Weekly PDA Newsletter - November 11, 2018

Sun Nov 11 08:29:01 EST 2018

[cid:166063fc3bed4cc0da81]

Dear MIT Postdocs,

Here is your news for the week. The next monthly PDA meeting is on Tuesday November 13, 2018.

Enjoy your week!

Follow the MIT-PDA on social media!

MIT-PDA<https://pda.mit.edu/>

website<https://pda.mit.edu/>

Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/MITPDA77/>

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

November 13, 2018

12:00pm

Rm 5-314

Lunch will be provided!

REGISTER HERE<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-lQnw7PWIpjnN0dh5aBiiehbFIvog_1TKa1Sv6JSp4nuP6Q/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!

Elections will be held for the Chairs to the following Committees. Human Affairs, Fundraising and Alumini Committee of the PDA.

Candidates and Statements

1.     Name: Wei Sun Leong
Department: EECS
Applying for: Human Affairs Chair
Statement of interest:
1. I am Wei Sun Leong, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the NMELAB. My research interest lies at the interface of nanoelectronics, materials science and device physics. At MIT, I have been serving as the Laureates & Leaders Graduate Student Mentor, which is a graduate school initiative, sponsored by the Office of Minority Education, designed to encourage and support underrepresented students in their quest to achieve a graduate degree. In addition, I have also completed the 10-week-long conflict management training. I hope to use these experiences to better serve both the MIT PDA and the larger MIT postdoc community as the Human Affairs Committee this year.
2. Name: Chi (David) Cheng
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Applying for: Alumni Chair
Statement of interest:
David Cheng is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Microfluidics & Nanofluidics Research Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is fascinated about how ions and molecules move at the nanoscale and devotes his energy to designing machineries that enable new abilities to manipulate their transport and storage behaviors for clean water and energy applications. David holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Monash University, a BE from Wuhan University of Technology while he spent the last year of his undergraduate education in Japan working on his bachelor thesis at Tohoku University.
David has been involved in multiple alumni networks across three counties, two continents including the Australia Global Alumni, Monash University Alumni, Tohoku University Alumni Association and WUT Alumni Association. He serves as a mentor and shares his career journey with current students at Monash and help them discover their own career path. He also makes recurring donations to the Achieving Potential Scholar Fund at Monash, as he feels strongly about giving back as equally, if not more important than enjoying the many continuous, often lifelong benefits that come from being an Alumnus.
David wishes to serve as the Alumni Chair for the PDA of MIT from year 2018-2019. If elected, he will keep up the great momentum achieved by previous PDA leadership teams, continue to build and strengthen the MIT postdoc Alumni community, and demonstrate that postdocs are a unique yet indispensable part integral to the MIT alumni community.

3. Name: Mica Smith
Department: MIT Chemical Engineering
Applying for: Fundraising Chair
I have been involved in the PDA fundraising committee since my arrival at MIT in fall 2017. I played a major role in organizing and hosting this year’s PDA vendor fair, which took place in May and raised nearly $5,000 from local and regional vendors of scientific products and services. I was the main point of contact for the attendees and continue to maintain a relationship with these companies for future events. As fundraising chair I look forward to organizing the fair again in 2019, and will seek out other opportunities to raise money for the PDA so we can have more great events for the postdoc community.

MIT-PDA PROJECTS, NEWS AND EVENTS

MIT PDA and Advocacy Committee Current Projects

Extension of some form of MIT E-MAIL after your POSTDOC status at MIT Ends

Currently once your postdoc term at MIT ends and if you were neither an MIT student or associated with MIT in anyway after your Postdoc then you will lose access to your MIT email. In 2016 the PDA proposed that MIT Postdocs get lifetime access to some form of MIT email, similar to how MIT students who graduate have an @alum.mit.edu email. Progress has been made, including discussions with the Faculty Postdoctoral Advisory Committee (FPAC) and the Office of the Vice President for Research. The advocacy committee created a petition that aims at exploring the urgency level of the issue to the current postdoctoral community. If you feel that this issue would warrant the PDA and the concerned representatives at MIT to help Postdocs keep some form of MIT email even after we leave MIT then please sign the petition at this link<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc21HLBtgYPQDXskzXdUWWqJJo7T6YOcTfTkLF1FHpey6tFWQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1>. Depending on the amount of support from the postdoctoral community, this petition would be shared with concerned parties at MIT to encourage further progress on reaching tangible results. The results would determine if this topic should be moved to the top of the postdocs advocacy priority list.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Working on some form of MIT E-MAIL after your POSTDOC status at MIT Ends: The Advocacy committee is currently looking for 2 volunteers to join the committee and lead the project. If you are interested, send an email to "pda-advocacy at mit.edu<mailto:pda-advocacy at mit.edu>."

