Workshops and Development Series
The Graduate School offers several writing, teaching, communication, and professional development workshops and series. All workshops and development series adhere to the Attendance Policy and the Synchronous Zoom Workshop Policy. Both policies are posted at the bottom on the page.
Development Series
Development Series are non-credit course-style workshop series that provide sustained support, practice, and feedback on key aspects of teaching, communication, writing, and career management. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at any stage of their careers and in any discipline should enroll in these Development Series to improve their teaching, writing, speaking, and presentation skills, and preparation for industry. Development Series are non-credit bearing and free of charge (although some may require materials or refundable deposits).
Development Series that count toward the Teaching and Communication Certificate are indicated by an asterisk (*). Development series that count toward the Writing Certificate are indicated by a plus sign (+). Development series require compliance with the attendance policy. Email questions about Development Series to the instructor listed.
Summer 2022
Writing Retreat+
May 16-May 20 | 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.| Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar and Graduate School Team
Make progress on your writing project and develop productive routines at the Writing Retreat! The virtual writing retreat consists of five days of working sessions, motivational meetings, informational workshops, and more. Sign up below by May 1 or learn more about the retreat here.
Participants in the Writing Retreat can earn up to 30 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.
Note: Because Zoom events have a bigger capacity than in-person ones, all registrants will receive the writing retreat agenda and additional instructions about the retreat by May 9.
How to Write Grant & Fellowship Applications+
Tuesdays, May 31-June 21 | 1 p.m.- 3 p.m.| Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar, Courtney Hughes, and Kristen Hetrick
Get a head start on your search for fall grants and fellowships! In this multiweek development series, we address best practices for finding and applying for these key research funding opportunities. Specifically, you will discuss and practice strategies for locating these opportunities, interpreting calls for proposals, articulating the broader impact of your work, and communicating your project to non-specialist audiences.
Participants will have the opportunity to follow up with individual feedback/advising on their application with Fellowships Coordinators Courtney Hughes and Kristen Hetrick.
Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.
You may apply 8 hours from this development series toward the Graduate Writing Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
Fall 2022
Fall 2022 Series information will be available soon. Please subscribe to our newsletter for incoming series details.
Workshops
Workshops that count toward the Teaching and Communication Certificate are indicated by an asterisk (*). Workshops that count toward the Writing Certificate are indicated by a plus sign (+). Workshops can only be counted for credit once unless otherwise indicated. Please be aware of the workshop attendance policy (below).
Summer 2022
May
Engineering Cafes: Writer’s Toolkit+
Wednesday, May. 11 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, May. 25 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
In this two part workshop, we’ll focus on strategies for planning and managing a writing project, as well as fundamental tips for structuring engineering writing. You will clarify your writing goals for the summer and learn strategies to implement on current and future writing projects. We will use different genres of engineering writing projects as case studies, so participants will also gain tips for summarizing, paraphrasing, and synthesizing their writing projects.
Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.
You may apply 4 hours from this development series toward the Graduate Writing Certificate. Attendance at both sessions is mandatory to earn certificate hours.
Note: Attendance at both sessions is mandatory to earn certificate hours. Since we don’t meet on Wednesday, May 18, we encourage you to attend the Writing Retreat (week of May 16) to put your writing productivity skills into action. Sign up above or learn more here.
How to Use Learning Outcomes*
Wednesday, May. 25 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, June. 1 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will go beyond formulating learning outcomes to consider their use for both lesson planning and assessment. In the first session, we will use backward course design concepts to practice using outcomes as planning and assessment tools, with a special focus on writing measurable outcomes for critical thinking in the humanities. In the second session, participants will share an activity and assessment sequence that they’ve developed from a specific learning outcome.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours of credit towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
June
Engineering Cafes: How to Write Concise Sentences+
Wednesday, June 1 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
Do people say that your writing is wordy? In this interactive workshop, we’ll address the challenge of building clear, concise sentences that represent your science to diverse stakeholders. Using Richard Lanham’s famous “Paramedic Method” and other approaches, participants will leave the session with strategies for “user-friendly” sentences in reports and other workplace documents.
Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.
Participants may apply 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
How to Engage with Diverse Learners*
Tuesday, June. 14 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Tuesday, June. 21 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will explore how universal design for learning can be used to engage diverse learners. In the first session, we will conduct an assessment of a task that has multiple solutions and discuss concrete strategies to motivate students that approach tasks in different ways. In the second session, you will receive feedback on an activity that you designed based on what you learned in the first session. Open to ALL graduate students and postdocs regardless of your teaching experience.
