Weekly PDA Newsletter - Feb 28, 2016

Sun Feb 28 17:01:16 EST 2016

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Dear MIT Postdocs,

Another week full of events lies ahead of us! On Wednesday, we host the 5th annual Postdoc Share Their Science and Vendor Fair which will take place in Morss Hall from 11am to 2pm. So use your lunch break to come and see what your fellow postdocs are doing all day hidden in their labs! We have free food and refreshments. Thus, you don't have to sacrifice your lunch :). I hope to see a lot of you there!

Best,
Kathrin

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Dr.-Ing. Kathrin Graetz
Corresponding Secretary
Postdoctoral Association of MIT (PDA)
pda.mit.edu<http://pda.mit.edu/>                        Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/groups/44093460815/>                      Twitter (@MITPDA)<https://twitter.com/MITPDA>                      LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/grps/MIT-Postdoc-2506720/about?>

Next PDA meeting:  March 14, 12pm @E25-202              register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-vT1gzgyik3JHFWaRgQwAVeVoiaoQFK7iP2MO4dtKwo/viewform>          Lunch will be provided!

This Week's Topics:

*       Upcoming PDA Events

o   Postdocs Share Their Science & Vendor Fair on Wednesday!

*       From the PDA Committees

o   Call for Postdoc Initiative Grant (PInG) Proposals

o   From the Advocacy Committee - Overtime Pay in Massachusetts  New

o   Call for a New Chair of the Human Affairs Committee

*       Postdoc Orientation Sessions

*       From the PDA PInG Initiatives

o   POWER Seminar Talk on Tuesday

*       Other Events at MIT

o   Digital Healthcare: How Smart Devices, Big Data, & Delivery are Changing Healthcare Industry New

o   Exploring Careers in FINANCE: A Panel New

o   Karl Taylor Compton lecture: "Demographic Change and Economic Well-Being: The Role of Fiscal Policy." by Christine Lagarde New

o   "distant future" events - new events

o

Upcoming PDA Events:

[cid:image007.png at 01D17249.9F61C960]Postdoc Share Their Science
Come join us for an exciting afternoon full of scientific discussion!
The MIT Posdoc Association proudly announces the 5th annual MIT Postdocs Share Their Science and Vendor Fair, held on Wednesday, March 2nd, from 11 - 2pm at Morss Hall (Walker Memorial, 50-140). Come learn about the exciting research done by MIT postdocs from all fields and talk with representatives from your favorite companies. All are welcome!
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 2nd, from 11 - 2pm
Location: Morss Hall (Walker Memorial, 50-140)

**Raffle prizes! Free Food and Refreshments!**

PDA Sports:    https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Sport%20Activities%20for%20MIT%20Postdocs

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>From the PDA Committees:

Call for Postdoc Initiative Grant (PInG) Proposals!

Do you have an idea for an activity or event that you think would benefit the postdoc community?

The MIT Postdoctoral Association is pleased to announce the second annual call for Postdoc Initiative Grant proposals.  The grant aims to financially support a range of activities, events, and projects, including but not limited to:

  *   Social gatherings
  *   Recreational activities
  *    Arts and cultural programs
  *   Mental health and stress support groups
  *   Professional development seminars and workshops
Previously funded PInG projects include: Glimpse: the Postdoc Podcast, Yoga Classes, Postdoc Playdates, and POWER: Postdoctoral Women Engaged in Research.

So, think about what you'd like to do and send us a proposal! For more information and for the application form check out http://pda.mit.edu/ping. The deadline for applications is March 7, 2016 12:00 PM EST for events taking place from April to September.

We look forward to hearing your plans!  Please contact the PInG Committee Chair, Elizabeth Stewart (ejstewar at mit.edu<mailto:ejstewar at mit.edu>), if you have any questions.