Wholesalers Membership Project

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Wholesalers Membership Project: The Advocacy committee is currently working on wholesalers membership cards for postdocs. It was brought to the attention of the PDA that MIT graduate students, should they want have access to a Costco Card. More details on the GSC program can be found here "http://gsc-hca.xvm.mit.edu/costco/". The PDA advocacy committee is looking for 2 volunteers to join the committee and lead the project on working towards getting a similar benefit for Postdocs. If you are interested, send an email to "pda-advocacy at mit.edu<mailto:pda-advocacy at mit.edu>."

PDA Annual Advocacy Survey

Please take the Postdoctoral Association (PDA)'s Annual Advocacy Survey<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6KWVNQ9> (~ 5 minutes, PASSWORD: "mitpda"). The survey results will be used to determine the most critical issues, among the postdoctoral community, that need the PDA Advocacy Committee's attention during the current year.

Postdoc Orientation Session
Lunch will be provided!
November 28, 2018 12PM - 1:15PM
Rm E17 1st floor

You may register for a session via Atlas or  http://web.mit.edu/training/course.html?course=CDT21061c

Postdoc Volleyball and Soccer

Hosted by MIT-PDA Sports Committee

Join us for indoor volleyball (7:30 PM to 9:00 PM at Zesiger Center) and soccer (Thursday 7:00PM to 8PM at MAC Court, Zesiger Center)! Never played before? Don’t worry! All abilities are welcome. 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 1time entrance fee that is around $15).

Beginner? Show up early to learn how to play and improve skills. The courts are located in the Zesiger center. 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.

sports, Facebook group<https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499342643696472/>!

GLIMPSE (PDA PInG Initiative)

GLIMPSE is a show where we take our mobile recording studio across MIT campus and talk with researchers about their journey, research and outlook. Please visit http://glimpse.mit.edu/ to listen to the latest episodes. If you would like to be a guest on the podcast, or if you would like to submit some art (music, logo designs, etc.), please contact us at glimpse.podcast at gmail.com<mailto:glimpse.podcast at gmail.com>.

OTHER MIT AND LOCAL EVENTS

MSP&C Toddler Play Group
November 13, 2018 10:30AM - 11:30PM
E55-Penthouse

This is a weekly group for parents of toddlers, to share information and support each other.
For more information contact us at spousesandpartners at mit.edu<mailto:spousesandpartners at mit.edu>

This group is sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education and MIT Spouses & Partners Connect, a dedicated network for the significant others of MIT students, postdocs, staff and faculty who have relocated to the Boston area. We organize activities that help you meet people, discover work and career opportunities, improve your English, share experiences and passions, and get information about living and parenting in Boston.

MSP&C Crafternoon - Air-Dried Clay Christmas Ornaments
November 13, 2018 1:30PM - 4:00PM
E55-PH

We will be making air-dried clay stone Christmas ornaments. You will be creating decorative and personalized clay stones which will provide a nice touch to your Christmas festivities. Feel free to bring your own moulds and rubber stamps to decorate the clay.

Biology Colloquium Series (Dr. Daniel Colon-Ramos)
November 13, 2018 4:00PM - 5:15PM
32-123

Speaker: Dr.  Daniel Colón-Ramos, Yale University, Title: "Actuating a memory: how C. elegans remembers a learned behaviorial preference", hosted by the MIT Biology Graduate Student Council. The Biology Colloquium is a weekly seminar held throughout the academic year, featuring distinguished speakers in many areas of the biological sciences, from universities and institutions worldwide. More information on speakers, their affiliations, and titles of their talks will be added as available. The Colloquium takes place at the Stata Center's Kirsch Auditorium, 32-123, at 4:00PM on most Tuesdays during the school year. Contact: Linda Earle lkn at mit.edu<mailto:lkn at mit.edu>

MSP&C Weekly Wednesday Meeting: Thanksgiving Tasting
November 14, 2018 3:00PM - 5:00PM
E55-Penthouse

Join our annual Thanksgiving tasting. Sample the turkey and traditional side dishes of this American holiday.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are grateful for, and many people use the holiday as an opportunity to make a donation to those in need. Join together with other MS&PC members to follow this Thanksgiving tradition - bring a non-perishable food item (canned or boxed food, not fresh) to our dinner.

