[gwaMIT] gwaMIT Newsletter, December 28th, 2020

[gwaMIT]

gwaMIT Newsletter

December 28th, 2020


gwaMIT Picture a Scientist Screening
gwaMIT is pleased to host a screening of Picture a Scientist (pictureascientist.com<http://pictureascientist.com/>). The virtual screening will provide a link for you to view the film independently over a 72 hour period from January 9th-11th. After the screening, we will host a virtual discussion at 7pm ET on January 12th to collectively reflect upon the film and our own experiences as womxn graduate students. We highly recommend looking through the pre-screening questions in this discussion guide<http://imber.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/PAS_DiscussionGuide_1Sep2020-1.pdf> before watching the film.
In order to attend the screening, please register<https://forms.gle/ipU6Mprjdeha7m7D8> by January 4th. On January 9th, we will send a viewing link that will be live for 72 hours.
>From the theatrical release:
Award-winning directors Ian Cheney (THE CITY DARK, THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO, THE MOST UNKNOWN) and Sharon Shattuck (FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, ANIMATED LIFE SERIES) are breaking new ground by releasing their new full-length documentary film, Picture a Scientist, on virtual theater screens across North America. Featuring geologist Jane Willenbring, chemist Raychelle Burks, and biologist Nancy Hopkins, as well as key social scientists working to understand and reduce gender bias in the sciences, Picture a Scientist brings diversity in science into sharp view at a critical time. The current pandemic is a call to action for scientists to work together globally, with a multitude of different perspectives, to defeat COVID-19. For too long, women and other minorities in science have been left out or driven out, stymied by a system of harassment, discrimination, and general bias. "Any impediment to advancing minorities in science is an impediment to science itself," says Sharon Shattuck, co-director of Picture a Scientist.Scheduled to premiere at the postponed 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, Picture a Scientist paints a nuanced, emotional but unflinching portrait of the struggles women in science have faced, in recent decades up to today. The film challenges audiences of all backgrounds and genders to question their own implicit biases and move toward change.



Mentoring & Networking Event with AMITA

Save the date for a networking and mentoring event with the Association of MIT Alumnae (AMITA)! The event will take place 7pm on Tuesday January 26, 2021. Stay tuned for more details!



Events & Opportunities

  1.  Grad IAP Workshop on Engineering Leadership (January 2021, apply by Jan. 8th)
  2.  GCWS Spring 2021 Courses (apply by Jan. 3rd)
  3.  IAP Workshop Series: Fundamentals of Communicating with the Public (apply by Jan. 4th)
  4.  Interested in pathways from academia to venture? Consider MIT's Venture Exploration Program! (apply by Jan. 8th)
  5.  IAP Offering: Understanding Islam (Jan. 12th & 27th)
  6.  ColorMePhD Volume 2: Women in STEM
  7.  Vida Ventures Fellowship Program (apply now!)
  8.  Coding it Forward - Civic Digital Fellowship (apply by Jan. 24th)
  9.  "Amplify Your Technical Education to Build a Better World!" (sign up now!)
  10. Job opportunities at J-PAL (apply now!)
  11. BCG ADC Recruiting (apply now!)
  12. Become a gwaMIT Department Rep (now!)



  1.  Grad IAP Workshop on Engineering Leadership (January 2021)

Developing Skills in Technical Leadership for a Better World

Date: January 15 (Friday), 2021, 1-4:00pm EDT

Instructor: David Nino, Senior Lecturer and Senior Program Manager, Graduate Program in Engineering Leadership

Enrollment: Limited to 60 MIT graduate students and sign-up by January 8 is required

Prerequisites: None required, but we will assign pre-work in advance of the workshop

Workshop Description:

Do you envision "making a difference" in the future as an engineer or technical expert? If so, you will need more than purely technical skills to build the teams and the support needed to implement your ideas. Employers in both academia and industry consistently rank leadership as among their most sought-after skills, and this is even more true today due to the major challenges and changes we are all facing. As we will discuss, anyone who is motivated to "step up" to these challenges can build leadership skills, but the it takes focus, feedback, and years of practice to become highly effective.

