OETIS Chronicle
The Office of Education, Training, & International Services
In this issue: ‣ SBP Leaders Program ‣ GSBS Student-Mentor Retreat ‣ Travel Guidelines ‣ Recent GSBS Graduates ‣ Upcoming Events & More!
SBP Leaders Program: Preparing Future Scientific Leaders By Diane Klotz, Ph.D. (Director, OETIS) “They don’t teach you ‘this’…” is probably the comment I hear most often from faculty when they encounter a challenge related to managing their team members. This comment, and a desire to provide “this” to postdocs before they find themselves in that same position, became the driving force behind the creation of SBP’s postdoc leadership development program. Several years ago OETIS led a pilot postdoc leadership development program comprised of 3 general modules that focused on 1) understanding yourself, 2) understanding others, and 3) communication and conflict resolution. The pilot program received such high reviews that OETIS decided to expand the program over the course of an entire year to include more leadership-focused content. In August 2016 the inaugural SBP Postdoc Leadership Development Program (aka. “SBP Leaders”) commenced. Twenty-eight postdocs from across the Torrey Pines mesa, committed to a year-long program and to each other as a cohort, came together to learn about being a leader and develop their leadership talents. The foundation of SBP Leaders is the concept that there is no single right way to lead a team, and the program is anchored in the premise that before you can understand the needs of your team you must first truly understand yourself as a leader, manager, and fellow team member. Towards those basic principles the SBP Leaders program guided the inaugural group of postdocs through exercises that challenged them to think about what kind of leader they want to be, assess their own behaviors and the perceptions they have of others, and practice what they were learning through sharing their own experiences and discussing (cont. on p. 2)
“This was an excellent program. I grew a lot in the last year because this course forced me to assess my behavior and understand the differences in others. I am confident now to take on more responsibility and step into leadership roles. I am encouraged to continue to grow as a leader.”
2016-2017 SBP LEADERS PROGRAM COHORT
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the case studies of others. The program finished with participants presenting a group project that required them to summarize not only what they had learned that had most impacted them, but also share their thoughts on the importance of exploring one’s leadership and management talents, as well as participating in leadership development activities, such as this program, early in their careers. Perhaps the biggest endorsement for the program came from two simple questions on the end-of-program evaluation, the answers to which indicated a significant shift in participants’ perceptions of themselves/others and understanding of leadership by the end of the program, compared to their perceptions and understanding at the start (see graph below).
Based on feedback received throughout the 2016-2017 program, we have expanded this year’s program to include 1) additional practical sessions where participants will work through case studies and current challenges, 2) a stronger focus on building and managing one’s team, 3) a module dedicated to developing strategic collaborations both within and external to one’s organization, and 4) additional speakers to bring their unique expertise to these added topics. The 20172018 program, which commences August 18th, welcomed applications from senior graduate students and staff scientists, as well as postdocs, from SBP, Salk, TSRI, and UCSD. Additionally, we transitioned the program name to “Torrey Pines Leadership Development Program at SBP,” solidifying our own leadership in the training and development of young scientists, not just at SBP, but also on the Torrey Pines mesa.
“[The presentation content] was very eye opening for me. With this information I'm better equipped to deal with working with others in the workplace. You gave us the right amount of tools to at least have an awareness of why things occur the way they do.” In the next OETIS Chronicle, you will hear first-hand from some of the inaugural participants, a few of whom have chosen to participate again this coming year as Peer Mentors to the new cohort. In the meantime, you can learn more about the SBP Leaders program on the program website or by contacting OETIS.
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Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Student-Mentor Retreat By Mary Bradley, M.L.A. (Manager, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences) On May 18-19, 2017, the Graduate School held their annual retreat for students and faculty at the Lakehouse Hotel and Resort, San Marcos. The theme this year was “Create a Fuller Picture: Using Collaborations to Enhance Your Research.” The annual retreat gives students the opportunity to practice their oral presentations skills and receive feedback from their peers and faculty members. The retreat kicked off with a professional development workshop, led by Dr. Diane Klotz (Director of OETIS) on identifying one’s strengths towards developing a value statement. Students can use these value statements on their LinkedIn profile and/or CV or resume which describe the unique talents and skills that they bring to an organization or team. Student organizers Katja Birker and Daniel Ojeda Juarez arranged the schedule and worked with the Graduate School office to ensure a smoothly run event. Dr. Jerold Chun of SBP and Dr. Bill Parks, Director of the Graduate Program at Cedars-Sinai, gave keynote speeches. All students gave 15 minute talks, and Wesley McKeithan (Mercola lab) won this year’s coveted “Golden Coyote” award for best presentation (photo to the right). The retreat also provided an opportunity to network, share science and promote community. On Thursday evening, students and faculty engaged in conversations over a reception and dinner near the lake. Overall, the retreat was a success! The weather was great, and everyone enjoyed the lakeside views. Plans are already in the works for next year!
