Weekly PDA Newsletter - January 29, 2017

Sun Jan 29 15:27:17 EST 2017



*Dear MIT Postdocs,Don’t forget --- the call for Postdoc Initiative Grant
(PInG) proposals closes on Tuesday, January 31st! See details below. Enjoy
your week!Cheers,Meghan-----Dr. Meghan HuberCorresponding
SecretaryPostdoctoral Association of MIT (PDA)Follow the MIT-PDA on social
media!MIT-PDAwebsite <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-PDAwebsite
<http://bostonpostdocs.org/>NEXT MIT-PDA MEETINGMonday, February 13,
201712:00pm Rm TBDLunch 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 EVENTSEventsPostdoc SoccerHosted by
the MIT-PDAInterested in playing soccer with your fellow postdocs? Join the
soccer mailing list <https://groups.mit.edu/webmoira/list/soccer-pda> and
the sports facebook group
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499342643696472/> to stay up-to-date with
playing times! For soccer, it is critical that you check the Facebook book
group and note your availability on the poll. Events are subject to
cancellation if there is insufficient attendance.Date and Time Tuesday
January 31, 5:30-7 PMLocation Zesiger Mac CourtPostdoc VolleyballHosted by
the MIT-PDAPlease join the PDA this Friday for soccer!! Enter through the
Vassar street entrance and the attendees at the gate should let you through
if you say you are with the PDA and present MIT ID. There are bathrooms in
the facility where you can change or come with someone with a membership
who can give you access to the locker rooms. Spouses and significant others
of postdocs are welcome free of charge. Friends and colleagues may join
only if they have an athletics membership (otherwise you may need to pay a
1 time entrance fee that is around $15). Anyone can join for the Muddy
afterwards (you just need to be with someone who has MIT ID) providing 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 Friday,
February 3, 7:30-9:00 PM, followed by pizza at the Muddy at 9:30
PM.Location Zesiger Rockwell North CourtData Science, Informatics, and Data
Science Career PanelHosted by the MIT-PDA in collaboration with the Boston
Postdoctoral AssociationJoin us for a panel discussion on career in data
science, informatics and computer science. Panelists includes Regina
Barseli (MIT), Aman Bhandari (Merck), Amir Handzel (AstraZeneca), Francesca
Lazzeri (Microsoft) and Burt LaFountain (BCG). Come and ask questions
during the one-hour panel, and stay for a fun reception and speed
networking event with industry professionals.Date and Time Wednesday,
February 15, 5:00-7:00pmLocation 6-120Registration Please register at
https://bpdadatacs.eventbrite.com
<https://bpdadatacs.eventbrite.com/>Battle of the Bands -- Call for
ApplicationsHosted by MIT-PDA and MIT-GSCApplications for the prestigious
MIT Battle of Bands is now open. You are a band? You have at least 50%
members that are at MIT? You know how to get a crowd going? All styles are
welcome, as long as they are not pre-recorded and can be performed live.
The Battle of Bands takes place on March 10th in Morss Hall. Professional
judges will elect and announce the winners, which can win great prices.
Musicians, apply!Apply online here <http://gsc.mit.edu/bands/> by February
19!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
third 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- Groups to support postdoc
women or parentsPreviously funded PInG projects include: Glimpse: the
Postdoc Podcast, Yoga Classes, Postdoc Playdates, POWER: Postdoctoral Women
Engaged in Research, Postdoc Zumba, Postdoc Jogging Club. 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
<http://pda.mit.edu/ping>. The deadline for applications is January 31,
2017 12:00 pm EST for events taking place from mid-February to September.