We will not offer babysitting at this meeting, but we hope to have 2 babysitters for our November 28th meeting. Thanks for your patience!

When: Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00 pm, from February to May and from September to December (unless otherwise noted on the calendar) The room opens at 3 p.m. for socializing and childcare drop-off. The activity begins at 3:30 p.m. usually lasts about one hour. Where: the Eastgate Penthouse (E55 29th floor) (last Wednesday of the month in Westgate Basement Lounge - W85). A MS&PC host will be in the lobby to greet you from 3-3:30 p.m. Otherwise you can call the Penthouse or the Lounge from the wall phone in the lobby to gain access.

MSP&C English Conversation Group
November 16, 2018 10:00AM - 11:30PM
E23-319

If you would like to feel more comfortable conversing in English, this is a group for you! Led by MS&PC member Sun Yeo. She has lived in the U.S. for over ten years, and she is currently tutoring beginners in English at English at Large and co-facilitating an English conversation group there as well. Sun knows the difficulties of expressing one self's in English after you first arrive, and she is creating this group to help you feel more comfortable talking and sharing ideas in English. All levels of fluency in English are welcome. The group will read articles and essays about U.S. culture, customs and current events and discuss them together. Children are welcome, although if your child is having a particularly sad or noisy day that might disrupt the group, please consider attending without your child, if possible. Please let Sun know you plan to attend at vanillasunny83 at gmail.com<mailto:vanillasunny83 at gmail.com>.

Expecting and New Parents Group at Westgate
November 14, 2018 11AM - 12PM
W85-Basement, Westgate Lounge

Led by MIT mom Colleen, this is a weekly group for parents-to-be and parents of infants to crawlers to share information and support each other.

For more information, contact: Colleen<http://colleenefunk@gmail.com/>

MIT S&PC Cooking Group

November 16, 2018 11AM-2PM
Eastgate Penthouse

The MIT Cooking Group is open for all the MIT community. For those who love and have a passion for food and cooking. Our members have a varied level of cooking skills, but we all share a common interest in learning about new dishes, making friends, and exploring new cultures and techniques. We come together to share our culinary experiences and passion. This group is led by Katerina Vinichenko. Every Friday two members volunteer to prepare the main course and a dessert, while the rest help with the preparation of the dishes and with the cleaning afterwards, or by playing with the kids (we are a kids frendly group).

We meet at the Penthouse of Eastgate from 11am - 2pm. For each meeting you need to send an email to the coordinator so they can know how many people are coming to the meeting and the cookers can buy the ingredients accordingly. At the end we all share the recipes, pictures and the cost of the ingredients for the food. If no volunteers sign up for a particular date, we will cancel the meeting. We welcome any member of the MIT community that has an interest in food and that would like to have a good time. You can find us by email at: katerina.vinichenko at gmail.com or on Facebook: MIT Cooking Group.

CAPD – Career Advising and Professional Development
Postdoc 1:1 appointments<https://capd.mit.edu/explore-careers/services-alumni-and-postdocs> are with Bob Dolan in E25-143G. Log in to CareerBridge<http://careerbridge.mit.edu/>; select "Advising," then “Advising Appointments” to select a time that works for you.

For a list of company presentations on campus this week

Refer Here<https://capd.mit.edu/events>

MIT Alumni Association’s Infinite Connection – Register for an Infinite Connection account to gain access to MIT’s online alumni directory and other resources, including the MIT Alumni Job Board<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=FOU2FkEl2EM7x6UV_y9yYJMDp3bHis2su40w4NGsugJGFJ0-TyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2falum.mit.edu%2fcareers%2fjobs>. The Alumni Association sends an email message to postdocs once they become eligible. The message contains registration instructions and a unique user ID. See the postdoc page of the Infinite Connection website<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=C7GkuuRQ8XqhtmtHz2MNPjMkTrwhhi5WKY4FbyMGENVGFJ0-TyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2falum.mit.edu%2fnetworks%2fSharedInterestGroups%2fpost-doc> for information.
*
Writing & Communication Center<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=dnjqtZurWapEwlhrZvDCbvPxlJDyNY54NAjMAliCtz1GFJ0-TyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fcmsw.mit.edu%2fwriting-and-communication-center%2f> – One-on-one sessions with professional writers
*

