for those in the YCES community but also for faculty who were once graduate students, postdocs, or young faculty members. This may be a way to also open lines of communication and form new partnerships between the generations.

Topics addressed herein will come from the suggestions of the community and will be responded to by knowledgeable people in the field. Essentially this will be a “here’s how I got through it. Maybe it will work for you?” approach, with appropriate literature thrown in along the way (we are of course still academics). We envision this being an open forum for those in the community to visit and post comments. We will have guest bloggers for each topic with new posts bi-weekly. The guest blogger will be encouraged to interact with those people commenting to create open discussions.
My charge to you as readers of the blog is to think of those little things along your CER journey that you really wish you had known before and let us hear about them. This will give us an even better idea of what the community would like to see going forward. I look forward to seeing the upcoming discussions unfold and hopefully connecting some of the “lone islands” in the CER community! 

Kimberly Linenberger is a postdoctoral research associate with the American Chemical Society Examinations Institute. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry with an emphasis in Chemistry Education Research from Miami University under the direction of Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz in December 2011. She will begin as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry Education at Kennesaw State University in August 2013. For more information on her research and publications please visit her website http://linenbkj.wix.com/kimlinenberger. 

by Megan Grunert

When I was first approached about doing a blog post on networking, I laughed a little inside. I have always struggled with networking, knowing that it is a valuable skill yet feeling entirely incompetent. What I offer here are my thoughts on what I’ve done well, what I’ve done poorly, and what I’ve learned along the way. I won’t reiterate the value of networking, because I think we all know it is a necessary skill that has the potential to provide tremendous career opportunities (but I’m happy to field questions about this and anything else you see here!).

Even with self-acknowledged networking inadequacies, I managed to use networking to help me in my post-doc and faculty position job searches. It really is about who you know. I think the question then is, “How do you get to know people?” This is especially important if you are naturally introverted (like me) or if you are not well-connected with the people you want to meet. Here are some strategies that have worked for me.

1. Get someone to introduce you. I know this sounds so incredibly obvious that I shouldn’t have to say it, but it’s true. Ideally, your advisor should introduce you to colleagues when you’re at conferences and other professional events, but sometimes you’re on your own. Find a committee member or friend if possible. Don’t be afraid to ask an advisor/committee member/peer to introduce you. If all else fails, introduce yourself (see #2).
2. If you are introducing yourself, spend less than one minute introducing yourself (name, university, position, research interests). Then ask a question! Most people are flattered that you’re interested in their research or expertise and are happy to talk about themselves. Even better, they remember you as a great person because you were interested in them and gave them the chance to talk about things they’re passionate about. It’s a great idea to have a business card to exchange as well.
3. Take advantage of opportunities. Attend presentations given by researchers you’d like to meet and try to catch them afterwards to introduce yourself (or be introduced by someone you both know). If a seminar speaker is visiting your department or campus, volunteer to help out. This could include taking the speaker for meals, helping transport the speaker between airport, hotel, university, etc, giving a tour, or meeting with the speaker. A small time commitment can pay dividends later. Also, if you’re part of a graduate student or postdoctoral organization, get involved with inviting speakers you’re interested in. It’s a great way to make connections.
4. Go to things. At conferences, there is a constant barrage of stuff to do. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming and exhausting, leading me to want some quiet time. Even so, get out there and mingle with new people as much as possible. Attend mixers (and talk to people). Check out poster sessions (and ask questions). Get yourself invited to coffee, lunch, dinner, whatever (or ask to be included!). It’s easy to stay inside your group of friends, but setting a small, achievable goal like introducing yourself to one new person a day means you’ve met a handful of people by the end of the conference. And chances are, you’ll meet even more than you set out to meet!

Here are some things that I’ve done poorly, but realize are really helpful and have been working on doing better.

