[Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks

Gabias, Paul paul.gabias at ubc.ca
Wed May 1 16:13:35 UTC 2013 

Hi Arielle,

My degree is in Experimental Psychology, from New York University, in
the field of perception.

All the best,

Paul Gabias, Ph.D., L.L.D
Associate Professor of Psychology
UBCO - Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
ART 228 - 1147 Research Road
Kelowna, BC  V1V 1V7
T:  250.807.9383
E:  paul.gabias at ubc.ca



-----Original Message-----
From: Social-sciences-list
[mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 4:27 PM
To: Blind Social Scientists List
Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks

I'm ABD in social psychology right now (literally just have to write and
defend my thesis; all the data have been collected) but I have a
graduate fellowship that goes until June 2014, so I'm stretching out my
graduation until I have a job offer and my fiancee has graduated so we
can move and accept jobs. I'll be applying for jobs as an ABD. My degree
will be in psychology but I'm interested in university positions in
psychology, disability studies, or education where I can do empirical
disability/rehab research, or non-academic research institutes that
focus on disability-relevant work.
I recall you have a social psychology background; are you currently
working in a psych department?
Best,
Arielle

On 4/30/13, Gabias, Paul <paul.gabias at ubc.ca> wrote:
> Hello Arielle,
>
> Are you applying to Universities with a Ph.D. degree?  From  what 
> department?
>
> All The Best
>
> Paul Gabias
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Social-sciences-list
> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle 
> Silverman
> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 4:05 PM
> To: Blind Social Scientists List
> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am going to start applying for jobs this summer (so anyone who would

> be willing to pass around my CV, email me offlist!) but anyway, I'm 
> very interested in this topic. For those of you who say you mention 
> blindness in your cover letter or application, I am curious how and 
> why you do this?
> I am planning to apply for jobs where I can initiate a program of 
> social-psychological research on blindness, rehabilitation psychology,

> etc. so I have no intention of hiding blindness from search 
> committees, and I have numerous references to NFB on my vita. For some

> positions I think blindness might be considered an asset since I have 
> experiential knowledge of the topic I am researching, as well as a lot

> of social connections with potential research communities and 
> collaborators who are blind. For other jobs I think my blindness 
> should be considered neutral and irrelevant. In the past, when I have 
> applied for jobs where blindness shouldn't matter (like teaching or 
> tutoring jobs) I don't mention it until right before my interview and 
> this has never caused problems. I once had a short-term survey 
> programming job and I didn't mention blindness at all until I met the 
> employer since it was such a short-term thing. She seemed a little 
> taken aback when she discovered I was blind and had some slightly 
> obnoxious questions about how I type and use the computer, but she 
> still gave me the job and seemed to appreciate my work.
>
> What I don't like doing is using blindness as an example of 
> "overcoming adversity" or as an excuse to hold me to lower standards.
> I have had recommenders imply they would frame my blindness this way 
> in grad school applications and I was not happy about that framing, 
> even if it helped me get in, because it is not accurate. I attended 
> college on a full scholarship that provided me with lots of mentoring 
> and networking opportunities, and came from a relatively educated,
affluent background.
> Of course blindness presents its challenges as far as access and 
> social acceptance goes, but I don't think my education has been more 
> difficult than it has for many sighted students, such as those who 
> have had to work while going to school, first-generation college 
> students, etc. I think characterizing my life as one of overcoming 
> adversity is unfair to those of us who experienced true educational, 
> socioeconomic or medical adversity (chronic pain, hospitalizations, 
> etc.) I refuse to take advantage of employers' stereotypes about 
> blindness in order to stand out as the amazing blind employee and get 
> hired. So while I don't hide blindness, I want to be in full control 
> of how it is framed and I want to frame it as something that helps my 
> research work rather than as a barrier I have overcome.
>
> Best,
> Arielle
>
> On 4/30/13, Gabias, Paul <paul.gabias at ubc.ca> wrote:
>> Great!
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Social-sciences-list
>> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mazhar 
>> Mughal
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 12:54 AM
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks Paul. Sending you the CV & cover letter on your univ address.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Gabias, Paul <mailto:paul.gabias at ubc.ca>
>>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 9:27 AM
>>
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> <mailto:social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Mazhar
>>
>>
>>
>> If you send me your CV and general cover letter, I'll pass it on to 
>> some economists that I know at our University.  They may know people.
>
>> It always pays to network
>>
>>
>>
>> You have my contact information in the email I sent you previously.
>>
>>
>>
>> All The Best
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Social-sciences-list
>> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mazhar 
>> Mughal
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 12:19 AM
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Paul
>>
>> My field is Development Economics, and I am applying in Canadian 
>> univs
>
>> and colleges. The two interview calls were one from a university for 
>> a
>
>> tenure-track position and the other was for a smallish college on a 
>> continuing position. The interviewing panel of the latter appeared to

