Weekly PDA Newsletter - September 17, 2017
Meghan Huber
mehuber at mit.edu
Sun Sep 17 12:42:05 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.
Candidates will be allowed to give a short statement and will be requested
to answer questions from the audience. All MIT Postdocs (Associates and
Fellows) are eligible to vote. Please bring MIT ID. Paper ballots will
handed out upon registration and collected after all candidates have given
their statements. Voting will be done by ranked-choice voting and
candidates will need to secure a majority of top votes to be elected.
Results will be announced by email later that evening.
Please send any questions or comments about the election to
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, October 2, 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
General Elections for MIT-PDA
Hosted by the MIT-PDA
Candidates will be allowed to give a short statement and will be requested
to answer questions from the audience. All MIT Postdocs (Associates and
Fellows) are eligible to vote. Please bring MIT ID. Paper ballots will
handed out upon registration and collected after all candidates have given
their statements. Voting will be done by ranked-choice voting and
candidates will need to secure a majority of top votes to be elected.
Results will be announced by email later that evening. Please send any
questions or comments about the election to pda-elections at mit.edu.
Date and Time Monday, September 18, 1:30 PM
Location Koch Institute Room, 76-156
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.***
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) in the Atlas Service Center (E17) and lunch is
provided. Dates for the semester are as follows (all Wednesdays): 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
Roadmap for Landing a Role at a Startup (ThinkBIG)
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Participate in a panel designed to discuss opportunities at startups, why
consider them as a career path, what these types of companies are looking
for candidates, how (as a student) to build the body of work they find most
attractive, where to find opportunities, along with the best ways to
communicate with startups. All courses are welcome!
Date and Time Monday, September 18, 7:30-9:00PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Managing Stress at Home and at Work
Hosted by the MIT Work-Life Center, Office of the Vice President for
Research, Office of Graduate Education, Global Education & Career
Development, and Millennials ERG
Lower your stress with this six-step stress management method. You will
also learn about an entirely new online resource for managing stress called
MyStressTools, available starting September 15, 2017 through the MIT
Work-Life Center website. This seminar will model the tools available to
you on the interactive website, which will help you lower stress throughout
your day and evening. You will learn how to manage stress on the fly, while
it’s happening.
The seminar includes a relaxation training session that will help you lower
your stress within minutes and show you how to self-regulate your nervous
system. Come away relaxed, refreshed, and reinvigorated, with the knowledge
and ongoing tools you need to build your resilience and reduce your stress.
Presenter – James E. Porter, MALS; President, StressStop.com
Date and Time Tuesday, September 19, 12:00-1:30PM
Location 76-156
Registration Register here
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/managing-stress-at-home-and-at-work-registration-36734176912>
.
Does Your Resume Communicate the Right Message?
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Can your resume survive a 15 second scan and still get into the YES pile?
Discussions will surround the strategies of effective messaging and how to
be "on-point" with your written communication. Your resume is not an
autobiography, but rather a list of relevant accomplishments that links
your skills to the needs of the company. You’ll use these techniques in
your lifelong career strategies.
Date and Time Tuesday, September 19, 2:00-3:30PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Growing Up in Science: a conversation with Ed Bertschinger
Hosted by MIT Graduate Student Council (GSC)
Have you ever wondered what your advisor was like as a graduate student?
What they struggled with? What they are struggling with now? This
conversation series is not about science, but about becoming and being an
academic. We will explore a variety of issues along the path, such as how
to deal with your own and others' expectations, and with impostor syndrome
and how to keep yourself motivated? Prof. Ed Bertschinger will share his
personal stories and invite you to join the conversation.This is the first
event in a new series at MIT organized by GSC ARC, based on the original
"Growing Up in Science" developed at NYU by Weiji Ma. Contact
growing-up-in-science at mit.edu for more information.
Date and Time Tuesday, September 19, 5:00-6:00PM
Location 1-190
Orientation to Recruiting
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Looking for a job or internship? Start here! Learn about: MIT recruiting
policies, etiquette when applying to jobs, interviewing, courting potential
employers and more, professional integrity – how not to mess up your
professional reputation, making sound career decisions, hiring timelines
for various industries, and quick tips and tricks on the new and improved
CareerBridge and LinkedIn.
