Student's Reflection of Post Doc. Boot Camp:

Antiño R. Allen, Ph.D.-


I attended the UCSF-AGEP Post doc Boot Camp in September 2008. The information I received during the two day event was very helpful. We discussed issues ranging from the different types of postdocs that exist to negotiating a post doc salary. The most informative section for me focused on communicating clearly with potential mentors and how to evaluate a potential postdoctoral position. Some of the postdocs in the discussion groups placed paramount importance on the prestige of the principal investigator while others emphasized mentoring ability. I had a wonderful experience interacting the faculty and program director. In addition, I was extremely impressed with the training provided for the postdoctoral scholars UCSF. I am currently a ISIS postdoctoral scholar working under mentor Dr. John Fike at UCSF’s Brain and Spinal Injury Center (Department of Neurological Surgery). My research focuses on evaluating the effects of combined irradiation and traumatic brain injury Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function. In addition, I am examining whether the adverse effects of radiation combined injury can be reduced using an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis.

Surviving Your first Years as an Assistant Professor Workshop:

Nikole M. and Crystal M., two advanced IUB doctoral students, were invited to join other PhD students at the summer workshop organized by Ohio State University for the Great Lakes Alliance for SbeS (GLASS) AGEP. The workshop hosted was in collaboration with the Crime and Justice Summer Research Institute: Broadening Perspectives and Participation conducted by the Criminal Justice Research Center at OSU with core support from NSF, July 25-27, 2010. They met other PhD students from The Ohio State University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Penn State University and Temple University.

The workshop included sessions on career planning; and, managing revise and resubmits and other publishing skills; as well as presentations on the academic job market 101. A panel of CJSRI participants and local underrepresented faculty shared their lived experiences and offered advice on life as a new assistant professor. Keynote speaker and workshop session was Dr. Kerry Ann Rockquemore. She walked the participants thru the session, “How to win tenure without losing your soul”.

IU Physicist Modifies Einstein’s Theory:

Could we be living inside a black hole?


An IU astronomer and physicist has published a theory stating that our universe might be inside a black hole and that black holes in our own universe might contain universes of their own.

To read the rest of this story click here: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=76333


(Image From: http://thesamerowdycrowd.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/black-hole.jpg)

IU Connections Receive Award to Link Scientists Across Countries:

The National Science Foundation awarded $9.2 million to IU for two high-speed international network services, half to continue the TransPAC3 network connection to Asia and half for a new connection to Europe named America Connects to Europe.


To view the rest of the story click here:
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=76334

(Image From: http://www.xtelcommunications.co.uk/products/worldnetwork.png)

Doctoral Students Needed to Participate in Dissertation Research:

We are conducting a study on the experiences of African American female doctoral students enrolled in predominately White institutions (PWIs). This qualitative study aims to shed light on the doctoral students’ experiences and African American female doctoral students use to while enrolled in their programs at PWIs through semi-structured, audio-recorded telephone interviews. These interviews will last between 45 to 60 minutes. The questions seek to understand the experiences of African American females in doctoral programs.

To be selected, you must be a female doctoral student in a PWI in the United States, and you must identify as African American or Black. If selected for participation in the study, you will receive a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card for completing the interview and the member checking of aggregate themes. If you withdraw from the study before completing the interview and/or member checking you will receive a 10.00 gift card.

Confidentiality will be protected per IRB and ethical guidelines, and you will have the right to withdraw from participation at any time without penalty.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Marjorie C. Adams privately at adams.633@buckeyemail.osu.edu. You will then receive a screening document and a detailed information sheet. By expressing interest in this study, you are not committing to participate.

AGEP Resource Manual for STEM Departments

The attached manual was created by IUB Midwest Crossroads AGEP program, as a guide for the use of faculty members working with underrepresented minority students in the areas of recruitment, retention, mentoring, and funding.

http://www.indiana.edu/~grdschl/agep/AGEP%20Resource%20Manual%20for%20STEM%20Disciplines%202010.pdf

Meet Dr. Carolina Peñalva-Arana: IUB Post-Doctoral Scholar and Researcher

Indiana University Bloomington Post-doctoral scholar/researcher, Dr. Carolina Peñalva- Arana wants to know how animals detect chemicals cues in aquatic systems (in other words - taste and smell things under water). She conducts her daily laboratory research in aquatic chemo reception using tiny aquatic organisms called Daphnia.

“Its amazing how complex these small animals behaviors are, even though they are only about the size of a grain of rice. I want to understand through my research how they survive predation, find mates, know what to eat, etc…” in their environment she said.

Peñalva-Arana also hopes to better understand the health of an environment by focusing on the interaction between environment and survival/behavior of these organisms.

Peñalva-Arana was born in El Salvador and moved to California at the age of thirteen. Prior to beginning her research at IU in September 2007, Dr. Peñalva-Arana took a chance and applied to her “dream” school, Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH). To her surprise, she was accepted and graduated with a doubled major in Biology and Spanish Literacy. She then pursued her graduate degree in Biology studying olfactory guided behaviors of Daphnia at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, and was also an honorary research fellow at UW-Madison.

After finishing graduate school, Peñalva-Arana received a National Institute of Health Fellowship - the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm) which currently funds her research investigating the evolution of chemoreceptor genes across two Daphnia species, and uncover genes that are specific to females, males and embryos. This research will help elucidate how the sexes differ and males find females, plus also help guide our understanding of how Daphnia are able to respond to predator chemical cues during their lifetime, including critical periods when they are still developing inside their mothers.

After the completion of her postdoctoral fellowship her next step will be one of the following two research avenues. The first avenue she would like to pursue is continuing in academia as a faculty member and teaching animal behavior and environmental ecology. Her second avenue of interest lies in intergrating her research with application through an environmental organization, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The application of her research is focused on using the environment and behaviors of these organisms to indicate the health of the environment.

Outside of the laboratory, Peñalva-Arana is one of the initial faculty advisors and founders of the Indiana University Bloomington SACNAS chapter (http://www.sacnas.org/sacnaschapters/public/index.cfm?id=52), an organization focused on advancing Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in science. She also spends her time mentoring undergraduate students.

Her advice for incoming graduate students?

“Make sure that you rotate through the labs and get a good feel for the different faculty, always apply for your own funding, and don’t be afraid to take chances.”