Phd students

[i_got_a_mohawk]

physics, berkeley. nearly done with my second year. i'm on here because it's spring break.

looking forward to not taking classes for a while.

You guys get holidays?

Only holidays we get are when the university is totally shut down, which is the odd public holiday here and there and a week and a half at christmas

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The dissertation will be the dissertation, and then my chair and I are going to shop it for a book. He's well published and on the editing board of a popular journal, so he has some connection, and I feel that the topic has real merits as a book, so it will be a dissertation, then it will hopefully be expanded into book form.

Ooo, sounds good! Most PhD thesis's tend to be so full of the tiniest technical details that are irrelivent to everyone other than those working on similar projects in that sub-branch of thier field! What is it you are working on if you don't mind my asking?

 

[jazzbo]

Ooo, sounds good! Most PhD thesis's tend to be so full of the tiniest technical details that are irrelivent to everyone other than those working on similar projects in that sub-branch of thier field! What is it you are working on if you don't mind my asking?

It's a qualitative study that was a psychobiography of the Sigmund Freud/CG Jung correspondence. The study looked at the relationship between Freud and Jung from the perspective of Daniel Levinson's psychosocial theory of adult development. The study looks at what, as mentor and protege, developmental significance the relationship had for the two of them. Much of the past research of this important relationship has been a bipartisan perspective that idealizes the one and demonizes the other. The truth of the matter is that the relationship was far more complex. It served important developmental functions for each individual. Their eventual break was volatile and deeply emotionally disturbing for each man. Following the break, Jung fell into a mid-life crisis of psychotic proportions before developing the psychological theory that would become his defining life's work, and the fulfillment of his personal dream. Freud, feeling betrayed, launched an attack against his defectors that saw him rise to a point of prominence in the psychoanalytic movement that he was earlier hesitant to assume; however, it also forced him to rethink important aspects of his theory, which led to a developmental crisis later in his life. He came out of this crisis with a body of work that had major implications for modern psychology, and that rivaled the body of work he produced following a mid-life crisis in his early 40s. The study also raised questions about the effects of mentorship on not just the protege, but the mentor as well.

 

[jazzbo]

Well, now that's a workload. Hats off to you for doing it. I guess that I was fortunate in some sense that I had a research assistantship in my advisor's lab, so I got paid to do my dissertation. Also, there wasn't much overlap between coursework and diss research in physics. Coursework was a solid 2 years, then they cut you loose to do your diss. And that took a lot longer than I had hoped, because my first project was a failure.

Now you talk about practicum and internship. Are you in a clinical field?

Yeah, clinical psychology.

It's all challenging in their own ways, I guess. I know that while I'm extremely fascinated and interested in physics, it's not the way my mind tends to normally think. I'm sure it's an intense amount of work and dissertations can be quite challenging, yet, if it's what you're passionate about, it makes it all the more rewarding and fascinating.

Being in a clinical field brings different sorts of challenges. My life is far more about the subjective than the objective. Meeting the emotional demands of doing work in clinical psychology is a profound thing, and not something that many people are prepared for. I understand my work as both art and science, and I like that grey area that it inhabits. Yet, it's also incredibly challenging at times!

 

[hrodbert696]

Were you able to gig during your PhD? That would seem pretty hard, given that there will be hardly enough time to even to practice. I think I will keep my gear. I spent a lot of money getting it.

Can't answer, cause I took up bass after I finished. I'm hardly less busy now than I was in school! Anyway, how much time you have depends entirely on how you manage your time. I had a wife and three kids all through grad school, worked outside jobs to pay bills with, and still finished within the average period of time (and to be honest, found time to play computer games, read non-school-related books, and otherwise procrastinate. If I had been a bassist during school, that would have been practice time). It's intimidating before you start but once you get into things you can make the time.

If you get eight hours of sleep, there are still sixteen waking hours in the day. Spend 8-10 of them on your studies and you've got 6-8 left for social life, food and hygiene, and music.

 

[derridiandrift]

I completely stopped playing while I did my Master's degree (English). Honestly, my social life was completely non-existent, and the only work I did beyond coursework and research amounted to some teaching at my university.

Not sure how a Ph.D. program works in your discipline, but in English, the first 12 months is strictly coursework, then you study for comprehensive exams (ie. read every freaking book ever written) for which they typically budget 12 months, then you research and write for two years. The first year is brutal. The second year is just south of brutal. The third and fourth years are better. If your discipline is anything like English, you'll be able to do gigs again in years 3 and 4.

