Workshops and Development Series

Mondays, Aug 16 – Nov 29 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson

This development series aims to provide graduate students and postdoctoral scholars with an introduction to “backward course design,” a method that involves structuring course content according to desired results rather than “coverage.” Participants can include the final draft of their syllabus in their professional portfolio as evidence of their ability to apply a results-oriented methodology to the management of a learning and/or working environment. See Course Description for full details.

You may apply up to 44 hours from this development series toward the Teaching and Communication Certificate.

Tuesdays, Aug 17 – Nov 23 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson

In this virtual development series, you will read and interpret job ads; draft and/or refine a variety of application materials (CV/resume, cover letter) and personal statements (e.g. teaching, research, diversity); practice interview techniques; identify and gather evidence of effectiveness in teaching, research, service, and/or other areas of professional activity; and use basic design principles to create an engaging online portfolio of your work.

You may apply up to 44 hours from this development series toward EITHER the Teaching and Communication Certificate OR the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Thursdays, Aug 26 – Sept 23 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

Do you want to learn the basics of publishing journal articles? Writing for Journal Article Publication: Early Stage Development Series is designed to support graduate student and postdoc researchers in learning and utilizing strategies for publishing research articles as well as for students looking for an introduction to key strategies for effective academic writing.

This Early Stage workshop series is for you if:

• You want to get a head start writing a journal article or academic paper
• You are in the earlier stages of writing your article or paper
• You want to understand and implement some best practices for organizing information in academic writing

Specifically, participants in the workshop series will practice strategies for:

• Selecting appropriate journals and communicating their “fit” with a journal’s scope. audience and mission
• Managing time when planning a journal article project
• Crafting compelling article introductions and abstracts
• Synthesizing literature (or sources) in an article
• Composing results & discussion sections to tell their research stories

Participants in the Early Stage Workshop Series can apply 12 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Thursdays, Oct 14 – Nov 4 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Do you want to make substantial progress toward submitting and/or revising your own article manuscript to a journal this semester? Writing for Journal Article Publication: Late Stage Development Series is designed to support graduate student and postdoc researchers who are currently working on an article draft with strategies for editing articles, responding to reviewer feedback, and dedicated time for revision.

This Late Stage workshop series is for you if:

• You are in the middle of a journal article or academic paper project
• You want to submit or revise-and-resubmit an article draft
• You are seeking feedback on a draft in progress from peers
• You are looking for extra motivation to finish or keep working on a draft in progress

Specifically, participants in the Late Stage workshop series will practice:

• Strategies for time management and productivity
• How to give feedback and advice as a reviewer of a peer’s writing
• Strategies for responding to journal reviewers’ feedback
• Tips for self-proofreading and editing drafts

This series is designed for participants who are currently in the process of writing and revising a journal article. 

Participants in the Late Stage Workshop Series can apply up to 8 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate. 

Registration opens September 13

Fridays, Sept 3 – Nov 12 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Stella Jackman-Ryan

Ahead Of The Pack is a comprehensive development series that supports first-year graduate students in their adjustment to graduate school. The series will include weekly sessions that provide sustained support, practice, and feedback on key aspects of graduate school inclusive of wellness, time-management, communication, writing, and career management. Get the tools you need to navigate your experiences and requirements of grad school and set yourself on a path for success.

Wednesdays and Thursdays, Sept 29 – Oct 14 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Joe Aldinger

Job Search Strategies (JSS) is comprised of two parts: talks from industry speakers and workshops led by the director of A2i and other professional development experts. Topics covered in this module include: career exploration, business communication, application materials, interviewing, salary negotiations, networking, informational interviews, and corporate culture. JSS’s speakers and workshops frequently change so students can benefit from taking this module multiple times.

Students in all stages of their graduate program participate in this module. Industry speakers come from a variety of industries including private sector, non-profit, and government.

Fridays, Sept 10 – Oct 15 | 12 – 1 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Chris Smith

Living a meaningful life requires the alignment of one’s skills, interests, and values to perform work of benefit to the world. This development series will serve to introduce and familiarize graduate students and postdocs to the career exploration and life design process. 

We’ll cover topics around self reflection as a means of identifying career paths of potential interest. We will also discuss how to use informational interviews to explore various careers and build your professional network. In addition, you will learn how to assess your current competencies, identify gaps in your training, especially as they align with potential career goals, and develop a plan to obtain the skills you need to succeed in your chosen career area(s). 

You will leave this development series with a better sense of your career options and a plan of action for building toward them through: 

• continued skill development
• effective presentation of your expertise and experience 
• networking with others in careers of interest 

December 13-17 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Zoom Webinars

Facilitators: Katie Homar and Professional Development Team

The Professional Development Team’s Virtual Writing Retreat offers 5 days of dedicated writing time in a supportive environment via Zoom videoconferencing for masters, PhD, and postdoc trainees to make progress on a writing project. Learn more about the retreat format here or click the link below to sign up.

