Weekly PDA Newsletter - August 27, 2017
Meghan Huber
mehuber at mit.edu
Sun Aug 27 13:54:20 EDT 2017
Dear MIT Postdocs,
The general elections for the MIT Postdoctoral Association (MIT-PDA)
officers positions will take place on Monday 9/18/17 at 1:30pm in the Koch
Institute room 76-156.
Interested in running? Submit a candidate nomination form here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSPp-szk55iaYygcrHoR3APEPnKzC8rQMlV3DE7E02toaTRw/viewform>
by Thursday 9/7/17 and send your statement (<400 words describing their
qualifications and interest in the position) in an email by Friday 9/8/17
to pda-elections at mit.edu. Note: there will be a MANDATORY training workshop
for newly elected officers on 9/21/17 from 12-5pm. If you have any
questions regarding the election, especially regarding candidate
eligibility, please email pda-elections at mit.edu.
Enjoy your week!
Cheers,
Meghan
-----
Dr. Meghan Huber
Corresponding Secretary
Postdoctoral Association of MIT (PDA)
Follow the MIT-PDA on social media!
MIT-PDA
website <http://pda.mit.edu>
Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/groups/44093460815/>
Twitter <https://twitter.com/MITPDA>
Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/mitpda/>
LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2506720/profile>
Boston-PDA
website <http://bostonpostdocs.org/>
NEXT MIT-PDA MEETING
Monday, September 11, 2017
12:00pm
Rm E25-401
Lunch will be provided!
REGISTER HERE
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-vT1gzgyik3JHFWaRgQwAVeVoiaoQFK7iP2MO4dtKwo/viewform>
Please join us for our monthly MIT-PDA meeting! Get involved with any of
the various committees (e.g., sports, advocacy, committee, community
building) and have your voice heard. This is a great opportunity meet your
fellow postdocs on campus!
MIT-PDA NEWS AND EVENTS
Postdoc Volleyball
Hosted by MIT-PDA Sports Committee
Join us for outdoor volleyball every Thursday throughout the summer! Never
played before? Don’t worry! All abilities are welcome. If you are a
beginner, we encourage you to show up early to learn how to play and
improve skills. Afterwards, we’ll head to the Muddy for drinks (requires
ID) and occasionally pizzas. Anyone can join for the Muddy afterwards (you
just need to be with someone who has MIT ID) provided you are 21 or over.
Note the Muddy is cash only if you want to buy drinks. Please also add
yourself to our sports Facebook group
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499342643696472/>!
Date and Time Every Thursday starting 5:15 PM til dusk
Location Sand court between Buildings 62 and 64
***For Soccer, please check PDA sports Facebook group
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499342643696472/> for upcoming events.***
Swing Dance Night
Hosted by the MIT-PDA Community Building Committee
MIT PDA, in collaboration with MIT Lindy Hop Society, are happy to present
an evening of Swing Dancing with a live jazz band from Berklee - Gabriel's
Angels. Find all the details in the attached flyer as well. Got Two Left
Feet? NO PROBLEM! Have No Partners? NO PROBLEM!! Never Danced Before? NO
PROBLEM!!! We have you covered. There will be a free lesson from 7:30 PM to
9:00 PM. The band starts playing after the lesson Best Part? IT’S FREE!!
(Tips encouraged for the band)
Date and Time Wednesday, September 6, 7:30-11:30 PM
Location Morss Hall, Walker Memorial (Building 50)
General Elections for MIT-PDA
Hosted by the MIT-PDA
Interested in running? Submit a candidate nomination form here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSPp-szk55iaYygcrHoR3APEPnKzC8rQMlV3DE7E02toaTRw/viewform>
by Thursday 9/7/17 and send your statement (<400 words describing their
qualifications and interest in the position) in an email by Friday 9/8/17
to pda-elections at mit.edu. Note: there will be a MANDATORY training workshop
for newly elected officers on 9/21/17 from 12-5pm. If you have any
questions regarding the election, especially regarding candidate
eligibility, please email pda-elections at mit.edu. Not interested in running? We
still encourage you to attend and vote! All MIT postdocs are members of the
MIT PDA and therefore can nominate candidates for office and vote at
general elections.
Date and Time Monday, September 18, 1:30 PM
Location Koch Institute Room, 76-156
PDA and Strategic Games Society (SGS) Partnership
Hosted by MIT-PDA Community Building Committee
Thanks to an MIT-PDA partnership, MIT postdocs may join for free the weekly
board games hosted by the MIT Strategic Games Society (MIT-SGS). Moreover,
you can bring non-MIT friends for a small fee of $5 per year. SGS meets
every Friday at 7PM in MIT Building 50-316 (Walker Memorial Hall, Floor 3,
Room 16) for board games and card games. Gaming sessions typically go
until around 12-2 AM. For more information about the board game branch of
SGS, contact the officers <sgs-officers at mit.edu>.
