2018 Speakers

Carla Kaplan

Davis Distinguished Professor of American Literature, Northeastern University

Official website

Session: Demystifying Funding in Social Sciences and Humanities

Applying for funding in the social sciences and humanities can be perplexing. This workshop aims to demystify the process by providing its participants with practical strategies and advice on how to avoid pitfalls when scoping a research proposal. The panelists will share their victories and challenges to provide real-life examples on successful funding applications.

Alexia Ferracuti

Associate Director of the Center for Advancing Teaching & Learning Through Research, Northeastern University

Northeastern University Page

Session: Teachable Moments: Strategies for Responding to Implicit Bias

Research on implicit bias suggests that it is omnipresent, including in the classroom. This workshop will highlight strategies for mitigating students’ unexpressed and often unconscious biases. Furthermore, it will help its participants develop an action plan for creating personal agency as a female faculty member of color that is critical to navigating institutional structures, as well as career satisfaction and advancement.

Moderator: Carmen Sceppa

Dean, Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Professor, Northeastern University

LinkedIn

Faculty Page

Dr. Carmen Sceppa is Dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Professor at Northeastern University. As a physician and scientist, Dr. Sceppa’s work advances and prolongs health for all. Her program of research is based on developing and testing lifestyle interventions to promote healthy aging and quality of life among underserved, vulnerable, and elderly populations with a specific focus on Latinx and African American populations. Dr. Sceppa received her medical degree from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala, where she was born and raised. She received her Ph.D. in Nutrition from The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mala Radhakrishnan

Whitehead Associate Professor of Critical Thought and Associate Professor of Chemistry, Wellesley College

Wellesley College Faculty Page

Session: Interdisciplinary Research and Teams

The world of research has migrated to interdisciplinary teams that more holistically address the problems of society, organizations, and the needs of people.  In addition, more funding agencies and foundations are prioritizing their funding to support interdisciplinary research.  The panelists will share their experiences and successful strategies used to address their interdisciplinary research endeavors.

Bonita Jones

Certified Mindfulness Instructor, Certified Massage Therapist and Adjunct Faculty, Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School

UMass Medical School Page

Session: Mindfulness and Self-Care – Afternoon

Mindfulness is being aware in this moment on purpose. It is a skill that can be developed and used during times of calm and times of stress.  Mindfulness-based stress reduction is evidence-based and shown to aid in reducing anxiety, stress and chronic pain. Participants will understand the role of stressors and learn how to bring calm to themselves during a storm- whether external or internal. Participants will learn breathing awareness meditation, gentle mindful movement and practical self-care tools for better health. Please wear comfortable clothing that allows for gentle stretching.

Sarah J. Jackson

Assistant Professor, Communication Studies and Faculty Affiliate, Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program and Department of Cultures, Societies, & Global Studies

Northeastern Faculty Page

Session: Academic Accomplishments: How to Let the World Know What You Do

Disseminating research is essential to building one’s academic career. Modern technology provides many platforms for getting the word out on academic accomplishments, including through social media. This workshop will provide a forum for sharing strategies and experiences on successfully publicizing one’s academic work online.

Sasha (Alexandra) Watkins

Counselor/Psychotherapist, University Health and Counseling Services and Doctor of Education Candidate, Northeastern University

Session: Mindfulness and Self-Care – Morning

Mindfulness, meditation, yoga and other self-care strategies can be used to help us thrive in the high pressure and sometimes less than friendly environment of academia. This session will explore some mind and body health-based behaviors to support the success of women of color.

Lorna Rivera

Director, Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy; Associate Professor, Leadership in Education, University of Massachusetts Boston

LinkedIn

Dr. Lorna Rivera is Director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Associate Professor in Higher Education Doctoral Program. Rivera has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Northeastern University. Her work focuses on the social determinants of health and the education of Latinx students. Rivera is a P.I. on two projects with the Boston Public Health Commission, and Co-PI on a Community-Based Participatory Research project in Vieques, Puerto Rico funded by the E.P .A. Rivera is co-editor of the book, “Critical Perspectives on Latino Education in Massachusetts,” forthcoming UMass Press.