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours of credit towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint*
Wednesday, June. 15 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, June. 22 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will explore strategies to make PowerPoint slides more visually engaging and interactive. In the first session, we will analyze effective and ineffective forms of visual communication. In the second session, you will present your own slide(s) for peer review. Slides can be course- or research-based. Open to ALL graduate students and postdocs regardless of your teaching experience.
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
Engineering Cafes: How to Summarize Your Work+
Wednesday, June. 22 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
In this interactive workshop, we tackle the challenge of composing two key components of research writing: abstracts and introductions. You will learn how to adapt the famous “Create a Research Space” model for creating concise abstracts and introductions to the writing conventions of your engineering discipline and audience for your writing project.
Open to all grad students and postdocs.
Participants may apply 2 hours from this development series toward the Graduate Writing Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy*
Thursday, June 23 | 1 – 2 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Thursday, June 30 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will explore strategies for writing a teaching statement that is professional yet personalized. In the first session, we will look at models of effective and ineffective teaching statements and hone our ability to critique and revise them. In the second session, participants will present their own draft teaching statements for peer review. Open to ALL graduate students and postdocs regardless of your teaching experience.
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
Engineering Cafes: How to Organize Reports+
Wednesday, June. 29 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
Get a head start on your report or journal article! In this interactive workshop, you will learn common ways of organizing information for academic and non-academic audiences. We’ll specifically look at ways to adapt common report structures to present results in a user-friendly way.
Open to all grad students and postdocs.
Participants may apply 2 hours from this development series toward the Graduate Writing Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
July
How to Deliver a Job Talk*
Tuesday, July 19 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Tuesday, July 26 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will explore strategies for delivering a compelling, accessible academic job talk. In the first session, participants will reflect on the purpose of their talk as well as its audience, and will engage in a number of exercises to help them pitch their research to an interdisciplinary audience. In the second session, 1-3 speakers will present their job talk for peer review. Open to ALL graduate students and postdocs regardless of your teaching experience.
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
How to Manage Conflict in the Classroom*
Thursday, July 21 | 1 – 2 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Thursday, July 28 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will explore strategies for managing conflict in the classroom. In the first session, we will examine various approaches to preventative and reactive conflict management, using real-life examples. In the second session, participants will role-play a variety of scenarios to practice assertive conflict management. Open to ALL graduate students and postdocs regardless of your teaching experience.
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
How to Process Your Course Evaluations*
Monday, July 25 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, August 1 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
In this two-part workshop, we will consider best practices for reading, analyzing, and using the data from your course evaluations. How can you make your evaluations work for you, so that they become part of a cycle of reflective teaching practice? How can you use them as evidence of effective teaching in your job materials? How can you separate constructive criticism from ad hominem attacks and excessive praise? And how can you supplement your standard course evaluations to get the information you really need to improve your teaching?
Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.
Participants may apply up to 3 hours towards the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Registration opens April. 8
Fall 2022
Fall 2022 workshop information will be available soon. Please subscribe to our newsletter for incoming workshop details.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NC State will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Requests can be served effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event. Direct accommodation requests for professional development programs to professional-development@ncsu.edu.
Synchronous Zoom Workshops Policy
Unless otherwise noted, our online workshops and development series are synchronous Zoom meetings. These events are designed to facilitate discussion of the material through interactive exercises, polls, small group discussions, and other activities. When you register for a workshop or series, you are indicating that you are able to participate in a Zoom call at the scheduled date(s)/times(s). Only participants who attend the Zoom session(s) will receive access to workshop materials.
If you have a schedule conflict, you should drop the workshop or series using REPORTER to allow participants from the waiting list to enroll.
Attendance Policy
Participants who cancel their registration for any Professional Development event (e.g., workshops, seminars, symposia) more than 24 hours before the first session of an event will not be penalized. Registrants who fail to attend an event or who cancel their registration less than 24 hours before the first session of an event will be marked as a “No Show” for the event. Those with two recorded “No Shows” will automatically be dropped from all future Professional Development events for the remainder of the semester in which the two “No Shows” occur.
This policy is in place to encourage students to practice time management and professionalism. The instructors create materials and activities based on attendance so this information needs to be as accurate as possible in order for participants to get the most out of the session.
For development series, please review the syllabus for the attendance policy specific to your course.
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Digital Badges
The professional development team is pleased to announce new opportunities for digital credentialing. We will be issuing evidence-based badges through the Graduate School NC State account at Badge List. You can display the badges you’ve earned on your LinkedIn page. Create an account to get started, then join our group using this code: gradpack. We will add new badges throughout the year, so check back often.