Career planning strategy for Postdocs – details here<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=mgk7EamI92Kdhn2X5HZgFJfd61j1-zoYpuAQNvDE3RZGFJ0-TyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fpostdocs.mit.edu%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2fdocuments%2fCareer-Planning-Strategy-for-MIT-Postdocs-2015-05-08.docx>, and other tools<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=jQl4nOH2aezwZ7r6vVXg0PaMgMwwG5u5hpzSHaucI35GFJ0-TyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fpostdocs.mit.edu%2fcareer-development%2fmentoring-and-advising%2fpostdoctoral-mentoring-and-advising-toolkit>

Upcoming CAPD Career Workshops Open to all Postdocs, please register on CareerBridge

CAPD Group Advising: Explore Prehealth
November 14, 2018 12:00PM - 1:00PM
W20-302
Would you like to explore a career in healthcare/medicine? Not sure where to start? Grab your lunch and drop by this group advising session where you can ask advisors & other Prehealth students about prerequisites, phsyician shadowing, UROPs and various other things you need to get you on the right track to pursue a career in medicine. Register here:https://candidate.gradleaders.com/MITGECD/Candidates/Login.aspx?pid=3624&workshopID=76419
Negotiating the Job Offer
Wednesday Nov 14th   Location: 1-190   2:00-3:30PM

This workshop will examine the many variables that exist during the evaluation and negotiation process of Job Offers. How do you know if this job is right for you? Salary vs. Total Compensation will be discussed along with language you can use when negotiating. Additional strategies on the negotiation process will be examined along with should you negotiate, and “What Can” and “What Can Not” be negotiated. These tips and strategies will be useful throughout your career.

MIT Creative Arts Council

Postdocs are invited to attend concerts and lectures on campus, a full schedule of arts events can be found on the MIT Events Calendar http://calendar.mit.edu/calendar?event_types%5B%5D=102755<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=TggnCen6sXmUDMABJ_Q_TKF4ubEyNlWEcAY9B1g2ZOK2TUInTiHWCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fcalendar.mit.edu%2fcalendar%3fevent_types%255B%255D%3d102755>
Did you know that MIT has a museum, an art center and 8 galleries? Come check them out! https://arts.mit.edu/exhibitions/<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=U_NAyKkBWJA09KHEhANr7YotbAumnja6-M8h3EC7ewO2TUInTiHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2farts.mit.edu%2fexhibitions%2f>
Did you know that MIT provides free tickets for MIT Staff (=postdocs) to Museum of Fine Arts<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx> (MFA), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx>(ISGM) Institute of Contemporary Art<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx> (ICA)? Don’t forget to bring your MIT ID with you!

CHECK OUT THESE SITES FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS

postdocs.mit.edu<http://postdocs.mit.edu> (Office VPR)

MIT CAPD 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

Work Life Center
The MIT Work-Life Center is pleased to announce the launch of the Fall 2018 Seminar Series<http://hrweb.mit.edu/worklife/seminars>.  The presenters, who are experts in their fields, will share research-based strategies, tips, and information on more than 25 topics, including pathways to well-being; navigating life as a young professional; parenting in the digital age; planning and paying for college; learning how to help an aging family member; managing your finances; and planning for your retirement.
Childcare Information – Check out the resources and schedule of presentations offered by the MIT Work-Life Center  https://hr.mit.edu/worklife/child-care
All seminars and webinars are free of charge and open to the entire MIT community and their families. However,  registration<http://hr.mit.edu/worklife/seminars/all> is required.
The MIT Work-Life Center’s popular Seminar Series provides research-based strategies, tips, and information to help you deal with a diverse array of work-life issues.Please visit: http://hr.mit.edu/worklife/seminars

http://hr.mit.edu/worklife/seminars/all

MIT HR offers resources and tools to help employees and managers grow and develop skills

Please check: http://hr.mit.edu/learn<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=m7bs6G4sboXRwqtvNj4b5mBjE5bOlaojwxdCd0Qtou7uzhApSyHWCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fhr.mit.edu%2flearn>

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 Om under the dome
Sessions are held every Monday at noon and Thursday at 5:30pm (excluding Institute holidays).
Thursday, November 15, 2018 5:30pm
Building 10-500
https://calendar.mit.edu/event/om_under_the_dome#.W6U8hM5JGUk<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=4i2MdAHabSrg9mDq4Ub_GJDrTeRHMiCpZP86wYTyyx_uzhApSyHWCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fcalendar.mit.edu%2fevent%2fom_under_the_dome%23.W6U8hM5JGUk>

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: https://hr.mit.edu/diversity-inclusion/ergs

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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