Olivia Winokur of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology and Charlotte Ambrozek of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, both trained and experienced outdoor educators, developed and created “The Academic Expedition,” which includes a series of four podcasts and an infographic to translate skills from outdoor education into a toolkit for academics to help them communicate better and be more effective. Winokur designed the infographic art and podcast cover art.
In their project, they use such acronyms as VOEMP (Vent, Own, EMpathize and Plan) and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic and Timely) to get their points across. The podcasts are accessible to the public, free of charge, at https://anchor.fm/academic-expedition and on Spotify.
Episode 1: Introduction to Feedback and The Academic Expedition
Episode 2: Feedback, Academia and Conflict: An Interview with Mark Holton (co-director of Cornell Outdoor Education)
Episode 3: Communication, Feedback and Power Dynamics: An Interview with Sidney Woodruff (a UC Davis Ecology graduate student and mentor for MUSE (Mentorship for Underrepresented STEM Enthusiasts)
Episode 4: Discussing the Feedback and Communication Toolkit
Winokur, who researches the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne viruses, and Ambrozek, who studies how “U.S. food assistance polices are shaped by the vendors,” met as students at Cornell University while working at Cornell Outdoor Education.
“We believe this project is important, especially for graduate students and postdocs, because we don't receive this training formally in graduate school,” said Winokur, who works in the laboratory of associate professor Christopher Barker of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.
Winokur and Ambrozek were among 12 fellows selected to participate in PFTF's 2020-2021 program, which aims “to recognize and develop the leadership skills of outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who have demonstrated their commitment to professionalism, integrity, and academic service.” Since its inception in 1992, more than 250 doctoral students or postdoctoral scholars have completed the program.
During the year, the PFTF fellows received formal training-in-teaching methods and course design; participated in a seminar course on ethics and professionalism, and met regularly for roundtable panel discussions to promote their professional development, intellectual growth and leadership skills. The fellows launched either individual or team projects to enhance their graduate or postdoctoral experience and professional development of their colleagues. They then summarized their projects in end-of-the-year reports.
Winokur served as the president of the Entomology Graduate Student Association for two years. Active in STEM projects, Winokur co-founded GOALS (Girls' Outdoor Adventure in Leadership and Science) in 2017, a program that develops and runs free two-week summer science programs for high school girls and gender expansive youth from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields. The girls learn science, outdoor skills and leadership hands-on while backpacking in Sequoia National Park.