Environmental Career Strategies
for Women
Spring 2009 (FOR 496-10 &
797-2)
Class meets Tuesdays, 3:00-4:00, 314 Bray Hall
IF THERE IS A GUEST SPEAKER, class will meet
from 4-5 pm, 140 Baker Laboratory UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
|
Instructor |
Speaker coordinator |
|
Diane Kuehn 310A Bray Hall 470-6561 |
B9 315-470-4868 |
Course
Overview:
This
is a 1-credit, college-wide seminar geared towards a diversity of students from
various departments at ESF. The main goal of the course is to provide an open
forum for female and male faculty and students to interact and discuss gender
issues pertaining to academia and other professional arenas. The course
consists of one hour of lecture or discussion per week, with opportunities to
interact with female professionals outside of class. Updates to this syllabus
can be found at: http://www.esf.edu/for/kuehn/syl2009.htm
.
Course
Objectives:
After
completing this course, the student should be able to:
Course
Layout:
This
seminar is comprised of two types of class meetings: (1.) discussions of
general interest topics facilitated by class members and (2.) guest speaker
presentations that comprise the ESF "Women in Scientific and Environmental
Professions" lecture series (http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/speakers.htm).
In addition, students are STRONGLY encouraged to attend the mentoring sessions
(usually dinner) that are organized with each guest speaker of the lecture
series.
Students’
responsibilities:
1.
Assist in the arrangements for speakers (25% of your grade). You or a pair of you will develop a
schedule for one speaker during her visit. "Instructions for Student
Hosts" offers tips and recommended timelines. Specifically, you are
responsible for:
a.
Arranging
meetings with interested students and faculty (generally at ESF, but SU,
Upstate, and some local groups might also request an audience; the speaker may
also have specific requests);
b.
Arranging
speaker pick-up and drop-off at the airport if needed;
c.
Making
arrangements for a post-lecture reception; and
d.
Making
arrangements for a mentoring dinner with the speaker and class participants.
To assist you, the speaker coordinator (
2. Write a press release on the
speaker's presentation (15%).
Following the speaker's visit, the hosting student(s) will (jointly) write a
brief press release about the speaker’s presentation. Press releases are to
be submitted electronically to the instructors by the Tuesday following the
speaker's presentation; the instructors will then forward it to the Knothole and sponsors on your behalf.
The press release should include the speaker’s name and affiliation, the title
of the presentation, and a summary of the presentation, and conclude with
presentation sponsors and biographical information about the speaker.
3. Facilitate a discussion on one
general interest topic (20%).
Each student will lead or co-lead a discussion on one general interest topic
listed below in the class schedule. The articles that each student is required
to read in preparation for class discussions are listed below each topic. You may choose additional or
different articles for your class facilitation. If articles are not listed for
a topic, it is the student’s responsibility to invite guest speakers or to choose
and distribute articles for the discussion. The student facilitator(s) should
prepare questions based on the articles that will foster class discussion. You
may find Bloom's taxonomy (http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html)
useful in developing questions. Discussion questions should be typed for
distribution in class. The student should give the instructor the typed
questions by noon on the day of the class so that photocopies can be made.
You are encouraged to talk with the instructor about your facilitation prior to
it.
4. Write two brief paragraphs
stating the two most important points of your facilitated session (10%). These paragraphs should be no more that two to
three sentences each, and should state the two most important discussion points
resulting from the class that you facilitate. These should be e-mailed to
the instructor by the Tuesday following your facilitated discussion.
5.
Weekly class participation (30%). Every
student is expected to participate in class discussions on a weekly basis by:
a. Reading the assigned articles and participating in
the class discussion (15%).
b. Completing a discussion assessment form at the end
of each session (15%). Discussion assessment forms are due to the
instructor by the Tuesday following the session. Anonymous copies will be
given to the discussion facilitator to help them improve their facilitation
skills. The instructors will assess and grade the original assessments
and return them for the purpose of improving the constructive commentary of
students.
c. Attending the "Women in Scientific and
Environmental Professions" Lecture Series that has been scheduled during
the normal class meeting time. There will be a 10% deduction in final class
grades for each lecture missed. You are also encouraged to join all of the
speakers for the mentoring dinners.
Deductions for lateness:
Written
assignments and discussion evaluations are due to the instructor by the
following class. Deductions of 10 points per day for each day that assignments
are late will be made on written assignments that are received after the due
date.
Instructor
responsibilities:
The
instructors will answer any questions the student facilitator(s) have
concerning appropriate questions for class discussions and will facilitate
interactions between the speaker and sponsors. The instructor will grade
discussion assessment forms and written assignments and will provide constructive
commentary in a timely manner. The instructors view this syllabus and its
development as a work in progress, and we expect to modify it during the
semester to better meet the needs of the students and speakers.