1. Send follow-up emails. Sometimes I’m good at this, like in the case of seminar speakers, but other times, not so much. (Many people can tell you I’m a terrible correspondent.) What I do know is that I’m always impressed when someone I’ve exchanged business cards with at a conference or workshop sends a follow-up email, reinforcing where we met and what we talked about. It serves a two-fold purpose: reminding someone that you talked and making yourself look considerate, polite, and organized. (All great things!)
2. Getting over being shy. I am naturally not outgoing, and like many others in science fields, I’ve been a huge nerd for the majority of my life. Feeling confident, bubbly, and self-assured in social settings is not the easiest thing to do. This is where “fake it ‘til you make it” comes into play. Put a smile on your face and channel the person who always makes you feel great, then walk up to the individual or group you’d like to get to know. When I say the person who always makes you feel great, I mean the friend or acquaintance that always boosts your mood and makes you wonder how they are always so positive. Give compliments, be energetic and enthusiastic, act like a person you would want to be around. It works!
3. Not taking it personally. Sometimes, you work up the nerve to introduce yourself and the person you’re talking to clearly isn’t interested. Or it’s right up there with the most awkward conversation you’ve ever hard. It happens. Don’t let it discourage you from continuing to introduce yourself. Try again. Part of networking is learning how to talk with new people, which is an invaluable skill on the job market.
4. Going along with #3, don’t be afraid to ask someone’s name again if you’ve forgotten. It happens, especially when people aren’t wearing nametags. Politely ask to be reminded, like “I know we’ve met before, but I am blanking on your name right now” or “Could you remind me of your name? I’ve met so many new people it’s hard to keep everyone straight.” No one will be offended, because we’ve all been there. Likewise, it’s nice to close a conversation by using your own name again or providing a business card.

I hope this has been helpful, and as I mentioned earlier, I am happy to answer questions here or by email. Good luck!

Megan L. Grunert
Assistant Professor
Western Michigan University
Department of Chemistry and the Mallinson Institute for Science Education
megan.grunert@wmich.edu
PhD from Purdue University, Post-doc with Tom Holme and the ACS Exams Institute

by Dr. LaKeisha McClary

I have been fortunate to complete within one calendar year an academic job search and sit on the other side to hire a new colleague. Mentors prepared me well for my successful academic job, but I know that not everyone is fortunate to have advisers and friends in the academy keep it real. So, I was excited to be asked to write a blog post on job searches. Since my only interest was in academic positions, I will limit myself within those boundaries. I present 10 tips for a successful academic job search.

1. Know thyself.

   Searching for an academic job requires an extraordinary amount of time. So, if you are not 110% committed to the process, then wait until you are committed. Some people will tell you that you should decide what type of school you want to work in and only apply to those schools. Before starting my post-doctoral research position at Miami University, a medium-sized liberal arts school, I was dead set on a position at a large research university. But I enjoyed the working environment at Miami and applied to a variety of positions (almost all tenure-track assistant professor positions) at many different types of schools. The process helped me decide where I fit best in terms of professional and personal goals.

2. Customize cover letters

   I applied for 15 jobs, and I know friends who applied to many dozens of positions. Initially, I cut and paste my cover letters. When October arrived, and a flurry of interesting positions was posted on SimplyHired.com, somehow my stock cover letter seemed inadequate. My personality and unique qualifications were not evident in how I presented myself on paper. The cover letter should wow a search committee who may have to sift through dozens to hundreds of applications. I wanted to convey a message to committees that if they didn’t invite me for an interview, they were missing out.

   Also, do not just mention that you are interested in teaching, e.g., general chemistry. Include course numbers. Show that you have invested time researching the university and the department. I included 2-3 unique sentences in each cover letter that were university and/or department specific.

3. Stay organized.

   The application process is not consistent across campuses. Some postings require online submission only, while others request paper copies. At the request of a mentor who wrote reference letters on my behalf, I created a table in Microsoft Word that contained the following: University name, Department name, position sought including any job reference number, information on how to send references (e.g., URL or email address for online applications), and due date. I also pasted the job posting below the table. I kept separate folders for each university on my jump drive, and I had plenty of resume paper for printing documents.

4. Include copies of publications.

   Do not assume anyone will take the time to look up your papers. Mention in the cover letter that you have published articles, especially if you are applying for a position to become the only CER member of the department. Such self-promotion is even more important if you are applying for a position that is “open”, by which I mean one that is not restricted to chemistry education.

5. When you receive an interview, be over-prepared.

   For phone interviews, dress up even though no one will see you. Stand up to project your voice well and sound alert. Of course appearances matter greatly for on campus interviews. Choose neutral colors for suits, and make sure clothes fit appropriately. You should not look like a sack of potatoes or like you’re trying to draw attention to your body. Wear comfortable shoes because you will do a lot of walking. Just because you are dressed conservatively does not mean you have to look boring. I chose a standard black shift dress and black flats. But I chose a suit jacket that had gold details and a jewel blue cardigan for when I presented my mock lecture. I even wore turquoise colored necklace and textured black tights. Looking professional is not synonymous with looking stuffy.

