Sunday Workshops – January 31, 2021

Sunday Workshops – January 31, 2021

How “Not” to Give a Scientific Presentation

• • Led by Dr. Jon K. Hooper – video/asynchronous format

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve, this informative (and likely humorous) mini-workshop will provide you with information and tips for presenting your research work to your peers. Instructor Jon Hooper will provide demonstrations on how to give an effective presentation….and how NOT to.

Dr. Jon K. Hooper is Professor Emeritus at California  State University-Chico, a Certified Wildlife Biologist, and Certified Interpretive Trainer.  He has a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and has taught communication workshops around the country for more than 35+ years.

Resume Workshop

A Beginner’s Guide: The Basics of a Resume, C.V., and Interview Skills This workshop will review the basics of a resume, with an emphasis on formatting and categories to include. Participants will learn to recognize where structure is necessary and when creative freedom is appropriate when constructing a resume. We will focus on how to gain experience to put on a resume and discuss interview skills for someone who has minimal experience in the Wildlife field. 

Advanced Resume, C.V., and Interview Skills This workshop will build on a foundation of resume skills. Participants will learn how to use a job announcement to highlight their strengths and gain more information about C.V.’s. We will focus on how to build interview skills that will allow you to talk about unique experiences you have gained, while keeping it relevant to an employer. This workshop is most appropriate for those who have attended a workshop previously, have a successful resume or C.V., or are preparing to apply to (or are attending) grad school. 

In both resume workshops, Kristina will provide sample resumes and C.V.’s, and a list of special qualifications that students develop as part of their undergraduate and graduate experiences (research techniques, field equipment & techniques, training, licenses, etc.), as well as interviewing tips and resources for job hunting in these fields.

Kristina and Sarah Bacio will also be available on a sign-up basis to critique C.V.’s/Resumes; They are also willing to review emailed Resumes & C.V.’s after the annual meeting.

Kristina Hunt is a Career Advisor in the Academic & Career Advising Center for the College of Natural Resources and Sciences at Humboldt State University (HSU). Working as a Career Advisor, Kristina enjoys the opportunity to build relationships with students, inspiring them to explore their interests in wildlife and connecting them to fulfilling professions. Kristina has 10 years of experience in Human Resources which has provided her with valuable insight from an employer’s perspective.  In her free time, Kristina enjoys spending time with her family and retreating to the family ranch.

Sarah Bacio is an Academic & Career Advisor in the Academic & Career Advising Center for the College of Natural Resources & Sciences at Humboldt State University (HSU). Sarah has been a part of the university community supporting students achieve their academic and career goals for over 6 years. A graduate of HSU with a Bachelor’s of Science in Oceanography and a Master’s degree in Education Sarah is able to provide students with well-rounded guidance during their academic careers. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking in the Redwood Forest with her dog, Norbert.

Navigating the Virtual Conference

• Thursday, January 21 2021 – 6-8pm.  (This meeting will *not* be recorded.)
• Hosted by Elizabeth Meisman and Katie Smith

Publishing and Peer-Reviewing Scholarly Papers: Process, Pitfalls, and Responsibilities

• Sunday, January 31 2021 – 8:30am to 11:00am. 
• video/asynchronous format with LIVE Q&A from 10:30-11am
• Organized by R.J. Gutiérrez, Professor and Gordon Gullion Endowed Chair Emeritus, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
• There is no additional cost to attend this workshop, it is included in the meeting registration fee

I developed this workshop for the 2018 annual meeting because of Western Section of TWS members had requested a such a workshop to aid graduate students and young professionals in their quest to publish scholarly papers as well as review such papers for peer-reviewed journals. Based on excellent criticism of last year’s workshop, I have revised this workshop to steam line the presentation. Although it is intended for students and young professionals, experienced researchers may glean a few tidbits about this process as well as hear about some trends I see emerging in publishing research. Therefore, the purpose of this workshop is to provide an overview of the process of publishing and reviewing papers. Researchers employ many strategies when publishing papers, so there is no magic strategy for success. In this workshop, I will simply provide my perspective on things to consider when one is trying to publish a paper including selection of journals, how to interact with editors, and respond to reviewers. These are observations synthesized from my own experiences over several decades as an author, reviewer, and editor. Therefore, I broad issues of “why publish, what to publish, when to publish, how to publish, and where to publish.”

