Upcoming Events
Conferences
2013 Dietrich Bonhoeffer Conference
14-15 November, 2013
The 9th annual Australian Bonhoeffer Conference will be held at St Joseph's Spirituality and Education Centre, Kincumber NSW, on 14 and 15 November 2013. This year's conference will explore the theme: Hearing the Word, Acting in Faith.
Click here to download conference program
Public Lectures and Workshops
Strategic Researcher - Staff
9.30am-12.30pm - Monday, 29 April
Are you wanting to get a grant, but not sure how to approach it strategically? Or despite getting the grant and getting the research done, do you find it hard to achieve the publication outputs? And if you do publish, how strategic are you about it -do you just do the next paper on the list or do you think about which one will help with your next grant or be read by more people or have greatest impact?
In relation to the team you work in, are you being as productive as possible, for example using all team members or colleagues in a way that increases your publication output and theirs? And finally, do you use your limited resources (eg statisticians, senior researchers, editors etc) in the most effective way possible?
This workshop is ideally suited for research teams, collaborators or co-authors, although all researchers will find it useful.
This workshop will look at:
- managing your time in a busy research environment
- publishing strategically
- linking publications to grants
- using the team (or others) to increase publication productivity
- keeping track of publications to increase motivation and accountability
- managing your publication “resources” for maximum output
- attributes of a successful (and highly productive) research leader/team.
When: 9.30am-12.30pm
Where: The Treehouse, Callaghan
RSVP: Enrolment for staff is via HR Online
Shameless Self Promotion (for Researchers in particular)
9.30am-12.30pm - Thursday, 2 May
It's tempting to think that if you are clever and work hard then people will notice and shower you with rewards. Tempting but probably not true. As well as being clever and working hard you also need to be able to promote yourself.
In this workshop you will learn strategies for:
- Putting yourself out there
- Asking for what you want
- Taking responsibility - not waiting for it to happen
- Using the media and other strategies to get heard
- Presenting yourself effectively for promotions, grants, awards
.........And all this without having to become a used-car salesperson.
When: 9:30am-12.30pm
Where: Upstairs at Isabella's, Callaghan
RSVP: Enrolment for staff is via HR Online
The 7 Secrets of Highly Successful PhD Students - For RHD Candidates
2-5pm - Thursday, 2 May
Content: What do research students do to finish on time, to overcome isolation and doubt and to enjoy the process? And just as importantly what do they do in order to spend guilt-free time with their family and friends and perhaps even have holidays? Do you find that you engage in anything but work on your thesis, constantly telling yourself that tomorrow you’ll organise a meeting with your supervisor or get started on your data analysis? And do you find you are highly productive when it comes to organising the postgrad symposium, but not so much when it comes to things related to your research higher degree? Are you really busy and doing a lot of things, but just don’t seem to be making as much progress as you would like?
This workshop describes the key habits that our research and experience with thousands of students shows will make a difference to how quickly and easily you complete your research higher degree. Key aspects of this workshop have featured in the journal Nature.
This workshop will help you to understand how to:
- take (at least some) responsibility for your relationship with your supervisor
- improve the supervisory experience
- structure your study time so you get more done in 2 hours than 8
- overcome perfectionism
- get the help you need when you are stuck
- deal with multiple commitments
- keep on going when the going gets tough
When: 2-5pm
Where: HB15 (The Hunter Building), Callaghan
RSVP: Alison.chapman@newcastle.edu.au
Turbocharge Your Writing - For Staff and RHD Candidates
9am-12pm - Friday, 3 May, 2013
Would you like to know the secret to high output, high quality, scholarly writing? In academia, because writing is such a big part of what you do, it is often assumed that it comes naturally. However, for most academics, it can be a hit and miss activity, with some days (weeks or even months!) being hard to get started. And when you do get started you might sit there for hours and not produce many words. Finally, when the words are on the page, you may wonder why you bothered since what you have written isn’t very good.
This workshop draws on the overwhelming body of research (and experience with thousands of writers). This research shows that there are very clear and practical evidence-based strategies that can greatly increase your writing quality and quantity. Key aspects of this workshop have featured in the journal Nature.
This workshop will help you to understand:
- why it can be hard to get started
- how we deliberately use distractions to slow down writing
- the principles of quick starting
- why snack writing is generally more productive than binge writing
- how to deal with the internal committee that slows down writing
- how to set achievable goals by writing in a silo
- how to greatly double (or more) the number of actual words you produce
- how to clarify your thinking and improve the quality of your work
When: 9am-12pm
Where: MCTH (McMullin Theatre), Callaghan
RSVP: Enrolment for staff is via HR Online
Co-publishing - Supervisor and RHD Candidate
12.30-2.30pm - Friday, 3 May
Associate Professor Alistair Rolls, Dr Marie-Laure Vuaille-Barcan and Ms Clara Sitbon will discuss their joint publications. Alistair and Clara have published ''Traduit de l'américain' from Poe to the Série Noire: Baudelaire's Greatest Hoax?' in Modern and Contemporary France (2013). Marie-Laure, Alistair and Clara are currently working on 'Boris Vian, the paratext and the pseudonym' for submission to an A/A*-ranked journal.
