Events

This is part of 2.3 DEI skills training of STEM Future Faculty Learning Goal In this session, participants will  explore the current state of publishing and its effects on diversity and inclusion examine and discuss ideas and possible solutions for making research (data and publications) more equitable for all. Guest Speakers Brandon Butler, Director, Information Policy, UVA Library Sherry H. Lake, Scholarly Repository Librarian, Scholarly Communication department, UVA Library.  Registration Register Here for Levels 2.2, 2.3 & Level 3 by August 2. 

This is part of 2.3 DEI skills training of STEM Future Faculty Learning Goal In this session, participants will learn about implications and practices of DEI in different aspects of research faculty careers across different types of institutions with particular focus  on research and data. The topics discussed in this session will enrich writing reflections for diversity statement.  Guest Speaker Claudia Scholz, PhD- Director of Research Development, School of Data Science.  Registration Register Here for Levels 2.2, 2.3 & Level 3 by August 2. 

If you're planning to apply to the GRFP in Fall 2021, then this self-paced, web-based course is for you! This self-paced program guides applicants step-by-step to a compelling GRFP application. Using videos, worksheets, mini-assignments, and optional weekly office hours, this web-based course will keep applicants on track and help craft their applications to fully address the review criteria. Completing the course and assembling an application will take ~50 hours.   The Giant Angstrom NSF GRFP Preparation Course homepage is available at https://www.giantangstrom.com/grfp/.   PhD+ is sponsoring eligible students to enroll in and complete the Giant Angstrom NSF GRFP Preparation course. Any eligible student intending to apply for the GRFP in Fall 2021 may register for the course. Register here! Note: As part of the registration process, you are required to have the below acknowledgement form signed by your primary advisor or DGS (if you do not yet have a primary advisor).   We recommend that you register and begin the course as soon as you're able. Time is your friend when putting together this application!  The deadline to submit this form is 5pm on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. Beyond then, there will not be enough time to complete the course lessons and exercises.     Apply now or next year? (Incoming/ rising first-year graduate students) Students may apply to the GRFP only once during graduate school. Therefore, graduate students who began (or will begin) in Summer or Fall 2021 (and meet all other eligibility criteria) have the option of submitting a GRFP application in 2021 or 2022.   Choosing when to apply is a strategic decision. First-year graduate students are compared only to other first-year graduate students; similarly, second-year graduate students are ranked relative to their peers. Therefore, applicants must stand out among their peers to be well-reviewed, and the bar for success is higher for second years than first years.   Giant Angstrom has a post discussing the “apply now or next year” decision that could aid students and their advisor/DGS in making this strategic decision. PhDPlus intends to sponsor eligible students to enroll in the NSF GRFP Preparation Course for the Fall 2022 deadline, too. Therefore, if a first-year student will benefit from waiting until their second year to apply, they will be able to take advantage of this course next year. 

In this 1-hour session, you'll learn about the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which funds outstanding graduate students in STEM or STEM education fields. Fellowships provide 3 years of financial support ($34,000 stipend + tuition and fees) and professional development opportunities, so consider applying! This session will provide an overview of the GRFP application, what resources are available at UVA, and how to decide when to apply (either 1st or 2nd year of graduate school) with time for questions.  Register here and check out resources on our Collab site!

In this 1-hour session, you'll learn about the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which funds outstanding graduate students in STEM or STEM education fields. Fellowships provide 3 years of financial support ($34,000 stipend + tuition and fees) and professional development opportunities, so consider applying! This session will provide an overview of the GRFP application, what resources are available at UVA, and how to decide when to apply (either 1st or 2nd year of graduate school) with time for questions.  Register here and check out resources on our Collab site!

In this 1-hour session, you'll learn about the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which funds outstanding graduate students in STEM or STEM education fields. Fellowships provide 3 years of financial support ($34,000 stipend + tuition and fees) and professional development opportunities, so consider applying! This session will provide an overview of the GRFP application, what resources are available at UVA, and how to decide when to apply (either 1st or 2nd year of graduate school) with time for questions.  Register here and check out resources on our Collab site!

