The term "brand" wasn't on George Carlin's list of “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” but it could have been.

In 1972, the late comedian George Carlin included a track on his album Class Clown titled, “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” Depending on your sensibilities, the seven words (which we won’t include here) are either offensive or “much ado about nothing.” Carlin’s seven words did not include the term “brand,” but they could have since the term often evokes a negative, visceral reaction. For many, “brand” conjures up visions of a detached, corporate monolith or a vain, vapid individual (see Kardashian, Kim?). But is “brand” a dirty word? Is it a bad thing for graduate students to develop their “brand” as a means of marketing their skills and abilities?  And what is your personal brand, anyway?

We hope to answer the first two questions as this post proceeds. The third question is answered best by Tufts computer science graduate alumnus Michael Sheeley, EG05.

We all have a personal brand, so you need to develop it. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Your brand is how your industry, coworkers, and customers perceive you.” says Sheeley, cofounder and chief executive officer of Kicksout, Inc. “Every action you make, product you build, or social media post you publish is being seen by people around you. You are developing your brand whether you like it or not.”

In the first two posts of this series (A Graduate Student Guide to Developing Your Professional Profile—Part 1: For Careers Teaching in Academia and A Graduate Student Guide to Developing Your Professional Profile—Part 2: For Professional Careers in Academia) we shared best practices for landing a teaching gig or a professional position in academia. Some approaches suggested by our alumni and staff included publishing research and becoming “embedded” in an office at a college or university. The term “brand” didn’t come up, but it could have—especially if you agree with Michael Sheeley’s belief that we are all in the personal branding business whether we “like it or not.” 

In this post, we leave academia and enter the worlds of industry, nonprofits, and other fields. These worlds are, well, different and, with help from Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni and alumni of the graduate programs offered by the School of Engineering, we hope to give graduate students the tools to not only navigate these spaces but to get noticed—and hopefully hired—by the people who inhabit them.

Don’t Be Someone You’re Not

Frank Abagnale, made famous in the film Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was one of the most famous imposters in United States history. From 1964 to 1969, Abagnale impersonated a PanAm pilot (reportedly flying over one million miles free of charge); a teaching assistant at Brigham Young University (after forging a Columbia University degree); a doctor; and an attorney. Eventually, Abagnale was captured in France and spent four years in an American prison before being released to assist federal authorities with crimes committed by fraud and scam artists.

The lesson? If you try to be someone you’re not, you’ll eventually be exposed as a fraud. While it’s unlikely that graduate students who misrepresent themselves will be sentenced to prison or be the subject of a movie directed by Steven Spielberg, there can be repercussions if you market yourself as something you’re not.

The key to avoiding this fate is to heed the advice of GSAS alumnus Glenn Engler, A83, G89.

Share what you're passionate about...even if it's playing air guitar. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“When I guest lecture about digital and social media at Tufts and other institutions, I encourage students to share their passions,” said Engler, who earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in economics from Tufts in 1983 and 1989, respectively, and is on Twitter and writes a blog “I remember asking one class if anyone had a blog. One person raised her hand and said she blogged about marketing because she felt it was what prospective employers cared about. Based on our conversation, I was not convinced that she had a passion for marketing and I would suspect that it came through in her writing. Contrast this with another student who said he liked to write about street art because he loved ‘everything about it.’ If I were hiring, I’d much prefer engaging with the second student because I could see what he was interested in and passionate about.”

Michael Sheeley adds, 

“Don’t try to market yourself as someone who is experienced if you’re not. Instead use your inexperience as an advantage. If you’re a student or a recent graduate you’re at a place in your career where you can take some huge risks. Everyone who is experienced, myself included, wishes they were young and could take risks. Take career risks, don’t be afraid to fail, and learn from these big moves and share the experience. People will take note and probably wish they were able to do the same. You and your brand will then become something that is in demand.”

Be A Model Intern

There’s more to landing a job than having an awesome blog or a huge Twitter following, though. Face-to-face interactions through internships, for example, are a great way for graduate students to not only acquire essential skills, but to develop a professional reputation (i.e., “brand”) as well.

“The internship requirement of my graduate program helped me get my current position,” said Craig Nicholson, who earned a Master of Arts in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts’ GSAS in 2007 and is the director of sustainable development, LEED AP at Ajax Partners. “I knew my current colleagues on a limited basis prior to my graduate studies, as I had been an environmental consultant on a project they were developing in Boston. I can remember sitting at a table with these colleagues during my first year as a graduate student and sharing that I needed to complete an internship as part of my studies. Within a few weeks, I was working with Ajax as a part-time intern. I joined the team full-time a year later and have been there ever since.”

Eddie Aftandilian, a software engineer at Google who earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the Tufts School of Engineering in 2011, concurs on the importance of internships adding that,

“If I could go back, I would have done one or more summer internships during my Ph.D. It may have slowed down my research a bit, but it would have given me more perspective on job prospects outside of academia.”  

A practicum in a different field can also be a good move for graduate students interested in making themselves more marketable.

“During graduate school, I sought out opportunities for experience in fields I wanted to be involved in,” said Beth Jackson-Gagne, who earned a Master of Science in occupational therapy from Tufts’ GSAS in 1995 and is the founder of Baby Stay Asleep, LLC. “I applied for grant money and did an extra practicum in the pediatric field. The practicum helped lead to my first job offer.”

Network, Network, Network

Professional networks come in many forms. There are those you develop online and those created through internships, practicums, and other field experiences. These networks, composed of people in your field of interest, can play a pivotal role in you career trajectory—since it does matter “who you know” and “who knows you.”

A great way for graduate students to get noticed and expand their professional network is to attend conferences.

Professional networks can play a pivotal role in your career trajectory. Image courtesy of Basketman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Attending conferences let me network with people in my field, which is incredibly important,” said Eddie Aftandilian. “At the Ph.D. level, the research area is small enough that you’ll get to know many of the people working on the same problem. Chances are you’ll continue to run into these colleagues throughout your career.”

But Aftandilian does offer one piece of advice.

“Students often have negative associations with the term ‘networking,’” he said. “But networking in an academic sense really just means talking to people and making friends. Don’t ‘clump’ together with people from your institution. Sit with new people at lunch and interact with them.”

 In the end, though, it’s all about the work you produce.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of building and maintaining your network regardless of the industry,” said Tufts GSAS alumnus Gabriel J. Lopez-Bernal, a senior transit planner at TranSystems who earned a Master of Arts in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts GSAS in 2010. “However, it’s important to remember that networking is only part of the equation and that your professional reputation is built upon a strong work ethic and high quality work. While making new connections is a critical aspect of advancing your career, you have to be able to perform at the capacity that is expected of you.”

Be Online in A Big Way

Here’s an experiment. Start a stopwatch and then type your name into a web search engine. Now look at your stopwatch. How long does it take to find out where you went to college? Where you work? What your interests are? Ten seconds? Twenty seconds?

Of course, there are no perfect answers to these questions. What is beyond dispute, though, is that we all have an online presence. And one of the first places a prospective employer, potential colleague, or future client will go to find information on you is the web. Therefore, it’s critically important to be present and active online.

“You have to maintain a professional profile that people will find when they search for your name online.” said Eddie Aftandilian. “Also, wherever you choose to be on the Internet, you need content there that explains what you do and lists your accomplishments.”

Everyone (and we mean everyone) should be on LinkedIn.

This active online presence can take many forms, but Glenn Engler believes that one thing is essential.

“A LinkedIn profile is a must,” said Engler, who is CEO of the Digital Influence Group. “A blog may be a good idea, too. If you blog, you don’t need to write thousands of words—a 400-word blog post or a few images on a Pinterest board can tell a lot about who you are.”

Michael Sheeley, for one, thinks blogging is a good idea.

“When I started there wasn’t social media like there is today,” said Sheeley, who is on Twitter and has a blog. “I started my blog in 2007, almost seven years after my career started. I took a lot of risks when I started out—and I still do today—but I wasn’t able to share these experiences as they were happening. I try to share these experiences now, but they lack the true authenticity that they could have if I had been writing about them as they were unfolding.”

But if you do choose to take the social media plunge, it’s important to connect with the people who follow you on Twitter, comment on your blog, and “like” your Facebook page.

“I interact with people, and I try to give them a reason to read what I’m putting on the Internet,” said alumnus and author Brendan Halpin, who earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Tufts GSAS in 1993, and is on Twitter and has blog. “So I try—not always successfully—to be funny and to link to things that I find interesting. If you’re using social media to just broadcast, you’re doing it wrong. I never bought a book because an author just tweeted links to me. But I have bought books from people I’ve interacted with because I want to support people I like.”