When: 12.30-12.30pm Lunch included
Where: Behavioural Sciences Building, Room W301A
RSVP by 19 April to Helen Moffatt (for catering)
The Student Experience of Online/Flexible and Blended Delivery - Teaching & Learning Workshop
1-2pm - Wednesday, 8 May
As we move to delivering our courses in the online environment, we make many assumptions about what students want from that teaching and learning experience. This session, convened by CT & L director Professor Carol Miles, will involve a panel of our students talking about what they want in online, blended and flexible course delivery. The results might surprise you. This will be an interactive panel emphasising a conversation between academic staff and students on this important issue.
When: 1-2pm Lunch included
Where: Behavioural Sciences Building, Room W301A
RSVP to Kara Waite (for catering)
Secrets of Success by Outstanding HASS Teachers - Teaching & Learning Workshop
1-2pm - Wednesday, 21 August
Every year, HASS staff win teaching awards at a Faculty, University or national level. Yet we never learn how or why they are such successful teachers. This workshop is an opportunity for our best teachers to let us in on their secrets: both the strategies that worked and those that might have failed. This workshop will launch a semester 2 pilot in peer-assisted teaching in the School.
When: 1-2pm Lunch included
Where: Behavioural Sciences Building, Room W301A
RSVP to Kara Waite (for catering)
Understanding and Improving Student Care - Teaching & Learning Workshop
1-2pm - Wednesday, 18 September
Student care is an emerging field in teaching and learning scholarship. It addresses the issues that are key to retaining our students in courses and programs, including new ways of developing and improving the student experience while also fostering the independence needed for successful tertiary study. This workshop will explore the best strategies for student care in the sector, including promoting equity in course design, curricula and assessment.
When: 1-2pm Lunch included
Where: Behavioural Sciences Building, Room W301A
RSVP to Kara Waite (for catering)
Seminar Series
Ancient History and Classical Languages Seminar Series
1-2pm, Friday 15 March
The Discipline of Ancient History and the Classical Languages runs a seminar series with a paper presented every two weeks throughout the teaching semester.
The first paper in the series will be presented by Dr Marguerite Johnson on Friday 15th March in the Cultural Collections of the Auchmuty Library from 1-2pm. The topic for this presentation is entitled, 'What to look for in a mayor: Newcastle Civic Precinct and Ancient Architecture'.
History Seminar Series
9:45am Friday 22 March
You are invited to join us this Friday morning from 9.45am in Cultural Collections for an official welcome to our History Research Higher Degree and Honours students for 2013.
This will be followed at 10am by a seminar presentation from PhD candidate Emma Hamilton titled 'Masculinities in American Western film, 1950-1972: A Hyper-Linear History'.
Her presentation will be followed by an informal discussion over coffee and cake.
Click here to download the Semester 1 History Seminar Series timetable
Sociology and Anthropology Seminar Series
2-3pm, Wednesday 8 May
The next SOCANTH seminar will be presented by Dr Arathi Sriprakash, University of Sydney, entitled 'Reforming the rural child for a modern India: an ethnographic account of rural schooling for the poor'
Abstract: This paper discusses findings from an ethnographic study of schooling in India to reflect on the ways in which new learner subjects - the ideal citizens of the future - are constructed by education reforms in poor, rural communities. The concerns of the paper are framed by the significant economic growth and social modernisation occurring in India, particularly for the expanding urban middle-classes. However, the rural poor have been largely excluded from India’s narrative of development and modernisation. This article asks, then, what kind of citizen-subject does schooling for the poor in India seek to produce? It focuses on the intentions and effects of child-centred pedagogic programs in rural primary schools in the south Indian state of Karnataka. The analysis shows that in order for democratic and egalitarian education ideals to become more fully realised in these school contexts, teachers need to be supported to engage critically with the deep social stratifications in Indian society which continue to marginalise the rural poor.
Date: Wednesday 8th May
Time: 2-3pm
Room: W301a, Behavioural Sciences building
All welcome. Refreshments provided.
Click here to download the SocAnth Seminar Series Semester 1 Timetable
Writing Cultures Seminar Series
3-5pm, Wednesday 17 April
The first paper in the 2013 Writing Cultures Seminar Series will be presented by Dr. Tiffany Tsao entitled
“Eco-Natives: environmental discourse and the portrayal of indigenous culture in contemporary East Kalimantan literature” and will be held the Behavioural Sciences Building, Room W301a.
Click here to download the Semester 1 Writing Cultures Seminar Series timetable
RHD Symposia and Symposium Award Festival
9am-5pm & 5.30-7pm Wednesday, 12 June
The June Symposium includes presentations by our RHD candidates and the 3-minute thesis competition. It ends with the Symposium Awards Festival, which congratulates and farewells our graduating students.
When: 9am-5pm & 5.30-7pm
Where: Treehouse
RSVP by 15 May to Helen Moffatt (for catering)
