Making Great Figures
Nov 21, 2019 | 2:30pm - 4:00pm | 538 Goodell
Making great figures takes time and effort, but there are some tricks to get you there faster. Are you using the right format? Are you considering the audience? What tools are available and best-suited for your data? Come take this opportunity to discuss the answers to these questions and work with your data to produce amazing figures for your presentations and publications.
Pomodoro Fridays
Nov 22, 2019 | 2:30pm - 4:30pm | Graduate Commons, 5th floor, Du Bois Library
Boost your productivity through mid-term season! The Pomodoro Technique is a tried and true productivity strategy consisting of 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break. And the productivity grows when people work alongside each other! Each Friday, we’ll do four Pomodoros. The first round will start promptly at 2:30pm, so arrive beforehand if you’d like to settle in and get warmed up. One pre-registration for the series is required; attend one week or attend them all!
Ford Foundation Fellowships Community Writing Days
Nov 25, 2019 | 9:30am - 1:00pm | 524 Goodell
Writing your Ford Fellowship application is hard enough—don’t go it alone! Come to any portion of our Ford Foundation Fellowships Community Writing Day to write in community, with coffee, pastries, and a pizza lunch provided to fuel your efforts. Sign-ups for 30 minute consultations to review your application draft will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Resume and CV Drafting Party
Nov 26, 2019 | 11:00am - 1:00pm | 538 Goodell
Are you getting your resume in order for job or internship applications? Or maybe your CV could use some updating? Come write in our quiet space with access to coffee and snacks – feel free to bring your lunch. Drop-in when you can! You will also have the option to ask questions or receive feedback on your drafts from OPD staff.
5 Things to Do on the Last Day of Class
Dec 3, 2019 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | 528 Goodell
By the end of the semester, we are all exhausted and overworked. How can we end the semester with the same enthusiasm that we had at the beginning? This workshop will present five things that you can do on the last day of class to help students reflect on their learning, the course content, and their successes.
Interview Strategies
Dec 4, 2019 | 11:30am - 1:00pm | 538 Goodell
Many people find interviewing stressful – but it doesn’t have to be! This session offers a framework that can help you reduce anxiety and boost confidence. If you are considering jobs outside academia or non-faculty positions inside academia, this session is for you. A pizza lunch will be provided.
CV Clinic
Dec 6, 2019 | 12:00pm - 1:15pm | 538 Goodell
Now, while all your recent achievements from fall are fresh in your mind, it’s time to update your CV! Whether starting a new CV or adding to an existing one, this interactive clinic is for you. After a brief presentation on CV standards and common mistakes, you will have the remainder of the time to work on your CV, ask questions and receive feedback on your draft.
Time Management Strategies
Dec 10, 2019 | 2:30pm - 3:15pm | 538 Goodell
Strong time management skills are a must in graduate school! If you struggle with time management—or if you don’t—come to learn how you can do more in less time. Learn the systems and tips that can increase your productivity and leave you more time to enjoy graduate school.
Working in the US: OPT/CPT for Graduate Students
Dec 12, 2019 | 11:30am - 1:00pm | 538 Goodell
Ken Reade, Director of International Student & Scholar Services in the International Programs Office (IPO), will present the guidelines, limitations and application strategies for working/interning in the US with F-1 or J-1 Visas. Bring your employment questions about post-graduation, internships, OPT and CPT. A pizza lunch will be served.
Reading Day Drafting Clinic
Dec 12, 2019 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm | 538 Goodell
All writers agree: drafting is hard. By “drafting,” we mean that blank-page moment between research and initial draft, when most sentences are being composed for the first time. In this interactive workshop, we will learn about and practice three different methods for drafting academic projects. Think of it as a drafting boot camp—get going on final papers or jump start winter projects! Bring with you everything you need to draft.
Writing Literature Reviews
Dec 13, 2019 | 9:30am - 11:00am | 538 Goodell
Many dissertations, research proposals, and articles require a literature review. But many grad students get stuck on this deceptively simple genre of scholarly writing. This session will demystify the lit review by discussing its purpose and strategies for critical reading and writing to make moving toward effective synthesis easier.
Grant Series Part I: Funding Search Strategies
Dec 13, 2019 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | 538 Goodell
Need external funding to support your research? Get started by learning about basic tools available to UMass graduate students and postdocs to help find grants and fellowships. We’ll also discuss tips to manage your funding search. This is the first in a three-part series—come to one event or all three! A pizza lunch is provided.
Career Conversations: Humanities Non-Profits with Dr. Adam Capitanio
Dec 13, 2019 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | 601 Herter Hall
Dr. Adam Capitanio will talk about his path from graduate school (PhD in American Studies) to his current job at Humanities New York, where he runs Reading and Discussion Programs and the Public Humanities Fellowship. In this discussion, he will address the differences between academic and non-profit work, share the pitfalls and joys of his career transition, and recommend steps that students who are interested in pursuing a similar kind of trajectory might take.
Grant Series Part II: Framing & Writing the Proposal
Dec 13, 2019 | 1:15pm - 2:30pm | 538 Goodell
A successful grant proposal requires good ideas that are organized well. This session will outline various application elements, provide tips to craft a clear, cohesive proposal, and discuss common reasons proposals fail. This is the second offering in a three-part series—come to one event or all three!
Grant Series Part III: Soliciting Feedback & Revising
Dec 13, 2019 | 2:45pm - 3:30pm | 538 Goodell
Want to turn a good funding application into a great one? Solicit feedback on your writing and make time for revisions. Come learn techniques, and get a dose of confidence, to accomplish these critical tasks. This is the final offering in a three-part series, but previous attendance is not required to participate.
Editing Clinic: Technology that Supports Editing
Dec 16, 2019 | 12:00pm - 2:00pm | 538 Goodell
Unsure about how to bring clarity and concision to your academic writing? This clinic will introduce three different exercises for you to try editing your own work. Each exercise is calibrated to help you learn your own syntax, take the confusion out of complex sentences, and bring clarity of thought into the structure of your prose.
Postdoc Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
Dec 16, 2019 | 2:30pm - 3:30pm | 538 Goodell
Postdocs are planners! And the Individual Development Plan (IDP) is the gold standard in academia, business, and government. Come learn to use the IDP framework at any stage of your career to improve and meet your goals. This workshop will introduce participants to the UMass IDP, recommend resources for assessing skills, interests, and values, and offer strategies for effective (“SMART”) goal setting.
Creating Writing Rituals for Winter Break
Dec 17, 2019 | 1:00pm - 2:30pm | 538 Goodell
Objects in motion tend to stay in motion; writers that write tend to write. As semester rhythms meet winter break realities, what will keep you writing? In this workshop, we’ll discuss three types of writing rituals: rituals to get you started, keep you going, and help you stop writing in ways that make the next writing session easier. Bring planners and schedules; we’ll bring the coffee!
Resume Basics
Dec 19, 2019 | 11:30am - 1:00pm | 538 Goodell
Preparing for a job or internship search? This session will talk about the differences between a CV and a resume, help you understand how employers screen resumes, and provide tips for making yours stand out. A pizza lunch will be provided.