Date and Time Wednesday, September 20, 7:15-8:15PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Backdate Your Resume
Hosted by The MIT Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, the Office of
Distinguished Fellowships, and Radius
This workshop encourages participants to consider the experiences, goals,
skills, and passions they had at an earlier age than is typically
represented on a professional resume. We’ll use guided activities to help
you reflect on what you valued and were excited about when you were a kid
and when you were in high school, and how these things can help you as you
explore your current purpose and direction. Participants may also submit
their “standard” resumes for feedback, with a focus on how extra-curricular
work and service activities are represented. This is optional! Resumes will
be reviewed on a first come first served basis, and we may not have time to
work with everyone interested. To have your resume reviewed, email it to
Alison Hynd at hynd at mit.edu by noon on Wednesday, September 20th. Lunched
will be provided courtesy of Radius.
Date and Time Thursday, September 21, 12:00-1:330PM
Location 56-154
Registration Register at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/backdate-your-resume-tickets-37925200295
Beyond Academics: PhD Career Options Panel
Hosted by the MIT Graduate Student Council (GSC), Global Education & Career
Development Career Services (GECD), and the MIT Office of the Vice
President for Research (VPR)
This panel will help PhDs and postdocs learn more about career options
outside of being a professor. Panelists represent employers who hire PhDs
and also alumni who have navigated this process. Panelists represent a
range of career paths. This discussion will also enhance understanding
about the culture of various organizations that hire PhDs and postdocs.
Free food will be provided.
Date and Time Thursday, September 21, 5:30-7:00PM
Location 32-123
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Exploring Careers in AI & Robotics
Hosted by the MIT Global Education and Career Development
Did you know that eastern Massachusetts is characterized as the Robotics
Cluster? Automation, robotics and the use of sophisticated computer
software and programs characterize a career in artificial intelligence
(AI). Join this panel to get the inside scoop from leading companies in the
Greater Boston area.
Date and Time Thursday, September 21, 6:00-7:30PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Regression Models in R
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
This hands-on, intermediate R course will demonstrate a variety of
statistical procedures using the open-source statistical software program,
R. Topics covered include multiple regression, multilevel models, and
multiple imputation. We expect that users enrolled in this course are
already familiar with the statistical processes that we cover and are
interested in learning how to run these procedures in R. Prerequisite:
Basic familiarity with R, such as that acquired through an introductory R
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 22, 9:30AM - 12:00 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Introduction to R Graphics with ggplot2
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
This introduction to the popular ggplot2 R graphics package will show you
how to create a wide variety of graphical displays in R. Topics covered
included aesthetic mapping and scales, faceting, and themes. This is an
intermediate-level workshop appropriate for those already familiar with R.
Participants should be familiar with importing and saving data, data types
(e.g., numeric, factor, character), and manipulating data.frames in R. 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 22, 1:00 - 3:30 PM
Location Harvard Campus, K018, CGIS Knafel building, concourse level
Registration Register at https://dss.iq.harvard.edu/workshop-registration
Technical Interviewing 101, featuring Facebook
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 Facebook.
Date and Time Friday, September 22, 3:00-5:00PM
Location 2-190
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
HACKtheMACHINE
Hosted by the US Navy
HACKtheMACHINE Boston, is a weekend digital experience on board the USS
Constitution and at MIT CSAIL that aims to engage a new generation of
innovators and help support the U.S. Navy in its mission to maintain, train
and equip combat ready naval forces. Participants will take on some of the
greatest maritime security challenges of our time through real-life
scenarios, from hacking a ship in a game of maritime capture the flag,
using data science to increase fleet efficiency to applying AR/VR
technology to create human to machine teaming tools that aid in disaster
relief efforts. HACKtheMACHINE will give you access to equipment and data
that has never been seen in public, as well as connect you with leading
mentors and subject matter experts. You’ll also be joining a growing
community helping to innovate, create maritime security and have a positive
effect in a changing world through your ideas, innovations and critical
thinking about cybersecurity, machine learning and rapid prototyping.
Dates Friday, September 22 - Sunday, September 24
Location MIT CSAIL
Registration Visit hackthemachine.ai <https://www.hackthemachine.ai/> for
full details and to register.
Next Week
Labor and Reward in Science: Do Women Have an Equal Voice in Scholarly
Communication?