Join us and you will learn how leaders emerge in technology organizations and how you can build valuable skills through our program's Graduate Certificate in Technical Leadership. In this hands-on workshop, David Niño will be joined by John Strackhouse, Senior Partner in the Board and CEO Practice with Caldwell Partners, and members of the Dean of Engineering's Graduate Student Advisory Group. Participants will gain skills and perspectives on leadership development and why these capabilities are especially valuable for MIT graduate students.

REGISTER: Email Lisa Stagnone (lstag at mit.edu<mailto:lstag at mit.edu>)



  1.  GCWS Spring 2021 Courses
Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality's Spring 2021 courses are open to graduate students from any discipline. Applications are due by January 3, 2021 and can be found on our website<https://www.gcws.mit.edu/applications>.  I'm happy to answer any questions.
Women in Science and Academia: Challenges and Policy Solutions<https://www.gcws.mit.edu/new-events/womeninscienceandacademia>
SP21 - Tuesdays, 5:00-8:00PM
Dr. Kathrin Zippel & Dr. Gerhard Sonnert
Using a variety of disciplinary lenses (history, psychology, policy studies, and sociology), this course explores the factors that impede women from successful participation in academia. We focus on the academic workplace and explore organizational factors that create gender inequities in academic careers as well as factors deeply rooted in culture and gender socialization. Furthermore, we discuss programs that promote the advancement of women in academia. A special focus is on science where the underrepresentation of women is most pronounced, and we examine how the situation is different and how it is similar for women in science and women in other academic fields. This seminar is of particular interest for anyone who aims to pursue an academic career and wants to learn about theories of the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) and in academic leadership positions more broadly.
Death and Feminism<https://www.gcws.mit.edu/new-events/deathandfeminism>
SP21 - Wednesdays, 11:00AM-2:00PM
Dr. Jyoti Puri & Dr. Harleen Singh
Death in feminist thought and writing is both a metaphor and a means to unearthing material conditions that place gendered, sexualized and racialized bodies and non-human entities at risk.  Feminists have written extensively on death, highlighting matters such as sexual and physical violence, reproductive politics, colonial and postcolonial genocides, slavery and its wakes, war, the environment, mourning, witnessing, memorializing, funeralizing and deathways, and more.
Drawing on feminist thought from academic and activist literatures, fiction, and performance, this course assembles an archive of readings on death through a geopolitical lens. It engages matters of governance, nationalisms, empire, settler colonialism, slavery, and migration across a variety of sites-Central and Southern Africa, South Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Middle-East, and North America, while turning to feminist scholarship in Critical Race Studies, Indigenous Studies, Postcolonialism, Queer and Trans Studies, Disability Studies, Environmental Studies, among others.
Feminist Inquiry<https://www.gcws.mit.edu/new-events/feministinquiry2020>
SP21 - Wednesdays 3:00-6:00PM
Dr. Roberta Micallef & Dr. Anne Blaschke
Feminist Inquiry is an interdisciplinary exploration of feminist ways of learning, thinking, collaborating, listening, and speaking in the interest of producing innovative scholarship and meaningful public engagement. Our seminar will study feminist approaches, theories, and epistemologies that form the intellectual framework necessary to conduct feminist research both within and across the disciplines. Students will produce a range of written work based on their course reading and research-for example, primary and secondary source analyses, teaching documents, and an academic article-quality research essay. We will learn to understand and teach our respective research foci through a feminist lens, and to extend this feminist approach into our public engagement outside academia.
Given the range and diversity of feminist inquiry, the course will not attempt to examine all areas of the field; instead, we will study a curated selection of works that range from the classic to the innovative. Throughout the course, we will consider the complexity and multiplicity of modern feminisms while learning to understand the core power dynamics of feminism across place and time.



