Graduate Student and Postdoc Newsletter

Graduate Student Newsletter

December 5th Edition

Announcements

The annual Graduate Research and Innovation Exchange (GRIE) and Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition to take place on Friday, February 21 2025:

When/Where: Friday, February 21, 2025. 3MT will take place from 1-2:30 PM and GRIE will take place from 2:30-4:30 PM, in the Campus Center Odeum. Awards will be announced between 4:30-5 PM. 

Who/What - GRIE: Graduate students in master’s thesis or PhD programs at WPI present their research posters to prospective PhD students, other graduate students, WPI faculty, and other WPI community members. Grad Travel Awards of $1,000 and $500 as well as $250 People’s Choice awards will be given out.

Who/What – 3MT: PhD students present a 3 minute presentation on their research using only a single static slide to a general audience of prospective PhD students, other graduate students, WPI faculty, other WPI community members, and a panel of 3MT judges. Awards of $1,000, $500, and $250, will be provided to those selected as the Winner, Runner-up, and People’s Choice, respectively.  

Registration: GRIE and 3MT registration will open on December 10. A communication will be sent out on December 10 with the registration link. The registration deadline is Friday, January 17, 2025. Space is limited.  

Spring Registration – Have you been delaying registering for spring?  Classes have been filling up.  If you run into any difficulty with registration, please contact your Student Success Manager. 

Career and Professional Development

ID500: Responsible Conduct of Research course (0 credits)

Spring Semester 2025. 11:00-11:50 AM on Wednesdays, hybrid format with some sessions in person in HL114 and some on Zoom. Rory Flinn, Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, is running a graduate level zero credit course, Responsible Conduct of Research, ID 500, in Spring 2025. Registration for the course must be completed through Workday. Postdocs should contact me to get officially registered.

Apply to the 2025 ARPA-E Summit Student Program! Selected applicants will have free registration and many networking opportunities at theU.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) 2025 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit. The Summit will be held March 17-19, 2025, at the Gaylord National near Washington, D.C.  Application deadline is January 6, 2025.

The 2025 Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in STEM has extended the deadline for Travel Award and Student Abstract Submissions! The 2025 ERN Conference will be held on April 4 - 6, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. The Travel Award Application and Student Abstract Submission deadline has been extended to 11:59pm EST on Friday, December 6th, 2024. 

Advancing Careers in Academics with Diversity Education and Mentorship in Engineering (ACADEME) Workshop! Over the course of the workshop, participants will gain skills for success in teaching and research. This summer, the workshop is hosted by The University of Akron and will be held from July 13 - 21. Application information is available on our website:  applications are due January 15 2025.

Social, Community, and Wellness Activities 

  Save the Date: Intro to Mindfulness Meditation in C and D-Terms

MIEA Intro to Mindfulness is a four-week evidence-based mindfulness curriculum the Center for Well-Being is offering to WPI employees and graduate students at no cost.  Learn more here.

• C-Term Online: Mondays, 4:45 to 6:00 pm, Jan 27 to Feb 24,  Registration opens on Jan 2, 2025 
• D-Term In-person: Mondays, 4:45 to 6:00 pm, Mar 17 to April 14, Registration opens on Feb 26, 2025 

 ProjectConnect is a fun, 6-session peer-led program to help you build community on campus. We have groups specifically for graduate students! Registration for C-term groups is now open! Questions can be sent to cwb@wpi.edu

Internships/Job Opportunities/Employer Info Sessions 

Heebner Career Development Center

Just for graduate students:  Did you know that the Heebner Career Development Center's Virtual Career Center has a section dedicated to resources for graduate students?  You can access it by going to cdc.wpi.edu >> "Who are you?" >> Graduate Students

Schedule change:  At the beginning of the 2025 Spring Semester, the Resume & Career Lab schedule will change.  Stay tuned for the new days and times.  You can always attend HCDC drop-ins from Monday - Friday from 12pm -4 pm when classes are in session. Note: Resume and cover letter reviews only take place during drop-ins or Resume & Career Labs, not during individual appointments.

Free Beyond the Professoriate webinar series: “How to decide between an academic and nonacademic career.” This workshop series is designed to walk doctoral students through a series of exercises to help them identify next steps in building their career either as faculty or beyond the professoriate. Register to attend live or receive the replay (select WPI from the dropdown) here. 

Funding Opportunities and Competitions  

Women's Impact Network (WIN) FY25 Impact Grant Application. WIN is a women-led philanthropic organization that funds grants to advance women in STEM at WPI, aligning with WPI's strategic priorities. Specifically, WIN is looking to support the goals of providing a transformative STEM education and an immersive experience centering on wellbeing, belonging, and community. Deadline January 21, 2025. For proposal assistance, contact WIN@wpi.edu.

NYS Science Policy Fellowship. This is a two-year, in person fellowship that places highly accomplished PhDs with expertise in science and technology in the New York State executive and legislative branches for hands-on experience in state government and to lend their expertise to the policymaking process. Application deadline is Friday, December 20 @ 5pm EST. 

NIH Predoctoral Fellowships – As the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, NIH supports a variety of programs from grants and contracts to loan repayment. Learn about assistance programs, how to identify a potential funding organization, and past NIH funding.

Pathways to Science Financial Support in Graduate School: Fellowships and graduate programs in a wide variety of STEM disciplines. 

Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities

Veterans Inc – Many ways to get involved supporting Veterans and their families. Holiday Toy and Coat Drive – December 19th 10am – 1pm, 69 Grove Street, Worcester.  Email tiffanybailey@veteransinc.org to register as a volunteer.

Highlighted Resources

Resources If You’re Facing Difficulties 

Sometimes an unforeseen situation arises, and you need some emergency help. WPI has a few resources that can assist you in times of need. 

• Hull Loan Fund Immediate short-term loan for emergencies and unforeseen situations. The loans are generally $25-$300, 0% interest, and expected to be repaid in 30 days. 
• Emergency Assistance Fund This grant fund can help provide support up to $1,000 for unforeseen medical bills, expenses, or other hardships. The application is available on the Dean of Students’ website. 
• Food Insecurity If you are experiencing hunger issues or food insecurity, reach out to the Dean of Students Office for help. They can offer you both short-term and long-term solutions. 

Contact the Dean of Students Office staff at dean_of_students@wpi.edu for additional information.