Mon, Mar 2 | 6:00 PM
Infinite Careers — Amah Edoh: Founder of African Futures Lab
In-person, Ford Building (E19-202)

Thu, Mar 5 | 4:00 PM
Graduate Student Professional Development Resource Lounge
In-person, Rogers Building (7-103)

Tue, Mar 10 | 6:00 PM
International Development Career Social
In-person, MIT D-Lab (N51-265)

Tue, Mar 10 | 6:00 PM
Infinite Careers — Kali Benavides, Senior Analyst at National Grid
In-person, Ford Building (E19-202)

Wed, Mar 11 | 2:00 PM
Fulbright In-Person Information Session
In-person, Maclaurin Buildings (4-153)

Thu, Mar 12 | 4:00 PM
Graduate Student Professional Development Resource Lounge
In-person, Rogers Building (7-103)

Fri, Mar 13 | 1:00 PM
Physician Lunch & Learn with Dr. John Leung — Boston Specialist Clinic
In-person, Rogers Building (7-103)

Wed, Mar 18 | 1:00 PM
Explore Fulbright: Norway
In-person, Rogers Building (7-103)

Thu, Mar 19 | 4:00 PM
Graduate Student Professional Development Resource Lounge
In-person, Rogers Building (7-103)

Thu, Feb 12 | 2:00 PM
Fulbright Virtual Information Session (Virtual)

Wed, Feb 18 | 1:30 PM
Careers in Patent Law for PhDs & Postdocs
In-person, E19-202 (Ford Building)

Mon, Feb 23 | 12:00 PM
Physician Lunch & Learn with Dr. Lucy Shen
In-person, Rogers Building (7)

Mon, Feb 23 | 5:00 PM
Legal Career Options for STEM Students
In-person, Maclaurin Buildings (4)

Tue, Feb 24 | 6:00 PM
Infinite Careers: Francesca DeMeo — Research Scientist at MIT & CEO of NoStove, Inc.
In-person, location TBD

*not on flyer

Wed, Feb 25 | 1:00 PM
Explore Fulbright: Turkey (Türkiye)
In-person, Rogers Building (7)

Fri, Feb 27 | 10:00 AM
How to Succeed in Your Squiggly Career
In-person, Maclaurin Buildings (10)

Fri, Feb 27 | 2:00 PM
Coffee Chats with Alpha AI Engineering (For 1st & 2nd Years)
In-person

This CAPD event is open to MIT juniors, seniors, graduate students, and alumni.

Please indicate any accommodation needs by completing the following survey: https://airtable.com/shrfsjcovcoDIN0da

Note: Accommodation requests should be submitted one week in advance of an event. If accommodations are not possible due to the late timing of the request, a team member will reach out to you to discuss alternative resources and/or solutions.

Opportunities to apply for the next round of certificate programs are approaching in the fall semester. Applications for the Grant Writing Training Certificate program open October 1 and close October 15. The Research Mentoring Certificate Program begins accepting applications on November 7 with a due date of November 25.

All MIT PhD students and postdocs are enthusiastically welcome to apply. For questions on the Research Mentoring Certificate please contact Elsie Otero, Assistant Director of Graduate Student Professional Development at eotero@mit.edu; for inquiries about the Grant Writing Training program, please email Amanda Cornwall, Associate Director of Graduate Student Professional Development at acorn5@mit.edu.

As reflected by the application numbers, the programs’ launch received an enthusiastic response. The Research Mentoring Certificate attracted 245 applicants, of which 75 participants, representing a mix of PhD students and postdocs, were selected. The cohort attended workshops designed to teach mentoring skills such as maintaining effective communication, aligning expectations, addressing equity and inclusion, and assessing understanding. Each session was led by a facilitator trained by the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER).

For the Grant Writing Training Certificate, which was co-funded by Postdoctoral Services, 325 doctoral students and postdocs applied and 100 were accepted. Participants were required to attend three intensive workshops that delved into critical aspects of writing and submitting scientific grant proposals for the NSF, NIH, and other agencies.

The first workshop featured a faculty panel, moderated by Vivian Siegel, lecturer in the Department of Biology, which introduced the grant writing landscape. Professors Anna Frebel (Physics), John Gabrieli (Brain and Cognitive Sciences), and Chris Kaiser (Biology), along with Research Administration Services’ Vivian Holmes, offered insights based on their professional experiences.

The second session, led by outside facilitator Dr. John Robertson, was an all-day deep dive into the art and practice of writing winning grant proposals. The third session, entitled “The Nuts and Bolts of the Research Funding Machine,” was led by MIT Research Administration Services and discussed the internal process for federal grant submissions. Participants also had the option of attending a fourth workshop, helmed by outside facilitator Dr. Beth Schachter, focused exclusively on NIH K grants for postdocs and F grants for graduate students.