The good news is that it's only a few years out of your life. But I would still buy that bass if I was in your situation. It'll keep you sane, even if all you're able to do is hold it close to your chest while you whimper softly and slowly rock back and forth.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

8 Hrs - Private I/O consultation to two local businesses.

Hey Jazzbo, what did all of that exactly entail, if you don't mind me asking? I'm appying to a PhD program in leadership studies. My eventual goal is to start a grand-funded nonprofit leadership institute that offers its services at a discounted price to nonprofit and public institutions (and perhaps some small private firms that meet a specific criterion, such as being considered a "green" agency). One part of the mission of the institute is that I want to do organizational development and leadership development with services that include, selection, assessment, compensation planning, performance appraisal, coaching, training, team building, and succession planning. I'd like to offer these services to the nonprofit sector, because I feel I would be doing something good for firms with a positive mission who, because of their budgetary contraints as nonprofits, may not be able to afford the services of many of the firms that offer their services primarily to the for-profit sector. Futher more, some of these agencies may not be able to afford a fulltime HR department or may need help with strategic HR planning when they are just getting started.

The other mission of the institute would be to conduct research. If the institute doesn't end of being associated with a university, then I and any fellows at the institute are going to need to partner up with some scholars in academia (i.e., I need to start hitting up some conferences). It's kind of hard to get IRB approval when there's no IRB. The eventual plan would be to put out a peer-reviewed journal.

The hardest part is going to be finding out who would want to give me the grant. If it were a think tank, I could just find whoever wanted their view of the world supported by research. But it's not a think tank; I'm not trying to change public policy or push a political or economic agenda (other than helping nonprofits and public agencies succeed on the human resources front). I have to seek the counsel of some people with grant experience. I have a written mission and goal, but I still need to write a business plan. I really need to give consideration to a budget.

My Bachelor's is in psychology with a foundation in I/O. My Master's is in labor relations, though my interests tend towards HR processess, such as selection and assessment, rather than collective bargaining and grievance management. My research interest is in leadership studies. My thesis is on how gender can be a moderating variable in social perceptions of transformational and transactional leader efficacy.

And now I'm rambling; I just meant to ask Jazzbo about his I/O experience. I just love talking about this stuff.

 

[fdeck]

Ooo, sounds good! Most PhD thesis's tend to be so full of the tiniest technical details that are irrelivent to everyone other than those working on similar projects in that sub-branch of thier field! What is it you are working on if you don't mind my asking?

This varies from one field to another. It's hard to come up with a topic that is of general or "human" interest in physics. For better or worse, my thesis was extremely specialized.

 

[giantimi]

The good news is that it's only a few years out of your life. But I would still buy that bass if I was in your situation. It'll keep you sane, even if all you're able to do is hold it close to your chest while you whimper softly and slowly rock back and forth.

Yea, I am. I've already put it on layaway. I guess the only thing I'll have to worry about is maintaining it while I don't play it for certain periods of time.

 

[jazzbo]

Hey Jazzbo, what did all of that exactly entail, if you don't mind me asking? I'm appying to a PhD program in leadership studies. My eventual goal is to start a grand-funded nonprofit leadership institute that offers its services at a discounted price to nonprofit and public institutions (and perhaps some small private firms that meet a specific criterion, such as being considered a "green" agency). One part of the mission of the institute is that I want to do organizational development and leadership development with services that include, selection, assessment, compensation planning, performance appraisal, coaching, training, team building, and succession planning. I'd like to offer these services to the nonprofit sector, because I feel I would be doing something good for firms with a positive mission who, because of their budgetary contraints as nonprofits, may not be able to afford the services of many of the firms that offer their services primarily to the for-profit sector. Futher more, some of these agencies may not be able to afford a fulltime HR department or may need help with strategic HR planning when they are just getting started.

The other mission of the institute would be to conduct research. If the institute doesn't end of being associated with a university, then I and any fellows at the institute are going to need to partner up with some scholars in academia (i.e., I need to start hitting up some conferences). It's kind of hard to get IRB approval when there's no IRB. The eventual plan would be to put out a peer-reviewed journal.

The hardest part is going to be finding out who would want to give me the grant. If it were a think tank, I could just find whoever wanted their view of the world supported by research. But it's not a think tank; I'm not trying to change public policy or push a political or economic agenda (other than helping nonprofits and public agencies succeed on the human resources front). I have to seek the counsel of some people with grant experience. I have a written mission and goal, but I still need to write a business plan. I really need to give consideration to a budget.

