Currently
I am Coordinator of Department Publications in the Department of Molecular
Carcinogenesis at the MD Anderson Cancer Center Science Park. While the main MD
Anderson campus is in Houston, I work in Smithville, which is 45 minutes east
of Austin where I live. I am responsible for assisting basic science
researchers with writing grants, manuscripts, progress reports and memos. I am
also responsible for all of the Department’s websites, as well as writing
documents intended for the general public. As need aspects of my job include
planning fundraisers and Departmental activities.
This
is my first ‘real’ job - previously I was a scientist. I received my bachelor’s
degree in biochemistry from UC Davis and my master’s degree in Molecular
Biology from UT Austin. This is my second go at graduate school, but this time
I think I have found my true calling. I love the discovery and communication
involved in basic science research, but I hate the repetitiveness and
failure…both of which are key components of research. In my current role I am
involved in the processes before and after the work is completed – basically
the idea phases and I love it.
My
previous academic training was in biology and I communicate fairly well for
someone who has no formal training. I am in this graduate program because I
want to improve my knowledge base and skills in communication. My career goal
is to continue to follow my interests, which I do not anticipate to be static
over my career. I am very involved in the American Medical Writers Association
from which I see the diversity of career options available. I would like to
incorporate research into my career and therefore will likely stay in academia
because I am curious by nature. Ideally I would like to have a faculty title within
a science department where I could help investigator with their writing and
conduct communications based research projects.
Generally
composition is putting together pieces to form a whole. Specifically to this
class I would like that it is effectively crafting written or verbal communication
to express an idea.
Nice post, Hilary.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to offer comments on others' ideas in their blogs as well. Thanks.
It will be interesting to see how you relate your field to what we do in English, and vice-versa. There is much in the history and theory of composition that relates, I'd say. You're right--composition is putting together many different things, pieces of a puzzle, for both the student and the teacher. One of our PhD students, Deb Burleson, just finished her dissertation on an area related to your work.
Hi Hilary! It's been what, all of 4 weeks since we've "seen" each other. I hope you enjoyed (or at least made good use of) your time off from class, but now it's time to get back to the grind stone. Your web site background is evident in your layout - looks great! This looks to be another interesting semester - see you around. -clw
ReplyDeleteHello Hilary! Your job sounds very interesting and it sounds like you have found your niche. I also work with faculty and staff researchers very closely, although only in the proposal submission stage. During this course, I look forward to hearing your views as a fellow research administrator.
ReplyDeleteHilary,
ReplyDeleteThanks. Hey, just a note--I have posted a list of composition terms that would be helpful for you to define for yourself. I'll draw from these terms for your final. See http://richrice.com/5060/keywords.docx.
science was always my worst subject in school, but I have found a much greater interest in it lately. I'm hoping to take Dr. Baake's Rhetoric of Science class in the fall if they'll let me...
ReplyDeletelike Heather said, it will be awesome to hear about how your work and your science background relate to the goals and processes of writing/composition. people always talk about the arts and the sciences as so disparate, but they overlap and intertwine all the time. and maybe even depend on each other. I really hope I get a chance to think about at least some of the scientific aspects more, eventually.