  1.  IAP Workshop Series: Fundamentals of Communicating with the Public
Being able to communicate your research compellingly to a variety of audiences is a crucial skill for scientists and engineers and an invaluable tool for building public trust and engagement. In this 5-session workshop series, participants will learn and practice strategies for effectively communicating research to the public, including developing an understanding of an audience, setting a communication goal, crafting and shaping a clear message, developing a narrative, and choosing appropriate language. Skills learned in the workshop apply to many forms of communication, but the focus will be on oral communication with lay audiences. The series will culminate in an authentic opportunity for participants to present their research or another technical topic of their choice to the public via virtual talk or video. More information is available here<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ohq54EdYNM4scMr7jpRIWmQ97bEq78xuEkli90A4r6w/edit?usp=sharing>.
This workshop is for MIT graduate students and postdocs in STEM fields.
To apply, complete this application form.<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtWhSkVGNgy8ocnU35HowkPamXx5uviGlYCVEDr5J1HRP3CA/viewform?usp=sf_link> Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until Jan. 4 or capacity is reached.
The workshop will meet from 4:00PM - 6:00PM Eastern Time on Tuesdays 1/5/2020-1/26/2020 and Thursday 1/28/2020. For questions, contact Dr. Deanna Montgomery at dmont at mit.edu<mailto:dmont at mit.edu>
The workshop is co-sponsored by the MIT Communication Lab<https://mitcommlab.mit.edu/> and the Graduate Engineering Leadership Program<https://gelp.mit.edu/grad>, and is eligible for credit towards the Graduate Certificate in Technical Leadership<https://gelp.mit.edu/grad-students/graduate-certificate-technical-leadership-interim-requirements>. You do not have to be pursuing the Certificate to participate in the workshop.



  1.  Interested in pathways from academia to venture? Consider MIT's Venture Exploration Program!
MIT PhD students and postdocs: are you considering entrepreneurship? Interested in learning more about the path from academia to venture creation? We encourage you to participate in the Venture Exploration Program this upcoming spring semester
Offered by the MIT Innovation Initiative<https://innovation.mit.edu/about/>, the NSF I-Corps node at MIT<https://icorps.mit.edu/>, and in collaboration with The Engine<https://www.engine.xyz/>, the Venture Exploration Program (VEP) is a virtual program that helps you develop a business model for your research-derived product or service. VEP is the successor to the former Translational Fellows Program (TFP) at MIT.
Learn the fundamentals of customer discovery - the process of obtaining valuable, firsthand feedback on ideas for the use of a technology-and business model development. Hear firsthand from MIT tough tech founders who have successfully navigated the path from academia to venture. Explore topics such as technology and market, competition, building a team, intellectual property, investment readiness, and more.
Upon completion of VEP, you will receive certification demonstrating successful completion of the MIT I-Corps program, which may be helpful in future NSF grant requests.

VEP is offered free of charge. All sessions will be hosted via Zoom. Application deadline is January 8, 2021 - learn more and apply here<https://innovation.mit.edu/vep-2/>!



  1.  IAP Offering: Understanding Islam
Tuesday, January 12, 1 - 2pm
Wednesday, January 27, 3 - 4pm
Islam is frequently talked about in the media, but continues to be a mystery to most people.
What is the Muslim's concept of God? The afterlife? Who was prophet Muhammad? What do Muslims say about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus? What are the core beliefs and practices of Islam?
"Understanding Islam" offers an opportunity to see beyond common misconceptions, and learn from Muslims about their fourteen-century old faith, professed by 1.8 billion people worldwide. A Q&A session is included.
This online session is open to first-timers only (people who have not previously attended similar sessions.) Space is limited.
Event Timing: Tuesday January 12th, 2020 (1-2 pm) or Wednesday January 27th, 2021 (3-4 pm)
Register at: https://forms.gle/eEixi2LgS45CreR17
If you have any questions, feel free to email the Muslim Chaplain, Nada El-Alami, at mchnada at mit.edu<mailto:mchnada at mit.edu>



  1.  ColorMePhD Volume 2: Women in STEM

Julie Rorrer (Postdoc, MIT Chemical Engineering) founded an outreach program that creates coloring pages to communicate current PhD-level research in science and engineering, called ColorMePhD. They just released ColorMePhD Volume 2, featuring research by early-career women in STEM (including the ChemE department's own Katie Galloway and Ariel Furst). The coloring book is free to download from their website (www.colormephd.org<http://www.colormephd.org>) or directly from this link (https://bit.ly/colormephdvol2). Please check it out, and help spread the word by sharing to your friends and community, especially aspiring scientists!