Blogging or tweeting is not enough. You need to engage with the people who read your blog or follow you on Twitter. Image courtesy of Basketman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Naturally, there may be some trepidation about writing a blog (“what if no one reads it?”) or joining Twitter (“what if no one follows me?”), but the key to being successful is having web-related content that resonates with your target population.

This is an approach Gabriel J. Lopez-Bernal followed with some great results.

“When I was an undergraduate at the University of Florida, I decided to launch my own nonprofit advocacy group, TransitMiami.com” said Lopez-Bernal. “Transit Miami gave me a platform to affect change within my home community, Miami, and helped me develop my skills in writing, policy, and community outreach. At first, the site was just a place for me to express my opinions, but Transit Miami grew beyond my expectations. It turned out that people in the industry I wanted to break into—local politicians, urban planners, and other peers—were reading my writing and, after delivering a speech to a fellow nonprofit group, a local transportation consultant offered me my first job in the industry.” 

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! Do you have advice for building your professional profile? Are there any best practices that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

A Graduate Student Guide to Developing Your Professional Profile—Part 2: For Professional Careers in Academia

A Graduate Student Guide to Developing Your Professional Profile—Part 1: For Careers Teaching in Academia

How to Recognize and Resolve Conflict in the Lab, the Classroom, and in Other Academic Settings

Coming to America: How to Make the Most of the International Graduate Student Experience

How to Make it Through the First Year of a Ph.D. Program in One, Albeit Frazzled, Piece

But teaching is just one academic career graduate students can pursue. Higher education also includes deans (yes, many of whom are former professors); directors; managers; and a host of other professionals.

How diverse are the career options in higher ed? Look no further than our Tufts alumni who are working in areas such as athletics (Danielle Ryder, G10, head field hockey coach, University of New England); alumni affairs (Usha Sellers, J57, G58, program director, Tufts Travel-Learn); advancement (Amber Countis, G09, director of prospect research, Norwich University); admissions (Laurie Hurley, A91, G00, director of admissions, Tufts’ Fletcher School); career services (Linda Spencer, G78, assistant director/unit head, Harvard University Office of Career Services); student affairs (David Rivera, G03, assistant director of student affairs, Yale School of Public Health); technology (Will Hilley, E94, manager, information technology services web development, Tufts University); and marketing/communications (Gail Bambrick, G79, G90, senior marketing communications writer, Tufts University).

There is, believe it or not, a clear path you can follow when pursuing a career in academia. Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

While the steps to becoming a faculty member and staying productive are fairly clear (publish and present research, acquire teaching experience, serve on committees) the path to professional careers in academia aren’t that straightforward—or are they?

In this post, Tufts University staff members and alumni address this question, sharing how they carved out successful careers in higher education and how you can, too.

Opportunity is Everywhere

The truth, as Fox Mulder of the X-Files would say, is out there, and so are professional development opportunities in academia. For graduate students the key, like uncovering extraterrestrial life, is knowing where to look.

Opportunities to get experience in academia are "out there." You just need to look in the right place.

“I knew early on that I wanted to work on a college or university campus, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity,” said John Barker, dean of undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts University. “So I pursued my Ph.D. at a place, the University of Rochester, where I could get some real world experience. I gained managerial experience as a graduate head resident, and I worked with residential life and with the school’s McNair program. I did all of this while I was a full-time doctoral student.”

Laurie Hurley, director of admissions at Tufts’ Fletcher School, adds,

“Use your summers wisely by seeking internship positions that broaden and/or deepen your higher education professional experience,” said Hurley, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Asian studies and a Master of Arts in urban and environmental policy from Tufts in 1991 and 2000, respectively. “Also, engage with your undergraduate institution as a volunteer. This is a great way to find out how admissions, career services, alumni relations, and other university offices function.”

Anne Fishman, director of communications for the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts, adds,

“Volunteering can be a great move, especially if you want to pursue a career in communications and have a background in the humanities. Offices of communications, publications, and marketing are always looking for help with copyediting and proofreading, photography, or video editing, and if you are willing to learn the basics—either teach yourself or take a course—volunteering is a great way to apply what you learn and become proficient in producing marketing communications collateral and taking on other communications activities.”

The more you can learn about academia, the better candidate for future employment you'll be. Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

There are other ways students can develop their professional profiles. They can take on leadership roles in their graduate student organizations or serve on university committees which include students. Graduate students can focus their research on a particular aspect of higher education (admissions, advancement, financial aid) and reach out to offices at their colleges or universities. Becoming “imbedded” in an office is a great way to pursue graduate-level work—papers and even theses or dissertations—and learn how a particular part of academia operates.

This broad knowledge, as Dean Barker shares, can be an essential part of your professional toolkit.

“Learn every part of the administration from the ground up,” he said. “If you understand how the budgeting of a department works or how to write grants or how the admissions process functions you will be seen as someone who can adapt and step outside of your comfort zone. If, for example, you love residential life and that’s all you want to do, you’ll eventually want to be a director of housing or a director of student affairs. But if you have a broader definition of what you want to pursue, you will need to be familiar with all the different parts of a college or university.”

Information Matters

People in academia are some of the nicest and most helpful people around. This is a very good thing for graduate students interested in academic careers since these professionals are almost always willing to talk about their career trajectories.

There's no need to be shy. People in higher ed will usually talk with you about their work. Image courtesy of Arvind Balaraman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“One technique I used in my job searches, but wish I had used sooner, is informational interviews,” said Laura Wood, director of Tufts’ Tisch Library. “These are opportunities to meet with professionals and ask them about your field of interest, the current trends, or other specific questions without asking for a job. The understanding is that you are looking for expertise, not help getting a job. In a couple of cases, informational interviews helped me rule out professional directions I had considered.”

Gina Siesing, director of educational and scholarly technology services at Tufts University, concurs, adding that,

“I’m a great believer in the informational interview. Whenever you have interest in a particular kind of career, or when you respect a particular higher education leader, ask that person whether they’d be willing to meet and talk for an hour. Invite them to coffee or lunch so you can ask them about their career path and learn more about their work. These are generally wonderful conversations, and they offer a terrific opportunity to reflect on how you might match your own talents, skills, and interests to the rich range of possible job types in academia.”

Hit the Road

Presenting at conferences is critical to landing a faculty position post graduation. These events are also the place to be if you want to make a name for yourself in the professional higher education world.

Whether by train, plane, or Aston Martin, you need to travel to conferences and make yourself known. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Going to conferences is as important for someone who wants to go into administration as it is for someone who wants to pursue a faculty position,” said Dean Barker. “Every discipline has conferences that faculty attend and where you can present your work. You need to be at these events to shake hands and meet people.”

Adds Amy Ingrid Schlegel, director of the galleries and collections at the Tufts Art Gallery,

“Regularly attending conferences to learn about best practices and new approaches is key. In the museum field, the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries offers a five-day intensive leadership seminar, cosponsored by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. I was invited to participate in this seminar and it gave me many new insights on my own management style. I learned things—how to ‘teach’ leadership, create more buy-in from constituents, and other practical skills—that you don’t learn in a Ph.D. program.”

It’s also crucial to connect with professional organizations in your field.

“I encourage students to get involved with professional organizations as soon as possible,” said Laura Wood. “These organizations provide forums to network, ask questions, and learn. The sooner you can find a way to contribute—whether through presenting, volunteering on a committee, or joining a discussion group—the better.”

“In one professional organization that is core to my field, I moved gradually from helping organize one-day professional development events to serving on the Board of Trustees and its nominating committee,” said Gina Siesing. “Working with professional organizations is a great way to enhance your reputation and that of your institution.”

Keep on Keepin’ On

While making a name for yourself beyond the walls of your university or college is crucial, it’s also important to make a name for yourself within your academic institution. This reputation building can lead to more responsibility and, hopefully, a promotion down the road. How can you make this happen? As Nike says, ‘Just Do It.’

Volunteering for projects can broaden your experience and, in some cases, lead to a promotion. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Volunteer for projects early in your career,” said Jillian Dubman, secretary of the faculty for arts, sciences, and engineering at Tufts University. “You’ll be seen as someone who does good work, is communicative, and is focused on the customer—all of which can help build your credibility within an organization. I’ve been in my current position since 2008, but I’m still learning every year because there are always opportunities for me to participate in new things. Last summer, I volunteered to serve as chair of the action planning committee for the offices of the president and provost. This was a growth experience for me because I had never facilitated a group like this. It gave me an opportunity to use my writing, communication, and facilitation skills in a way I hadn’t before.”

