Each candidate for the SACNAS Board of Directors was provided five questions from members and asked to select three to which they would respond. Responses were to be kept to 200 words.

3. What new plans do you have to foster the success of postdocs and junior scientists especially given that faculty academic positions and tenure are very difficult to attain?

The following candidates chose to respond to this question:

• Gilbert John
• Ernest Marquez
• Christopher Andronicos
• Elma Gonzalez
• Donna Nelson
• Nazune Menke

Beyond expanding the Leadership Initiative, my plan to foster the success of post-doctorates and junior scientist is to work with academic institutions to develop a program in which SACNAS will provide minority scientist for nontenure-track Assistant Research (AR) positions. I have seen faculty that have held these types of positions and eventually earned a tenure-track positions at their own institution or at another institution. The AR position enables one to become more competitive. As a faculty member and administrator from a Division I Research Institution, I know institutions are interest in having access to talented minority and nonminority post-doctorates and junior scientist. Not every institution will be on board but certainly the ones that agree to work with SACNAS will pave the way for others to come. In addition, I propose SACNAS maintain a secure web-site for institutions and company’s who seek post-doctorates and junior scientist for employment.

We realize that it is not possible for every student to become a faculty researcher at a research intensive institution. However, careers in science can be found in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, in government (e.g. NIH, NSF, U.S. Patent and Trade Office), and other institutions. We at SACNAS need to facilitate interactions between emerging scientists and senior staff of academic and non-academic institutions. We need to identify those skills that are essential and valued by prospective employers, and incorporate these wherever possible in the SACNAS planning process. I believe that each junior scientist and post-doc should have a “tool box” that s/he can use to take advantage of opportunities in multiple scientific enterprises. Among these tools/skills are those that SACNAS currently incorporates into its annual meeting, and those that might be considered. Examples are: 1) How to write a scientific paper and deliver a high impact scientific presentation; 2) How to a) approach a funding agency and b) develop grant application writing skills; 4) How to become a leader, including personal planning, managing conflict; etc. I believe that it is in the best interest of everyone that we develop scientists that are competitive in more than one scientific enterprise.

This is one of the most difficult questions that I have struggled with in advising my own PhD students. As a geologist the job market has always been difficult, and the potential that good candidates will not find permanent positions is, unfortunately, quite real. Thus, it is important that faculty offer realistic advice to students in the early stages of their careers to pursue disciplines that the student not only enjoys but where they can excel. This core foundation is critical to gaining excellence, which is a key ingredient in finding a permanent job. Then, it is up to faculty to advertise our students and their excellence. SACNAS as a national organization can play a key role by providing a venue where our students and post docs can showcase their research excellence. It is important that the SACNAS conference become known not only as an excellent opportunity for mentoring and networking, but also a leader in scientific excellence at the national and international level. This can be done by more widely publicizing research presented at SACNAS, by increasing participation in SACNAS by scientists outside of our core community, and by partnering with organizations with similar goals.

While, faculty positions are hard to get, the demand for higher education will persist well into the 21st century. Furthermore, the current recession will not persist indefinitely and highly able and well-prepared individuals will once again be hired for faculties across the country. I propose that we begin encouraging graduate students and post-docs to create appropriate strategies and obtain the extra skills and training that will make them highly competitive for any future academic jobs. We have the experienced faculty among SACNAS members and they in turn have thoughtful colleagues who understand the issues and problems. I propose that we draw from this talent and organize SACNAS sessions to address these issues. Specifically, I intend to submit a request for funding from NSF to support a session at the 2010 Conference that will provide feedback from the perspective of a Tier 1 University faculty search committee. I think that post-docs in search of faculty appointments need the fine details and flourishes that leads search committees to make decisions to make appointments from among equally able and nearly equally qualified individuals.

First, we should get more minorities hired into academia, both for their own placements and also to be role models and mentors to others. There are many universities, which currently seek to diversify their faculties, but which do not know where to find minority candidates. We can encourage more university representatives to attend SACNAS national meetings in order to make contact. These representatives could be given an opportunity to speak about requirements for tenure and promotion at their universities, through workshops, posters, displays, interest tables, or individual meetings. If this became sufficiently useful and popular, universities would pay a fee and this could be a revenue generator for SACNAS. Each could also be asked to bring an example of a successful tenure dossier and promotion dossier, which could be posted online for SACNAS members. A library of these would help anyone needing to prepare similar documents. I recently was promoted to professor, and I posted my own promotion dossier at my own website, so that minorities would have this as an example if they wanted it. We could also invite SACNAS members to release their own dossiers for similar posting, in order to assist more junior SACNAS members.

This past year I participated in the Native American Political Leadership Program at George Washington University in Washington D.C. While there I interned in the U.S. House of Representatives in the Office of Indian Affairs, Natural Resources Committee. I also presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science 9th Annual Science & Technology in Science Conference. These experiences opened my eyes to the amount of opportunities for scientists to gain valuable education in the policy arena. AAAS offers amazing opportunities for scientists to participate in well paying post-doctoral fellowships. The importance of looking into non-traditional fields for postdoctoral and junior science positions have long been underemphasized. SACNAS has numerous connections and partnerships with organizations and federal agencies that could begin to provide these kinds of opportunities specifically for SACNAS members. The creation of SACNAS fellowships and scholarships sponsored by such agencies and organizations would provide a new and much-needed facet for members to gain a competitive edge professionally and academically. If elected I would work with SACNAS board members, student members, professional members and partnerships to create a new SACNAS program for these scholarships and fellowships in traditional and non-traditional fields.