We look forward to hearing your plans!  Please contact the PInG Committee
Chair, Elizabeth Stewart (pda-ping at mit.edu <pda-ping at mit.edu>), if you have
any questions.    Postdoc Orientation SessionsThe 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 involvedThe sessions will be
typically the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 12pm (45-60min) in
E49-5145. Lunch will be provided. The dates for the semester are as
follows: February 6, February 27, March 6, March 20, April 3, April 24, May
22. If you are interested in participating, you can register via Atlas or
here <http://web.mit.edu/training/course.html?course=CDT21061c>.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
<glimpse.podcast at gmail.com>. For more information, please visit us at:
http://glimpse.mit.edu/ <http://glimpse.mit.edu/>OTHER MIT AND LOCAL
EVENTSThis WeekMe, Myself, and I: How Do You Define Yourself in the 21st
Century?Hosted by MIT Global Education & Career DevelopmentWe all hold
multiple identities and they interact in our lives in different ways. At
home, in the classroom, at the office, the words we use to describe
ourselves have power and can change the way we see ourselves in these
environments. What words have you used to describe your identity? How have
others described you? How do our perceptions of ourselves impact the roles
we play in our daily lives and the roles we hope to play in our
professional careers? This interactive workshop will explore these
questions and give you the opportunity to refine your sense of self as you
step into your daily life and your career.  Date and Time Monday, January
30, 2:00pm – 4:00pmLocation E19-202Registration Pre-registration requested
via CareerBridge <https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.Astronomy on Tap
Boston - January TalkHosted by Astronomy on Tap BostonJoin the launch of
Astronomy on Tap Boston, featuring short astronomy talks and trivia with
prizes. To be enjoyed over your beverage of choice! Come explore alien
worlds, the first galaxies and the oldest stars in the Universe with MIT
astronomers Jenn Burt, Monica Turner and Rana Ezzeddine. This public event
includes astronomy talks by MIT astronomer postdocs (very general and aimed
for non astronomy public audience), trivia games and astro-news sessions
and is aimed at outreaching astronomy for broad range of public audience in
a fun way. Event is free of charge. Must be 21 years or older. Check out
our Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/events/197462540724991/> page for
more details.Date and Time Monday, January 30, 7:30-9:30pmLocation The
Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MABiotechnology and
Pharmaceutical IndustryHosted by the MIT Biology DepartmentAre you
considering a job in industry? Join us for an exciting Q&A session with a
panel of scientists who belong to different areas of industry. Learn about
their day-to-day life, how they transitioned from academia to industry, and
find out whether industry is right for you. Panel features Eric Bell, Ph.D.
(Senior Scientist, Translational Biology, Mitobridge Inc.), Dan Denning,
Ph.D. (Investigator II in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, at the
Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)), Ann Marie Faust, Ph.D.
(Investigator II in the Synthetic Biology group, Global Discovery Chemistry
department, NIBR), and Setu Roday, Ph.D. (Senior Scientist in the Materials
Discovery and Characterization department at Vertex Pharmaceuticals).  Date
and Time Tuesday, January 31, 1:00pm – 3:00pmLocation 68-181Helping PhDs
and Postdocs Identify SkillsHosted by MIT Global Education & Career
DevelopmentYou will have the opportunity to learn more about the skills you
have gained in your PhD and/or postdoc. This session will feature
activities to help you identify skills. It will also discuss research that
has been done to identify skills you have learned that employers desire in
various industries. Date and Time Wednesday, February 1, 2:00pm –
3:30pmLocation E19-202Registration Pre-registration requested via
CareerBridge <https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>IAP: Working After
Graduation- Immigration Options and IssuesHosted by the MIT International
Students OfficeThe ISO is pleased to host at MIT during IAP 2017
representatives from the immigration law firm of Iandoli Desai & Cronin,
P.C., who will present a seminar focusing on visa regulations governing
employment opportunities for international students after graduation. For
international students looking at pursuing work opportunities in the US
after available periods of F-1 Optional Practical Training and STEM
Optional Practical Training, as well as J-1 Academic Training, this is an
excellent opportunity to get an overview of available visa options.
International student alumni are also welcome to attend to learn more about
visa options for entrepreneurs and employment-based U.S. Permanent
Residency categories. Speakers: Immigration attorneys from Iandoli Desai &
Cronin, P.C.Date and Time Thursday, February 2, 12:00pm – 2:00pmLocation
32-123, Stata CenterNo RSVP is required.Careers in Law for STEM Students
and Postdocs: A PanelHosted by MIT Global Education & Career
DevelopmentCome for the pizza, stay for the career advice. Join MIT GECD
for a panel, “Careers in Law for STEM Students”. At this panel, you will
learn about career opportunities at the intersection of technology and law
and the various career paths that panelists have taken to get from their
STEM backgrounds into law. Panelists include patent lawyers, MIT alum, and
other professionals who use their STEM expertise in the field of law. Date
and Time Thursday, February 2, 6:00pm – 7:00pmLocation E19-202Registration
Pre-registration requested via CareerBridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.Finding and Managing a Faculty
