5th Annual Postdoctoral Research Symposium - Emory University ...

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POSTDOC APPRECIATION DAY By JoAnna Perry, DVM Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Yerkes National Primate Research Center s part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, the Office of Post- A doctoral Education hosted a Postdoc Appreciation Day on September 22, 2011. The event was a major success and consisted of three events: morning luncheon, afternoon career symposium, and evening reception. Approximately 30 postdocs attended the morning luncheon at which Mrs. Sage Russell gave a presentation about Science & Technology Policy fellowships at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS). Mrs. Russell earned her law degree from Emory University and currently serves as the Associate Director of Congressional and Executive branch fellowships at AAAS. During her presentation, Mrs. Russell highlighted the difference between „policy for science‟ (using policies to guide scientific research) and „science for policy‟ (using science to create policies for health care, climate change, etc). Referring specifically to the AAAS fellowship, she discussed several desired skills for applicants, including organization, a desire to communicate science to non-scientists, and public speaking. If accepted into the program, fellows will be assigned to such government entities as the NIH, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security and take part in such activities as collecting and analyzing information, meeting with constituents, and participating in drafting legislation. If you are interested in applying for this fellowship, visit the website http:// www.fellowships.aaas.org for more information. Additional organizations that have science policy fellowships are the National Academy of Science (www.nas.edu) and the California Council on Science and Technology (www.fellows.ccst.us). If you would like to learn more about science policy, Mrs. Russell recommended a book entitled „Beyond Sputnik - US Science Policy in the 21 st Century‟ by Homer Alfred Neal. If you would like to contact Mrs. Russell directly, feel free to e-mail her at srussell@aaas.org. The afternoon session consisted of a Biomedical Career Symposium, held by The Partnership of Academia and Industry. Each speaker gave a 10-15 minute presentation that highlighted the important relationship between academia and industry through their own individual career paths. Some of these careers included marketing in health care, entrepreneurship, industrial science, clinical trial development, and technology transfer. A large number of postdocs attended the career symposium and asked the presenters insightful questions about these different career paths. Following the symposium, a reception was held to allow the postdocs to mingle with the symposium speakers. Overall, Postdoc Appreciation Day provided a wealth of information for postdocs looking to pursue a career outside of academia. We extend a big thank you to the Office of Postdoctoral Education for coordinating this event. CUSTOMS AROUND THE WORLD POLAND odka (Polish: wódka, pronounced V voodka), although perhaps not as wide-spread as during the time of our fathers, is still the most popular alcoholic "beverage" in Poland. Vodka-drinking etiquette may differ slightly between different parts of the country, but there are a few things that I learned during my time growing up in and traveling throughout Poland (meaning: drinking vodka with a 8 variety of Poles from various parts of the country) that seem to be quite constant. I believe that the most important piece of advice I can offer to ice-loving Americans is about the function of ice in vodka -based mixed drinks. Although such drinks are not very popular among Poles, as we prefer drinking vodka straight, perhaps followed by a chaser in the form of some juice (popitka/poganiacz), and a little snack (zakąska/zagrycha)--preferably pickled herring, you may find yourself in a situation in which a Polish person pours vodka into your ice-filled glass (with the expectation that you will complete the drink with a beverage of your choosing). If so, remember that with the amount of ice in your glass you are indicating how much vodka you want in your drink. The understanding is that the ice should be completely covered with the alcohol. So, unless you really want to