  1.  Vida Ventures Fellowship Program

Vida Ventures is a Boston-based life sciences venture capital and company formation firm started in 2017 with approximately $1 billion under management and currently investing out of Vida II, a $600M fund that closed in July 2019. We are offering fellowship opportunities to late-stage Ph.D. and M.D. students, post docs, and residents who want to gain exposure to life sciences venture capital and start-ups. Fellows in this program will have an opportunity to participate in a myriad of roles across science, medicine, business, strategy, operations, and investing. We are flexible on the fellowship duration and timing. The typical initial fellowship is a minimum of 12 weeks in our downtown Boston location with the potential for longer term opportunities. Interested applicants should submit a CV/resume and cover letter to fellowship at vidaventures.com.

Responsibilities

* Member of core team conducting due diligence and company build activities

* Evaluate scientific evidence, clinical paradigms, IP, and commercial landscapes

* Contribute to internal investment committee review process to arrive at financing decisions

* Screen business plans and investment proposals

* Work on operational and strategic issues for current and potential portfolio companies

* Scientific and clinical data analysis

* Generate new investment themes through primary research and source potential new investment

opportunities

* Ability to commit ~15-20 hours a week, including at least one day spent in the office

Qualifications

* Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree in life sciences required/in progress. Strong translational focus is favorable

* Additional business experience a plus (e.g. BD, operations, finance, consulting)

* Quick learner that can get up speed in technical areas outside core expertise

* Strong passion for medical innovation and entrepreneurial drive

* Strong presentation and communication skills (Excel and PowerPoint proficiency)

* Self-starter; ability to run with things without much oversight

* Team player with low ego

Our Vision

To advance biomedical innovations into therapies that make a meaningful difference for patients

Our Core Values -

PATIENTS - Keep front and center in all that we do

INTEGRITY - Hold ourselves and our partners to the highest standards

ENTREPRENEURSHIP - Take initiative to turn ideas into reality

BOLDNESS - Pioneer fearlessly to improve medicine

HUMILITY - Recognize that the best can come from anywhere

COLLABORATION - Partner to create something grander than the parts

FLEXIBILITY - Embrace each endeavor with an open mind



  1.  Coding it Forward - Civic Digital Fellowship

Coding it Forward is looking for our next cohort of Civic Digital Fellows<https://www.codingitforward.com/civic-digital-fellowship>-mission-driven students and recent graduates who want to use their software engineering, data science, design, or product management skills to contribute to high-impact projects at federal government agencies.

As a Fellow, you'll receive one-on-one mentorship opportunities, participate in intimate conversations with leading technology and civic organizations, benefit from a strong and supportive community, and have the opportunity to impact a large user base-323 million Americans.

Join the 200+ Civic Digital Fellowship alumni who've worked on high-impact projects<https://github.com/codingitforward>-including saving taxpayers millions of dollars in survey costs using machine learning algorithms at the Census Bureau, building tools for diplomats abroad at the State Department, and developing a tool at the VA for Veterans to more easily take advantage of their GI Bill benefits.

Join us at an upcoming information session<https://cdf21.com/rsvp-student-org> and start applying on Monday, December 21st<https://cdf21.com/apply-studentorg>. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so we encourage you to apply early and no later than January 24th at 11:59 p.m. PT. Please send any questions to recruiting at codingitforward.com<mailto:recruiting at codingitforward.com>.