Jeffrey Rawitsch, A04, G09,  manager of music events and publicity for Tufts’ Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center, agrees, adding that,

“Establishing yourself as someone who exceeds expectations is the best way to show that you’re ready for the next step,” said Rawitsch, who earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in child development from Tufts in 2004 and 2009, respectively. “When I say exceeding expectations, I don’t necessarily mean by leaps and bounds. Instead, go beyond the bare minimum required in any job, even if it’s just setting up chairs for a concert performance. There are always things that can be improved upon, like figuring out the most efficient way to set up a stage for a concert. By demonstrating that you can stay ahead of the curve, even if only in small increments, you will show that you are a person who cares enough about the work to complete it down to the last detail.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! Do you have advice for building your professional profile? Are there any best practices that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Recent posts:

A Graduate Student Guide to Developing Your Professional Profile—Part 1: For Careers Teaching in Academia

How to Recognize and Resolve Conflict in the Lab, the Classroom, and in Other Academic Settings

Coming to America: How to Make the Most of the International Graduate Student Experience

How to Make it Through the First Year of a Ph.D. Program in One, Albeit Frazzled, Piece

Grad Student Guide to Pursuing Research Abroad

Like chess, developing your professional reputation requires a good strategy. Photo by Artemis Photo/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

But how do graduate students capture the attention of fellow students, faculty members, and other academics? It almost goes without saying that there’s a lot of research, writing, and presenting involved. But all this labor may be for naught if a graduate student doesn’t strategically approach the development of his or her professional profile.

In this post, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences faculty members and alumni, and faculty from the School of Engineering help answer the question above, sharing strategies that every graduate student can follow to stand out in the world of academia.

Publish, Publish, Publish

It’s never too early for students to start thinking about their academic trajectory—where they want to go and how they’re going to get there. Therefore, the earlier graduate students publish their work the better.

If you want to be a professor having a Ph.D. is just one piece of the puzzle. You also need to have a strong publishing record. Photo by bplanet/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“It’s critically important to publish your research if you want to teach at a research university,” said Lynne Pepall, dean of Tufts’ GSAS and professor in the School of Arts and Sciences Department of Economics.“Your future colleagues are interested in your scholarly impact, and a good publishing record as a graduate student is a strong indicator that you’ll be productive as a tenure-track faculty member.”

Adds Richard M. Lerner, the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science at Tufts,

“Prepare early for an academic career and work to keep your options open. I have produced more than thirty Ph.D. graduates and have trained them to be programmatic, productive, networked, and flexible. I advise them to get at least two entries on their vita for each year they are in graduate school (chapters, presentations/posters, and, of course, refereed articles) and to publish in their area of dissertation research as early as possible.”

Elliott Sclar, who earned a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy, both in economics, from Tufts in 1966 and 1972, respectively, counsels students to really think about their dissertations.

“You need to be strategic about choosing your dissertation topic,” said Sclar, a professor of urban planning at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. “Your dissertation will serve as the basis for your job talks. You want prospective colleagues you meet to see you as someone who’s addressing important contemporary questions or controversies in your field. Although you may want to sink your teeth into some enduring, larger debate in the literature of your field, put that off until later. The place to start preparing your job talk for that sought after tenure-track position is in the choice of your dissertation topic. I give this advice to all of my doctoral students.” 

Get Out There

Not every academic can be a household name like Cornel West or Stephen Hawking, but it’s possible to stand out in your field. How do you capture the attention of your target audience? Like with fishing, go where the fish (um, academics) are.

“It’s important to position yourself in academic circles by attending conferences and following up with people who are in your field and who are interested in your work.” said Dean Pepall. “The people you meet at conferences may be the same people who are reviewing the articles you hope to publish in peer-reviewed publications. It’s important to develop these relationships.”

Business cards (like finely tailored suits) never go out of style. Make sure to hand out plenty of cards when presenting at conferences. Photo by Imagery Majestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“Bring business cards to conferences and meetings and, more importantly, send a follow-up email to every person you meet—no matter what their academic rank is—since you never know how your paths will cross in the years ahead,” adds Richard Lerner. “Also, explore post-doc opportunities and/or community-based or industrial positions, but only if they afford opportunities for you to publish and to remain part of a network.”

Presenting, of course, is just part of the conference experience. In order to get people talking (and to keep them talking) about your work you need to be able to “sell” it just about anywhere.

“Networking is important in graduate school and good advice can come from many places,” said Benjamin Carp, associate professor in the School of Arts and Sciences Department of History and author of Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America, in response to a blog post titled “Beating the Odds: Graduate Alumni Share Advice for Landing a Tenure-Track Job.” “Become accustomed to talking about your research and practice how to come across well. If you can convince a stranger at a conference that you and your research are interesting—from behind a podium, in an elevator, at an impromptu dinner gathering—you’ll be more likely to pull off the same feat when it counts, at a job interview.”

Show Them Who’s In the Driver’s Seat

By the time graduate school is nearing its end, a student will have developed into an independent researcher deeply engaged in his or her work—presenting at conferences, copublishing papers with an adviser, writing up a thesis or dissertation—and preparing to hit the job market. The world “independent” is key here since, as Dean Lynne Pepall shares, future employers and colleagues want to see that seasoned graduate students do, indeed, own the keys to the (research) car and know how to drive it.

Future employers want to see that you, not your adviser, is the one driving the (research) car. Photo by Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“It’s very important to present your work so that colleagues can see that you—and not your adviser—were the driving force behind the research; this will also be attractive to future employers who are looking to be convinced that you know what the next questions are and that your research can continue forward,” said Dean Pepall.

Sergio Fantini, a professor in the School of Engineering’s biomedical engineering department, concurs, adding that,

“It is critical to really own your project, know it well, be familiar with the scientific literature, understand the short-term and long-term objectives of the project, be able to articulate its true potential and intrinsic limitations, be familiar with all experimental, theoretical, and computational techniques associated with it,” said Fantini, who is researching how optical mammography can be used in the treatment of breast cancer. “This is a necessary foundation on which to build on. Secondly, make every effort at learning how to write a solid scientific article, how to prepare a well-structured technical poster, how to give a good scientific talk, and even how to structure a good research proposal. Thirdly, work hard in the lab to generate data, and think critically to interpret the data and let them guide next directions. Finally, publish and present at conferences as much as possible. If the work is really solid and you know it well, it will show in your written and oral presentations, and this is the best way to build a reputation.”

Also, remember that your audience has an agenda, too…but it’s one that can be mutually beneficial.

“In academia, it’s rarely about ‘who you know.’ It’s about your scholarship and the impact it can have on society,” said Dean Pepall. “Faculty will be interested in your work, in large part, because of the impact it can have on their work. If your colleagues see research they can learn from, they’ll want to have a professional relationship with the researcher.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! Do you have advice for building your professional profile? Are there any best practices that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Recent posts:

How to Recognize and Resolve Conflict in the Lab, the Classroom, and in Other Academic Settings

Coming to America: How to Make the Most of the International Graduate Student Experience

How to Make it Through the First Year of a Ph.D. Program in One, Albeit Frazzled, Piece

Grad Student Guide to Pursuing Research Abroad

Graduating Students Share What’s Next, Advice for New Students

But institutions of higher learning are not perfect, and neither are the people who teach, study, and work at them. Faculty members; students (both graduate and undergraduate); and staff are subject to the same emotions as everyone else and, at times, these academic folks just don’t get along.

But there is something unique about the conflicts that occur in academia. In the business world, if an employee is unable to coexist with her boss, the two parties more often than not can part ways with little long-term, professional damage to either person (assuming, of course, there are no legal issues involved).

Conflicts in academia, if left unchecked, can turn a happy, productive graduate student into an unhappy, unproductive one. Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Academia is a different ballgame altogether. A seriously strained relationship between a graduate student and an adviser can jeopardize a student’s long-term career prospects. For example, maybe a student isn’t invited to attend conferences (where important career networking takes place) with her adviser, or the same adviser isn’t willing to write the sparkling recommendation the student needs to land that all important postdoc. Because of this strained graduate student/adviser relationship, the student may also feel resentment toward fellow students who appear to have a better relationship with the adviser.

Such a conflict can lead not only to tension between graduate students and advisers, but can also affect the productivity of the research group (as an unhappy graduate student, as a rule, is less productive than a happy one).

Conflicts in academia don’t just occur between graduate students and advisers, though. Tense relationships can exist between undergraduates and their instructors, between junior and senior faculty members, or famously between faculty members and administrators. If not addressed, these conflicts can lead to a toxic course (a cohort of students thoroughly displeased with an instructor and/or class) or department (a tenure-track faculty member at odds with a senior faculty member who can influence the tenure case of the junior colleague).