   Preparation also extends to the presentations you are expected to give. Request information on what kinds of audio-visual equipment are available. Make sure your host knows what you need in case they have to request certain accommodations. You should know your presentation forwards and backwards. If the animation you worked so hard fails, then will you be able to describe it? What if the department’s projector is on the fritz and colors are not true? Know your presentation so that if there is complete audio-visual equipment failure you can still deliver. Departments are looking for people who remain poised in all kinds of situations, especially stressful ones.

   Case in point: I had two job interviews in one week. I lived an hour from the airport, so I arrived home around 11:00 pm Tuesday night, went to work Wednesday, drove back to the airport for a flight Wednesday night. The Wednesday flight was delayed several hours due to weather, and I did not arrive to my hotel until 1:30 am. I took a shower and organized my belongings before I went to bed and set three alarms because my body was on the verge of revolting, and I feared I would oversleep. The interview begins the moment you shake the hand of the faculty member with whom you will have breakfast. And you have to know what you know forwards, backwards, diagonally, sideways, and upside down because you may be on autopilot due to sleep deprivation.

   Also be prepared with dozens of questions to ask faculty, the department chair, and the dean. Some questions will be the same for all groups, but others may be appropriate only for the dean. For example, I asked about the strategic plan of the university 5-10 years forward. I needed to know if I could see myself in the future university, not just the present one.

   Remember that you are interviewing faculty and administrators, too. Consider prospects reasonably good when these people start selling their department/university to you!

6. Always present yourself as a confident, competent expert who is flexible and open to learning from others.

   It is highly unlikely you will be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, then perhaps that department is not a good fit for you. So, when students or faculty ask questions, no matter how (passive) aggressive the approach, maintain your composure. Everyone in the room knows who the jerk is, so you do not have to go out of your way to make it more obvious. 

   One thing I learned when I attended a COACh workshop was to enact a power stance before each interview. I listed all the reasons why I was qualified for the position and why I deserved the opportunity to interview. It is important to turn anxiety and fear into empowerment. Be your best you on interviews.

7. Start to work out.

   Not only is searching for a job stressful; the actual interview process is as well. We had a candidate who just looked like he wanted to be somewhere else, probably because he was exhausted. People will cut you some slack, but you have to be extraordinary and more extraordinary than any other candidate.

8. Thank your hosts.

   I thanked each person I met with during interviews, including the administrative assistants. Even though I wanted to personally write thank you notes to the department chairs of the two places I visited, I opted for email. I knew that I was the last candidate; timeliness was more important than etiquette. At each institution, one faculty member (usually the head of the search committee) was designated as my host and served as the contact for any questions I had pertaining to my visit. So, I emailed a thank you note to the hosts and to the department chairs. Obviously, it is important to thank them for their time, but the positive observations that you made during the visit must not be overlooked. For example, I explicitly said that I could see myself as a faculty member in their department and provided evidence from my visit to support my statement. Close by saying you look forward to hearing from them soon.

9. Negotiate. Negotiate. Negotiate.

   Even though I attended a workshop and learned the fine art of negotiation, knew the importance of negotiations (future salary increases depend on your initial base salary), and truly felt prepared to negotiate, a dear friend had to goad me into asking for more money. I received an increase in base salary and a few other perks. I would say before you negotiate, make sure you know how much moving expenses will be. I had to wait two weeks for my furniture because it was within the reimbursement limit. I could have had my furniture within days — but I did not think to obtain quotes from moving companies.  

10. Take some time for yourself.

    The best advice my post-doctoral adviser gave me was to take at least two weeks for myself before I started my new position. I had planned to jump from one frying pan into another before she said that. The additional time allowed me to restore my soul and to prepare mentally for the first year as an assistant professor. I also had time to navigate around my new neighborhood, the campus, and the city.

    The first year has been challenging in a number of ways: some I expected, others that never occurred to me but apparently are common. Surround yourself with a strong support network of family, friends, colleagues in your field at other institutions, colleagues in other fields at your institution. And of course seek advocates within your home department.

Dr. LaKeisha McClary is an assistant professor at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She enjoys the challenges and rewards of teaching undergraduates and researching methods to improve students’ learning.