Friday, May 25, 2012

Presenting at Education Policy Conference

The official program has been released. I will be presenting at the Canada International Conference on Education at the University of Guelph in June, 2012.

Section: Educational Policy and System, Leadership
1112- Innovative Integration of Career/Leadership Development into the
Curriculum for Bioscience Graduate Students 

This is my first time at an education conference, but I am happy I am able to share my ideas with the higher education circle. It will be great to receive feedback and comments from peers. I will post up a link to my paper when it is released. Stay tuned!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Graduate Professional Development Course

Hello Dear Grad Students:

As some of you know already, I am coordinating a Graduate Professional Development Course at U of Toronto. The pilot is to start September, 2012. A number of people have inquired. Those of you who are interested, you must be a U of Toronto graduate student in the Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine. The course is open to Biochemistry grad students (as that is my department). Any others will be added to a waiting list.

The course will focus on ways to optimize your graduate experience and cultivate skills such as collaboration, leadership, initiative, creatively thinking "outside the box," and communication while maintaining a satisfying family life. Some topics to cover are how to succeed in the highly competitive academic arena and to find the nonacademic career right for each student. There are 12 interactive lectures, each followed by a guest panel of 3-4 PhD or MSc graduates (academic and nonacademics) to discuss their career pathways. Evaluation is based on class participation, oral presentations and written homework.

If any of you qualify and would like to take this course (postdocs can also check it out for a fee), you can find me on linkedin, connect with me with an appropriate message, and I'll send you the details. We may also offer it in the summer as a workshop, condensed version.

Also, if you are at another university and would like to start one at your department, you may contact me as well for more information.

Good luck  - perhaps see you in class!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Changes

Hello to all Readers,

Thanks for your support. Just to let you know that I will be writing in this blog less frequently now - probably once/twice a month with updates on papers or the curriculum I am currently planning for professional development for graduate students. Since I am "working" on my cause, I will be blogging about the lighter side in life at Moments to Smile for. A preview was found on my earlier entry. I wanted to share those fleeting moments in life you smile for. Hope to see you there!


Friday, May 11, 2012

A Tribute to B

One of my best friend's nephew passed yesterday morning, after a strong battle with brain cancer. He put up a great fight.

We honour his 6 short years of life on Earth.
Although are all saddened by the loss, he had touched many lives within his family, friends and church. He made a difference while he was here.

Although he was quite frail when he passed, I am sure everyone will remember him as the smiling boy who loved to play.

Hug somebody today.



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Moments to Smile for

Once or twice a day, I experience or think of moments which I would love to capture forever but cannot. The moment passes and the actual experience will never be the same in the future - it may be similar, but never the same.

Here is one of my favorites:

Holding my daughters' hands. As we we walk hand in hand, I hold those 5 little soft fingers gingerly with much love. The curvature of their tiny fingers remind me when they would squeeze my hand as a newborn. And I think - wow, they have grown...but are still very little. I know that in a few years time, I will never be able to hold that little hand, as they will grow into young ladies. The hands that write, flip pages, hold bike handles, play piano, caress my face, give me hugs; I hold them, every chance I get.

Other moments to come...
I am writing these on my separate, new blog entitled
"Moments to Smile for" at http://momentstosmilefor.blogspot.ca/
See you there for life's moments.



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