Coping Skills

In the last post, I mentioned a new website called CareerWISE, which was just launched by an NSF-supported group.  It provides resources for women in STEM fields to cope with the interpersonal challenges we face.  We receive extensive technical training, but often do not get any formal help in developing other critical skills required to succeed in a science career.

CareerWISE website provides strategies, training, and informative videos (of successful women) to assist us in coping with challenges. On the front page is a great interactive problem-solving exercise, which guides you through four steps in solving whatever issue is bothering you: Assess the problem, Specify the outcome (you want), Strategize, and Execute and evaluate.

Another option offered is LearnSkills--a page with dozens of guides to learning about yourself and skills to address specific issues that arise.

A third option is HerStories--videos of interviews with dozens of female scientists (by discipline) talking about their experiences and coping skills: lack of female role models, pros and cons of an international advisor, the upside to children prior to a tenure-track job....

This is a rich resource for women--particularly targeting women currently in Ph.D. programs. The idea is to help women develop these critical skills at a crucial point in their science training.

Do yourself a favor and check it out.  Both male and female students and post-docs can benefit from these resources.