A related activity in scientific publication is the professional responsibility to serve as a peer reviewer of scholarly papers written by others. The peer-review system exists only because of volunteer peer-reviewers, so, if you publish, you have a professional obligation to serve as a peer reviewer. Peer review is essential for maintaining the integrity of the scientific research. In addition to being a professional obligation, there are many moral and ethical responsibilities associated with peer review that I will discuss. I will also discuss such topics as the purpose of peer review, blind and double-blind review systems, the elements of a good review, how to comport yourself in developing your written review, how to detect scientifically or politically biased papers, and when you should recuse yourself from reviewing.

R. J. Gutiérrez is Professor and Gordon Gullion Chair Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul and Senior Scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has been involved with peer-review and scientific publishing for nearly 50 years. During that time, he has served on the editorial board for 3 international journals, as an independent editor for many compendia, and as a reviewer of more than 1,000 papers.

Virtual Meeting 101

• Sunday, January 31 2021 – 9:00am to 10:00am. (This meeting will *not* be recorded.)
• Led by Ivan Parr and Candace Renger, TWS-WS Staff

New to Zoom, Whova and/or virtual meetings? Join us to test your login, microphone and speakers, and learn your way around the Zoom screen. See how a virtual meeting works and how to use the Whova app to engage with other meeting attendees. The meeting planning team will be available to answer any questions you may have. This workshop will *not* be recorded.

Wildlife Career Panel

• Sunday, January 31 2021 – 10:00am to 12:00pm. (This workshop will be recorded and available on demand for the rest of the meeting.)
• Led by Colleen Wisinski, Summer Pardo and Trisha Velasquez

–  Do you want to learn more about career paths in wildlife biology and natural resources fields?
–  Have you wondered how people end up working in a wildlife job they love?

If so, then please join us for the Wildlife Careers Symposium, where you will hear from professional biologists working at State and Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, consulting firms, and corporations. These professionals have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and they will share their current work, as well as what they have learned over the course of their careers, to encourage and inspire you to follow your passion to a career in the wildlife field.

While this event is geared toward students and early-career professionals, all are welcome to attend!  This event consists of two parts: (1) General wildlife careers overview from six representatives of Federal and State agencies, consulting firms, and industry, and (2) Round robin discussion with panel of wildlife professionals.

Federal Career Opportunities Workshop

• • Sunday, January 31 2021  – 1:00pm to 2:30pm. (This workshop will be recorded and available on demand the rest of the meeting.)
  • Led by Rhys Evans, Vandenberg Air Force Base Natural Resources

The “Federal Career Opportunities” workshop is intended to address some of the challenges that students and early career wildlife professionals frequently encounter when trying to secure entry-level employment within the Federal system.  A moderator and a few pre-recorded presentations from a panel of experts will address various aspects of understanding and negotiating the rather complicated U.S. government hiring system.

Topics to be addressed include (partial list): internships including the “Pathways” program, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other volunteer programs and similar opportunities.  We will then move on to a discussion about and introduction to the important but challenging “USA Jobs” website.  The session moderator will then open the floor to participant questions for at least 20 minutes.

The session is NOT intended to include graduate school recruitment or guidance and similar educational opportunities.  We suggest that participants also “attend” the Western Section’s Resume Workshops if you haven’t participated in one of those during prior meetings.  (The Federal Career Opportunities Workshop will include a brief discussion of resumes specific to the Federal hiring process, but the Resume Workshops will dig deeper…)

Rhys Evans is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Past-President of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society and he served as chair of the TWS West Professional Development Committee for several years.  He is currently a civil service employee of the U.S. Government, specifically working as a Natural Resources Manager and Wildlife Biologist at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central Santa Barbara County, California.

Job Interview Panel: I Got a Job Interview, Now What? – Getting Jobs in a Tough Job Environment

• Sunday, January 31 2021 – 3:00 to 4:00pm.  (This workshop will be recorded and available on demand the rest of the meeting.)
• Led by David Wyatt, Biology Department at Sacramento City College

The job interview process can be an intimidating experience for the job seeker. To help make this less mysterious, a group of 4-6 invited speakers from agencies, private consulting, and academia will provide insights into what can be expected during a job interview with their respective employers. Topics include how to prepare for the interview, how you should present yourself, and the range of potential questions you may be asked. In addition, an open discussion follows the presentations.  

David Wyatt is a professor in the Field Ecology Program at Sacramento City College.  He has taught at SCC since 1998 and also has taught at Sonoma State University field courses in Belize, Central America and SCC field courses in Baja, California.  He is a wildlife biologist by specialization and his ongoing research work has been concentrated on ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) since 1987 and bats since 1996.  Prior to his calling in higher education, David was a biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game/Wildlife and for the California Department of Transportation.  He has also been working since 2002 as a wildlife consultant specializing in bats and ringtails and regularly leads ecotours to Belize and Costa Rica in his spare time.