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
You may register for a session via Atlas or here
<http://web.mit.edu/training/course.html?course=CDT21061c>. Orientation
begins at noon (45-60 min) and lunch is provided. Dates for the semester
are as follows (all Wednesdays): September 13 (in E49-5145), and in the
Atlas Service Center (E17) on September 27, October 11, October 25,
November 8, November 29, December 20.
Postdoc Jogging Club
Consider joining the Postdoc Jogging Club! Those interested in joining club
can sign up for the email list here
<https://mailman.mit.edu:444/mailman/listinfo/postdoc-jogging>.
GLIMPSE (PDA PInG Initiative)
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. For more information, please visit us at:
http://glimpse.mit.edu/
OTHER MIT AND LOCAL EVENTS
This Week
Data Science Tools: An Overview
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
What programming languages are popular for statistics and data science?
What tools are useful for working with those languages? Should I learn R or
Python, or stick with something easier like Stata? If you’ve asked yourself
these or similar questions, this workshop is for you! We will look at the
kinds of tools that data scientists use (e.g., programming languages,
statistics packages, version control, text editors, and integrated
development environments) and discuss the pros and cons of popular
alternatives. If you know that you’ll be working with data but are not yet
sure what tools to invest in learning, please join us. This workshop is
free for Harvard and MIT affiliates.
Date and Time Friday, September 1, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Introduction to the Research Computing Environment (RCE) at Harvard
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
The Research Computing Environment (RCE) is a large powerful computer
cluster that you can use for computations that are too large to be
conveniently done on a personal computer. This workshop will introduce you
to the features available on the RCE and show you how to use the system
effectively. This workshop is free for Harvard and MIT affiliates.
Date and Time Friday, September 1, 1:00 - 3:30 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Next Week
Harvard Biotech Club Career Fair 2017
Hosted by the Harvard Biotech Club
The career fair is open to all who are seeking jobs in science-related
sectors. Members of all institutions in the greater Boston area are
welcome. This year's fair will include: company recruiting tables from the
fields of biotech, pharma, consulting, patent law, and more, company
presentations to get a comprehensive view of a company and/or career path,
and panel discussions with speakers representing a range of career paths.
Please visit our website for more information:
http://thebiotechclub.org/careerfair/.
Date and Time Wednesday, September 6, 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Location Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, New Research Building, HMS, 77
Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA
Registration Attendees are encouraged to pre-register online at:
https://goo.gl/forms/WpsU8ug7RsKv7hbs2
Intro to Technical Interviewing, featuring Google
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Are you getting ready to interview at a tech company? Come learn the ins
and outs of technical interviewing from the experts at Google.
Date and Time Wednesday, September 6, 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Location E19-190
Registration Registration opens August 28th and is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Introduction to Stata
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
This class will provide a hands-on introduction to Stata. You will learn
how to navigate Stata’s graphical user interface, import data, calculate
descriptive statistics, and manage data and value labels. This workshop is
designed for individuals who have little or no experience using Stata
software. More details, including workshop materials, are available here
<https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-materials#widget-2>. This workshop is
free for Harvard and MIT affiliates.
Date and Time Friday, September 8, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Regression and Graphing in Stata
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
This hands-on class will provide a comprehensive introduction to graphics
in Stata. Topics for the class include graphing principles, descriptive
graphs, linear regression, factor variables, and post-estimation graphs.
This is an introductory workshop appropriate for those with only basic
familiarity with Stata. Prerequisite: a general familiarity with Stata
(such as taking the Introduction to Stata workshop). More details including
workshop materials are available here
<http://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-materials#widget-2>. This workshop is
free for Harvard and MIT affiliates.
Date and Time Friday, September 8, 1:00 - 3:30 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Upcoming Deadlines
MIT Tango Bootcamp
Hosted by MIT Tango Club
Ever wanted to learn tango? This is your chance! Join the MIT tango club
for our two-day 2017 September bootcamp. Come learn tango in a comfortable,
relaxed, and open environment! Experience two days of fun, dancing, and
snacks. No experience or partner required. Space is limited. The bootcamps
have been wildly popular in the past so be sure to sign up now! Boot camp
is Saturday 9/9 from 1:30-5:00pm and Sunday 9/10 from 1:30-5:30 pm. For
more information, visit tango.mit.edu. Space is limited, register
today! Tickets:
https://mit.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=674&cid=35&p=1
CHECK OUT THESE SITES FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS
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/>
Boston PDA Events <http://bostonpostdocs.org/events-calendar/>
Mass-AWIS Events <http://mass-awis.org/category/events-calendar/>
MIT RESOURCES FOR POSTDOCS
Career Counseling Services for Postdocs
In Collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Research, the
GECD provides career guidance and strategies for both industry and academic
tracks. You can discuss your career plans or concerns and receive support
on developing your Resume, CV, Research and Teaching Statements, Cover
Letters, and LinkedIn profile. 45 minute individual sessions are available
and tailored to your needs. You can also conduct a mock interview to help
strengthen your interview skills including the delivery of your
presentation. Schedule appointments online using the CareerBridge system
https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student or by phone at 617-715-5329.