But we do not have to simply live with these realities: drawing from our experience at a workshop administered by conflict resolution expert Sinaia Nathanson, who is also director of Tufts’ School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Resources and Development Center (GRAD), in June 2012, we share some common conflicts that occur in academia and how they can be resolved.

Making Time

Like Mr. Spock, faculty members and teaching assistants also need to keep in mind "the needs of the many."

Besides being arguably the best Star Trek film ever made, The Wrath of Khan also ends with the shocking death of Mr. Spock, who dies shortly after restoring power to the disabled warp drive. Before his last breath, Spock instructs Captain Kirk not to grieve since, “the needs of the many outweigh…” with Kirk adding “…the needs of the few.”

For faculty members and teaching assistants (TAs), maintaining the balance between the many and the few can lead to conflict when it comes to class time or office hours. If a student, or students, frequently interrupts class with questions or monopolizes office hours, fellow students may feel resentful that they’re not getting all they could from the class.

Some ways of dealing with the needs of the few versus the needs of the many are as follows.

-Faculty members and teaching assistants can hold office hours in an open space so everyone in the class can benefit.

-Office hours can be scheduled at fifteen minute intervals with students using a sign-up sheet—with a list of available times—on the office door.

-Boundaries for the class can be set early on, making sure to discuss the importance of making the most of class time; this may include a period at the beginning or end of class for questions.

How to keep everyone (or mostly everyone) in a course happy? Designate a time at the beginning or end of each class for questions. Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

-Faculty members can check in with the teaching assistant for the class (if there is one) to make sure that the TA is a good fit and is providing support to students who need it. If the TA isn’t working out, a change might be necessary.

“I actually had a student who would take up a significant amount of my time during lab hours,” said a Tufts graduate student. “The student was having a very hard time in the lab and was unwilling to help herself. It was stressful because I wanted to help the student but also had to make sure that the other students were getting enough attention as well. I also tried reaching out to the student and scheduling meetings outside of lab sessions. However, you can only take so much of your time outside of lab and office hours because you also have other time commitments. I tried my best to help the student and meet with her. I also made sure that from the moment there was an inkling of trouble the professor was informed and was kept updated on the situation.”

A fellow graduate student shared how he might approach this scenario.

“I might direct teaching assistants to try to help this student preemptively. I would also be strict about what sort of help I would provide, and if the student showed up without well-formed questions, I would send him or her off with a set of tasks to complete prior to asking for further help.”

Communication Matters

Labs, for better or worse, become the second home for many graduate students. So, while there’s a lot work to be done some socializing and levity between lab mates ensures it’s not all work, all the time. It’s also important for graduate students to feel that their work is valued and that they are making positive contributions to the group. But problems can arise when a lab director believes that “we’re here to work, not socialize” and when the student feels that the director “only criticizes my faults and never praises my work.”

Some ways of dealing with these conflicting perspectives are as follows.

-The student can communicate with the director early on to discuss what each party needs out of the relationship for it to be successful.

-The pair can create a verbal or written contract which includes clear expectations for both the student and the director. The student can cite the contract if, for example, he or she isn’t getting promised feedback or support from the adviser.

Crafting a written or verbal contract with your adviser early on may help prevent problems down the road. Photo courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

-If problems persist, the student can have a third party join the conversation. This third person can be copied on emails and/or attend meetings involving the student and the director to discuss ways to resolve the issue.

-The student can weigh the pros and cons of walking away from the lab. If all steps to resolve the problem have been exhausted, the student can consider joining another research group, but not before considering the repercussions of leaving (for example, the student may be relying on a research assistantship or teaching assistantship with the director) or staying.

“I completely disagree with the lab director’s views,” said a Tufts graduate student. “Yes, we are here to work, but humans are social beings and need interpersonal relationships. However, socializing in the lab should not interfere with your productivity, which is possibly what the lab director is worried about. If it is that much of a problem maybe seek other ways to interact with your colleagues, such as a summer softball league or happy hours; things outside of the lab that still build a community that improves your working relationships.”

Another graduate student believes that walking away might be the best solution.

“Sometimes, there is simply a mismatch between a student and an adviser. If this mismatch cannot be resolved, even through mediation with other people, perhaps that adviser/advisee relationship will not work. I have suggested to colleagues in the past that they seek a different adviser, but this can be difficult at a small school. I would say that a Ph.D. is a large enough undertaking that you can’t ‘hate’ your way through it; if you aren’t enjoying your scholarly life, something has to change.”

Trade Places

Another way to avoid conflict in academia? Try to see things from another person's perspective (overacting is optional)

Aside from its overacting (seriously Nicolas Cage, tone it down!) and use of way too many explosives, the film Face/Off is an interesting take on what happens when two people literally see the world from the other’s perspective. While faculty members and graduate students won’t be changing places any time soon—though faculty members were graduate students once upon a time—one way to resolve or avoid conflict altogether is to try and see things from a different vantage point.

Some scenarios where a different perspective can help alleviate or stop conflict from happening are as follows.

Scenario: A faculty member uses American sports analogies in class because he feels that these analogies are useful in explaining complex topics. The use of these analogies is problematic for some international graduate students who are not as familiar with American sports as their American counterparts; this can also be an issue for other students who don’t follow sports.

To resolve this problem, the following step can be taken.

-The professor can meet with the students to discuss the issue, trying to see the issue through his students’ eyes. He can ask himself questions such as, “How would I feel if the situation was reversed and I was in a class that used analogies that I didn’t fully understand? Are there other ways I can teach these topics and get the same results without using sports analogies?”

Scenario: A graduate student is getting ready for a conference and as part of the preparation process the student presents her talk to her adviser and some fellow students. The talk is well received, but the adviser thinks some things need to be changed. The student makes some of the changes, but is worried how the adviser will react when he notices that not all the edits were made. To resolve this problem, the following steps can be taken.

-The student can find out what specific problems the adviser has with the presentation as soon as possible. If the student does not engage in a conversation at the outset, the issue could escalate.

-Each party can meet and make their arguments for why (or why not) certain changes to the presentation should be made. During this conversation, it is critical for each to try to see the case from the other’s point of view, to be as open as possible to other approaches and ways of thinking.

-If the situation becomes intractable, it may help to bring in a third party, someone who can provide a different, and hopefully, unbiased perspective.

“I think that the student should be free to make the edits that they wish. The adviser is there to advise not to determine,” said a Tufts graduate student. “However, it is generally good practice to respect what your adviser wants. It makes for a better relationship. If you really have a problem with one of the changes and have a good reason for not making that change, you should tell you adviser exactly that and have an educated discussion about it.”

A fellow student agrees with the importance of stating your case.

“I’ve had this happen, and I’ve also witnessed it happen. The student should be prepared to defend his or her choices, preemptively if necessary. (‘I didn’t change this figure, as that change made it less clear rather than more clear.’) The adviser/advisee relationship should permit honest discussion about things like this.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! How have you dealt with conflict in your role as a graduate student, faculty member? Do you have advice for resolving conflict in academic settings? Are there any best practices that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Recent posts:

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How to Make it Through the First Year of a Ph.D. Program in One, Albeit Frazzled, Piece

Grad Student Guide to Pursuing Research Abroad

Graduating Students Share What’s Next, Advice for New Students

Can’t-Miss Tips for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

But international graduate students face an extra challenge since many haven’t lived in the United States before and these students often struggle to understand and flourish in a different culture.

We’d like to help; and in this post, students and alumni from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the graduate programs offered by the School of Engineering share what they did (and what they wish they had done) to make the most out of the international graduate student experience.

Put Yourself Out There

Want to meet new and interesting people? Dust off your dance shoes and get in touch with your inner Ren or Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman. Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

There are times—whether it’s in music (rappers Jay Z and Kanye West); business (Google’s Sergey Brin and Larry Page); or filmmaking (the Coen brothers)—when having two people is better than one. This is true for international graduate students as well; they can benefit tremendously from getting to know people intimately familiar with American culture. The key to making these social connections range from hitting the dance floor to selecting the right roommate.

“It’s really important to take the initiative socially,” said Fridrik Larusson, an electrical engineering graduate student who came to Tufts from Iceland. “It is incredibly easy to go full force into your research when you don’t have the social networks to pull you away from it. I would suggest finding a hobby that requires a partner. Take up climbing, dancing, sailing, or anything that interests you. If it’s an activity you haven’t done before, take a course at a gym or at your local organization. Also, go to grad school pub nights and other social events organized by graduate students.”

But before taking the social plunge, Larusson suggests doing some school-based research ahead of time.

