This is the old version.
Please refer the new one (noticed via email) for the updated information.
(Contact: edoi at cnbc dot cmu dot edu)
The questions are not categorized, but once we collect enough information and get a sense for how the answers differ for Pitt vs. CMU postdocs, then we can figure out how to organize it. Also, if possible, we should name postdoc representatives from the CMU and Pitt.
Some people have already responded to my original email. I have included their names and affiliations, so that if you have more questions, you can contact the person directly and ask him or her for details. If you discover something of general interest, then let me know so that I can update this web page.
In the following, Darlene is Darlene Thiel , the CNBC administrator, so these are official answers.
Is there a list of CNBC postdocs?
Amy Criss [CMU]:A list of postdoc emails is at http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/People/Lists [The postdoc list is here]
What is CNBC? How does it change my life that I am a "part of CNBC" as opposed to being "Professor X's postdoc"? Is there is a big common CNBC grant?
Where do I get posters printed?
Eizaburo Doi [CMU]: In the case that your adviser or co-author is in CS dept, you can use their account and print a poster for free.
Matt Smith [CMU]:Eizaburo mentioned CMU's CS department - this is possible, but I've had bad luck with that option. In my experience this is not a very good poster printer, and you need a CS department account to do this (i.e., username and password) along with access to a computer in Wean Hall. It is free, but maybe not worth the frustration. Also I don't like relying on borrowing someone else's username and password - it would be nice if we could either get our own account, and/or have somewhere else to go.
Darlene: At Pitt, the advisor is usually responsible for paying for posters. The Pitt Pathology Dept does a good job and are reasonable (your dept needs to have an account there).
Gautam Vallabha [CMU]: I work in Mellon and there are three places I am aware of, none of which require a departmental account.
How do I borrow books from other libraries? How about electronic access to journals?
Eizaburo Doi [CMU]: I guess you should ask Beck [Rebecca Clark, the business manager at CNBC] and she will get you Pitt ID. Then go Falk library to make an account for the remote access. FYI, the website of the on-line library is as follows: http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/ .
Matt Smith [CMU]: Elaboration on Eizaburo's comments: Get a "Pitt" account via Becky. Then go to http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/ and click the "remote access" link and login. Then search for the journal name and browse to the article you want from the journal's webpage.
Darlene:To borrow books from Pitt libraries, you need a Pitt ID card. CMU folks should contact Beck to initiate the process. To access Pitt on-line journals, you need a Pitt user account - to get that you need a Pitt computer/email account. CMU folks should see Beck to initiate that process. When you have your Pitt user name, you can go to http://sslvpn.pitt.edu to access on-line journals at all Pitt libraries. Note that www.hsls.pitt.edu is for the health sciences libraries only.
Gautam vallabha [CMU]: If you have a CMU ID and can prove that you are currently affiliated (e.g., show them a recent paycheck), then you can get a temporary library card. This card will allow you check books out of Hillman, Langley and Information Sciences libraries. However, I think it doesn't work with the Falk Library or WPIC (Western Psychiatric Institute).
To get a library card, do you get a Pitt ID first?? Because then you can ride the bus free even though with a CMU ID you cannot!
Matt Smith [CMU]:The Pitt ID you get as an "affiliate" is gold, which means you can't ride the bus free with it.
Darlene: The Pitt ID cards that are issued to CMU folks are of a special type issued to "visiting scholars" and cannot be used for riding PAT buses or for access to Pitt gyms.
Gautam vallabha [CMU]: You don't need to get a Pitt ID to get a Pitt library card (see my comments about borrowing books).
Are there travel funds for CNBC postdocs?
Darlene: No.
Are there any resources at CMU (or Pitt) for career development?
Miya Asato [PITT]: Here is an excellent resource at Pitt for postdocs. The seminars are geared towards the medical school, but the concepts are applicable to postdocs not in a medical school setting.
Matt Smith [CMU]: UPPDA [University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association] link - http://www.uppda.pitt.edu/
Darlene: For post-doc career development seminars at Pitt, contact www.uppda.pitt.edu to see if CMU post-docs can attend.
Nicole Hill [Pitt grad student]: The survival skills and ethics workshops at Pitt provides academic career training, http://www.survival.pitt.edu/
Exactly what resources do I have access to at the other university? (Pitt in my case). Libraries? the gym? can I attend their career development meetings? courses?
Matt Smith [CMU]: I know I have access to the CMU gym facilities, since I'm a CMU postdoc, but what about that gym on Bellefield next door [next to Mellon Institute]. It says you need a Pitt ID to get in. Is my gold Pitt "affiliate" ID sufficient?
Eizaburo Doi [CMU]: Yes it is.
Darlene: CMU folks have access to the following Pitt facilities: library borrowing privileges with Pitt ID, on-line journal access with Pitt computer account, Pitt email account, access to public lectures.
Darlene: The CNBC sends out email announcements about talks we're aware of. Contact Melissa Stupka at CNBC/Mellon Institute to make sure you're on the mailing list.
Gautam Vallabha [CMU]: There are several meetings & mailing lists in the Psychology department that people might be interested in.
Evan Smith [CMU grad student]: Below is a link to the CNBC computational neuroscience journal club website. It has further links to other neurocomputationally relevant seminar series. http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/cns/
Is it possible for me to teach a course?
Matt Smith [CMU]:In some places I've been affiliated with I've seen email announcements indicating the need for an instructor for a course. I don't particularly want to teach a course now, but in the future I might. It could be important for experience, to put on a CV for job applications, for a little extra income, or whatever. I would think the various departments must have an occasional need for someone to teach courses. Is it that the announcements don't get posted to our email lists, or that they really don't need instructors?
Darlene: At Pitt, contact the department directly. Pitt-side CNBC is not notified of teaching opportunities.
Gautam Vallabha [CMU]: It is possible to teach a course in CMU Psychology (I taught undergraduate Cognitive Psychology, for example). The main issue is to clear this with your Postdoctoral Advisor / Lab director. Once this is done, then send an email to Ken Kotovsky. Indicate what kind of course you want to teach, and what kind of students it is for (e.g., freshman/sophomores, juniors/seniors, graduate students). Be sure to do this well before the semester begins. For example, my negotiation with Ken Kotovsky for a Fall 2004 class began in February 2004. Also, adjunct professors get paid by the department, so don't forget to enquire about the going rate!
Miscellaneous information
Amy Criss [CMU]: If you are on a CMU training grant (in any dept I think anyway) that pays for your health insurance, they will pay for your entire family's insurance (up to some maximum limit). They did not tell me this last year so I basically missed out on a lot of money. This could of course change but its a good idea to tell people to ask because as I found out, they don't volunteer to spend more money on you.
Darlene: All Pitt post-docs are given an informational booklet upon hire that explains benefits, pay, mentoring, etc.
Last updated on 10/14/05