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.
Spring 2022
Communication Strategies for Teaching and Beyond*
Mondays, Jan. 10 – April 25 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Vanessa Doriott Anderson
Communicating about your area of specialization involves so much more than content expertise and a captive audience. In this development series, we will explore tools and strategies to help you communicate more effectively with students, specialists, and the public alike. Topics will include motivation and development models, inclusive learning environments, the debate around teaching and learning styles, visual communication and multimodality, and more.
You may apply up to 44 hours from this development series toward the Teaching and Communication Certificate.
Professional Portfolio Design*+
Tuesdays, Jan. 11 – April 26 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
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.
Ahead of the Pack
Fridays, Jan. 21 – April 8 | 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.
Writing for Journal Article Publication: Late Stage+
Thursdays, March 24 – April 14 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
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 Feb. 15
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).
Spring 2022
January
Engineering Cafes: Writers’ Toolkit+
Wednesday, Jan. 19 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, Jan. 26 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.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 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.
You may apply 4 hours from this development series toward the Graduate Writing Certificate. Attendance at both sessions is mandatory to earn certificate hours.
How to Plan Your Journal Article or Paper+
Thursday, Jan. 20 | 10 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
Get a head start on your journal article! Participants in this workshop will practice strategies for time managing a writing project and choosing a journal to publish their work. Specifically, participants will practice how to:
- Search for journals that are a good “fit” with their discipline and project
- Critically and navigate interpret journal websites to identify the journal’s scope, mission, and audiences
- Plan and manage a journal article or other large writing project
- Set writing-related goals
Open to all graduate and postdoc trainees.
Participants may apply up to 2 hours of credit toward the Graduate Writing Certificate
How to Use Learning Outcomes*
Monday, Jan. 24 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, Jan. 31 | 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.
Preparing the Professoriate Information Session
Tuesday, Jan. 25 | 11 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitators: Vanessa Doriott Anderson AND Peter Harries
Preparing the Professoriate is a nationally recognized program designed to give exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars an immersive mentoring, teaching, and future faculty preparation experience. Come learn about the application process for the upcoming academic year!
Registration opens Jan.13
How to Organize Your Journal Article or Paper+
Thursday, Jan. 27 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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 Certificate
February
Engineering Cafes: How to Research and Design Lit Reviews+
Wednesday, Feb. 2 | 1 – 3 p.m| Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, Feb. 9 | 1 – 3 p.m| Zoom Webinar
Facilitator: Katie Homar
In this two-part workshop, we address the challenge of creating lit reviews that situate your research in the state-of-the-art. Explore best practices for literature searches with the NC State Engineering Libraries Team in the first session and then learn how to organize a lit review paper, chapter, or section in the second meeting.
Specifically, participants will practice and discuss strategies for:
- Conducting literature searches with common STEM databases
- Organizing lit reviews
- Choosing an appropriate structure of lit reviews for their engineering field or goals
- Synthesizing literature
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.
Registration opens Jan. 3
How to Structure Results and Discussion Sections+
Thursday, Feb. 3 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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 Jan. 3
How to Engage with Diverse Learners*
Monday, Feb. 7 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, Feb. 14 | 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.
How To Synthesize Literature Reviews+
Thursday, Feb. 10 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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.
Registration opens Jan. 3
Preparing the Professoriate Information Session
Wednesday, Feb. 16 | 11 a.m. – noon | Zoom Webinar
Facilitators: Vanessa Doriott Anderson AND Peter Harries
Preparing the Professoriate is a nationally recognized program designed to give exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars an immersive mentoring, teaching, and future faculty preparation experience. Come learn about the application process for the upcoming academic year!
Registration opens Jan.13
How to Craft Academic Abstracts and Introductions+
Thursday, Feb. 17 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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 Feb. 1
How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint*
Monday, Feb. 21 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, Feb. 28 | 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.
Engineering Cafes: User-Friendly Writing+
Wednesday, Feb. 23 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Wednesday, March 2 | 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 Jan. 14
March
Preparing the Professoriate Information Session
Wednesday, March 9 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Facilitators: Vanessa Doriott Anderson AND Peter Harries
Preparing the Professoriate is a nationally recognized program designed to give exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars an immersive mentoring, teaching, and future faculty preparation experience. Come learn about the application process for the upcoming academic year!
Registration opens Jan. 13
How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy*
Monday, March 21 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, March 28 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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.
Engineering Cafes: How to Write Concise Sentences+
Wednesday, March 23 | 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.
Registration opens Feb. 18
Engineering Cafes: How to Compose Professional Emails+
Wednesday, March 30 | 1 p.m. – 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 March 1
April
How to Deliver a Job Talk*
Monday, April 4 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, April 11 | 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.
How to Manage Conflict in the Classroom*
Monday, April 18 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, April 25 | 10 a.m. – noon | 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.
May
How to Process Your Course Evaluations*
Monday, May 2 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Zoom Webinar
AND
Monday, May 9 | 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.
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.