Schedule
for Spring 2009
January 13:
Introductions, expectations, and speaker preparations
January 20:
Discussion: Feminist Theory; demonstration of facilitation skills. Diane Kuehn
to facilitate.
·
Lengermann, P. M., and J. Niebrugge.
1994. “Contemporary Feminist Theory.” In Ritzer,
G., and D. Goodman, eds. Modern Sociological Theory. McGraw Hill
Publishers:
January
27: Discussion: Mentoring and
Campus Climate
n Sandler, B.R.
Mentoring: Myths and Realities, Dangers and Responsibilities. In:
A hand up: Women Mentoring Women in Science.. pp: 271-279.
n
Williams,
J., T. Alon, and S. Bornstein. 2006. Beyond the
“chilly climate:” Eliminating bias against women and fathers in academe. NEA
Higher Education Journal: Thought and Action (22): 79-96.
February 3: Discussion: Career patterns of women and men
n Sonnert, G., and G. Holten.
1996. Career patterns of women and men in the sciences. Am. Scientist
84:63-71.
n Benditt, J. 1992. Women in science. Science
255:1365-1388.
n Kimmel, M. 1993. What do men
want? Harvard Business Review: 4-12.
n Hewlett, S. A., and C. B. Luce.
2005. Off-ramps and on-ramps: Keeping talented women on the road to success.
Harvard Business Review: 1-9
February 10: Discussion: Women's Voices and/or learning styles
n American
Association of University Women. 1994. Shortchanging girls,
shortchanging
n Hyde, J. S., and M. C. Linn. 2006.
Gender similarities in mathematics and science. Science, 314: 599-600.
n Rosser, S.V. 1990. Women's Ways of Knowing.
In Female Friendly Science. Pergamon
Press.
February 17: Discussion: Improving your
interview skills (Guest speaker: John Turbeville, Career Services)
n
February 24: Betsy Henry, Senior Managing Scientist,
Environmental Sciences, Exponent Scientific and Engineering
Consulting, New York City, Topic: Mercury in Onondaga Lake
March 6: Discussion: Productivity differences in women and men
n Sonnert, G. 1995. What makes a good
scientist? Determinants of peer evaluation among biologists. Soc. Studies of
Science 25:35-55.
n Creamer, E.G. 1998.
Equity and equality in measuring faculty productivity. Women in Higher
Ed., Sept. issue: 7-8.
n Holton, G.
1999. Different perceptions of "good science" and their effects on
careers.
Annals NY Acad. Sci. 869: 78-86.
n Loehle, C. 1987. Why women scientists publish less than
men.
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of
March 10: Spring Break
March 17: Discussion: Balancing work and family
n Excerpts
from: Equality n the University of Wisconsin System: A Focus for
Action in the Year 2000; Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in the University
of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin System Initiative on the Status of
Women; October 25, 1999, (http://www.uwsa.edu/acadaff/status/equal.htm).
n Romano, C. 2001. Get
a life and a career. What a concept! The Chronicle of Higher
Education (chronicle.com) March, 23 issue, B12.
n
n Wolf-Wendel, L.E.; S.B. Twombly; and
S. Rice. excerpts from Dual-career couples: keeping them together. The Journal
of Higher Ed 71(3): pp. 1-2 and 14-16.
March 24: Discussion:
Negotiating employment contracts
§
Tebbe, L. 2009. Job search 101- How to evaluate an offer.
Online at: www.webgrrls.com/resources.
§
Negotiating
job offers. 2007.
n Dietz, B.C. Employment contracts: Everyone needs promise protection. Online at: www.asktheheadhunter.com/gv050701.htm.
March 31: Guest
Speaker: Molly Welker, Senior Project Manager, Bristol Remediation Services,
April 7: Ann Lemley,
Professor,
April
14: Discussion:
Whistle-blowing and harassment issues (Guest Speaker: Marcia Barber, Human Resources)
n Sexual harassment in the federal
workplace: Trends, progress, continuing challenges. US Merit Systems Protection
Board
n
Sexual
harassment: Suggested policy and procedures for handling complaints. Am. Assoc.
of University Professors.
n
Gunsalus, C. K., 1998. How to blow the whistle and still have a
career afterwards. Sci. and
April
21: International, cultural, and
minority perspectives on women in science.
n
Panel
to be selected by
student facilitator.
April
28: Discussion: Personal
and Professional Strategies (Course Wrap-Up)
Please
be prepared to recap our discussions this semester and discuss what topics that
should be added to the 2006 syllabus.