Weekly PDA Newsletter - Mar 6, 2016

Sun Mar 6 17:45:36 EST 2016

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Dear MIT Postdocs,

I hope you enjoyed our Share Your Science & Vendor Fair on Wednesday! Thanks to everyone who shared their science (I was very impressed by all your amazing projects) and congratulations to all the winners! After a science-heavy week, MIT events are going to be career-heavy this week. So if you brood over your next career step, check out the events below.
And if you are curious about the next generation of scientist, have a look at the advertisement for the Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair at the end of the newsletter.

Best,
Kathrin

P.S. We are now on Instagram @mitpda

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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      (in one week!)        register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-vT1gzgyik3JHFWaRgQwAVeVoiaoQFK7iP2MO4dtKwo/viewform>          Lunch will be provided!

This Week's Topics:

*       Upcoming PDA Events

*       From the PDA Committees

o   Call for Postdoc Initiative Grant (PInG) Proposals Until Monday 12pm!

o   From the Advocacy Committee - Overtime Pay in Massachusetts

o   Call for a New Chair of the Human Affairs Committee

*       Postdoc Orientation Sessions

*       From the PDA PInG Initiatives

o   Glimpse - New Episode

*       Other Events at MIT

o    MIT Excellence Awards and Collier Medal

o   Exploring Careers in DATA SCIENCE

o   Tech Talk with Alcoa CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld

o   Exploring Careers in ALTERNATIVE ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

o   Exploring Careers in SCIENCE EDUCATION

o   MIT Water Night

o   "distant future" events - new events

o

Upcoming PDA Events:

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:

[[GLIMPSE logo]]Glimpse:

Episode 6: Dr. Deniz Bozyigit is a postdoc in Keith Nelson's group. We discuss solar cells, nanocrystals, perovskites and Ducktales!

If you would like to be interviewed by GLIMPSE podcast or would like to help with the podcast (music, logo, artwork), please contact us at glimpse.podcast at gmail.com<mailto:glimpse.podcast at gmail.com>. For more information, please visit us at: http://glimpse.mit.edu/

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:

MIT Excellence Awards and Collier Medal
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)

In the "Distant" Future:

Workshop on Research Reproducibility (organized by MIT Libraries and Center for Open Science)
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)
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/>

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/74c98b87001/a2e49f91-fab0-4150-ba0e-85cba99f932f.jpg]

Science Fair Judges Needed!<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mH_5P-thyZfSYC0UUcuOleAtuqMieeaBLezVCWMtBPIcVNBzEVfcmAfLY8ygwnfT6EUDY6XNEXii7brtukjukeWHwRsKjwRhzvOo0w7fqVFppQrQEK2kJaDtJXkWjBwWxCDxFZEJH4zHdNNod-d-2jPuRst56NkdO7RphxnzHnSokJ0m1jxpOgyvA0XzGOAxC0UeT_LGy-A=&c=eo-RzQzA7ix3cnngn_d_MV6DCHRIXCx_hbhf2QYayOee5KFGoZ3FAA==&ch=EAFczFBvDgbX5lsMDWov3WZaKGEau7yQOtW0B_7d8SpNR8pez47VUQ==>
High School Division
Friday, May 6, 2016
10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rockwell Cage

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/74c98b87001/424dd5d4-8050-476e-81dd-83b9611bfc1e.jpg]The Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair (MSSEF) provides middle and high school students with the opportunity to work on independent research projects in science, technology, and engineering. Now in its 67th year, the annual statewide science fair will feature the highest quality projects accomplished by students from across the Commonwealth. We will need more than 300 outstanding judges to donate their time to evaluate these students' work. Some students invest more than 1,000 hours of research in their projects! Just a few hours of your time will help to encourage these young people in their quest for excellence in science and technology.  It's an experience that lasts a lifetime!

Volunteer to Judge!
Please consider being a member of the distinguished judging panel at the 2016 State Science & Engineering Fair. If you have received a four-year college degree in a science or technology subject, and work in a related field, you are eligible to judge. We especially need judges with expertise in the life sciences.

If you created an account last year:
Click here to register online<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mH_5P-thyZfSYC0UUcuOleAtuqMieeaBLezVCWMtBPIcVNBzEVfcmBkbHcWQj7sMX5vYr3zbJeQCT426X4r2Hov6AWQ5lSb5oxGxSpLSSthnmLNWtCNfvWJK0vKeFFW99Nhe4qlJ2HDLRIhVMFGqP8OsexAwuCI8xCMHZbzuD4QnpAIkMYYB9y__-qJkm-IX&c=eo-RzQzA7ix3cnngn_d_MV6DCHRIXCx_hbhf2QYayOee5KFGoZ3FAA==&ch=EAFczFBvDgbX5lsMDWov3WZaKGEau7yQOtW0B_7d8SpNR8pez47VUQ==>. Log in with your Username and Password at the top right of the page. On the Judges Homepage, scroll down to Upcoming Events and click on Register Now under Actions for the 2016 Event.

If you are a new judge or did not participate last year:
Click here to create a judge account and register<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mH_5P-thyZfSYC0UUcuOleAtuqMieeaBLezVCWMtBPIcVNBzEVfcmBkbHcWQj7sMYWwoG-n8nuKmlBqHPvJwzoCcXPa7Gru-pgFnhMsP4dFzhXBjR_xilv6Qisw7CjMEY6KdiSlCEcigwg16jU7ygEvvr5SVqYULmqUtP63eRoI55UNJiY9OTkddhCEZhFqtD0OU8G72sHCmR99DPA0JIg==&c=eo-RzQzA7ix3cnngn_d_MV6DCHRIXCx_hbhf2QYayOee5KFGoZ3FAA==&ch=EAFczFBvDgbX5lsMDWov3WZaKGEau7yQOtW0B_7d8SpNR8pez47VUQ==>.
IMPORTANT: Your "access code" is mssef at mit

For assistance: Click here to email us<mailto:judginginfo at scifair.com>

With thanks for your support and involvement,
[http://files.ctctcdn.com/74c98b87001/29f4af0a-1323-4f0d-aeb6-b7c9276b8fb0.jpg]
Cora Beth Abel, MSSEF President & CEO

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/74c98b87001/126bcbf0-90f7-4176-9eb8-fcb980552a55.jpg]Welcome Reception, Judge Orientation & Details
For all judges, new and experienced former judges, a reception will begin at 10:00 am, followed by an informative Orientation session at 10:15 am along with the distribution of judging assignments. Judges are typically assigned to projects within their respective area(s) of expertise. Attendance at this event is appreciated.

Project Categories:
Behavioral Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computers, Earth & Space Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Mathematics and Physics & Electronics.

Refreshments will be served at the Welcome Reception, followed by a buffet lunch at mid-day and light snacks in early afternoon. Parking arrangements and shuttle service are provided free of charge to judges.  Upon request,confirmation of volunteer service will be provided to employers.

Judges also needed for the Massachusetts State Middle School Science & Engineering Fair!

Saturday, June 4, 2016
8:30 am -1:00 pm
Worcester Technical High School
Email middleschool at scifair.com<mailto:middleschool at scifair.com> if you are interested in judging this event!

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