CUSTOMS AROUND THE WORLD drink a full glass of "vodka on the rocks," you may want to think twice before filling your glass up with ice, like you would while drinking Coke… TURKEY Tomasz Smolinski, Ph.D. Biology, Emory College Coming from Turkey to the U.S. for the first time, I was confused by the apparent differences in interpersonal communication. In Turkey, casual acquaintances or guests are treated friendly, with a smile and a positive attitude. This agreeable attitude shows politeness. In return, the guest knows that the host is just being polite, and expects the host to provide what is appropriate and feels ashamed to ask for anything extra. On the contrary, in the U.S., the default attitude against a guest is negative. Thus the guest is placed at a distance and s/he is expected to ask for what s/he needs. Although initially I thought this was rude, I quickly understood that it has its advantages and can be very efficient. PERU For instance, in Turkey the host keeps insisting to provide things even though the guest may not need it. In the U.S., the relationship improves quickly and once the trust develops, it becomes much more friendly. Notion of personal space is also very different and inconsistent between the U.S. and Turkey. In the U.S., one must ask to be excused (by saying "excuse me!") when coming to close proximity of someone, while in Turkey it is quite common to be standing very close to complete strangers, mostly because of the high density of the population and crowded urban environments (such as stores and buses). Quite in the opposite, while staring or smiling at a stranger may get you in trouble in Turkey, in the U.S., it is customary to show a pleasant smile to strangers. This facilitates starting a conversation and meeting new people. This is a much more friendly attitude than in Turkey! Cengiz Gunay, Ph.D. Biology, Emory College U.S.A. A commonly used informal greeting in the United States is the phrase „Hey, what‟s up?‟ This greeting can be somewhat confusing since it may be used as a general acknowledgement of a person‟s presence or as a conversation starter. The best way to determine which framework this question is in is to observe the body language of the person greeting you. If they are posing this question to you while in motion it is safe to assume the greeter intended to mean this phrase as a simple „hello.‟ However, if you have been asked this question while the greeter is in a static position (i.e. standing or sitting) they are most likely interested in learning more about how things are going with you. If you still are not sure on how to respond you can always reply to the greeter with the same phrase and their response should aid you in deciphering from which framework the question was asked. Jaqueline A. Fairley, Ph.D., Neurology, School of Medicine Culture: The Peruvian culture is a fusion of different lifestyles and traditions, dress, practices and norms. Peru was first home to a wide array of indigenous cultures followed by the arrival of the Inca Empire. In 1532, Incas succumbed to the Spanish. Such history has made Peru's population multiracial. Thus Indian, Spanish and some other indigenous traditions and customs coexist throughout Peru's territory. Such coexistence has provided a good opportunity for new traditions to emerge as a result of the multicultural merge. Religious festivities represent a good example as they usually blend the European features of Catholic beliefs and practices with indigenous music, dance and food. Family: Families are very important as they show a high degree of unity and support among generations, as well as in the nuclear family unit. As opposed to the US, children generally live with their parents rarely leaving before they get married. As most family members spend their time at work during the weekdays, dinners are a good time to share their day with each other, and families get together for a special lunch on weekends. Family life at all levels of society is nourished by several ceremonial events marking important accomplishments in each individual's life, such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions or important religious events, such as baptisms, confirmations, and marriages. Family life is thus marked by small frequent gatherings celebrating these special events. Social Life: Peruvians enjoy getting together on weekends or special holidays. Casual parties are usually announced on short notice with invitations given personally or over the phone. The host usually provides the food and drinks; however, guests are expected to bring additional drinks. Formal parties are usually preceded by invitations but since RSVP cards are not commonly used, hosts have to plan their parties based on the number of invitations they have sent out. Interaction and Gestures: During conversations, Peruvians are animated and enthusiastically gesture with their hands. Maintaining eye contact is important. People also stand close to each other, and hug or touch each other either on the arm or give a pat on the back during a conversation. When introducing themselves for the first time, members of the opposite sex shake hands, while women may shake hands as well or may even kiss each other on the cheek. However, women who know each other well will kiss each other on one cheek and/or hug. Men who know each other well will shake hands or pat each other on the back. Friends usually call each other by their first names or nicknames whereas older people are addressed by title and last name, and professionals are addressed by their professional title and last name, e.g. Dr. Adams. Patricia Jumbo Lucioni, PhD. Hum Genetics, School of Medicine 9
Page 1 and 2: The Postdoc Newsletter Edited by Sc
Page 3 and 4: STEPPING AWAY FROM THE BENCH: SCIEN
Page 5 and 6: ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 5th ANNUAL POST
Page 7: CANCER AND EXERCISE By Manish Patha

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