“I would advise graduate students to spend some time reading up on the different organizations at their school, concentrating specifically on graduate student councils or other groups which focus on graduate students,” he said.

Tufts GSAS biology alumnus Ranjith Anand, G10, who hails from India and is a postdoctoral fellow in the Haber Laboratory at Brandeis University, adds,

“It’s very useful for students to get in touch with the appropriate graduate student organizations for help and advice. At Tufts, for example, students can become involved with the Indian Society at Tufts.”

For Yaguang Si, who earned a Ph.D. in biology from GSAS in 2007 and is originally from China, having the right roommate can make a big difference.

“I highly recommend having a roommate from another country so you have to practice speaking English,” said Si, a scientist at Agios Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I was lucky to stay in a dorm with other international graduate students. I quickly made new friends and we helped each other during the transition from our home countries to the United States. Since we were all from different countries, we had to speak English all the time so my oral English improved quickly.”

You Will be Shocked

International graduate students may be shocked by the lowbrow interests of American culture.

International graduate students can expect some level of culture shock when they come to the United States. The food is different. The people are different. And the interests are really different and varied; from the lowbrow (the Kardashians and the films of Adam Sandler) to the highbrow (the Renoir exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the annual TEDxBoston event). There are steps students can take to alleviate this culture shock, though. One suggestion is spending time in the U.S. before the first-year begins.

“It was a major challenge for me to become comfortable in my new setting before my busy academic schedule started,” said Ranjith Anand. “It was challenging to find housing which I liked; it took three semesters and three moves before I found a good place with good roommates. Also, seemingly simple processes such as starting a bank account, getting a cell phone, and acquiring a driver’s license require quite a bit of time. I realize now that the first year of graduate school is extremely busy and difficult, and the sooner you can settle the personal matters of your life the sooner you can hit the academic ground running. Also, make sure to get an unlocked GSM phone before you leave so you can get in touch with family and friends immediately after you arrive in the United States. If I were to go back in time, I would give myself a full extra month to get comfortable before the first semester began.”

Okuary Osechas, an electrical engineering graduate student from Venezuela, found it useful to speak with some undergraduates who were in one of his classes.

“I had no idea what it was like to take a class at an American university,” said Osechas. “There is pressure to perform well, as you must receive a grade of B- or better for each course you take. It helped to talk with the undergraduates about classes, instructor expectations, and other matters related to courses here at Tufts.”

Help is Closer Than You Think

While it’s tough to understand what it’s like to be an international graduate student if you haven’t been one yourself, there are administrators at your university or college whose job it is to help you find your way, especially during the first year.  It’s important to reach out to these people both before and during your graduate student experience.

“A great resource for me was Tufts’ International Center,” said Yaguang Si. “They organized many activities for international graduate students and it was a good way to learn about American culture and life. Also, for Mandarin-speaking students Tufts offers a program called ‘One-With-One.’ Through the program, students are matched with an English-speaking student who wants to learn Chinese. It’s a great opportunity for both people to practice different languages.”

Adds Tai Frater, a GSAS occupational therapy graduate student from England,

“I was able to settle my housing before I came to Tufts, and since I’m from an English-speaking country I didn’t have any issues with the language, although it took me a month to work out what parenthesis are! Although I had these ‘advantages’ coming in, I still needed to go through some administrative processes and the International Center helped me through them.”

Know Who (or What) the Green Monster is

The Green Monster and the trials and tribulations of the local nine make for great discussion topics. Photo by Aidan C. Siegel.

In a place like Boston, sports are king. Most residents know why Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett was in hot water a few months ago (an ill-advised golf outing) or what’s the current state of New England Patriot Quarterback Tom Brady’s hair (fortunately, the “Bieber” is gone; Gisele’s hubby is now sporting a short cut). But Boston is also home to world-famous museums, a thriving theater community, and famous historical landmarks.

The lesson for international graduate students in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and other locales?

It helps to know the local sports and culture scene.

“The friends I made when I first came to Tufts taught me how to watch football and baseball, which are must-know sports for any Bostonian and make for great conversation topics,” said Yaguang Si. “My general advice is to stay confident and open-minded. If you do, you can enjoy the new culture around you sooner.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

Do you have any tips for international graduate students? Are you an international graduate student with some questions? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below!

Recent Posts:

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The first year of a Ph.D. program may be tough, but at least you don't need to worry about this guy.

Everyone from a National Football League rookie to a fresh-faced wizard at Hogwarts knows that the first year in a new place or situation can be a drag. One day the crowd is cheering your name…and a day later you’re picking grass out of your teeth. Doctoral students face challenges during their first year, too. And while these challenges have nothing do to with (we hope!) tank-like defensive ends or wizards with a mean streak, these obstacles can increase the difficulty of the first year if students are unprepared.

In this post, Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) students and students from the graduate programs in the School of Engineering share tips for not only surviving, but flourishing in year one of a Ph.D. program.

Get A Head Start (You’ll Thank Yourself Later)

The first weeks of a doctoral program—like a rocket’s reentry into Earth’s atmosphere—can be loud, bumpy, and disorienting. Students are moving into new housing; getting to know the geography (Where is the library? Where are the best places to eat?); meeting with their advisers; speaking with fellow students; and figuring out the local mass transit system.

These first few weeks are also an ideal time to get a head start on your graduate work.

One tip for the first year of a Ph.D. program? Read early and read often. Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“I was shocked at how much work the first year involved,” said Danielle Rosvally, a Tufts GSAS drama Ph.D. student and Shakespeare scholar who writes regularly about graduate student life through her Daniprose blog. “I would advise students to read early and read often. The more you can get done early in the semester, the less you will panic at the end of it.”

Adds Grace Giles, a GSAS psychology doctoral student interested in how nutrition influences mood and cognitive behavior.

“Try to stay one week ahead of course readings and assignments. This will allow you to stay on top of your work and give you leeway for any unexpected extra work involving your research.”

Matthew McMahan, a GSAS drama Ph.D. student whose research interests include historical avant-garde and French farce, suggests taking a similar approach to writing papers.

“I wish someone had told me to start writing my term papers as I research. By the end of the semester, I was burnt out and my mind was not as sharp. Furthermore, it was a task in itself to shift through the mounds of notes I took, some of which I hadn’t seen in months. If you write as you are encountering the research, you will have more to work with when it’s time to write the paper.”

GSAS English Ph.D. student Joelle Pedersen also suggests going ‘old school.’

“Annotate your readings with small sticky notes. It sounds silly, but it’s so much easier to find references in class that way,” said Pedersen, whose research area is nineteenth- and twentieth-century century fiction. “Also, start at least one of your final papers ahead of time, and try to turn every paper you write into something that you could potentially present at a conference. There is a conference for virtually every paper topic and this kind of publishing will garner you respect in the future.”

Luke Mueller, a fellow GSAS English Ph.D. student, stresses a slightly different approach to assignments.

“Don’t look ahead unless you have to,” said Mueller, who is interested in lying and truth, phenomenology, and questions of privacy and power in British literature. “Don’t over think everything. Just live through the process one day at a time and work on the problems that need solving. Before you know it, you will have made significant progress.”

Lay Down the Law…With Your Friends and Family

The "Fresh Prince" was right...parents just don't understand. But when it comes to pursuing a Ph.D. program students need to make sure parents and other family members "get it."

Will Smith is an academy award-nominated actor; a multiple Grammy award winner; and the man who, in 2007, was named the most powerful actor in Hollywood by Newsweek.  But, to us, Will Smith will always be “The Fresh Prince” who, with “DJ Jazzy Jeff,” rapped about how “parents just don’t understand.” Many Ph.D. students can relate to the frustration the young Will Smith feels, as first-year students often deal with parents—and other family members and friends—who don’t really understand what the student is doing. Therefore, it’s best for doctoral students to have a much-needed conversation with family and friends early on.

“I had to put my foot down with friends and family who are outside the academy and force them to understand the gravity of my situation,” said Danielle Rosvally. “Once they knew that this is a job, a life choice, and a valid career path, and not just about getting a fancy piece of paper, they were a lot more forgiving and understanding about the things that I had to do to make my life work. Instill this understanding as quickly as possible and you will save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run.”

Still, there are many times when family life is the priority (especially for Ph.D. students with children) and there’s a need to balance it all. The best way to achieve this balance? Find a system that works for you.

“In the beginning, it was hard to balance my family life with graduate school; doing all the work that is required of a graduate student while giving my family the attention they deserved” said Matthew McMahan. “The first thing I did was to excise all of the activities that I considered frivolous. I wouldn’t watch television before 6:00 pm, and I stopped going onto Facebook and mindlessly browsing the Internet. I also started waking up earlier to maximize my time so I would have more of it in the evening to spend with my family.”

