COACh Career Building workshops
COACh has developed a series of Career Building workshops that it provides to all career levels to assist scientists in achieving their full career potential and aspirations. The workshops have been carefully developed to mentor and train participants in skills that are not traditionally taught in STEM education. Research and testimonials show the positive impact that these workshops have had on participants. Over 12,000 scientists and engineers around the globe have participated in COACh workshops. Those conducted in the United States are described below.
1. The Power of Persuasion
Good communication skills are essential in all aspects of personal and professional life. This workshop focuses on honing communication skills so that one can be more effective in interpersonal relationships in the workplace, in teaching situations and in scientific research presentations. The session includes self-assessment, role playing and practicing the techniques learned. Topics include effective communication styles for women, projecting confidence and credibility through voice, image and body language, dealing with difficult conversations and questions
, using powerful rather than weak words
, methods for effective cyber-communication and effective scientific presentations.
Career Level: Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, Researchers
2. Career Launch and Acceleration
The first years as a researcher in science can be exhilarating, exhausting, stressful and rewarding. This workshop provides techniques necessary for an effective career launch in STEM fields. Discussion, role-playing and group problem solving are important components of the workshop. Participants are asked to bring a current CV for review and critique. Topics include finding graduate and faculty fellowships, common mistakes of new graduate students/faculty/researcher and ways to avoid them, effective in-person and cyber interviews, effective communication methods for research and teaching presentations, negotiation techniques to use for research needs and career advance, importance of network building and finding a mentor, building a strong CV and developing a strong internet presence.
Career Level: Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, Researchers
3. Persuasive Scientific Presentations
Scientific talks are one of the most effective ways to present research results to specialists in the field as well as the non-specialist. Given that it is likely that far more people will hear about the research through a public presentation rather than the published paper, it is important the presentation is clear, concise and compelling. This workshop provides training on how to present research results in a manner that maximizes the ability of the audience to understand why the work was conducted, the methods used, the results obtained and impact of the research on the field. The content of the workshop is based on research that has examined factors that maximize audience retention of information given in an oral/visual presentation.
Career Level: Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, Researchers
4. Effective Leadership Skills for Women
Women scientists take on leadership roles everyday, in the classroom, in their department or institution and in their professional organizations. The workshop includes presentations by the facilitator, small group discussion and experiential learning. This workshop is designed to give participants the basic concepts of leadership, describe recent research on leadership qualities that lead to success and failure, discuss effective leadership styles for women in different cultures, conduct a self-assessment to identify areas for skills enhancement, provide techniques and strategies for career advancement into leadership roles, assist in developing and maintaining strong leadership networks.
Career Level: Early Career Faculty and beyond, Researchers, Administrators
5. The Art of Effective Negotiation
Negotiations occur everyday in the scientific laboratory and workplace and often involve issues that are key to research success and career advancement. This workshop teaches the fundamentals of negotiation relevant to a variety of one-on-one conversations and group settings. Topics include the importance of negotiation to advance research and career objectives, identification of negotiables including start-up packages, space, authorship, supplies, etc., necessary elements of a successful negotiation, the importance of developing alternatives to an agreement, techniques for handling difficult people and conversations, the importance of listening and appreciating different viewpoints and identification of short and long-term negotiation goals.
Career Level: Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, Researchers, Administrators
6. Mentoring and Networking for Career Success
Mentoring and networking go hand-in-hand in making a successful career in any discipline, particularly in science. Both are known to have a very powerful positive impact on the careers at any level. Mentoring can be an equally valuable and rewarding experience for the mentor who seeks to aid others in career advancement as well as the mentee who benefits from this effort. However as scientists we often have limited exposure to effective mentoring and networking practices and techniques. Through a series of exercises and role playing scenarios this workshop provides training in mentoring techniques that are proven to be effective. It also provides guidelines on networking and the different types of networks that are essential for career advancement at all career levels and aspirations.
Career Level: Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, Researchers
