The Shining Lights Program

The Shining Lights Program has been designed to:

• Equip graduate students and postdocs with essential skills needed for successful careers in scientific leadership

• Encompass both technical and interpersonal competencies

• Provide participants with a deeper understanding of effective leadership qualities 

• Include self-assessment and exploration of leadership styles to prepare for roles as future scientific leaders

• Strengthen skills and confidence through hands-on practice with a range of tools in the areas of: 

• Building strategic relationships

• Decision making 

• Communicating research to various audiences

• Dealing with Imposter Phenomenon

• Work-life balance 

• Public speaking

Specific program content is under development.  More information will be posted once available, including a full calendar of events.  Supervisors are encouraged to nominate candidates, and candidates to self-nominate.  All eligible nominated candidates will be contacted once the program schedule is final, and be given the option to proceed or to withdraw, without prejudice.

Program participants can anticipate a commitment of 90 minutes every other week, plus 3 to 4 one-day workshops. Participants must be able to attend all program sessions in-person on the Berkeley campus. 

Program activities are centered around the core competencies of the program: Leadership Skill Building, Coaching, Networking, and Mentoring.

The Shining Lights Program is open to advanced graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at UC Berkeley who work in Math, Physics, Astronomy, or Earth and Planetary Sciences; and postdoctoral researchers working in similar fields at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Candidates should meet the following criteria:

• Women, women-identifying professionals, or allies of women-identifying professionals

• Graduate students who have advanced to candidacy, or postdoctoral researchers 

• Members of departments within MPS at UC Berkeley, or related fields at Berkeley Lab 

• Demonstrated potential for career advancement 

• Permission of supervising faculty or laboratory staff member to participate

• Motivation to become part of a growing, ongoing community

• Ability to commit to the program with full in-person attendance and participation

In addition to the eligibility criteria, the selection committee will review all nominations based on the following questions: 

• Has a compelling case been made for why this potential participant should participate, including why now?

• Is it clear how the potential participant would benefit from participation, including whether the individual seems ready to quickly integrate lessons learned into career growth or change?

Spring 2025 Cohort

Nominations Period: October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024

• Self nominations encouraged with the approval of supervisor

• Nomination requires a brief written statement evaluating the candidate's fit for this program. A candidate CV is requested (if nominating someone other than yourself, the selection committee can solicit the CV directly if preferred).

• The selection committee may also reach out to candidates for additional information after the initial nomination.

Nomination Review: November 1, 2024 through December 1, 2024 

• Program staff will confirm supervisory approval to participate in program

• Review written statements and CVs to determine candidate's fit for the program

• Committee may reach out for a written statement and/or brief interview with candidates during this period

Nominees Notified: December 2024

William Boos, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, Berkeley

Courtney Dressing, Professor of Astronomy, Berkeley

Wick Haxton, Professor of Physics, Berkeley

Maria Hjelm, Assistant Dean of Development, MPS, Berkeley

Barbara Jacak, Professor of Physics, Berkeley

Young-Kee Kim, Professor of Physics, Chicago

David Nadler, Professor of Maths, Berkeley

Gabriel Orebi Gann, Professor of Physics, Berkeley

Colette Patt, Assistant Dean of DEIBJ, MPS, Berkeley

Natalie Roe, Associate Lab Director, Physical Sciences, LBNL

Angela Stopper, Chief Learning Officer & Director of the People & Organization Development team at UCB People & Culture