Survey responses demonstrated that the programs achieved Graduate Student Professional Development’s goal of helping PhD students and postdocs learn valuable skills that are not typically included in their training. A participant in the Research Mentoring Certificate program wrote, “Thank you for organizing this! [It] should be mandatory for all mentors — it really was so helpful!” Responses to sessions of the Grant Writing Certificate program included, “Best grant writing workshop I ever attended,” “This was extremely helpful for many levels of grant writers,” and “I gained a lot of confidence in my ability to write a successful grant application.”

Based on the success of the first year of the program, CAPD looks forward to continuing with these offerings and expanding them to include certificates for other vital skill sets. Ultimately, these efforts will support the Institute-wide focus on developing graduate student professional development, an area of emphasis in the Institute’s Task Force 2021 report.

How did the experience help you explore your career interests?

“Throughout this internship, I had the opportunity to connect with individuals within the life sciences sector and enhance my comprehension of its daily operations. Examining the construction and delving into its distinctions from conventional commercial real estate properties provided valuable insights into the intricate details involved. When you work in a lab, construction and renovations can often be tricky and disruptive, but it was amazing to see the considerations that go into this space and allow researchers to perform important work.”

Learn more about the Graduate Student Career Exploration Grant.

We are excited to announce that applications are now open for two new professional development certificate programs for PhDs and postdocs for AY 2023-2024: the Research Mentoring Certificate and the Grant Writing Training Certificate. Applications for both certificate programs will close on Wednesday, November 1st. 

Research Mentoring Certificate for PhDs and Postdocs

This program provides an opportunity for PhDs and postdocs to develop their mentoring skills and grow their practice of productive and inclusive research mentoring.  Fundamental to the success of mentors and mentees alike, mentoring is also a transferable skill that is highly valued within multiple contexts. Each session will be led by facilitators trained by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER).

During this program, students will explore key concepts in mentoring pedagogy, including:

• maintaining effective communication
• aligning expectations
• addressing equity and inclusion
• assessing understanding

Over the course of the program, students will develop a mentoring philosophy that they can use in their mentoring experiences.

All PhDs and postdocs at MIT who are interested in research mentoring are encouraged to apply for the program, which will take place in person during IAP 2024.  

Applications open October 16th and close on November 1st. Spaces are limited. 

This certificate program is co-produced by CAPD and the Engineering Communication Labs.

Grant Writing Training Certificate for PhDs and Postdocs

Grant writing is an essential skill that grows in importance during the transitions from graduate student to postdoc and faculty member. PhD students and postdocs planning for research-focused or research-supporting roles in industry will have an advantage if they are familiar with the principles of grant writing and the grant submission process.  

The Grant Writing Training Certificate consists of 3 training sessions (and one additional session for those focusing on NIH grant proposals):

• Overview session featuring faculty expertise on the grant-writing process
• IAP 1-day intensive session facilitated by Dr. John Robertson, a noted expert in grant writing who facilitates trainings at institutions around the US and internationally. 
• Spring semester session focusing on the grant submission process, including MIT’s internal processes, requirements for submission of federal grant applications, and information on creating budget proposals. 
• Optional 4th session focusing on NIH proposals

Applications open October 16th and close on November 1st. Spaces are limited. 

This program is co-sponsored and produced by CAPD and the Office of the Vice President for Research.

We invite you to register and attend our series, which count toward satisfying requirements toward our certificate. The workshops will be held from 5pm-7pm in 32-144 with exception of November 8*, which will be held over Zoom.

More information on the program here. To register, please email Lisa Stagnone at lstag@mit.edu

GradEL Workshops Fall 2023:

1. Leading Through Design

Tony Hu, Director, GradEL (September 28, 5-7pm, 32-144)

Apply human-centered design principles to leadership through team exercises.

2. MIT PhD to Venture-Backed Startup: A Case Study of a Make-or-Break Decision

Shreya Dave, Co-founder & CEO, Via Separations (October 11, 5-7pm, 32-144)

Work through a challenging bet-the-company decision and learn what actually happened.

3. Investigating Leadership and Engineering Through Film and Media: The Making of the Atomic Bomb

Chris Boebel, Producer and Multimedia Development Manager; Andrew Silver, Producer; and David Gute, Professor, Tufts University (November 8, 5-7pm, Zoom)

Discuss leadership and moral responsibility around the Manhattan Project through the Oppenheimer film and BBC mini-series.

4. How to Empower and Inspire Yourself and Others When Things Get Tough

Di Ye, Lecturer, GradEL (November 30, 5-7pm, 32-144)

Explore coaching tools that will take your performance, relationships, and teamwork to the next level.