My Bachelor's is in psychology with a foundation in I/O. My Master's is in labor relations, though my interests tend towards HR processess, such as selection and assessment, rather than collective bargaining and grievance management. My research interest is in leadership studies. My thesis is on how gender can be a moderating variable in social perceptions of transformational and transactional leader efficacy.

And now I'm rambling; I just meant to ask Jazzbo about his I/O experience. I just love talking about this stuff.

I love your idea. I think it's brilliant and I can guarantee you that the funding is out there. It's just a matter of finding it. And, I'm sure, a matter of enduring many refusals until you get your funding. What you're proposing is ambitious and challenging, yet certainly needed. Good luck.

I don't know that I can offer much to your situation, as I don't know that I have the energy or personal resolve for the type of project that you envision. But, you asked about what I'm currently doing, so I'll share with you what I can.

Before I entered my program I did 10 years of corporate time. (I was finally parolled). So, I brought with me an awareness of corporate and business environments. In addition, my partner is a private practice owner/operator with over 10 years experience practicing. I've gained a lot of wisdom that way alone. Then, add in my training in clinical psychology, and I knew that consultation would be a good way to add variety to my career, make good money, and to do a service for others.

Part of this started with the idea that clinical programs, (of every ilk: chiropractors, psychotherapists, naturopaths, nutritionists, etc.), don't train individuals to operate successful businesses. Further, many individuals in those areas are hesitant to take initiative. There is sometimes a tacit edict in health care that people be overly altruistic. Unless you're a physician, you're not expected to make money or be successful. After all, you just want to help people, don't you?

So, I worked some connections that I have and was hired on as a consultant for two local, small proprietors. My duties include everything top-down. For one particular client, she is the only person involved in her business and business affairs. Many of my duties are more business-consultant-ish, and non psychological. They focus on strategy, work flow, marketing, and more.

The other individual I'm working for is more interesting. She runs a clinic with a variety of disparate practitioners and is transitioning into a different small business model that exponentially expands her business. In this business there is much more focus on assessment; mentoring and professional development; compensation and strategic business planning; leadership, partner, and associate coaching; governance and management structure review; facilitating retreats; and more. My particular area of expertise is mentoring and mentoring relationships. This is where I've been able to make the greatest impacts, particularly because I'm working with female-run businesses, and women traditionally have far less access to mentorship than men.

Elliot Jacques and James Collins are two particular writers whose work have been very influential. There is another individual that I've apprenticed with, but he's my dissertation chair as well, and I don't want to name him as I wish - due largely to the nature of my profession - to remain as anonymous as possible on the internet.

Anyway, I've been excited about doing it. I have a good friend who's about to finish law school. His focus is on green businesses, and I'm hoping to get involved in doing consultation with him and law firms in the area. Like you, I'm not interested in mediation. I'm interested in helping ethical, good companies grow and increase employee satisfaction (and therefore retention).

 

[LiquidMidnight]

Thanks for the input, Jazzbo. Also, thank you for the encouragement, particuarly with funding. It's good to hear from sensible people that I'm not being overly idealistic or too pie-in-the-sky about this. As I refine the mission and goals of such an organization, I'm trying to be wide enough to offer a nice range of services and solutions that would sustain such an agency, but I'm also being careful not to spread things too thin that may detract overall value from the institute. The PhD program I applied to is a cohort model in which all the students enter together, take core classess together, and then finish coursework together (obviously people take varying time lenghts to finish their dissertations). The concept is that we all form close bonds that allow us to network. While this institute is my idea, I'm thinking that it may be wise to actually appoint somebody else as the director - or at least interim director - who would have more experience than me to actually executive the concept once it's established. This is one of those times where it's better to put the ego on the backshelf in order for the greater good to be established.

I'm also glad to hear that there isn't dissonance in working with ethical companies that wish to add value to themselves. A lot of leadership theories, particuarly transformational and servant theories, are contingent upon morality.

 

[fdeck]

Consulting is cool. My only request is: Don't be evil. The business world is already crawling with consultants who are basically predatory drivel-mongers.

 

[jazzbo]

Consulting is cool. My only request is: Don't be evil. The business world is already crawling with consultants who are basically predatory drivel-mongers.

So true. Preaching to the choir my friend.

I'm interested in helping ethical, good companies grow and increase employee satisfaction (and therefore retention).

I'm also glad to hear that there isn't dissonance in working with ethical companies that wish to add value to themselves. A lot of leadership theories, particuarly transformational and servant theories, are contingent upon morality.