PositionHosted by the MIT Biology DepartmentHear from a diverse array of
faculty members on their experience finding and thriving in a faculty
position. Panel features Mary Gehring (Associate Professor of Biology;
Member, Whitehead Institute. PhD, University of California, Berkeley),
Victor Hatini (Associate Professor of Developmental, Molecular & Chemical
Biology, Tufts University. PhD, Cornell University School of Medicine),
Anupama Seshan (Assistant Professor of Biology, Emmanuel College. PhD,
MIT), and Eliezer Calo-Velazquez (Assistant Professor of Biology, MIT. PhD,
MIT).Date and Time Friday, February 3, 1:30pm – 3:00pmLocation 68-180Next
WeekMIT Robocon 2017Hosted by the Robocon Organizing CommitteePlease join
us at the second annual MIT RoboCon, which will be held on MIT campus in
Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 10 and 11, 2017. The MIT RoboCon is a
student-organized, student-run conference intended to foster technical
cross-disciplinary interactions between students, postdocs, and other
academic and industry roboticists in the community. Date and Time Friday
and Saturday, February 10-11Location MIT Media LabRegistration Please
register at https://mitrobocon2017.eventbrite.com/
<https://mitrobocon2017.eventbrite.com/>. Upcoming Deadlines2017 L’Oréal
USA For Women in Science Fellowship ProgramApplications for the 2017
L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program are now open. The
application and more information about the L¹Oréal USA For Women in Science
program can be found at www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience
<http://www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience>. Applications are due on
Friday, February 3, 2017. Please see the website page for information.De
Florez Fund for Humor Spring Comedy Show: Leslie Jones    Hosted by the MIT
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and The de Florez Fund for
HumorLeslie Jones (from "Saturday Night Live" and the 2016 Ghostbusters
movie) will be coming to the MIT campus for a comedy performance on Sunday,
February 19, 2017 at 7pm in Kresge Auditorium. The event is open to all MIT
students, faculty, and staff. The event is free, but tickets are required.
A ticket lottery will be open between Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9am to Sunday,
Feb. 12 at 11:59pm: http://shass.mit.edu/resources/jones
<http://shass.mit.edu/resources/jones>. Entrants will be able to select up
to two tickets each.CHECK OUT THESE SITES FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS
postdocs.mit.edu <http://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/>**NOTE: Association of
Women in Science Massachusetts Chapter (http://mass-awis.org/
<http://mass-awis.org/>): Since MIT is a Collegiate Rep of AWIS, the MIT
community can attend Mass AWIS events at the member price.  First, apply
for your free membership through the national AWIS website
http://www.awis.org/ <http://www.awis.org/> as a Collegiate Rep and select
the Massachusetts Chapter. Do this prior to registering for any events.MIT
RESOURCES FOR POSTDOCSMBTA AccessAs a reminder, all postdoctoral fellows
and postdoctoral associates on MIT’s Cambridge campus are eligible for
free, unrestricted subway and local bus access. MIT is providing ID cards
with a special MBTA* chip inside that will provide this access.
(*Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority). If you received a new MIT ID
card on or after June 21 (or after August 9, in the case of many
postdoctoral fellows), check the back of your ID card. If “Charlie INSIDE!”
is written on it, you are all set, and already have access. If not, you can
visit the Card Office (W20-020) with your current MIT ID card to swap it
for one with the MBTA chip inside it. The Card Office is open between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.FREE Mindfulness and Meditation Classes
from MIT MedicalFind Some Om Under the DomeMIT 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 WellbeingCommunity 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 CenterThe 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/
<http://cmsw.mit.edu/writing-and-communication-center/>MyLife
ServicesMyLife 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 careThis includes 5 FREE confidential mental health counseling
sessions, as well as access to 24/7 confidential counseling services. We
encourage you to learn more about MyLife Services by calling 1-844-405-LIFE
(1-844-405-5433) or going online
<http://o6os.mj.am/link/o6os/xlkt8jnnqpg8/2/y46EmaQ0aMF6d85vixaLTg/aHR0cDovL2hyd2ViLm1pdC5lZHUvd29ya2xpZmUvbWl0bXlsaWZlc2VydmljZXM>.
For more information or to provide feedback, please contact the MIT
Work-Life 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/
<http://spouses.mit.edu/>. MIT Employee Resource GroupsJoin 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 ERGCheck out the link for more information and
upcoming events: http://hrweb.mit.edu/diversity/ergs/current
<http://hrweb.mit.edu/diversity/ergs/current>OTHER RESOURCESFree Membership
for the National Postdoctoral AssociationThe National Postdoctoral
Association (NPA) is a member-driven organization that provides a unique,
national voice for postdoctoral scholars. Since 2003, we have taken on the
ambitious agenda to enhance the quality of the postdoctoral experience in
the United States. We have assumed a leadership role in addressing the many
issues confronting the postdoctoral community that are national in scope
and requiring action beyond the local level. Get your free affiliate
membership with the National Postdoctoral Association here:
http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?page=individual_members
<http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?page=individual_members>*
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