On December 3, CICI affiliates took part in an Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Academic and Professional Panel designed specifically for Graduate Fellows and Undergraduate Scholars who are part of the CICI and Social Sciences Discovery Hubs. The event marked the fall-semester culmination of a year-long series of mentorship-focused workshops for program participants. Its aim was to give students an idea of what it looks like to advance in a variety of fields and career paths, and to share insights as students find their ways as leaders and thinkers both within and outside of academia.
The lively panel, held at the Arts Research Center (ARC), included Debarati Sanyal (CICI Director), who delivered opening remarks that emphasized collaborative interdisciplinary research; Ramsey McGlazer (The Program in Critical Theory faculty affiliate); and Claudia Natalia von Vacano (Digital Humanities Executive Director). They were joined by David Harding (Social Sciences Hub faculty lead) and Anthony Graham (BAMPFA Senior Curator). The panel was moderated by Marlena Gittleman (CICI postdoctoral fellow). The panelists spoke about the rich and varied personal and professional experiences that led them to their current positions at UC Berkeley, and they shared advice about preparing for graduate study and pursuing graduate school and beyond. They spoke about finding effective mentors, navigating challenges from marginalized positionalities, working across different fields and positions, and undertaking research and writing. Panelists also addressed audience questions around navigating unstable academic job markets, balancing creative and critical work, and aligning with one’s values and strengths as a student and job applicant.
The afternoon continued with a food and mingling hour in which panelists, undergraduates, and graduate students across disciplines could continue the conversations and make new connections, followed by a STEM and Physical Sciences panel. All Discovery Hubs research clusters will present their work in a final symposium at the end of the spring semester.
Learn more about the 2025-2026 CICI Discovery Research Hub Cohort here
Marlena Gittleman is a Future of Higher Education Postdoctoral Fellow with the Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry.