How to Succeed in Ecology:
Advice from Senior Ecologists and Rising Stars
   
Wednesday, August 10, 8:00pm-10:00pm
Meeting Room 517D, Level 5, Palais des Congrès de Montréal
   
Ecology is a competitive field, and to be deemed successful by one’s peers, an ecologist must exhibit many characteristics, such as perseverance, creativity, knowledge, and innovation. Senior ecologists and rising stars from a diverse cross-section of ecological disciplines will discuss suggested strategies for success in academic and non-academic arenas with current and past students. After a brief introduction to the session, small discussion groups will be formed with invited guests and participants where various discussion topics will be covered, including, advice regarding interviewing and negotiating, developing a post-doc/faculty research program, finding funding, publishing productively, networking effectively, deciding between an academic and non-academic career path, and dealing with the “two-body” problem (i.e., finding positions for married/partnered pairs). We expect this session to have broad appeal for all ecologists and that discussion will be motivated by student attendees.

Schedule of Discussion Topics (tentative):

8-8:10 Introduction and settling in
8:10-8:20  Networking, Collaborating, and Opportunities and Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research
8:20-8:40  Interviewing and Negotiating
8:40-9:00  Getting Funding, Writing Grant Proposals, and Publishing Productively
9:00-9:20  Balancing Teaching and Research, Setting Up a Post-Doc or Faculty Research Program, and Managing a Productive Lab
9:20-9:40  Special Topics and Open Discussions
9:40-10:00  Special Topics and Open Discussions

Special Topic Groups (tentative):

Balancing Work and Family: Barbara Peckarsky, Monica Turner

2-Body Problem: Steve Ellner, Emmett Duffy

Non-academic Careers: Patrick Gonzalez, Steve Perakis, Pat Megonigal

Choosing a Grad School/ Program / Advisor: Mary Power, Jeb Byers

Open Discussion Groups:

(1) Simon Levin, Fiorenza Micheli

(2) Joan Roughgarden, David Inouye

(3) Terry Chapin, Charlene D’Avanzo

(4) Stuart Pimm, Mathew Leibold

(5) Nelson Hairston Jr., Melinda Smith

(6) Pamela Matson, Jack Williams

(7) Peter Abrams, Tony Ives, Dov Sax

(8) Scott Collins, Alan Knapp, Bradley Cardinale

(9) Chris Field, Sharon Collinge, Geoff Trussel

(10) Peter Morin, Carla Caceres

     

Invited Guests (confirmed)
  
Name Affiliation Website Abbreviated CV
Peter Abrams University of Toronto website  
Jeb Byers University of New Hampshire website CV
Carla Cáceres University of Illinois website CV
Bradley Cardinale University of California at Santa Barbara website CV
Terry Chapin University of Alaska - Fairbanks website  
Jim Clark Duke University website CV
Sharon Collinge University of Colorado at Boulder website CV
Scott Collins University of New Mexico website CV
Charlene D'Avanzo Hampshire College website  
Emmett Duffy Virginia Institute of Marine Science website CV
Steve Ellner Cornell University website  
Chris Field Carnegie Institute of Washington website   
Patrick Gonzalez The Nature Conservancy website CV
Nelson Hairston Jr Cornell University website  
David Inouye University of Maryland website
Tony Ives University of Wisconsin at Madison website  
Alan Knapp Colorado State University website CV
Mathew Leibold University of Chicago website  
Simon Levin Princeton University website CV
Pamela Matson Stanford University website CV
Pat Megonigal Smithsonian Environmental Research Center website  
Fiorenza Micheli Stanford University website  
Peter Morin Rutgers University website CV
Barbara Peckarsky Cornell University website CV
Steve Perakis USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center website  
Stuart Pimm Duke University website CV
Mary Power University of California at Berkeley website CV
Joan Roughgarden Stanford University website  
Dov Sax University of California at Santa Barbara website CV
Melinda Smith Yale University website CV
Geoff Trussell Northeastern University website CV
Monica Turner University of Wisconsin at Madison website CV
Jack Williams University of Wisconsin at Madison website CV


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