This is the fifth session of the PhD+ Summer 2021 Mini-Foundations series.  Research productivity is highly dependent on healthy team dynamics. However, most PhD students and Postdocs are wary of "people problems" and find themselves ill-equipped to resolve conflicts. In this session, understand how teams develop and how conflicts may arise. Take time to reflect on your group behavior, conflict management style and learn about effective ways to communicate through conflict in different contexts LEARNING GOALS In this session, PhD students and Postdocs will learn about typical teams and collaborators, and how to manage them individual and group behaviors in teams with reflection on strengths and growth opportunities typical cause of conflicts and range of conflct management style having difficulty conversations to resolve situtations that may range between discomfort to harmful influence of power differentials and maintaining 'agency' as a PhD student or Postdoc  INSTRUCTOR Sonali Majumdar, PhD - Associate Director of Graduate Professional Development. Sonali leads the development and implementation of PhD Plus. Prior to joining UVA, Sonali earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia and did postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she developed a passion for enhancing career-related training for graduate students and postdocs.   Please register by July 8 to receive a Zoom link.   References We acknowledge the following references and professional community in informing and sharing content towards development of this session National Institute of Health's Office of Intramural Training and Education Lab Dynamics: Management and Leadership Skills for Scientists, Carl Cohen and Suzanne Cohen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

This is the third session of the PhD+ Summer 2021 Mini-Foundations series. PhD students and Postdocs are essentially managers of your research projects. Therefore, learn and integrate project management principles in your work for efficiency and agility. Take ownership of your graduate experience to control the sense of powerlessness. LEARNING GOALS In this session, PhD students and Postdocs will learn about Basic principles and language used in project management  Analogy with research design  Strategies, assumptions and risk of project development Frameworks to design, plan and organize projects INSTRUCTOR Sonali Majumdar, PhD - Associate Director of Graduate Professional Development. Sonali leads the development and implementation of PhD Plus. Prior to joining UVA, Sonali earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia and did postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she developed a passion for enhancing career-related training for graduate students and postdocs.   Please register by July 8 to receive a Zoom link.   Suggested reading Payne JM, France KE, Henley N, et al. Researchers' experience with project management in health and medical research: results from a post-project review. BMC Public Health. 2011;11:424. Published 2011 Jun 2. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-424 Using Google Drive, Mendeley, Evernote, and Trello to manage a remote collaborative research project, Robert Talbert, PhD 

This is the third session of the PhD+ Summer 2021 Mini-Foundations series.  Living from paycheck to paycheck can add stress to the already complex Graduate School and Postdoc training experience. In this workshop, learn the basics of finance management, budgeting, and strategies to manage your expenses within the Graduate Student or Postdoc stipend structure. Use these strategies to develop a financial plan to fit your personal needs towards a balanced life.   INSTRUCTOR Yi Hao, Ph.D. – Yi Hao (she/her/hers) is the Assistant Director of Graduate Professional Development at the University of Virginia, working on university-wide initiatives to support graduate students and postdocs in pursuing versatile career pathways. With a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, Dr. Hao’s research focuses on adult learning, gender issues, and faculty and leadership development in two-year and four-year institutions with a focus on institutional and disciplinary contexts.   Please register by July 8 to receive a Zoom link.

This is the second session of the PhD+ Summer 2021 Mini-Foundations series. 'Working long hours, yet not having enough time in a day to finish work' may lead to burnout and decline in mental health and wellbeing. In this session, PhD students and Postdocs will learn about  applying infinite mindset to research life  strategies to set specific and realistic goals, leveraging strengths to manage time, and organize and prioritize activities curbing distractions and procrastination designing individualized plans to manage time, in order to accomplish professional goals and personal aspirations.  INSTRUCTOR Sonali Majumdar, PhD - Associate Director of Graduate Professional Development. Sonali leads the development and implementation of PhD Plus. Prior to joining UVA, Sonali earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia and did postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she developed a passion for enhancing career-related training for graduate students and postdocs.   Please register by July 8 to receive a Zoom link.   Suggested reading The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek The 7 habits of highly effective people, Stephen Covey Time Management Is About More Thank Life Hacks, Erich C. Dierdorff, Harvard Business Review Graduate Students Need to Think Differently About Time, James M. Van Wyck, Inside Higher Ed Carpe Careers