Ping-Ann Addo

Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Boston

UMass Boston Faculty Page

Session: Don’t Be a Star, Be a Galaxy: Building Research Networks

Institutions are becoming increasingly interested in interdisciplinary endeavors. Such complexity calls for expanded research networks, or “galaxies.” The members of this panel will share their experiences in enhancing their research through building extensive interdisciplinary networks. Challenges, drawbacks, and recommended approaches to identifying, establishing, and maintaining interdisciplinary research teams will be discussed.

Ellen Cushman

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion and Dean's Professor of Civic Sustainability, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Northeastern University

Faculty Page

Robinson "Wally" Fulweiler

Associate Professor of Biology and Earth and Environment, Boston University

BU Faculty Page

Session: Academic Accomplishments: How to Let the World Know What You Do

Disseminating research is essential to building one’s academic career. Modern technology provides many platforms for getting the word out on academic accomplishments, including through social media. This workshop will provide a forum for sharing strategies and experiences on successfully publicizing one’s academic work online.

Barbara Guthrie

Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Professor of Nursing, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University

Northeastern Faculty Page

Session: Don’t Be a Star, Be a Galaxy: Building Research Networks

Institutions are becoming increasingly interested in interdisciplinary endeavors. Such complexity calls for expanded research networks, or “galaxies.” The members of this panel will share their experiences in enhancing their research through building extensive interdisciplinary networks. Challenges, drawbacks, and recommended approaches to identifying, establishing, and maintaining interdisciplinary research teams will be discussed.

Paula Hammond

David H. Koch Chair Professor of Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT Faculty Page

Session: Building Alliance With Your Department Chair

The department chair holds a lot of weight in determining your academic destiny. How should you advocate for yourself as a female faculty member of color? This workshop will answer this and other questions related to building an alliance with your department chair through applying thoughtful upward communication strategies.

Malika Jeffries-El

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Boston University

BU Faculty Page

Session: Academic Accomplishments: How to Let the World Know What You Do

Disseminating research is essential to building one’s academic career. Modern technology provides many platforms for getting the word out on academic accomplishments, including through social media. This workshop will provide a forum for sharing strategies and experiences on successfully publicizing one’s academic work online.

Helen Elaine Lee

Professor of Comparative Media Studies and Writing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT Faculty Page

Session: Post-Tenure Planning

The panelists will share their insight and experiences on how they planned for promotion to full professor and how they promote their academic work.  Associate professors will be particularly interested in this discussion.

Carla Mattos

Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University

Northeastern Faculty Page

Session: Don’t Be a Star, Be a Galaxy: Building Research Networks

Institutions are becoming increasingly interested in interdisciplinary endeavors. Such complexity calls for expanded research networks, or “galaxies.” The members of this panel will share their experiences in enhancing their research through building extensive interdisciplinary networks. Challenges, drawbacks, and recommended approaches to identifying, establishing, and maintaining interdisciplinary research teams will be discussed.

Session: Interdisciplinary Research and Teams

The world of research has migrated to interdisciplinary teams that more holistically address the problems of society, organizations, and the needs of people.  In addition, more funding agencies and foundations are prioritizing their funding to support interdisciplinary research.  The panelists will share their experiences and successful strategies used to address their interdisciplinary research endeavors.

Marilyn Minus

Professor and Chair, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University

• [email protected]

Northeastern Faculty Page

Marilyn Minus is a Professor and Chair for the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University. Prior to joining the faculty at Northeastern she was a Research Scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology in the School of Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering.

Dr. Minus’ research interests concern the structure-property relationships in nano-composites. Dr. Minus’ research is also focused in the area of fabrication and characterization of advanced high- performance polymer nano-composites. Polymers of interest include mainly those of linear architectures and biopolymers. Her work also looks at the interfacial interaction of these polymers with carbon nano-materials to understand morphological behavior in high- performance composites.

Joyce Wong

Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University

BU Faculty Page

Session: Post-Tenure Planning

The panelists will share their insight and experiences on how they planned for promotion to full professor and how they promote their academic work.  Associate professors will be particularly interested in this discussion.