Workshops, Breakfasts, Career Fair and Student Mentoring Mixer

Breakfast Roundtable Discussions:

The Round Table (RT) Discussion was created in response to post-conference membership surveys calling for more venues and events that facilitate small-group conversations about issues of interest to wildlifers. We will have three breakfast roundtables at the 2016 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. The hotel is located in a quiet park – beautiful and peaceful! But there are no restaurants in walking distance outside of the hotel. You need to eat breakfast. Why not eat with other wildlifers?! Exchange ideas and cultivate productive professional relationships.

Requires separate registration fee

The RT Discussions that we hosted the last two years were very successful based on participant feedback. So, this year we will have 3 of them: one each on the mornings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (February 24, 25, and 26). These discussions will follow, and keep the discussion going, on the conference theme “Digging into the Roots of Conservation Conflict”. Wednesday, the discussion will focus on sources of conflict related to the Endangered Species Act; Thursday will focus on conservation conflict; and Friday will deal with the roots of human-wildlife conflict. Participants are expected to benefit from the RTs even if they missed the preceding event.

The goal (in addition to providing a great breakfast) is to facilitate conversations among wildlife professionals and students in which each can delve deeper into a current topic of interest in a small group setting. Objectives include: networking; increased awareness of important wildlife issues; and an opportunity for students and young professionals to practice their communication (including listening) skills. Other potential benefits include the opportunity for mentoring and identifying potential future TWS workshops.

Wednesday’s session will be longer and will have participants switch tables after about 20 minutes of discussion to facilitate large group dialogue in addition to the small table setting following The World Café methodology (www.theworldcafe.com). The Thursday and Friday RT Discussions will have participants remain at their initial table for the entire session, as has been done in previous years. All RTs will conclude with sharing of the conversations you had with the rest of the large group.

Topics and potential questions to be discussed are

Wednesday, February 24

“The Role of the Endangered Species Act in Conservation”

Given budgetary constraints, is the ESA an effective use of conservation funding? Why or why not?
What improvements would you make to the ESA?

Thursday, February 25

“Conservation Conflict: Wildlife and Renewable Energy”

How do we protect wildlife from negative impacts of large-scale renewable energy developments, like solar and wind farms, while still contributing to the reduction of our carbon footprint?
How do we need to approach the issue so that we are seen as being part of the solution to climate change but don’t compromise our efforts to conserve wildlife?

Friday, February 26

“Dealing with Controversy?”

1a. What was your most difficult public meeting and why?
1b. How do you think you (or whoever was running the meeting) could have prepared/organized better in order to have increased the chances of a more successful result?
2a. Can you think of someone who is consistently difficult to deal with and why?
2b. How do you think you could deal with this person more productively?

Menu: Each morning we will serve a complete breakfast buffet. We’ll mix up the exact menu each day, but expect hearty eggs, bacon (and other breakfast meats), pancakes or french toast, breakfast potatoes, freshly baked breads and pastries, sliced fresh fruit and berries, assorted cereals, fresh fruit juices, Starbucks coffee and Tazo tea. Special diets easily accommodated with advance notice.

Resume Workshops

Wednesday afternoon (3:30 pm to 5:30 pm), Thursday Morning (10:30 am to 12:30 pm) AND Friday morning (8:30 am to 10:30 am)
No additional cost

Resume Writing for Undergrads and Graduating Seniors: Barbara Peters (Career Counselor) will present Resume Writing workshops for undergraduate students on both Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. She will provide information and handouts about putting together an effective resume and cover letter targeted to positions (seasonal, internship, and professional) in the wildlife and environmental fields.

Resume Writing for Graduate Students: Barbara Peters (Career Counselor) will also present a Resume/CV Writing workshop for graduate students (MS & PhD) on Friday morning. She will provide information and handouts about putting together an effective CV/resume and cover letter targeted to professional positions in the wildlife and environmental fields.

In all three workshops, she will also provide a list of special skills that students develop as part of their undergraduate and graduate experiences (research techniques, field equipment & techniques, training, licenses, etc.), as well as interviewing tips and on-line resources for job hunting in these fields.

On Friday she will be available, on a sign-up basis, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm to critique CV/Resumes; but she is also willing to review emailed Resumes & CV’s after the annual meeting.

Barbara Peters worked at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA, as a Career Counselor for 30 years. At HSU, she specialized in helping students (undergrads and graduate students) in the natural resources and sciences with career decision-making, gaining summer job & internship experiences, and professional job hunting upon graduation. Prior to her time at HSU, she worked for 5 years in the Career Planning and Placement Office at Idaho State University. She obtained her B.A. degree in Political Science (1971) and her M.A.Ed. in Student Personnel Work in Higher Education (1976) from Idaho State University. She lives in Eureka, CA with her fisherman husband and a Springer Spaniel, Maizey – they have raised 2 litters of Springer Spaniels over the years. Barbara has been presenting these workshops at The Western Section since 2007 and at the TWS Annual Meeting since 2009.

How ‘Not’ to Give an Oral Presentation Workshop

Thursday, 9am to 10:00am
No additional cost

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve, this informative (and likely humorous) mini-workshop will provide you with information and tips for presenting your research work to your peers. Instructor Jon Hooper will provide demonstrations on how to give an effective presentation….and how NOT to. Dr. Jon K. Hooper, Professor, Calif. State Univ., Chico (Certified Wildlife Biologist, Certified Interpretive Trainer, Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology, 35+ years teaching communication workshops around the country).

Career Fair & Student Professional Mentoring Mixer

Thursday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (Career Fair) & 12:30-1:30pm (Student-Professional Mentoring Mixer)
RSVP required for the Student Professional Mentoring Mixer. No additional cost for either event.

This is an opportunity for students to meet prospective employers and discuss careers in the wildlife sciences. Professionals from state and federal agencies and several consulting firms will be present. All are invited to attend the Career Fair. Bag lunch provided to all pre-registered Annual Meeting registrants on Thursday.

Job Interview Panel: I Got a Job Interview, Now What? – Getting Jobs in a Tough Job Environment

Friday, 10:30 – 11:30 am
No additional cost

The job interview process can be an intimidating experience for the job seeker. To help make this less mysterious, a group of 4-6 invited speakers from agencies, private consulting, and academia will provide insights into what can be expected during a job interview with their respective employers. Topics include how to prepare for the interview, how you should present yourself, and the range of potential questions you may be asked. In addition, an open discussion follows the presentations. This workshop will be led by David Wyatt who teaches in the Biology Department at Sacramento City College.