  1.  "Amplify Your Technical Education to Build a Better World!"
Leadership education develops skills applicable across career paths, from leading research labs to leading project teams in engineering. Enroll in one or both of our Graduate Engineering Leadership Courses for Spring 2021, which qualify towards our Certificate in Technical Leadership.<https://gelp.mit.edu/grad-students/graduate-certificate-technical-leadership-interim-requirements> This certificate is designed to provide important skills that MIT graduate students can draw from to "make a positive difference" in their chosen careers. Grounded in research but experimental and engaging in delivery, these highly valued classes will provide enduring benefits for our graduate students - and future coworkers.*PhD candidates can also explore the option of using these class to satisfy the requirements for your doctoral minor.
Graduate Engineering Leadership Courses for Spring 2021 (**Open to all grad students!):
6.928J Leading Creative Teams<http://gelp.mit.edu/grad-creative-teams>
It takes a team to deliver impactful technical achievements and this class equips students with foundational skills for leading problem-solving teams and one's own professional development.
M/W, 2:30-4pm EDT | Virtual | Units: G3-0-6
Instructor: David Nino (dnino at mit.edu<mailto:dnino at mit.edu>)
6.S979 Multi-Stakeholder Negotiation for Technical Experts<https://gelp.mit.edu/6s979-multi-stakeholder-negotiation-technical-experts>
Expand your natural tendencies and learn experientially both the theory and practice of interpersonal negotiation, influence and overcoming difficult relationship situations.
T, 2-4pm EDT | Virtual | Units: G2-0-4 |
Instructors: Samuel ("Mooly") Dinnar (sdinnar at mit.edu<mailto:sdinnar at mit.edu>)
***For more information, visit our website. <https://gelp.mit.edu/grad>
*If you are interested in earning our certificate, please email Lisa Stagnone (lstag at mit.edu<mailto:lstag at mit.edu>) and David Niño (dnino at mit.edu<mailto:dnino at mit.edu>)



  1.  Job opportunities at J-PAL
J-PAL (the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab<https://www.povertyactionlab.org/global>) is committed to generating rigorous economic research to answer policy-relevant questions, translating evidence into action, and, ultimately, reducing poverty. Currently, we are recruiting for a Policy Associate and Senior Policy Associate (information in the links below).

Policy Associate <https://www.povertyactionlab.org/careers/policy-associate-j-pal-global-103480>

Senior Policy Associate<https://www.povertyactionlab.org/careers/senior-policy-associate-j-pal-global-103481>


  1.  BCG ADC Recruiting
BCG is currently accepting applications for Advanced Degree Candidates (PhDs, JDs, MDs, and Postdocs) interested in starting a full-time position with BCG between February 2021 and May 2021.
If you are interested in a full-time role with BCG and can start within the date range above, we encourage you to submit your application here<https://www.bcg.com/en-us/careers/students/adc-application-process>. We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to submit yours as soon as possible.
To assist you in the application process, we'd like to provide you with the following resources:

  *   BCG ADC Recruiting FAQ<http://media-publications.bcg.com/BCG-ADC-Recruiting-Guide-and-FAQs.pdf>
  *   Resume writing workshop<https://bcg.widencollective.com/portals/tgu7a2dt/BCGResumeWritingWorkshop>: Need help converting your CV to a business-resume? Listen to an ADC consultant share their tips and tricks for writing your resume and cover letter.
     *   Password: bcgadc
     *   Expires: Jan 1, 2021
To learn more about BCG and opportunities for Advanced Degree Candidates, please visit our website<https://www.bcg.com/en-us/careers/students/advanced-degrees>. If you have any questions, please email adcrecruiting at bcg.com<mailto:adcrecruiting at bcg.com>



  1.  Become a gwaMIT department rep!

gwaMIT is accepting applications for the position of department representatives! As a gwaMIT department rep, you'll build connections across MIT and help in the personal & professional development of graduate womxn. It is also a powerful means to bring about department-level change and strive towards a more equitable and inclusive MIT. The position lasts for one year, with an option for renewal. Read more about the role and responsibilities here<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BepM4QWy2tUO7ju1dkIOt69lb9wJb_DIs9Us_ljVqUA/edit>. Fill out the short application form here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxO1KrUGe7rS_tvZsAW8jOOMFNBnv5BdAi4ssn1svoKUqV9w/viewform>. Womxn who are members of underrepresented and minoritized groups are encouraged to apply. The departments with openings are: Sloan, ChemE, Arch, PolSci, HASTS, Humanities, Writing, NSE, CCWCE, CMS, CSB, MAS, CRE, CCE, CTL, EECS. If the position is currently filled, but you are still interested in being involved with gwaMIT, email us to let us know! We have multiple avenues for engagement in gwaMIT's activities and initiatives.



"Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished"

-Dr. Jill Biden

To unsubscribe or change your mailing preferences, please visit: http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/gwamit
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/gwamit/attachments/20201228/0d0e96f0/attachment-0001.html