>> be quite impressed, but later on, told me that I won't be invited for

>> in person interview. I wonder if my research profile wasn't more than

>> what they were looking for.
>>
>>                                             Mazhar
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Gabias, Paul <mailto:paul.gabias at ubc.ca>
>>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 9:01 AM
>>
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> <mailto:social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Mazhar
>>
>>
>>
>> Two out of fifty?  That's good!  Are they Universities? Are they 
>> tenure track positions?  What is your degree in?
>>
>> I have noticed that, with Universities, usually, if they phone you, 
>> it's because they want to invite you for an interview.  I always 
>> acted
>
>> pleased but also, that I was assessing them, as much as they were 
>> assessing me.  It's great when you have Universities competing with 
>> each other for your attention.  I had that happen a couple of times.
>>
>> You can always use the law of numbers in your favour, for that to 
>> happen.  If you apply to enough places, it will happen.  Then, the 
>> law
>
>> of numbers gives you leverage.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best of luck
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Gabias, Ph.D., L.L.D
>>
>> Associate Professor of Psychology
>>
>> UBCO - Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
>>
>> ART 228 - 1147 Research Road
>>
>> Kelowna, BC  V1V 1V7
>>
>> T:  250.807.9383
>>
>> E:  paul.gabias at ubc.ca
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Social-sciences-list
>> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mazhar 
>> Mughal
>> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 11:43 PM
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Christine and friends
>>
>> I have recently completed my PhD, and have now begun this painful 
>> process of job seeking. Have applied to close to fifty places so far,

>> mentioning each time blindness in the cover letter. Have got only two

>> interview calls so far. Can't say if it is due to this factor or 
>> general job market conditions.
>>
>>                 kind regards                        Mazhar
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Gabias, Paul <mailto:paul.gabias at ubc.ca>
>>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 8:21 AM
>>
>> To: Blind Social Scientists List
>> <mailto:social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Christine,
>>
>>
>>
>> I made blindness clear in my letters of application.  I applied to 
>> about
>> 100 places each year.  I moved five times before I obtained my tenure

>> track position.  I obtained visiting positions each time before.  And

>> anyway, if you don't mention blindness, your letters of 
>> recommendation
>
>> surely will, so you would do well to beat them to it, so that it can 
>> be discussed on exactly your own terms.
>>
>>
>>
>> All The Best
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Gabias Ph.D. LL.D.
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Social-sciences-list
>> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>> Christine Szostak
>> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 11:03 PM
>> To: NFB Science and Engineering Division List; 
>> social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [Social-sciences-list] Note of Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>>   Thanks to everyone for the very helpful responses! It seems the 
>> majority of the views deal with waiting until just before or during 
>> the interview. Again, thanks to everyone!
>>
>> With warm regards,
>>
>> Christine
>>
>> Christine M. Szostak
>> Doctoral Candidate and Research Consultant Language Perception 
>> Laboratory Department of Psychology, Cognitive Area The Ohio State 
>> University Columbus, Ohio szostak.1 at osu.edu 
>> www.soundresearchconsulting.wordpress.com
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
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>> ar
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>>
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>>
>
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