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Travel Guidelines By Susie Bolor (Sr. International Advisor) FOREIGN NATIONALS If you are planning to travel outside the United States please complete and return a Travel Request Form to International Services as soon as possible before your planned departure from the United States. Your request will allow our office to review your immigration documents before you travel to facilitate a smooth re-entry into the United States. Travel out of the United States: •
Before traveling, please check that your immigration documents are valid and that they will be valid upon your re-entry to the U.S.
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Your passport should be valid at least 6 months into the future from the date you plan to re-enter the U.S.
Re-entering the United States at the port of entry: Present your immigration documents when re-entering the U.S. depending on your immigration status, it is important to carry the following documents with you at all times: o
Valid, original passport
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You must have valid, original Form DS-2019 (J-1 Scholar) or Form I-20 (F-1 Student) with travel validation endorsement from International Services.
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Valid, original Form DS-2019 (J-1 Scholar) or Form I-20 (F-1 Student) with travel endorsement signature
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If you are traveling out of the U.S. check your visa stamp to make sure it is valid for re-entry to the United States.
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Valid, original EAD card for F-1 Student engaging in OPT
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For F-1 Student on OPT, bring a letter from your employer stating that you will return to the United States to resume your employment
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Form I-797 Receipt Notice for F-1 Student if OPT application is pending
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Valid, original Form I-797 Receipt Notice or Approval Notice (H-1B; TN if you changed to TN status in the U.S.)
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If you will travel to a country outside the U.S. other than your own, check with that country’s embassy first to see if a visa is required for entry to their country. If your child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, you should provide that person a notarized letter authorizing your child to travel in their care.
Travel within the United States: •
If you will travel solely within the United States, please carry the following immigration documents with you at all times, whichever is applicable to your current immigration status: o o o o o
Valid, original passport Current I-94 (Arrival/Departure) online printout. See the CBP Fact Sheet Valid, original Form DS-2019 (J-1 Scholar and J-1 Student) or Form I-20 (F-1 Student) Valid, original Form I-797 Receipt Notice or Approval Notice (H-1B: TN- if you changed to TN status in the U.S.) Green Card (Form I-551)
U.S. CITIZEN & LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS If you are traveling to a country outside of the U.S. for business, study, or pleasure, before you go, please visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection and Department of State websites to get the complete information you need on the process and requirements. For complete information on travel related questions outside and within the United States, or would like to meet with an Immigration Advisor, please contact International Services. Have a safe and pleasant trip from SBP International Services! OETIS Chronicle
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Congratulations to Our Recent Graduates
Gianluigi Lichinchi, Ph.D. Dissertation Title: “Dynamics of RNA methylation during HIV and ZIKV infections” Mentor: Dr. Tariq Rana
Gianluigi was born and raised in Italy. As a kid, he always showed interest in science, chemistry, and biology. He obtained a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the University of Padova (Italy). While at Padova, Gianluigi worked in protein biochemistry, focusing on α-synuclein and its folding/aggregation dynamics in Parkinson’s disease. In 2010, he moved to ETH (Zurich – Switzerland) as an exchange student, and worked on designing immuno-cytokines as anti-cancer agents. In 2011, Gianluigi entered the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences as a student in the laboratory of Dr. Tariq Rana. For the first time, he was exposed to the RNA biology field and started working on RNA chemical modifications, also known as epitranscriptomics. During his time, Gianluigi studied the function of N-6-methyladeonsine modification of RNA during HIV and ZIKV infections of human cells. The findings of his work have led to two first-author publications in Nature Microbiology and Cell Host & Microbe journals and a presentation at the 2016 RNA biology Symposium, held at the Salk Institute. Following graduation, Gianluigi will spend more time in the laboratory of Dr. Rana with the intent to study other RNA modifications and elucidate further aspects in epitranscriptomics.
Khooshbu Shah, Ph.D. Dissertation Title: “Pathological Interactions of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) Cardiomyocytes with ARVD/C Mesenchymal Stromal Cells” Mentor: Dr. Vincent Chen Khooshbu has always been interested in science and specifically the inner workings of the human body. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in human biology from The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2011. Under the mentorship of Dr. Christian Carson at Becton Dickinson (BD) Biosciences, Khooshbu became interested in the regenerative potential of stem cells and their infinite capabilities and decided to pursue a career in stem cell research. In 2013, Khooshbu entered the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences as a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Vincent Chen to study the pathological crosstalk between cardiomyocytes and non-myocardial cells in the disease progression of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C), using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) modeling. During her time at SBP, she has investigated therapeutic and translational approaches to benefit those who suffer from ARVD/C, co-authored publications in European Heart Journal and Circulation J., and presented her work at the Heart Rhythm Society and Keystone Conferences. Following graduation, Khooshbu will move back to the Bay Area and pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry towards helping bridge the gap between the clinics and academic research in addressing the unmet clinical needs for patients suffering from heart diseases.