Think Outside the (Culinary) Box

While the television program "Top Chef" may not be in your future, cooking for yourself is a great way to save money and eat healthy. Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Doctoral students, like everyone else, need to eat and drink (usually coffee…ludicrous amounts of coffee). This need for sustenance often becomes a matter of dollars and cents, since many students are the epitome of the “poor graduate student.” But it is possible to eat and eat well on a grad students’ (nonexistent) salary. All it takes is planning, a good bike, and a really big freezer.

“I came back to get my Ph.D. after having spent a number of years working in industry. The financial adjustment was a challenge at first,” said Noah Daniels, a computer science doctoral student researching computational biology, machine learning, and programming languages. “I dealt with the financial challenge by figuring out how to economize. I bike to Tufts whenever possible, even though I live in Waltham*, so I didn’t need to buy a university parking permit. My wife and I save a lot on food through a farmer’s market we joined, and we recently bought a year’s worth of meat from a local farm. Yes, we have a half steer, half pig, and many rabbits and chickens in a chest freezer in our basement!’

Danielle Rosvally agrees with the merits of buying in bulk as a cost-saving measure.

“Get yourself a box of paper from Costco and feed off that until it dies,” she said. “It’s the cheapest way to print stuff.”

Be a ‘Working Stiff’

Working nine-to-five might not have worked for Dolly Parton and company, but for many first-year graduate students it’s the only way to go.

You probably can't jump on a private jet for a weekend in Paris at the Louvre, but it's a good bet there are some great museums near you. Make sure to take a break from your Ph.D. studies and go to a museum, blog, or hit the road for a run. Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“Treat graduate school like a nine-to-five job as much as you can,” said Grace Giles. “Focus on your research and schoolwork, but make time for your personal life. Go for a run or go to a museum.”

Danielle Rosvally agrees with the importance of having a life away from the books, classroom, or lab.

“My outlet is blogging, but I know other people who take classes in the circus arts or go to the gym regularly. Everyone needs something at the end of the day that isn’t work. At the same time, I have realized that graduate school is a full-time job. Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.”

Adds Joelle Pedersen, “I set a pretty strict work schedule during my first year. I committed to reading six to eight hours a day and then allowed myself to put down the books and spend quality time with my fiancée, family, and friends without being distracted. I found that a few hard, focused hours of work was way more productive than trying to work with the television on and a Bruins game in the background.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! Are you heading into a doctoral program? Do you have advice for Ph.D. students entering their first year? Are there any best practices that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

*the driving time from Waltham, Massachusetts to Medford, Massachusetts (where the Tufts campus is located) is around twenty minutes

 Grad Student Guide to Pursuing Research Abroad

Graduating Students Share What’s Next, Advice for New Students

Can’t-Miss Tips for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

Road Warriors: What Every Grad Student Needs to Know About Presenting at Conferences or Meetings

Tufts GSAS alumna Christina Zagarino hopes the circus arts can get kids excited about exercising. Photo by Kelvin Ma.

After teaching at a circus camp in 2008—and realizing that the circus arts were a great way to “get kids moving”—Zagarino entered Tufts’ GSAS as a master of arts student in child development, initially researching how television could also get kids “moving.” In summer 2010, Zagarino brought these two interests—the circus arts and television—together and began writing five episodes of a series called, “Big Top Fitness.” Once the scripts were complete, Zagarino hired, with help from a Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship, a cast and crew and filmed the completed episodes later that summer. Each episode (some of which can be seen by clicking here) features actors doing circus-related activities ranging from simple stretching to mimicking animal shapes.

GradMatters spoke with Zagarino about creativity, her television series, and why when starting your own circus it helps to have an engineer.

What was the catalyst for developing the “Big Top Fitness” program?

I started thinking about “Big Top Fitness” while working at the New Victory Theater in New York City. I managed and developed arts curriculum for their family workshop and circus arts camps. I saw how much fun the circus arts were, and how much it motivated kids and families to get up and be active. I realized that this kind of work needed to be shared with kids across the United States, and I started thinking about a way to do that. Creating a television series seemed like a challenging, but likely move.

What did you enjoy most about creating the television series?

While there may be some, um, clowning around in each "Big Top Fitness" episode, a key goal of Zagarino’s work is to help kids get “moving.”

I really enjoyed the challenges of creating the series. I was limited to a $10,000 budget, and I was dedicated to producing five, four-to five-minute episodes. In the production world, that’s not a lot of money. I faced a lot of financial barriers, and had to solve problems creatively. I also had to rely on many of my talented friends. I was overwhelmed with how generous these people were in sharing their time.

Why is the combination of television and the circus arts ideal for getting kids active?

As a culture, we’re really excited about technology right now. Apps are the “it” items. However, televisions are found in approximately 99 percent of American homes. My thought was that a television series would have the ability to reach more children, sharing arts education, and emphasizing the importance of physical activity with as many people as possible.

Currently, I’m starting to roll out episodes of the series on YouTube. As a (very) independent producer, this is an easy way to get content out there and get quick and sometimes comprehensive feedback on your work. I feel like this is my next step to sharing the series, and getting kids and families interested in circus arts and an active lifestyle.

What’s the current status of “Big Top Fitness”?

People can log onto our website and be directed to the series’ YouTube channel to view some episodes. I’ll officially launch the channel when I present my project and research findings at the Fred Forward Conference to Advance Quality in Children’s Digital Media being held in Latrobe, Pennsylvania from June 3 to June 5. I hope to get some viewership and some feedback on the work. Sharing video content on the Internet allows producers to get a fast response to work and figure out how to make changes to the content moving forward. I think it will be a really great learning experience, and maybe we’ll even get a few Big Top fans out there!

What do you have planned for “Big Top Fitness”?

I’m really interested in seeing how people respond to the episodes which are, or will be, online. I’d love to see if these characters can grow or develop in the future, but I’m proud of the work we’ve already created. In addition to the YouTube roll out, I’ll be focusing more on social media. You can get behind the scenes information at http://www.facebook.com/bigtopfitness and I’ll be working with lifestyle blogger and social media maven Tara Hewlett to develop Pinterest boards around the series.

Can you tell us more about your interest in the circus arts?

Because of the work I did at the New Victory Theater, I have a great passion and love for the circus arts. I think the circus arts help motivate children to make the seemingly impossible possible and emphasizes the payoff that comes with hard work; it’s not just about being talented, it’s about practice and fun. While teaching at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School in Medford, Massachusetts I developed circus arts curriculum with my fellow teachers in order to create our own Eliot-Pearson circus. While I taught juggling and acrobatics, my brilliant colleagues found ways to integrate engineering, math, and visual art into the mix. We worked with civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. student, Jesse Sipple (known to the students as “Engineer Jesse”) to learn about tent structures and how to design and build our own circus tent. The children performed their acts under that very tent at the end of the school year! I also presented a workshop for fellow circus educators at the American Youth Circus Organization conference last year on how to teach the circus arts to preschoolers. It was fun to work with and learn from others, and find ways to incorporate what I learned from them into my own practice. There are so many wonderful places to learn the circus arts. My hope is that “Big Top Fitness” doesn’t act as a substitute, but rather as a way to get kids excited about that kind of exercise and maybe even seek out circus arts programs in their own communities.

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

Grad Student Guide to Pursuing Research Abroad

Graduating Students Share What’s Next, Advice for New Students

Can’t-Miss Tips for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

Road Warriors: What Every Grad Student Needs to Know About Presenting at Conferences or Meetings

Having great hair and a cool car is nice...but neither will help you when it comes to pursuing research abroad.

The year also saw the release of “Oxford Blues” starring Rob Lowe. In the film, Nick De Angelo (Lowe) abandons his Las Vegas home, moves to England, and, once there, he joins the Oxford University crew team—all so he can win the heart of Lady Victoria Wingate, the woman for whom he pines.

Much like Nick De Angelo, many graduate students feel the pull to leave America. But these departures have nothing to do with courting royalty—they are all about the research. And in this post, Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) alumni and students, and students from the graduate programs in the School of Engineering share what to do (and what not to do) when pursuing research outside the United States or another country.

Get Connected

When planning to conduct research outside your home country, it’s a good bet that someone in your network is familiar with where you are going. Reaching out to these colleagues—or someone in their networks—early can make the immersion process that much easier.