Hosted by MIT Libraries
Despite progress, gender disparities in science persist. Women remain
underrepresented in the scientific workforce and under rewarded for their
contributions. This talk will examine multiple layers of gender disparities
in science, triangulating data from scientometrics, surveys, and social
media to provide a broader perspective on the gendered nature of scientific
communication. The extent of gender disparities and the ways in which new
media are changing these patterns will be discussed. The talk will end with
a discussion of interventions, with a particular focus on the roles of
libraries, publishers, and other actors in the scholarly ecosystem. Cassidy
Sugimoto researches within the domain of scholarly communication and
scientometrics, examining the formal and informal ways in which knowledge
producers consume and disseminate scholarship. Information Science Brown
Bag talks, hosted by the Program on Information Science, consists of
regular discussions and brainstorming sessions on all aspects of
information science and uses of information science and technology to
assess and solve institutional, social and research problems. These are
informal talks. Discussions are often inspired by real-world problems being
faced by the lead discussant. We will provide lunch; please bring your own
drink and your questions.
Date and Time Monday, September 25, 12:00 - 1:00PM
Location E25-401
How to Work a Career Fair
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Many students are overwhelmed when attempting to navigate a career fair
with hundreds of employers. Come learn what to do in preparation for the
fair, what to do at the fair, and what to do after the fair. The fair is
an excellent opportunity to connect with employers -- create a strategy
that will help you make the most of your time!
Date and Time Monday, September 25, 2:30-4:00PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Exploring Careers in Gaming
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
When most people imagine careers in the video game industry, they
immediately think of developers. As the medium grows more popular, more
jobs are opening up in the field: Game Designers, Software Developers,
Animators, Audio Engineers are just some of the career paths within the
gaming industry. Panelists will share successes and challenges of the
industry, as well as requirements and opportunities.
Date and Time Monday, September 25, 6:00-7:30PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Ace the Case, featuring Putnam Associates
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Stop by to learn the DOs and DON’Ts of a successful case interview from
Putnam Associates. Putnam Associates is a premier strategy consulting firm
dedicated to the life sciences, whose clients include all of the top-10
global biopharmaceutical companies, many of the top -10 global brands, as
well as venture backed biotechs, device, and rare disease franchises.
Date and Time Monday, September 25, 7:00-8:30PM
Location 3-333
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Developing a Meaningful Elevator Pitch
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Among the greatest missed opportunities are banal responses to questions
like “tell me about yourself?” Learn and exercise creative ways to be a
successful self-advocate: together, we will strengthen our responses to
hallway chatter and use reflection to develop, rehearse, and share an
authentic elevator pitch with meaning.
Date and Time Tuesday, September 26, 2:00-3:00PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
The Art of Behavioral Interviewing
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
While your technical skills will get you the interview, it is your
behavioral attributes that will get you the job. This session will discuss
preparation and strategies for a successful interview. In addition, sample
behavioral interview questions will be provided along with tips on how to
answer these tough questions.
Date and Time Wednesday, September 27, 2:00-3:30PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Exploring Careers in Fintech
Hosted by MIT Global Education and Career Development
Thematic investing, payments, digital currency, credit scoring, education
lending, cyber security, working capital management, and others - all
sharing a common theme: the imperative to improve the efficiency of
financial markets and systems through technology. Participate in this panel
to get insights from the leading companies in this space. All courses are
welcome!
Date and Time Wednesday, September 27, 5:00-6:30PM
Location E19-202
Registration Pre-registration is requested on Careerbridge
<https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student>.
Trivia Night
Hosted by Boston Postdoctoral Association
Come and enjoy some awesome trivia and beer and get to know other postdocs,
or just crush them at trivia!You can come as a preformed team or create a
new team with other postdocs from other institutions.We will be providing
pizza and prizes for the top 3 teams!
Date and Time Friday, September 29, starts promptly at 6:00PM
Location Aeronaut Brewing Co, 14 Tyler St, Somerville
Registration Please RSVP at http://bpda-trivia-night.eventbrite.com/
Basic R Programming for Data Analysis
Hosted by Data Science Services at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative
Social Science
This hands-on, intermediate course will guide you through a variety of
programming functions in the open-source statistical software program, R.
It is intended for those already comfortable with using R for data analysis
who wish to move on to writing their own functions. To the extent possible,
this workshop uses real-world examples. Concepts will be introduced as they
are needed for a realistic analysis task. In the course of working through
a realistic project we will learn about interacting with web services,
regular expressions, iteration, functions, control flow, and more.
Prerequisite: basic familiarity with R, such as acquired from an
introductory R workshop. This workshop is free for Harvard and MIT
affiliates.
Date and Time Friday, September 29, 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
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://www.massawis.org/events/category/mass-awis-events/list/>
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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