>From the Advocacy Committee - Overtime Pay in Massachusetts
We want to let you all know about this petition, which is related to the new overtime pay proposed rule that many of us supported in September last year (which would most likely cause a raise in starting salary for postdocs to $50K).
This summer, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is expected to implement a new overtime rule, which would raise the overtime salary threshold from $23,660 to $50,440-strengthening the right of 13.5 million additional workers to receive overtime pay and the right to earn a fair living. As universities are unlikely to pay postdocs overtime, this would raise the effective postdoc minimum to $50,440.
However, some members of Congress are eager to prevent this deal by running out the clock on President Obama. The Congressional Review Act dictates that all "major" rules are delayed for 60 legislative days after they are submitted to Congress and are subject to a "fast track" process for repeal. That process has to end before President Obama leaves office to guarantee a veto of any Congressional resolution of disapproval.

If the Labor Department does not act soon, Congress will reverse this critical protection for millions of workers.
Please consider signing the petition, and then click on the confirmation email, so that we receive an official response from the White House.<http://kos.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=BWaBH5y6piKqEE8g5dKdecoUUrMUWVvX>
For more information contact your PDA advocacy chairs:
Martin Stewart martstew at mit.edu<mailto:martstew at mit.edu>
Murat Yildirim muraty at mit.edu<mailto:muraty at mit.edu>

Call for a New Chair of the Human Affairs Committee
The MIT Postdoctoral Association is looking for people interested in chairing or co-chairing the Human Affairs Committee.
Responsibilities include
- Encourage fair treatment, prevent and eliminate discrimination, and foster mutual understanding and respect among all postdocs
- Initiate and manage health and wellness programs for postdocs (i.e. Postdoc REFS Program, Postdoc Women's Group, etc.)

If you are interested, or have further questions, please contact our corresponding secretary Kathrin (graetz at mit.edu<mailto:graetz at mit.edu>) and come to the PDA meeting.

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Postdoc Orientation Sessions:

The PDA offers Postdoc Orientation Sessions open to all postdocs at MIT. Topics covered include:
*       Data on postdoc population at MIT

  *   MIT oversight of postdocs
  *   Defining postdoc expectations
  *   Differences between fellows and associates
  *   PDA structure and initiatives
*       How to get involved
The sessions will be typically the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 12pm (45-60min) in E19-306. Lunch will be provided.
The dates for the next six months are as follows: Mar 7, Mar 21, Apr 4, Apr 25, May 2, May 16, June 6, June 20

If you are interested in participating, you can register via Atlas or using this link<http://web.mit.edu/training/course.html?course=CDT21061c>.

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>From the PDA PInG Initiatives:

Join us for a seminar with Prof. Kristala L. Jones Prather (sponsored by MIT Committee on [power_logo] Race and Diversity)

Date and Time: Tuesday, March 1st from 12 - 1 pm
Location: E25-202
Registration: http://goo.gl/forms/BEjIS2lfUC
Open to the entire MIT community
Refreshments will be provided

POWER's professional career development seminars focus on the speaker's personal experiences, insights into their current work, as well as work-life integration issues. Prof. Prather will discuss what has contributed to her success, the challenges she has overcome, and advice for current postdocs. She will also talk about maintaining a balanced life, in light of the rigors of an industrial and academic career. We hope that the interactions will assist women postdocs in navigating their careers and will also help them build the professional connections.

Kristala L. Jones Prather is Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and an investigator in the Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center, funded by the National Science Foundation. Her research interests are centered on the engineering of recombinant microorganisms for the production of small molecules. http://web.mit.edu/prathergroup/

Yoga Classes
If you are interested in yoga classes starting February 17th on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, Marlar Lounge (37-252), a reduced rate for postdocs and their spouses/partners is offered for a 10 class session for $80.
The classes will take place at the following 10 dates:
Feb 17 and 24, March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, April 6, 13 and 20

If you are interested, please reserve your spots by contacting sarahsaf at mit.edu<mailto:sarahsaf at mit.edu>

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Other Events at MIT:

This Week:

Digital Healthcare: How Smart Devices, Big Data, & Delivery are Changing Healthcare Industry (sponsored by MIT GECD) NEW
Learn how the rise in digital healthcare is creating a new way of thinking about wearable devices, patient care, data management, diagnostics, and more. Take part in a discussion focused on the collaboration of physicians, techies, analysts, venture capitalists, and regulatory agents. Panelists will share successes and challenges of this interdisciplinary industry and participate in Q&A discussing opportunities for addressing complex health issues. Panelists from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, MIT Healthcare Ventures  & Hacking Medical Institute, Immuneering, Quality Health Ideas and more.
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 2nd, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 32-141
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

Exploring Careers in FINANCE: A Panel (sponsored by MIT GECD)           NEW
Are you curious to learn more about what it means to work in finance? Come to this career exploration panel to hear from employers like Goldman Sachs, Citadel, Optiver, and Domeyard on what their companies do in the broad field of finance, highlights about the different ways of getting into the industry, and tips on what skills and experience the industry is seeking.
Date and Time: Thursday, March 3rd, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 4-231
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

Karl Taylor Compton lecture: "Demographic Change and Economic Well-Being: The Role of Fiscal Policy."            NEW
Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will visit our campus to deliver the Karl Taylor Compton lecture. In a previous role as France's Minister of Finance, Ms. Lagarde was instrumental in guiding the G20 nations through the tumultuous years of the global financial crisis. In 2011, she became the first woman to lead the IMF, where she was recently elected to a second five-year term. The lecture is open to the whole MIT community; no tickets are required.
Date and Time: Friday, March 4th, 4-5pm
Location: Kresge Auditorium

In the "Distant" Future:

MIT Excellence Awards and Collier Medal          NEW
Please join us as we honor the 2016 recipients of the MIT Excellence Awards and Collier Medal. Everyone at MIT is invited to attend and recognize our colleagues for their exceptional contributions to the Institute.
The MIT Excellence Awards acknowledge our community members' extraordinary efforts to put MIT's goals, values and mission into action. These are among the highest honors awarded to staff by MIT. Professionalism, commitment to best practices and high standards of excellence are at the heart of these awards.
The Collier Medal was created to honor the memory of Officer Sean Collier. On April 18, 2013, Officer Collier was killed in the line of duty while protecting and serving MIT. In honor of Sean's model citizenship, which far transcended the duties of his job, the Collier Medal will be given to an individual or group whose actions demonstrate the importance of community.
ional contributions to the Institute.
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 8th, ceremony 3-4pm, reception 4-5pm
Location: Kresge Auditorium

Exploring Careers in DATA SCIENCE (sponsored by MIT GECD)   NEW
Data scientists work with enormous data sets, often from unconventional, unwieldy, nonlinear sources. Some develop innovative technology to work with that data. Some focus on techniques to derive meaningful implications from that data. Job titles vary and may include data engineer, data scientist, statistician, and data analyst. Whatever their title, there is currently a dramatic shortage of these professionals in the country and in the world.  During this session, alumni and representatives from different industries will talk about the way their company is using data science, and the career paths opening up in this burgeoning field.
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 8th, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 2-105
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

Tech Talk with Alcoa CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld (sponsored by MIT GECD)      NEW
Come and hear an exclusive presentation for MIT students with Alcoa's CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld, on The Future of Innovation. Alcoa is a global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing. Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. MIT students of all majors encouraged to attend.
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 9th, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 4-237
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

Exploring Careers in ALTERNATIVE ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY (sponsored by MIT GECD)         NEW
Curious about career options in alternative energy and sustainability? Come hear from alumni representing various areas within the field including: clean tech, consulting, start-ups, policy, and more. Gather insights about entering and working in the industry, and tips on how to position yourself for success. This panel provides a great opportunity for you to participate in a Q&A with professionals in the field.
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 9th, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 4-231
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

Exploring Careers in SCIENCE EDUCATION (sponsored by MIT GECD)     NEW
Learn more about science education career paths from various perspectives. Discuss your questions about how to enter the various fields of science education. Area employers and alumni will be present.
Date and Time: Thursday, March 10th, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: 4-149
Register via CareerBridge<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>