Your social network can be invaluable when pursuing research outside your home country. Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“I spoke with people who had lived in the area and with friends who had worked at CERN,” said Philip Mallon, a mechanical engineering graduate student who has been in Switzerland since January 2012 researching the characterization of Nb3Sn superconducting wires for use in accelerator magnets. “But, perhaps most important I made contact with friends of friends who were willing to play the part of a ‘welcome wagon.’”

Adds civil and environmental engineering graduate student James Kaklamanos, who conducted research on seismic hazard analysis inNew Zealand.

“Talk to as many people as you can about your plans. I was fortunate to get advice from friends and colleagues who had been to New Zealand, and I was also able to connect with some friends of friends in Christchurch.”

You Won’t Be in Kansas Anymore

It’s fairly easy to have a plan and stick with it when you’re conducting research at “home.” It can be a different story when you’re “on the road.”

“It’s important to be flexible with your schedule,” said Carolyn Bauer, a GSAS biology student who spent time in Chile researching the stress physiology of the degu, a wild rodent native to the country. “Always plan for things to take twice as long as you expect. Try to have multiple projects going on, so if one of them fails you have a back up plan.”

James Kaklamanos adds,

Skype is just one way to keep in touch with your colleagues when you're abroad on a research trip. Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

“As a graduate student, I had developed a specific routine for my research. But being nearly 10,000 miles away I clearly had to make some adjustments. For example, I could no longer walk down the hall and knock on my adviser’s door with a question.”

How can this issue of access be resolved? Having a good internet connection is a start.

“I chat via Skype with my adviser twice a week,” said Philip Mallon. “I summarize, in a weekly memo, the progress I have made and the new directions I plan to pursue.”

Like Mallon, Carolyn Bauer recommends sharing research-related information regularly.

“Enter data from your field notebook onto your computer every chance you get. If you lose your notebook, you may be toast. Also, pack a portable, external hard drive and try to email your data documents to your advisers or collaborators regularly; this will assure that you have multiple copies of your data in a safe place.”

Get Your Project Started (If You Can) Before You Leave

While it is a good idea to be flexible with research, it helps to have a plan when abroad. It’s even better to start the work, if possible, prior to departing.

“It was very helpful to formulate a general plan of action before leaving,” said Philip Mallon. “I spoke with my adviser about the work I would be doing, and I actually began working on it before I left.”

Dot Your Is and Cross Your Ts

Conducting research abroad is no, um, vacation, so approach your trip accordingly. with Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Traveling outside the United States or another country for research is different than your typical vacation or trip to see the family; graduate students need to know everything from how to transport research samples to ways to get to and from research sites.

“Bringing biological samples back and forth is tricky. Make sure you have the proper paperwork well ahead of time so your samples are handled correctly,” said GSAS biology alumna Randi Rotjan, G07, an associate scientist at the New England Aquarium who has pursued research in Belize and in other areas of the Caribbean. “Also, apply for permits early, follow all TSA rules, and know the contact info for the United States Embassy wherever you are.”

Carolyn Bauer suggests getting familiar with local transportation.

“One challenge I faced was lack of access to a vehicle. So I had a friend show me how to use the public bus and subway system so I could travel to my field site when I didn’t have a ride.”

Adds Philip Mallon,

“For about a week after I arrived, I traveled around the area, settled my housing, and got to know the transit system. Taking the time to become comfortable with the area made a big difference.”

Be Like Ferris

Heed the words of Ferris Bueller. You won't regret it.

Modern day philosopher Ferris Bueller had it right when he said that “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

While the primary objective of a research trip abroad is, indeed, research, it’s a good idea to “stop and look around” when you have a chance; the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture might not come again.

“Make sure to sightsee and take in the culture around you. Your experience will be much richer if you do.” said James Kaklamanos, noting that he met people with whom he hopes to remain in touch with “for years to come” and that the places he visited  will “remain a part of [him].”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

Do you have any tips for pursuing research abroad? Are you heading on a research trip and have some questions? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below!

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Graduating Students Share What’s Next, Advice for New Students

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There’s more to being successful than talent, intelligence, and hard work. Another key component of meeting goals—whether they are professional or personal ones—is learning from one’s own experiences, as well as the experiences of others.

With commencement coming up, students from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and students from the graduate programs in the School of Engineering who are graduating share their plans for the future as well as some advice for this fall’s incoming graduate class.

Talk the Talk

Whether it's by phone, email, twitter, or even carrier pigeon, make sure to communicate often with faculty members about their career-related experiences. Photo by Arztsamui.

It’s never too early for graduate students to speak with faculty members about career-related topics. Faculty members do, after all, know what they are talking about.

“Talk regularly with Tufts faculty members about any and all of their experiences academically, professionally, and personally,” said Matthew Darsney a GSAS mathematics student who will be working as a software development engineer at Microsoft come August. “They all went to graduate school, and since they ended up at Tufts they must have done something right; feel free to get their opinions on what you are doing right and what you could be doing better. Being able to bounce ideas off of professors and get their advice on tough decisions helped me in countless ways both academically and in deciding my next steps for life after graduate school.”

Adds Molly Braswell, a GSAS museum education student who will be a learning and interpretation assistant at Maine’s Portland Museum of Art following graduation.

“Over the course of your time at Tufts, work to establish relationships with your professors and instructors, especially if you want to go into a specialized field. They have experience working in that field and, therefore, their advice is valuable. As a graduate student, you sometimes feel like you should be self-sufficient and independent, but I would encourage everyone to seek advice and guidance from their instructors while they can. Also, if your instructors work in your desired field, it’s great to establish relationships that you can hopefully maintain throughout your career.”

Broaden Your Horizons

The late Steve Jobs—like fellow technological visionary Bill Gates—was famous for, among other things, dropping out of college. But unlike Gates, Steve Jobs continued to take courses at California’s Portland, Oregon’s Reed College after he was no longer a registered student; and Jobs credited a calligraphy class he took during this time with having a profound impact on Apple.

You should be afraid of Jason Voorhees. But you shouldn't fear taking courses outside your area of interest.

“If I had never dropped in on that single calligraphy course, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts,” said Jobs.

The moral of this story? Never be afraid to take courses outside your area of interest.

“Don’t just take courses related to your thesis,” said Eddie Aftandilian, a computer science graduate student who has been working as a software engineer at Google since defending his thesis in September 2011.

Adds GSAS history student Josh Savala, who will enter Cornell University’s’ Ph.D. program in history this fall.

“My advice to new students would be to take classes offered through the Boston Consortium of Graduate Schools, of which Tufts is a member.”*

There are also opportunities for intellectual growth beyond the courses offered at and outside of Tufts.

“Go to as many seminars and conferences as possible,” said Matthew Darsney. “Some of the most exciting and eye opening things I learned this year took place at colloquia within the math and computer science departments, and at various conferences in Boston and around the United States. Part of being a successful graduate student is understanding the breadth of your subject by hearing other people discuss their research.”

Don’t Go It Alone

That huge pile of books in your room? It isn't going anywhere, so get out there and be social. Photo by Amy Meyer.

It’s easy for graduate students to lock themselves away (both literally and figuratively) and concentrate solely on coursework and research. This would be unwise, notes GSAS music student Rebekah Lobosco.

“One of the most valuable things I feel Tufts has to offer is a sense of community,” said Lobosco, who will be starting a Ph.D. program at the University of Toronto this fall. “The graduate student experience is what you make of it, and your peers will be one of your best assets. No one can understand your stress or your joys like your fellow students. A supportive community is built on the mutual desire for such a thing. My advice is to put effort into such an endeavor. I cannot stress how important having peer-support was to me during my time here.”**

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

We want to hear from you! Are you graduating and have news to share about your career plans? Do you have advice for new graduate students? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

*Schools which are part of the Boston Consortium of Graduate Schools include Boston  and Brandeis universities; Boston College, Tufts’ Fletcher School, the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy,  and Tufts’ Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences. Courses can also be taken through the Graduate Consortium of Women Studies (GCWS) at MIT. More information on the GCWS can be found at http://web.mit.edu/gcws/.

**Students can become involved with the graduate community at Tufts through the Graduate Student Council and several department-level graduate student groups.

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When it comes to writing a thesis or dissertation, there's little bliss (wedded or otherwise). But maybe it doesn't have to be this way. Photo by phanlop88.

Graduate student life is full of rites of passage, which can range from presenting at your first conference to leading a class for the first time. One of the most important—and arguably the scariest—is writing a thesis or dissertation, an assignment which inspires dread and foreboding in many students.

But does it have to be this way? Can writing a thesis or dissertation be enjoyable—or, at the very least, a tolerable experience?

Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) students and alumni believe the answer to this question is a resounding “yes!” and in this post they share practical ways to make it through the thesis or dissertation process with one’s sanity intact.

