Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Job Prospects

Well, it seems my summer is being eaten up with teaching. I love teaching, and I've been very happy to get experience with a new class and new students (early start community college). But, a new prep sure does take a lot of time!!

Luckily, a huge motivator for also working more on my prospectus/research/job apps came through yesterday: a job prospect. It's the first job call to come up that really seems to fit me. First, it is in an area of the US that I'd be willing and happy to live. Second, they are looking for someone who will research in the area of interpersonal. And third, the ideal candidate will be willing and well suited to teach a methods course, covering both qualitative and quantitative methods!! Sounds like a pretty great job. It is definitely time to start putting together job packets and progressing more aggressively on the dissertation. Who knew that balancing these tasks would be so tough? Ok- I knew...I was just in denial.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Getting Started

I hope to use this space as a place to record my thoughts during my last year of graduate school. I'd like to think of this as a mini auto-ethnography. Writing a dissertation, working through the job market, and finishing up school are all daunting and exciting tasks that will require reflection. I welcome ideas, thoughts, and even criticisms regarding my research and experiences. Different eyes and ears can always help provide insight--as long as they are constructive.

My research interests lie broadly in interpersonal communication, and my specific focus is on grief, loss, and family support. For my dissertation, I will be analyzing the experiences of military families during deployment. If there is anyone out there who would like to participate, I would love to talk with you!! For anyone else who enters this space--enjoy!