Here at the Center for Inclusive Education, we consider it an honor whenever an alum returns to participate in one of our programs or events. We believe there is much for current CIE scholars to learn from their past experiences, as well as where their career paths have led them. It is truly inspirational to listen to stories about the exciting research projects with which they are engaged, the places they have traveled and the connections they have made along the way. We are humbled when they mention the role we may have played in positioning and preparing them for their careers – whether it be through a program-specific funding mechanism, a professional development workshop or a simple networking opportunity.

On Monday, October 26, we had the esteemed privilege of welcoming Dr. Marvin Jaime-Vasquez as our guest for the Center for Inclusive Education Speaker Series. A former AGEP Fellow and Turner Postdoctoral Trainee, Dr. Jaime-Vasquez completed his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Stony Brook University in 2002.

In his talk, “Finding Success From Possibilities”, Dr. Jaime-Vasquez shared his experiences as a researcher and entrepreneur. Currently, he is a physicist at the United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Communications Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate in Washington, DC. He is also the President of Sabor de mi Tierra Distributor, Inc. and CEO of Bakery Products by Genesis, Inc. – a wholesale bakery located in Bay Shore, NY.

Dr. Jaime-Vasquez considered himself to be a shy person while working on his doctorate. “Through the networking opportunities and professional development offered by the diversity programs at the CIE, I learned how to network and speak in public,” he said. These skills proved invaluable as he progressed professionally and then eventually embarked on the journey of owning a small business. “The analytical and problem solving skills you learn as part of your PhD are relevant and valuable in all aspects of your life and multiple career paths.” Dr. Jaime-Vasquez stressed to our attendees the importance of pursuing your passions, in all aspects of life, because it is from your passions and interests that ideas and innovation spring. It is often these innovations that serve as the starting point for entrepreneurial ideas and business opportunities.

 

Every semester, the CIE will highlight the current work of an early career CIE alumnus. In recognition of the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, we are featuring Sharonah Esther Fredrick, PhD in Hispanic Languages and Literature (December 2014). Dr. Fredrick currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) at Arizona State University. We asked her a few questions about the journey leading up to her current position, as well as her hopes for the upcoming ACMRS Conference.

What factors influenced your decision to pursue a PhD in Hispanic Languages & Literature at Stony Brook?

At the age of 40, I embarked on my doctorate in Latin American literature after 17 years in international development and archaeology, in Argentina, Mexico and Israel. That pre-doctoral work took me to indigenous communities in Latin America, and to peace and reconciliation projects with Israeli and Palestinian professionals. Because I began (and finished) my doctorate at a later age, I wished it to have a genuine meaning in terms of my professional experience, and in terms of the daunting social reality faced by many Latino students in the US.

What do you remember most about your time as a Stony Brook PhD student?

In CIE, I was a Turner Fellow and participated constantly in research seminars and employment workshops. They were some of the most helpful experiences that I have had in all of academia, and in my professional life in general.

Can you share about your experience on the job market?

The irony of my time on the job market is that, while I did receive two other offers from searching in the conventional way, the one which interested me most by far was ACMRS. I heard about ACMRS by attending the annual conference, which really shows how important physical, “be there” networking is. Then, while I was in the finishing stages of my thesis, I applied for, and got, the position in which I am currently employed as the Assistant Director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, at Arizona State University.

What do you hope to accomplish in your current position as the Assistant Director of ACMRS?

Through my teaching and writing, I hope to diversify the idea of Renaissance history, which often concentrates on Europe to the detriment of the areas conquered by Europe during that period. In the academic world, anti-indigenous prejudice is still palpable, intellectually and politically.

What are your future career goals?

If I project into the next ten years, I would like to see my career continue and blossom in terms of what I am currently doing: incorporating Latin American, African and indigenous studies more firmly into the field of general Early Modern and Renaissance studies, and widening the intercultural conversation regarding Early Modern cultural contact/ conquest/ and the grey areas in between.

Tell us about the conference that ACMRS is planning.

The 22nd Annual Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Interdisciplinary Conference will be held at the Embassy Suites in Scottsdale, AZ on February 4-6, 2016. ACMRS invites session and paper proposals that explore any topic related to the study and teaching of the Middle Ages and Renaissance and especially those that focus on the general theme of “Marginal Figures in the Global Middle Ages and Renaissance.” We encourage registration and proposal submissions from a wide variety of fields of study, as there are many disciplines whose investigative work addresses the topic of the conference.

I attended the ACMRS Conference prior to securing my current position as Assistant Director. In 2013, I was awarded a conference travel grant and delivered a paper on images of the dragon in Andean colonial chronicles and its relationship to pre-Colombian archaeology and iconography. I also presented as a panelist and featured lecturer at the ACMRS Conferences in 2012, 2013 and 2014, as well as the Fearless Females series in 2014. It was an excellent opportunity to connect with professionals in my field and to showcase my research and findings. I suggest that scholars research the conference travel grants available to them and to consider the networking opportunities that presenting at a conference can lead to. Here I am now working for ACMRS!

How can CIE Scholars submit their proposals for consideration to present at the upcoming ACMRS Conference?

Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until midnight, MST on December 4, 2015. Responses will be given within a week of submission. Please submit an abstract of 250 words and a brief CV to ACMRSconference@asu.edu. Proposals must include audio/visual requirements and any other special requests; late requests may not be accommodated. Any additional questions can be directed to 480-965-5900 or email acmrs@acmrs.org.