MIT Water Night (organized by the MIT Water Club)
Annual research poster exhibition that includes academics and industry in the Boston area.
For attendees wishing to present posters, abstracts can be submitted here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MNd3gLIfpvY6dLyIQLXcz5FPD3fzmJW7IjM1_oEIxtI/viewform> by Friday 2/26. The event is free to attend and open to the public. Food will be provided, and there will be awards for top posters.
Date and Time: Friday, March 11th, 5-8pm
Location: Walker Memorial (Building 50)

Workshop on Research Reproducibility (organized by MIT Libraries and Center for Open Science)           NEW
Join the MIT Libraries and the Center for Open Science for a workshop on increasing openness and reproducibility in quantitative research. Learn easy, practical steps to work more effectively and incorporate good practices into your current workflows, including project documentation, version control, archiving data, and managing access and collaboration. The workshop will also show open source tools like the Center for Open Science's Open Science Framework<https://osf.io/>, which provides a way to implement these concepts while linking to commonly used tools like GitHub and Dropbox. The workshop will be hands-on: bring your laptop, or use one of our workstations. Using example studies, attendees will actively participate in creating a reproducible project from start to finish. All researchers are welcome; no specialized programming knowledge is required.
Date and Time: Monday, March 21st, 1-4pm
Location: 14N-132
Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SRmrpByr0UerxFsOAU-Xv4Kc5QtAxfLm3D-gWCBeGJA/viewform?c=0&w=1>

Taking a Mindful Approach to Your Career (organized by MIT Work-Life Center)               NEW
Discover how mindfulness can be a powerful tool in your career. Learn techniques to relieve stress, improve focus, and revive your energy and motivation on the job, as well as strategies to reflect on who you are, what's important to you, and the meaning and purpose in your work. In this seminar, you'll practice mindfulness exercises that can help you drop into the present moment and connect more deeply with yourself and your career. Presenter - Jennifer Earls, M.Ed.; Assistant Director, Prehealth Advisor, MIT
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 29th, 5:30pm dinner, 6-7:30pm seminar
Location: 4-349
Register here<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taking-a-mindful-approach-to-your-career-registration-21010180014>

Pathways to the Life Science Industry Webinars
Many PhDs could use practice in the development of advanced cognitive skills and broadened perspectives to effectively contribute in the life science industry. In this webinar series, we present examples of career pathways as we emphasize the integration and application of knowledge regarding products, processes, the regulatory environment, intellectual property, the markets, and financial matters.
Don't miss these unique opportunities to learn about the careers in the life sciences industry that leverage your unique scientific training and place you on a trajectory to leadership.

March 16, 12:00 pm-1:00pm
Careers in the Life Science Industry
Steve Casper, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Applied Life Sciences
Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont, CA
Register Now: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/546303719542196226

April 6, 12:00 - 12:00 pm-1:00pm
Professional Development for Scientists: Tacit Knowledge and Current Events
James Sterling, Ph.D., Director of the Postdoctoral Professional Master's Program
Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont, CA
Register Now: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2121804926099112962

Ph.D. & MASTER'S Virtual Career Fair
Students, Post-Docs, and Alumni Invited to Attend - Meet Recruiters Live Online - It's easy & efficient! Event FAQ's<https://www.careereco.com/Fair/RenderPage?fairPageId=26ac444e-4e08-46d0-aceb-a59201158e70>
Date and Time: March 2nd
Register Here<https://www.careereco.com/events/gradtalent>  (Employer List<https://www.careereco.com/Fair/FairOrganizations?fairId=ccdbb01d-2d75-4cfb-aa82-a555012722b9>)

Free affiliate membership with the National Postdoctoral Association: http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?page=individual_members

Other helpful sites:
postdocs.mit.edu (Office VPR)
MIT GECD Events<https://gecd.mit.edu/mit-events>
MIT Spouses&Partners Events<http://spouses.mit.edu/mit-events>
MIT Events<http://events.mit.edu/>

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