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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & EVENTS PERSUADING OTHERS Date/Time: August 14, 2017 (3:00-5:00 pm) Being able to persuade others is a critical skill for any career. We must convince an employer to hire us, persuade our boss to let us start a project, or get our coworkers to help us out. This talk offers a rational approach to persuasion: it covers how to use personal or organizational power, deploy tactics on four different planes, and harness basic social influences so as to have other people accede more easily to our requests. Speaker: Jean-Luc Doumont, Ph.D. An engineer (Louvain) and PhD in applied physics (Stanford), Jean-luc is acclaimed worldwide for his no-nonsense approach, his highly applicable, often life-changing recommendations on a wide range of topics, and Trees, maps, and theorems, his book about “effective communication for rational minds” Location: Trustees Room, Salk Institute (No Registration Required)
CAREERS & COFFEE: RESEARCH CAREERS IN LARGE BIOTECH COMPANIES Date/Time: August 23, 2017 (2:00-3:00 pm) In this career exploration series, a different career path will be featured in which professionals will discuss how they leveraged their education and training to transition into their positions as well as answer any questions you may have about on-the-job details or what hiring managers are looking for in applicants. This is your opportunity to explore a variety of nonacademic career paths, determine where your skills and talents may be best utilized, and start to expand your professional network. Speakers:
Kent Boles, Ph.D. (Senior Scientist, Synthetic Genomics, Inc.) Dr. Kent Boles started at Synthetic Genomics, Inc as a scientist in 2013. Previously, he had trained as a physiologist (MS) and an immunologist (PhD, 2 x postdocs). He even ran a phage core in a nanotechnology consortium. He trained and worked in Texas, Oxford, St Louis, and La Jolla. Along the way, he lead or was involved in many innovative projects, most recently the Digital to Biological Converter just published in Nature Biotechnology. Nate Baird, Ph.D. (Scientist, Illumina) Dr. Nate Baird is the lead Scientist in the Transplant Diagnostics group at Illumina. This group focuses on using the power of nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) to improve the health of transplant patients. Nate received his PhD in Dr. Johnson’s lab at the University of Oregon, where he pioneered the use of sequence specific barcodes applied to NGS, facilitating multiplexed samples sequenced in parallel. This breakthrough allowed Nate to create the RAD-seq genotyping technique. He also did a postdoc in Dr. Dillin’s lab at UC Berkeley and the Salk Institute, focusing on the molecular genetics of aging. Location: Building 5, Room 5332 Register through the OETIS Intranet Calendar
NATIONAL POSTDOCTORAL APPRECIATION WEEK (NPAW) National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week (NPAW) is a week for recognizing the scientific contributions that postdocs make to the research enterprise. The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) has celebrated this occasion since 2009 and institutions across the United States, Canada and India have participated. SBP-SN & OETIS have scheduled several events throughout the week of September 18-22. The agenda is below; stay tuned for further details! th
Sept. 18: Coffee/Smoothie Cart
Sept: 19: 16 Annual Postdoctoral Symposium & Fishman Fund Award Ceremony
Sept. 20: CV/Resume Review Session
Sept. 22: Annual Postdoc Appreciation BBQ Lunch
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POSTDOC/STUDENT POPULATION AS OF JULY 21, 2017
Postdoc Total Count = 161 La Jolla Total per location 135 Postdoc Associates 106 Postdoc Associates, Sr. 8 Postdoc Fellows 20 Staff Fellows 1 Graduate Students Total Count = 42
Lake Nona 27 23 0 4 0
La Jolla
Lake Nona
42 25 17
0 0 0
Total per location Grad Students, SBP Grad Students, External
CEASED AFFILIATION WITH SBP, APRIL – JUNE 2017
Postdoc = 12 Total per location Postdoc Associates Postdoc Associates, Sr. Postdoc Fellows Graduate Students = 7 Total per location Grad Students, SBP Grad Students, External
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La Jolla 10 10 0 0
Lake Nona 2 2 0 0
La Jolla 7 3 4
Lake Nona 0 0 0
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OETIS Celebrates the Success of our Trainees Francesca Boscolo Sesillo (GSBS student in the Sacco Lab) has been admitted into the 2017 ASCB-KGI Biotech Course: Managing Science in the Biotech Industry: An Intensive Course for Students and Postdocs
Bernhard Lechtenberg, Ph.D. (Postdoc in the Riedl Lab) received a participation scholarship from the German Academic International Network (GAIN) to attend the 17th Annual GAIN Meeting
Coming in the next issue…… • • • •
Preuss 2-week Summer Research Program GSBS New Student Orientation National Postdoc Appreciation Week SBP Annual Postdoctoral Symposium
If you would like to contribute content to the next issue, please contact OETIS@SBP.edu
Office of Education, Training, & International Services Staff Diane M. Klotz, Ph.D. Director
Education & Training
International Services
Mary B. Bradley, M.L.A. Manager, Graduate School
Susie Bolor Senior International Advisor
Nisha A. Cavanaugh, Ph.D. Manager, Postdoctoral & Academic Programs
Doug Broadhurst, M.A. Manager, International Services
Leadership Support Guy Salvesen, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor, Graduate Education
Malene Hansen, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor, Postdoctoral Training
Julie Cooke Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Please contact oetis@sbp.edu for any questions or concerns. OETIS Chronicle
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