[Neuropostdocs] Summary of Aug 25th meeting

[Christian Beaulé]

Good day everyone,

Here's a summary of today's meeting between the NSPPA (NeuroScience 
Program Postdoctoral Association) and Gene Robinson. It was an informal 
meeting, mostly to bring everyone up to speed with the issues that 
concern postdocs in the NSP program. Although informal, a lot was 
discussed and these discussion should be shared among the NSP postdocs, 
hence the lengthy e-mail.

Were present:
Dr. Gene E. Robinson: NSP director
Dr. Christian Beaulé: NSPPA president
Dr. Adrienne Moran Lauter: NSPPA treasurer
Dr. Sarah London
Dr. Moushumi sen Sarma
Dr. Francesc Cebria
Dr. Ricardo Zayas

Regrets:
Dr. Helen J. K. Sable
Dr. Jeffrey J. Sable

Topics that are well in progress

1- NSPPA and travel funding:
	The postdoc association is officially registered with the Illini 
Union. As such, we can apply for funds that can be used to promote 
activities that "will benefit the members of the organization and 
support the educational mission of the university". The NSPPA will send 
a request for funds for the postdocs who will attend the Society for 
Neuroscience Meeting next november.
	I need to know who will attend the SFN meeting so that we can send the 
application. You have until September 7th to make yourselves known. 
There is no guarantee of whether we will be funded, and we cannot 
predict how much money we will receive. Keep that in mind. We have in 
mind of at least getting funding to cover registration to the meeting.

2- NSPPA-invited speakers:
	Our two invited speakers have agreed to come for a visit. Dr. Janis 
Weeks (Oregon) will be here on October 18th. Dr. Larry Young (Emory) 
will be here next year. We will organize Dr. Weeks' visit shortly.

3- NSP retreat:
	The NSP retreat will take place October 2nd at Homer Lake. It was 
agreed that the NSPPA will provide "scientific entertainment" in the 
form of a datablitz, similar to what was done at last year's retreat. 
It will be a 1-2 minute presentation. You will receive more info later. 
Please try to attend. Start working on those slides!

4- Journal Club:
	Every speaker that gives a talk during the NSP seminar series goes 
through the journal club with the graduate students. The host of the 
speaker attends the journal club and acts as a moderator and discussion 
leader between the students and the guest speaker. As the host of two 
speakers, the NSPPA will participate to the journal club (1-2 postdocs 
per session). More info later on this topic.

5- NSPPA seminar during the NSP seminar series:
	There is one seminar spot that has been reserved for a postdoc-only 
seminar session. The date is February 7th, 2006. That means that 
postdocs will have to give a presentation during that seminar. Even 
though last year's datablitz was a success, the feel of those present 
today was that more substantial talks would be more appropriate. The 
format isn't completely defined yet but 2-3 postdocs would present 
during this event. More later.

6- Job application workshop:
	The workshop on how to successfully go through the job search process 
is scheduled for this fall. The date is still TBA. We are still looking 
for a guest speaker from the industry. The following faculties have 
agreed to participate: Dr. Stephanie Ceman, Dr. Martha U. Gillette, Dr. 
Joshua Gulley, Dr. Phil Newmark, Dr. Gene E. Robinson.

7- Breakfast with speakers:
	They will occur again this year. I encourage many to participate. 
First breakfast will be September 6th. An announcement will be made 
later.

8- Yearly elections:
	It was agreed that every year, there would be a chance for a change in 
the leadership of the NSPPA. Both president and treasurer would be 
allowed to step down if they desire and anyone interested in the 
leadership would be allowed to get involved. This would occur in the 
spring, towards the end of the semester.

Topics that need further discussion:

Several topics were put forward to increase the participation of the 
NSPPA within the NSP program. These will need further discussion among 
postdocs and between postdocs and faculty/graduate students.

9- Closer collaboration with the graduate student association:
	The NSP graduate student are very dynamic and both associations would 
benefit from a closer collaboration in the organization of events. This 
one is obvious and easy.

10- Job talks practice:
	For the postdocs who will soon do their job talks, it was proposed 
that practice talks be performed in front of NSP faculty, postdocs, and 
students instead of just in from of one's own lab members. An ideal way 
of getting external feedback. Postdocs approaching this step in their 
academic career should consider sending an invitation.

11- Participation to journal club:
	Any postdocs that would want to participate to the journal club 
instead of the regular host faculty should contact the host and ask if 
this would be a possibility. This will be done on an "interest basis".

12- Guest lecturer:
	It was proposed that interested postdocs be allowed to teach one guest 
lecture. The lecture could be during one's advisor regular course or 
not. If your advisor is teaching, you could ask them if they would 
allow you to give one of their lectures. If there is a course that 
particularly interests you, you could contact the instructor and 
propose your expertise. It is understood that proper course preparation 
is in order. This could be an excellent way of getting some teaching 
experience.

13- Campus-wide postdoctoral association:
	As far as we can tell, the NSPPA is the only postdoctoral association 
on campus, or at least, the only organized one. It was proposed to 
contact other departments and programs and inquire if their postdocs 
are organized. It was then proposed to start dialogue between all 
postdocs on campus to see if there is a general desire for a formal 
postdoctoral association. This will lead to discussions between 
postdocs, interested faculty and UIUC officials to determine the 
feasibility of the creation of a campus postdoctoral office. Issues 
regarding guidance, health care benefits, integration of international 
postdocs would be handled through this office. Obviously this is a long 
term project that will require significant commitment. More on this 
later.

This concludes today's "minutes of the meeting". If I have forgotten 
anything, I trust that the other participants will jump in and add 
clarifications.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions,

Christian
	
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