Gpdn Annual Conference - 2020

2020 Virtual Conference

In conjunction with the CAGS Annual Conference, the GPDN hosts a special conference for professionals who support graduate and postdoctoral development. The aim is to share best practices, and engage in discussion on issues in our field.

Due to Covid-19, this year we will be going virtual -all sessions will be held on Zoom.

Dates: Wednesday November 18 and Thursday November 19, 2020 from approximately 1pm-6pm EST.

Agenda

Diversifying our Programs for Change

This is an unprecedented time in higher education. Our students and postdoctoral fellows are attempting to navigate online learning, remote research and a changing job market. They’re trying to foster connections and build a network in a “socially distant” environment. Some things haven’t changed; we still live in racist society, and we continue to prepare our students and postdocs to move into a working world that is also racist. Let’s come together to discuss how we are adapting and evolving our programs, services, and initiatives to meet the diverse needs of our students and postdoctoral fellows.

Download the full agenda and description here.

2020 Conference Overview

We are thrilled that Neil Price will be delivering the keynote, titled: Re-imagining the academy: moving beyond ineffective approaches to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Complementing this talk will be a plenary session on Day 2: Cultural Humility Primer led by Dr. Shalini Nag. This session will build on the topics discussed during the keynote and will be part 1 of a two-part professional development training opportunity for the GPDN membership. Part 2 of the training, Integrating inclusion in our programs will take place December 7 (registration information will be provided through the member list-serve closer to that date). Additionally, there will be a series of member generated lightning talks (10min each) followed by roundtable discussions to dive deeper into the topics that you are most interested in. Check out the details below!

Wednesday, November 18

Neil Price Re-Imagining the Academy: Moving Beyond Ineffective Approaches to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Neil Price | Keynote
1:15-2:15PM (EST)

The goal of fulfilling commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in higher education has come up against the harsh reality of entrenched systemic racism and the ongoing exclusion of Black, Indigenous and other racialized persons. In our contemporary moment, it is clear that our current approaches to EDI are broken and will not achieve our intended goal. In his keynote address, educator and writer Neil Price will outline how we arrived at this critical juncture, and discuss why EDI—as it is typically delivered—will not shift our institutions toward change. Neil’s presentation will provoke critical questions and dialogue related to ways in which educators, administrators, faculty and students can begin to collectively think our way toward new and urgently needed approaches.

Neil Price is an educator, writer and editor whose work focuses on community, higher education and culture. Neil is currently Dean at Fleming College’s School of Justice and Community Development, and is pursuing a PhD student in Adult Education and Community Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) – University of Toronto. Neil is the former Executive Director of LogicalOutcomes, a not-for-profit consulting firm that aims to improve the effectiveness of human services work and social policy. His writing has appeared in NOW Magazine, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Hazlitt, Canadian Art and This Magazine. A CivicAction Fellow, Neil taught at George Brown College for over 10 years.

Lightning Talks Round 1: Innovative Curriculum Development

Lightning Talks (3:45-4:15PM)

Each of the following presenters will deliver a brief (10min) presentation:

Lessons learned from a formal evaluation of our Leadership Essential Series

- Kristy Clarke, Concordia University.

The ABCs of an IDP

- Lorna MacEachern, McGill University.

Concordia PhDs: A Summary of their Career Outcomes

- Gina Beltran, Concordia University.

Vicarious Professional Development via Online Forums

- Catherine Swytink-Binnema and Derrick Rancourt, University of Calgary.

Roundtable Discussions (3:00-3:30PM)

Following the lightning talks, each presenter will facilitate a discussion on their topic in breakout rooms. Participants will be able to select which breakout room they wish to join.

Lightning Talks Round 2: Career Preparedness in Uncertain Times

Lightning Talks (3:45-4:15PM)

Each of the following presenters will deliver a brief (10min) presentation:

The OPTIONS Program: Cohort-based career supports for engineers at the University of Toronto

- Teresa Didiano and Jonathan Turner, University of Toronto.

Piloting a curriculum of self-learning, peer-learning, and experiential learning to enhance career preparedness in clinical and regulatory affairs

- Emily Bell, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre,

Determining the Value of Informational Interviews

- Ryan Klopp and Derrick Rancourt, University of Calgary.

Roundtable Discussions (4:15-4:45PM)

Following the lightning talks, each presenter will facilitate a discussion on their topic in breakout rooms. Participants will be able to select which breakout room they wish to join.

Happy Hour

Thursday, November 19

Shalini Nag Cultural Humility Primer

Shalini Nag | Plenary
1:00PM-2PM (EST)

This session will review the thought-starters from the keynote by Neil Price, explore personal identity vs. prototypes, stereotypes and archetypes, and build awareness of how we embed our lived experience in policies and programs that we create. This session is part 1 of a two-part professional development training opportunity for the GPDN membership. Part 2 of the training, “Integrating inclusion in our programs” will take place on December 7, 2020. registration information will be provided to GPDN members via the List-Serve closer to that date.

A global citizen and avid traveler, Dr. Shalini Nag is a firm believer in the limitless potential of people united by a common goal. She has experienced this first-hand in her work with over 85 organizations worldwide. Shalini leans on her scientific background and natural empathy to blend data-driven approaches with real-world business know-how to shift organizations from reactive problem-solving to proactive issue prevention. Her experience in curriculum design and training, group facilitation, individual mentoring and coaching has delivered measurable results at non-profits, academic institutions, and for-profit companies across industries ranging from Start-Ups to Fortune 500 companies. Having personally transitioned from academia, to business consulting to entrepreneurship, and experienced a range of social, and organizational cultures, Shalini is passionate about inclusion, equity and justice. Her personal experiences add remarkable depth to her work in creating high-trust, high-inclusion, high-development cultures through consulting, training and keynote speaking. Shalini completed her PhD. in structural biology at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, her postdoctoral research in cell biology at Yale University. She was a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group prior to starting her firm EvidaSolve.

Lightning Talks Round 3: The COVID Pivot

Lightning Talks (2:15-2:45PM)

Each of the following presenters will deliver a brief (10min) presentation:

Empowering Doctoral Students to Take Charge of their Future during Covid

Julie Jonkhans, Western University.

More than just careers – professional development courses during COVID-19 may contribute to resilience in biomedical graduate students

Helen Miliotis, University of Toronto.

COVID-19 and Doctoral Professional Development at the Unit Level

Loleen Berdahl, University of Saskatchewan and Jonathan Malloy, Carleton University.

Roundtable Discussions (2:45-3:15PM)

Following the lightning talks, each presenter will facilitate a discussion on their topic in breakout rooms. Participants will be able to select which breakout room they wish to join.

Lightning Talks Round 4: New Student Transition and Building Community Online

Lightning Talks (3:30-4:00PM)

Each of the following presenters will deliver a brief (10min) presentation:

Beyond Zoom Gloom: Building community online with our graduate student team

Carrie Hanson and April Babey, McGill University.

Grad Ready: How COVID-19 made us rethink graduate orientation and transition

Sarah Howard and Angela Rooke, University of Waterloo.

Together@Dal: Grad Edition –Fostering Online Engagement and Facilitating Community Building for Incoming Graduate Students.

Mabel Ho, Dalhousie University (Contributors: Kenneth Conrad, Lexie Milmine, Jo Minx, Andrew Riley, and Jasmine Smart).

Roundtable Discussions (4:00-4:30PM)

Following the lightning talks, each presenter will facilitate a discussion on their topic in breakout rooms. Participants will be able to select which breakout room they wish to join.

Final Wrap Up and Goodbyes