2007 William Whitney Professional Development Workshops

The purpose of these ever-popular sessions is to help students make short-term career decisions in the context of long-term life and career goals. The topics will address a variety of issues you will encounter as you enter graduate school or the workplace. These sessions will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Winnett Lounge. A light supper will be served at each session.

June 18  - Winnett Lounge
Speakers: Dr. William Whitney, Deputy Manager, Education Office, JPL
Dr. Jerry Houser, Director, Caltech Career Development Center

Inventing your Future:  What are your Options?
Progress in moving toward an interesting and satisfying career has more to do with actively inventing and systematically exploring future possibilities than with passively waiting until inspiration for the perfect choice strikes like a bolt from the blue. The engineering of a space mission requires knowledge of the scientific objectives, and systematic consideration of the options for carrying out each step given the capabilities and limitations of current technology and constraints in schedule and in funding.   Bill Whitney will describe how you can use the same approach in planning possible career paths for yourself.  Jerry Houser will help you inventory and strengthen your personal credentials and marshal the information and other resources you will need to assess your options and carry out your plans. 

June 25 – Winnett Lounge
Speaker: Yvonne Banzali, Career Counselor, Caltech Career Development Center

Secrets of the Polished Professional: Tips & Tactics for Networking, Relationship Building & Social Etiquette
Do you…feel awkward at a workshop, conference or professional event? Tend to forget other people’s names? Don’t know how to approach a person or group? Would like to learn how to gracefully leave a conversation? Have unknowingly conducted networking faux pas and would like to prevent it from happening again?  Networking and social etiquette skills are essential and powerful tools for getting a job and succeeding in it! Come and learn the tips and tactics to become a polished professional.  **Business cards are important professional tools when networking. We suggest bringing business cards for this event, so be prepared! Call Caltech Graphic Resources at x3042 for a quote. You’ll have the opportunity at the workshop to hand them out to faculty and alumni.

July 2 – Winnett Lounge
Speakers: Grace-Fischer Adams, Intellectual Property, Office of the General Counsel
Fred Farina, Asst Vice President for Technology Transfer

Intellectual Property and Tech Transfer
This session will focus on issues surrounding intellectual property and starting up high tech companies from university research. Issues with include patents, copyrights, and proprietary information as well as what it takes to start a company. Many undergraduates encounter these issues as they engage in their research, and this workshop will address your questions.

July 9 – Winnett Lounge
Speakers: Ornah Becker, Caltech Ombuds and Candace Rypisi, Director of Student-Faculty Programs

Real Life Drama: Ethical Dilemmas When Doing Science
Ethical issues are involved in all facets of academic and professional processes, experiences, and decisions.  This workshop will provide you a foundation from which to critically analyze ethical dilemmas as they arise.

July 16 –Winnett Lounge
Speaker: April White-Castaneda, Director of Staff Education and Career Development

Embrace Your Fear Like a Pro: Standing Up and Giving Effective Presentations
It has been said that science not communicated is essentially science not done. Those who communicate effectively are often invited to give presentations or to write articles to explain their own work or the work of others. Their audiences may be colleagues or students, or they may be lay people-the public or the media. This session will provide information, tips, and resources for preparing excellent oral presentations, including your required talk at the end of SURF.

July 23 –Winnett Lounge
Speaker: TBD

This weeks Whitney Workshop has been cancelled.

July 30 –Winnett Lounge
Speaker: Jonie Watanabe Tsuji, Career Counselor, Career Development Center and Panel of Caltech faculty and graduate students

Graduate School: The Nuts and Bolts of the Application Process
Thinking of applying to graduate school? This session will provide useful information as you consider this next step in your academic career, write your personal statement, apply for fellowships, and select the institution you will attend.