Ambassador' program seeks volunteers to help orient incoming postdocs, graduate student

Brief

Student/Postdoc Advisory Committee member Dr. Anne Grosse-Wilde (second from the left) is pictured with future ambassadors (from left to right) Drs. Shannon Payne, Jacqueline Roy, Sarah Wootton and Michael Schlador; Liyun Sang; and Drs. Tom Kim and Zsolt Petko. Photo by Todd McNaught

Did you know that more than one-third of postdoctoral and graduate students at Fred Hutchinson come from foreign countries? Some of the countries people are from include: China (PRC), Germany, Japan, Canada, Korea, India, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Israel, Romania, Albania, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Uzbekistan, Russia and Switzerland.

In an effort to better serve the postdoc and graduate student community at Fred Hutchinson, the Student/Postdoc Advisory Committee (SPAC) is initiating the Hutch Ambassador Program (HAP). The program will provide a network of U.S. and international postdocs and graduate students to help orient incoming researchers. Each incoming researcher will have the option to be assigned a center "ambassador," who will be matched by country of origin and/or language (if possible), to help with their transition into the Fred Hutchinson community. An ambassador's role can be as simple as corresponding with the incoming researcher to answer any questions he or she may have.

Benefits of becoming a Hutch Ambassador

There are many benefits to participating in the HAP, including the establishment of long-term friendships and excellent networking opportunities. Furthermore, participation in HAP is one more thing you can add to your CV! In short, being an ambassador provides opportunities for you to get more involved in the center community and be of service to incoming postdocs and graduate students. To get the program started, the SPAC seeks people willing to volunteer as ambassadors. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to ambassad@fhcrc.org and provide the following information:

• Name, work phone and e-mail address
• Your country of origin
• Languages you speak
• Countries from which you are willing to host people

We will put you into our ambassador database (in the order of sign up). When we have a match, we will contact you to see if you can be an ambassador at that time. You can always refuse if you are busy, out of the country, etc., without losing your place in line. If you choose to accept, we will give you the incoming researcher's contact information so that you can reach the researcher via e-mail or phone to extend a welcome and answer questions. Any continued contact after that is up to both parties. Once you have been assigned a match, you will be rotated to the bottom of the list. You can remove yourself from the program at any time by e-mailing us at ambassad@fhcrc.org.

Incoming researchers

To participate in the Ambassador Program, incoming researchers should contact either their advisor or Amy Garrett in Human Resources, (if dealing with visa issues) upon or before arrival to request information about the HAP. The new researcher will be assigned an ambassador who will contact them shortly. Please note that this service is restricted to employees and future employees of Fred Hutchinson.

The center is also assembling a group of volunteers to assist visiting scientist and other international visitors. If you'd like to participate or receive more information, contact Theresa Naujack at (206) 667-4071 or tnaujack@fhcrc.org.

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