Appointments are held in E25-143G.
MyLife Services
MyLife Services
<http://o6os.mj.am/link/o6os/xlkt8jnnqpg8/1/-kBne3WjUT8Ww6LEA98gxw/aHR0cDovL2hyd2ViLm1pdC5lZHUvd29ya2xpZmUvbWl0bXlsaWZlc2VydmljZXM>
is
a free, confidential, 24/7 counseling, consultation, and work-life referral
service provided by KGA, Inc., a trusted external provider of employee
assistance programs. Postdoc Associates and Fellows are eligible for
services provided by KGA, Inc. through the MIT Work-Life Center and MyLife
Services. You can now access a network of experts who can help with the
challenges of life and work, such as:
-
Financial planning, debt management, and legal issues
-
Personal and work relationships
-
Sleep and nutrition
-
Stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional concerns
-
Child and elder care
This includes some FREE confidential mental health counseling sessions, as
well as
access to 24/7 confidential counseling services. We encourage you to learn
more about
the program <http://hrweb.mit.edu/worklife/mitmylifeservices> (including
frequently asked questions), and to call MyLife Services directly
at 1-844- 405-LIFE (1-844- 405-5433).
FREE Mindfulness and Meditation Classes from MIT Medical
Find Some Om Under the Dome
MIT Libraries is offering drop-in meditation and relaxation sessions.
Please join us for silent meditation in the Barker reading room. Sit for a
minute, or 30. Beginners welcome - no experience necessary. Every Monday at
noon in the Barker Dome of Barker Engineering Library (10-500). Please
arrive promptly. Registration is required.
<https://medical.mit.edu/community/wellness/classes/mindfulness-meditation>
Meditation for your Wellbeing
Community Wellness at MIT Medical offers drop-in meditation and relaxation
sessions. Sit back and relax - no experience necessary. Please arrive
promptly. A short talk and guided meditation begins at 12:10 pm. This class
is held every 2nd Wednesday of the month, 12:10 pm-12:40 pm. Led by Seth
Monk. Registration is required.
<https://medical.mit.edu/community/wellness/classes/mindfulness-meditation>
MIT Writing & Communication Center
The Center provides free professional advice about all types of writing and
speaking/oral presentations, including specialized help for non-native
English speakers. See their website for more details:
http://cmsw.mit.edu/writing-and-communication-center/
MIT Spouses&Partners Connect
Offers social and career-related groups and events for your
spouse/partner/family. For more information and event listings, visit
http://spouses.mit.edu/.
MIT Employee Resource Groups
Join an Employee Resource Group (ERG) at MIT!
ERGs are employee-led groups formed around common interests, issues and/or
a common bond or background. ERGs host activities such as lectures,
socials, dinners, etc. Both Postdoctoral Fellows and Associates are invited
to join. Current ERGs include:
-
African, Black, American, Caribbean @MIT (ABAC at MIT) ERG
-
Asian Pacific American ERG
-
Latino ERG,
-
Lesbian, Gay, ,Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) ERG
-
Millennials ERG
-
Women in IT ERG
Check out the link for more information and upcoming events:
http://hrweb.mit.edu/diversity/ergs/current
MBTA Access
As a reminder, all postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral associates on
MIT’s Cambridge
campus are eligible for free, unrestricted subway and local bus access. MIT
provides this benefit
through a special MBTA* chip embedded in the MIT ID card. (*Massachusetts
Bay
Transportation Authority). Check the back of your ID card. If “Charlie
INSIDE!” is written on it,
you are all set. Questions? Visit the Atlas Service Center (E17-106).
OTHER RESOURCES
Free Membership for the National Postdoctoral Association
MIT is a Sustaining Member of the NPA, which means you can become an
affiliate member for free. This will help you network with other postdocs
across the country and gain access to members only resources that can help
further your career. To join, click on this Affiliate Memberships direct link
for MIT
<http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/general/register_start.asp?regkey=B87D7B9B-5C95-48F6-9ECA-A5014531B05D>
and follow the registration process, using your MIT email address. Once you
click “submit,” the NPA will review your request and confirm your
membership by email about a week later.
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