Past Workshops

Careers Outside of Academia

Friday, July 21, 2023 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET (3:00 PM – 4:00 PM UTC)

Description:  

Psychological scientists with careers outside of academia share their experiences and answer your questions about how to land and navigate a non-academic job.

Speakers:

• Wendy Wood: Emerita provost professor of psychology and business at the University of Southern California and President of the Association for Psychological Science (APS). Her research focuses on habit formation and change, especially why habits stick despite our best intentions. Wendy is the author of the book Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes that Stick. In her 2023–2024 presidential columns for the APS magazine Observer, Wendy plans to explore the future of nonacademic jobs and how psychological scientists are contributing to different nonacademic fields.  
• Melissa Smith: With a PhD in human factors & applied cognitive psychology, Melissa Smith is a user experience (UX) Researcher Manager at Google, leading the YouTube Premium and Commerce research team in San Francisco, California. Prior to research managing, Melissa worked on the YouTube video watching experience, seeking to continue her lifelong interest in human-computer interaction and seamless product development. Outside of work, Melissa actively volunteers with FIRST Robotics, a global nonprofit aimed at getting kids interested in science and tech through annual robotics competitions.  
• Ricardo Fonseca: With a PhD in social psychology, Ricardo Fonseca uses his knowledge of psychology to help brands and marketers build communication strategies that are human-centered. Ricardo has divided his professional career between the private sector, in creative agencies, and in the public sector, as a communications advisor at the Lisbon City Council. He is currently Chief Strategy Director at COMON, a creative consultancy operating in the field of marketing and communications in Portugal. In the midst of the pandemic crisis, Ricardo founded a project called Coletivo Humanário, which aims to provide companies, government, and citizens actionable knowledge about psychological science. 
• Andy DeSoto: With a PhD in cognitive psychology, Andy DeSoto was a key member of the APS staff for 7 years, where he left a legacy that includes a highly impactful government relations and policy program. Andy is currently the senior advisor for innovation, strategic engagements, and partnerships within the Office of the Assistant Director of the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Throughout his career, Andy has been part of the growing movement to better integrate psychological science and related fields into policy and policymaking. 

Registration: Free for APS members; $50 for non-members

Science Communication: Impactful Communication Strategies for Non-native English Speakers

Thursday, March 2, 2023 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM UTC)

Description:  

This workshop is part of a series of workshops about communicating science and disseminating research for the public. Ӧzge Gürcanlı Fischer-Baum, an international scholar and currently APS’s Science Policy and Programs Fellow, will review barriers to effective science communication in a second language and share strategies that can help to overcome such barriers. The recording of the session and a guide will be available to registrants. 

Learning outcomes:  

1. Identifying barriers to scientific communication while using English as a second language.  

2. Learning about strategies to overcome these barriers.   

3. Understanding and overcoming the challenges of having non-native speaker team members or advisees.  

Presenter’s bio: 

Ӧzge Gürcanlı Fischer-Baum is a Johns Hopkins University-trained international scholar, cognitive scientist, and award-winning educator. She recently joined APS as the Science Policy and Programs Fellow after working at Rice University for nine years. At Rice, she worked in cross-functional international teams, conducted applied research, and led curricular initiatives. As a knowledge-dissemination enthusiast, she deeply cares about making information accessible to a range of audiences. 

Science Communication: Engaging Non-scientists

Thursday, February 9, 2023 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM UTC)

Description: 

This workshop is part of a series of workshops about communicating science and disseminating research for the public. Clear, engaging writing not only helps you build public understanding of your research, it enhances your ability to garner support from funders and policymakers. Join this workshop to learn how to interest media outlets in your work, combat public skepticism about science, and build public appreciation for psychological research. The recording of the session and a guide for these strategies will be available to registrants.

Learning outcomes:

1. The essentials of engaging writing
2. Writing magazine articles about your research
3. Tailoring your writing to different audience segments
4. Communicating your science to the media

Presenter’s bio:

Scott Sleek is a freelance writer who specializes in delivering scientific information to professional and mass audiences. His writing focuses on social and life sciences, telecommunications, higher education, and health care. He also has taught live and online classes on effective writing. Scott served as Director of News & Information at APS from 2013-2019. During that time, he spearheaded a redesign of the APS website; oversaw public education campaigns on topics such as increasing vaccination rates, eyewitness identification accuracy, and junk science in the courtroom; secured coverage of psychological research in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other major news outlets; and served as editor of the Observer. Throughout his 40-year career, his writing has appeared in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and niche publications, including The Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Monitor on Psychology, and The Physiologist magazine.

Becoming a Better Teacher: Maximizing Learning and Minimizing Effort

Thursday, December 8, 2022 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM UTC)

Description:

Whether you’re an experienced educator or just getting started at the front of the classroom, using the right strategies can save you time and improve your students’ learning. Register for this workshop to review the teaching strategies you already use and the learning strategies students prefer. Then, learn the best science-based strategies and how to easily implement them in any classroom.

Learning outcomes:

• Evaluate the teaching practices currently used.
• Learn the best science-based teaching and learning strategies.
• Acquire easy ways to implement efficient and effective strategies in the classroom.

Presenter’s bio:

APS Science Advisor Ludmila Nunes holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Lisbon and oversees a wide range of programs at APS, including a new series of virtual webinars and workshops geared toward the professional development of psychological scientists at any point of their careers. She has conducted research on human memory and learning and was previously a researcher at the Center for Instructional Excellence at Purdue University.