Graduate Student and Postdoc Newsletter

Department(s):

Career & Professional Development Programming for Graduate Students

Graduate Student Newsletter

January 16th Edition

Announcements

TOMORROW: Advocacy for LGBTQIAP+101 Training January 17. 12pm- 1pm in Fuller Labs 311. Lunch is provided. The 101 training will cover topics such as gender identity, using pronouns, and the state of LGBTQIAP+ community in the world and at WPI. We will also discuss the steps and skills of advocacy and bystander intervention. Registration required.

National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) – Free Membership          WPI has an institutional membership to the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). WPI Graduate Students and Postdocs can sign up for a free membership by using their WPI email address and selecting affiliate Graduate Student or Postdoc membership type under ‘join’. The NPA is a national association dedicated to supporting postdocs and their career advancement with lots of resources accessible to members.  

Career and Professional Development

Graduate Researcher Education and Training (GREAT) Series

The GREAT series is for graduate student researchers, Masters Thesis and PhD students, and will provide training on a range of skills researchers need to be successful. Upcoming sessions:  

  • Research Poster Presentation Workshop – January 16, 2025 from 12pm – 1pm in Gateway Park I (60 Prescott Street) Room 1002.  This workshop is especially helpful for those that have signed up to compete in the Graduate Research and Innovation Exchange (GRIE) event this Spring or who plan to present a poster at a conference. Free Lunch provided. Registration required. 
  • Grad Thesis/Dissertation Writing Boot Camp – February 12, 2025 from 12-3 PM in Unity Hall 420. This boot camp is especially helpful for masters thesis and PhD students seeking guidance on writing their thesis/dissertation. Free Lunch provided. Registration required.

Grad Student Training and Readiness Sessions (STARS)

  • LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy 101 Training January 17. 12pm- 1pm Fuller Labs 311 Lunch is provided. The 101 training will cover topics such as gender identity, using pronouns, and the state of LGBTQIAP+ community in the world and at WPI. We will also discuss the steps and skills of advocacy and bystander intervention. Registration required.
  • How to Effectively Give, Utilize and Receive Feedback February 7, 12pm – 1pm Fuller Labs 311 with lunch provided.  Feedback is an important part of student, professional and human life. It’s not unusual to struggle with giving and/or receiving feedback.  Come learn helpful strategies.  Registration required.  
  • Entrepreneurship/Innovation at WPI February 26. 12-1 PM in Unity Hall 405 with lunch provided. This session will introduce some basic business development concepts and provide an overview of WPI resources available to support business ventures of WPI community members. Registration required.  
  • Grad Alumni/Career Panel March 21. 12-1 PM via Zoom. The panel session will feature several WPI graduate alumni, both Masters and PhDs, and will cover their career paths and provide advice on career advancement. Registration required.  

The annual Graduate Research and Innovation Exchange (GRIE) and Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition to take place on Friday, February 21 2025: Registration is currently full. If you would like to join the waitlist, please submit by Friday, January 17, 2025. 

ID500: Responsible Conduct of Research course (0 credits) – Register before semester starts! Spring Semester 2025. 11:00-11:50 AM on Wednesdays, in person in HL114. 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.

GROW (Graduate Research Organization for Women) is hosting a CV/resume workshop on Tuesday, January 21st from 4-5:30 PM in Unity Hall 405 during which Dr. Rory Finn, Assistant Dean of Grad Studies, and Sue Levine, Assistant Director of Career Education Resources and Grad Students, will be sharing some tips and advice for us. To sign up for our email list click here.”

University of Rhode Island's Graduate Student Conference 2025, which will be held on March 29th, 2025, at The University of Rhode Island (URI). This conference is an excellent platform for graduate students to showcase their research, engage in stimulating discussions, and network with peers and professionals from various disciplines. Deadline for Abstract Submissions is March 1, 2025. 

2025 IEEE International Conference on AI and Data Analytics (ICAD 2025) – June 24, 2025 Tufts University – Call for Papers Deadline February 1, 2025. Find more information here.

Social, Community, and Wellness Activities 

Sign-ups Open for Intro to Mindfulness Meditation 

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.  Registration is now open for the online program that runs Mondays, 4:45 to 6:00pm, Jan 27 to Feb 24. 

Internships/Job Opportunities/Employer Info Sessions  

NEW! Non-credit Virtual Graduate Student Career Course Do you want to take your internship or job search to the next level while having support along the way? - Join your peers and the Heebner Career Development Center for our pilot "Virtual Graduate Student Career Course." Course will be conducted synchronously via Zoom, supplemented by content in Canvas. It will begin the week of 1/27/25 and meet weekly for 7 weeks (except during mid-term break) - day and time TBD. We are limiting the pilot course to 6 graduate students.If you are interested, fill out the interest form by Friday Jan 17, 2025 at 3 pm. Questions?  Email Sue Levine, Assistant Director- Heebner Career Development Center at slevine@wpi.edu

  • WPI Spring 2025 Career Fair - February 20, 2025, 12 pm -4 pm in the Sports & Rec Center.  Pre-Registration highly recommended:  Tues, February 18th 9 am - 4 pm and Wed, February 19th 9 am- 4 pm in the Career Corner.  Day of Registration:  Thursday, Feb 20th starting at 10 am at the Sports & Recreation Center
  • Graduate Career Consortium PhD & Master's Virtual Career Expo - 2025, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 12pm - 4 pm ET, Virtual Session
Funding Opportunities and Competitions  

Reminder: Women’s Impact Network Accepting Impact Grant Applications Through January 21 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.

Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities

Tutor Local Elementary School Students – Shifts available Monday – Friday 3pm – 5pm. Contact Noemi Robertson (nrobertson@wpi.edu) for more information.

Highlighted Resources

The Graduate Research Organization for Women (GROW) is a community of womxn graduate students whose mission is to support one another in successfully navigating graduate school and our future careers through a workshop series, networking activities, social events, and a mentorship program. 

Now Open - WPI Pre-College Summer Program Registrations/Applications

WPI’s Office of Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs is excited to announce that registrations and applications for our summer 2025 programs are now open! Interested students (programs for grades 9-12) are encouraged to visit our website to get more information about our programs. All programs are first-come, first-served. Registrations and applications will close on April 30th

GOMPEI’S GUIDE for GRADUATE STUDENTS

This guide is intended to help you find your way here at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and to provide you with tips and tricks to make the most of your educational journey.