Faculty Career Advancement Groups
The Faculty Career Advancement groups consist of a 5-part workshop series that focuses on preparing postdocs for the tenure-track faculty application process. Participants are encouraged to attend the “Future Faculty Job Search Academy Series” through the Center for Teaching and Learning to develop application materials (e.g., cover letter, CV, teaching statement, diversity statement, research statement). Postdocs meet to build a peer support network, provide and receive peer feedback on application materials, discuss strategies to tailor application materials, and practice interviewing techniques. The workshop series is typically offered during the summer and fall.
Peer-facilitated Career Exploration Groups
The Peer-facilitated Career Exploration groups use curriculum from the Professional Development Hub (pd|hub) Collections, which are nationally sourced educational models focused on professional development and career exploration for PhD students and postdocs. Over the course of 8 sessions, postdocs meet in small mentoring groups to assess their skills, values, and interests, research careers of interest, practice communicating their value to future employers, and set SMART goals for a successful job search. The workshop series is typically offered during the spring.
Leadership and Management in Action Program (L-MAP)
L-MAP introduces postdocs to the interpersonal and psychological foundations of leading teams and managing people. It responds to the unique position of postdocs, who may be practicing leadership for the first time and who typically lack formal authority within the research environment. Using real-world scenarios and current research on leadership and team dynamics challenges that postdocs regularly encounter in the scientific research environment, L-MAP highlights professional behaviors and communication strategies that can be used in a variety of leadership and management scenarios. Postdocs who complete the minimum requirements for the program will receive a Leadership Certificate from the Office of Postdoctoral Services. The program is typically offered during the fall.
Project Management Program
Project Management introduces postdocs to the process of project initiation, planning, risk management, execution, monitoring, and closing. Participants will develop a project charter, work breakdown structure, project schedule, communication plan, risk and opportunity registers, and a post-project report for a current research project and receive feedback from peers. Postdocs who complete the minimum requirements for the program will receive a Project Management Certificate from the Office of Postdoctoral Services. The program is typically offered during the spring.