No Time Like the Present

Much like a political campaign, writing a thesis or dissertation can be a long, drawn-out affair. And in either case, whether it’s drumming up support from voters or penning chapter one, it’s imperative that you get started as soon as possible.

The best approach to writing a thesis or dissertation? Think early and think often. Photo by winnond.

“Propose your dissertation idea as early as possible,” said Patricia Allen, a GSAS psychology student whose dissertation is titled Effects of Dietary Creatine on Depression-related Gene Expression and Behavior: Implications for Sex-specific Differences. “You want to make sure you have enough time to meet the committee’s expectations. Also, the meeting is a contract of sorts. Once your committee members agree to your proposal, it would be unreasonable for them to object to anything later on if you fulfill your end of the agreement.”

An early start may also help a student better explain a thesis or dissertation, notes GSAS child development graduate student Jen Agans.

“From the beginning, speak to as many people as you can,” said Agans, who successfully defended her thesis, Trajectories of Participation in Athletics and Positive Youth Development: The Influence of Sport Type, in April 2012. “Talking to friends and family— many of whom are unfamiliar with your topic and the academic jargon you use—will improve how you articulate your topic and ideas; speaking with colleagues and professors will ensure that you’re on the right track and have an appropriate plan for your data analysis.”

Mind Your Data

There are few thesis- or dissertation-related activities more bothersome than searching for the critical information you need. This frustration—and hours of wasted time—can be avoided by knowing, from the outset, how you will organize your research.

Keeping your research well organized will save you time and help you keep your sanity intact. Photo by jscreationzs.

“Keep well organized notes, and use keywords to refer back to the literature,” said Jacqueline Furtado, a GSAS urban and environmental policy and planning graduate student whose thesis is titled Front and Center: Examining Frontline Service Delivery in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. “Years ago, people used index cards for this. The cards would have key terms and the names of authors written on them so the information would be easy to find. I use Microsoft Word to organize this info; it’s just a simple document with information on all the material I have read for my thesis.”*

There are also a number of software solutions graduate students can and should use.

“Use a reference manager program like Refworks or Endnote,” said GSAS biology graduate alumna Jenny Lenkowski, G10, who is a research fellow in the Raymond Lab at the University of Michigan and whose dissertation was titled Exploring the Effects of the Herbicide Atrazine on Tadpoles in the Model Amphibian Xenopus laevis During Organ Morphogenesis. “Additionally, learn how to use Cite While You Write (which is a feature offered in Endnote) and find out how your word processing program formats things like section breaks and indexing figures; knowing this before you start writing will save you a lot of time when you need to insert references and create a table of contents.”

Have A Plan and Stick With It

It's important to have a well-thought out plan for your thesis or dissertation work. The hard hat is optional. Photo by imagerymajestic.

Graduate students, like many kids, are seriously overscheduled. Along with their coursework and research responsibilities, many students work full- or part-time (as teaching assistants or as employees of outside organizations) and have other responsibilities that demand their attention (spouses or partners, children and families). Because of these demands, finding time to work on a thesis or dissertation can be a challenge, but one that can be addressed with help from a well-developed plan.

“It was helpful to plan out my writing time each week, especially in the beginning when I was transitioning from preparing for my comprehensive exam to beginning my dissertation,” said Nicole Flynn, an English GSAS student whose dissertation is titled Modern Times: Temporality and Genres of Interwar Modernism. “On Sunday nights, I would print out a blank schedule for the week, and black out the times when I was teaching or had appointments. I would then highlight the hours I planned to work on my dissertation. This helped me see how much time I actually had available during a given week.”

Added GSAS drama alumna Jenna Kubly, G10, whose dissertation is titled Vaudeville and the American Experience of the First World War as Seen by Variety.  “Be disciplined. Write even when you do not want to write. Find a routine and force yourself to stick with it. For example, plan to write every day from 9:00am to 3:00pm at a specific spot.”

GSAS psychology student Kristin Dukes, an assistant professor at Simmons College, also cites the merits of having a plan, especially one with achievable goals.

“It’s important to have a concrete timeline with realistic goals,” said Dukes, whose dissertation is titled Afrocentricity and Perceptions of Black Women. “For example, set a goal of writing your introduction or writing chapter one. It’s important to have tangible goals on a weekly and even daily basis. Also, set up a daily writing time, maybe an hour or two hours a day, where you sit down and do something related to your dissertation. But make sure to protect this time like it’s the most precious thing in the world.”

Find Inner Peace…or At Least A Quiet Place to Work

Distractions—from Facebook to the latest episode of Mad Men—are everywhere. The pull to send a few tweets or check out the latest videos on YouTube can turn what was supposed to be day of writing into hours of wasted time. Therefore, it’s critical to find the right physical space to work on your thesis or dissertation.

“As much as you love being home with your pets or roommates make sure to get away,” said Patricia Allen. “Otherwise you will procrastinate. Make sure to turn your cell phone off, too, and don’t go on the Internet unless it’s related to your research.”

Added Meron Langsner, a drama GSAS alumnus who graduated in 2011.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced was outside of school,” said Langsner, whose dissertation was titled Impossible Bodies in Motion: The Representation of Martial Arts on the American Stage. “I was living in proximity to some very toxic people during the early stages of my Ph.D. and into the first year of my dissertation. Changing my living situation improved everything about my Tufts experience.”

Also, when it comes to finding the right place to work don’t be afraid to experiment like Jenny Lenkowski did.

“I found it helpful to pick a single topic or section of a chapter that I wanted to write about and then go to a café to work for a few hours; this was the most productive approach for me,” said Lenkowski. “I encourage students to try places like the library, your home, or a park until they find the right combination.”

Help is Closer than You Think

Home field advantage—whether it’s Lambeau Field for the Green Bay Packers or Citizens Bank Park for the Philadelphia Phillies—matters. At times, conditions on the field (during a 2008 playoff game in Green Bay the thermometer read -1 degree at game time) or in the stands (fans of the Phillies are some of the loudest in baseball) can be the difference between hoisting a championship trophy and spending the postseason playing golf.

Graduate students also have a home field advantage, most notably in the different types of support available at their university or college. And while these advantages may not show up in a wins and losses column, they can make a big difference when writing a thesis or dissertation.

“The Tufts Academic Resource Center’s (ARC) Graduate Writing Exchange was great!” said Jen Agans. “It really helped to sit in a room filled with other people who were writing. This forced me to keep going. If I had been at home, I would have gotten up to take a break and would not have been as productive.”

Nicole Flynn agrees, noting that the thesis or dissertation process doesn’t have to be a solitary affair.

“Try to build some support systems for yourself,” said Flynn, who is also a writing consultant at the Academic Resource Center. “Stay in touch with your advisers. Form a writing group with your departmental colleagues to talk about work and to exchange drafts. Also, the ARC will set students up with a personal consultant who will work with students throughout the writing process. Additionally, the ARC offers a Graduate Writing Retreat each winter and summer. It’s easy to feel like you’re alone when you’re writing a thesis or dissertation, but there are many students who are going though the same thing.”

Be Good To Yourself

You probably don't want to go to Steve Perry for fashion advice. But the man behind "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Oh Sherrie" knows what he's talking about when it comes to writing a thesis or dissertation.

It’s a good bet that Steve Perry, former front man of the band Journey, wasn’t thinking of graduate students when he penned the song “Be Good to Yourself.” But he could have been, since much of the song relates to the graduate student experience, including writing a thesis or dissertation.

“Make time for yourself, your friends, and your family,” said Patricia Allen. “Don’t tell them you’re too busy! Exercise often—I do this at least three times a week—and eat your fruits and vegetables every day. Happy and healthy graduate students make for more prolific dissertation and thesis writers.”

Adds Meron Langsner, “Make sure you eat right and exercise. I participated in the Tufts Marathon Challenge, which was great. It also seemed metaphorically appropriate and helped me structure some of my writing and research days.”

Treating yourself well also includes celebrating victories, both big and small.

“Students should take time to celebrate their accomplishments,” said Nicole Flynn. “At every stage of a thesis or dissertation, there’s going to be more work ahead. But if students only focus on this they will always feel like they are behind. Whether a student stayed in front of the computer for hours or sent a chapter draft to his or her professor, these are goals that have been met. Students should mark these occasions, and reward themselves by catching a movie or going out for dinner.”

By Robert Bochnak, G07, senior writer/communications manager, Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences

Did we miss any best practices when writing a thesis or dissertation? Are you a graduate student interested in sharing his or her experience? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below

*More information on organizing your research is found in The Craft of Research, 3rd edition” by Wayne Booth, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Williams.

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