Wednesday, September 1 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Wednesday, September 8 | 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 the engineering writing. Participants will clarify their writing goals for the semester and leave with strategies to implement on current and future writing projects. We will use different genres of engineering writing projects as case study, so participants will also gain tips for summarizing, paraphrasing, and synthesizing their writing projects.

Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.

Participants may apply up to 4 hours of credit toward the Graduate Writing Certificates when completed both the workshop sessions.

Thursday, September 2 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

Get a head start on your journal article or report! In this interactive workshop, participants will explore common strategies for organizing information in academic writing. Specifically, we will practice strategies for: 

• identifying common organization structures for articles and papers 
• comparing how information is organized in different disciplines using sample journal articles 
• critically reading articles with an eye for structure
• applying common organization structures to your own writing project

This workshop is designed for writers starting to draft a journal article or papers, as well as those looking for a refresher on the organization of academic writing and/or strategies for effectively summarizing articles. 

To prepare and get the most out of this interactive workshop, you should have access to a published journal article in your discipline, such as an article that you are currently reading.

Participants may apply up to 2 hours of credit toward the Graduate Writing Certificates

Wednesdays, September 8 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Joe Aldinger

Working with A2i’s Certified Strength Coaches, participants will learn to grow your network and use your strengths to help you with your job search.

Thursday, September 9 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

You’ve gathered lots of articles and other sources. What next? In this workshop, we address tips for effectively structuring and synthesizing sources (“literature”) in journal articles and research papers.

Participants will specifically practice strategies for:

• Summarizing sources and organizing summaries
• Integrating sources into their article of research paper using common “lit review” structures
• Paraphrasing sources
• Using appropriate reporting verbs and transitions to synthesize sources
• Starting/revising their own selective “lit review” section for an article or research paper

Participants in this workshop can apply up to 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Monday, September 13 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, September 20 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | 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.

Wednesday, September 15 | 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 grad students and postdocs.

Participants may apply 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Thursday, September 16 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

Write up the results! There’s more to it! In this workshop, we explore how to create strong results, discussion, and conclusion sections. 

Specifically, participants will practice and discuss strategies for:

• Choosing an appropriate structure for results/discussion sections in their field
• Effectively organizing data commentaries 
• Linking discussion section to literature/past findings
• Answering the “so what question” (impact) about their research in discussion and conclusion section
• Starting and/or revising their own results/discussion section

Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.

Participants in this Workshop can apply up to 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate

Registration opens August 20

Wednesday, September 22 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

Contact colleagues at NC State and beyond with tact and ease! In this workshop, you will gain strategies for crafting effective professional emails. Specifically, participants will practice and discuss strategies for:

• Organizing a professional email message
• Making inquiries and requests
• Creating a professional tone or voice in email

Participants may count 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Registration opens August 20

Thursday, September 23 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

Where to start? In this workshop, we tackle the challenge of composing two key components of a research article: Abstracts and introductions.

• Participants will specifically practice strategies for:
• Adapting common abstract structures to their own article projects
• Effectively organizing introductions using the “Create A Research Space” (CARS) model
• Using appropriate verb tenses in introductions and abstracts
• Starting or revising their own abstracts and intros

Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.

Participants in this workshop can apply up to 2 hours towards the Graduate Writing Certificate.

Registration opens August 20

Monday, October 11 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, October 18 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | 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.

Wednesday, October 13 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Wednesday, October 20 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

In this two part workshop, we address the challenges of conveying your research story in a persuasive way for technical and nontechnical stakeholders. We will focus on various writing forms in engineering that include organization and interpretation of results. These will include technical/non-technical reports, results & discussion sections or articles and theses, and similar types of writing projects.

Specifically participants will practice and discuss strategies for:

• Choosing an appropriate structure for reporting and commenting on data
• Effectively organizing data commentaries
• Integrating figures and visuals in reports
• Structuring and revising reports

Attendance at both sessions is mandatory.

Participants may apply up to 4 hours of credit towards the Graduate Writing Certificates.

Registration opens September 13

Monday, October 25 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, November 1 | 10 a.m. – 12 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.

Wednesday, November 3 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Katie Homar

In this workshop, we tackle the challenge of composing two key components of a research article: Abstracts and introductions.

Participants will specifically practice strategies for:

• Adapting common engineering abstract types to their own research projects
• Effectively organizing introductions using the famous “Create A Research Space” (CARS) model
• Choosing appropriate intro and abstract structures for their research goals
• Starting or revising their own abstracts and intros

Students may apply 2 hours of credits towards the Graduate Writing Certificate after completing this workshop.

Registration opens October 1

Wednesday, November 3 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Joe Aldinger

Working with A2i’s Certified Strength Coaches, participants will learn to grow your network and use your strengths to help you with your job search.

Monday, November 8 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, November 15 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | 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.

Wednesday, November 10 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

Facilitator: Joe Aldinger

Working with A2i’s Certified Strength Coaches, participants will learn to grow your network and use your strengths to help you with your job search.

Monday, November 22 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, November 29 | 10 a.m. – 12 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.

Monday, December 6 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar

AND

Monday, December 13 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | 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.