Thank you, Trainees!

The Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard is proud to once again be participating in the annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week, September 15-19, 2014. The weeklong celebration was founded in 2010 by the National Postdoc Association to honor and recognize postdocs for their contributions to research and development in the United States.

This year, the Broad Institute Office of Academic Affairs and the NextGen Association for Postdocs and Grad Students has organized a series of events to say thank you to our dedicated community of trainees:

Career Development Panel: “Entrepreneurship: Converting ideas in science and art into groundbreaking products and services”
Monday, September 15, 12:00-1:00 PM – Yellowstone Room (2nd Floor, 75 Ames Street)
This panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges of doing creative commercial work at the intersection of science, art and code. Coming from MIT’s Computer Science, Architecture, and Media Lab – and having successfully started their own companies – the panelists have invaluable insight at crossing the boundaries between academia and entrepreneurship.

NextGen Association for Postdocs & Grad Students Meeting and Lunch
Wednesday, September 17, from 12:00-1:00 PM – Cascade Room (11th Floor, 75 Ames Street)
Have you ever wondered what the NextGen Association is or how you can get involved? Do you really wish Broad offered a particular program for trainees? Do you want to meet new people? Feel free to drop by, grab some lunch, and meet with your peers.

Third Annual Trainee Appreciation Breakfast
Friday, September 19, from 9:00-11:00 in the Yellowstone Room (2nd Floor, 75 Ames Street)
There will be hot breakfast (French toast, bacon, breakfast burritos, and oatmeal) and a raffle. Stop by when you have a chance to start your day!

Postdoc/Grad Student Appreciation Social
Wednesday, September 24, from 3:30-6:00 – Monadnock Room (2nd Floor, 415 Main Street)
All Broad-affiliated postdocs and grad students are invited to a special social with members of Broad’s core faculty. Dinner and drinks will be served. Feel free to invite your PI (but they’re only invited as your guest!).

We want to thank you all for your hard work throughout the year to help Broad Institute succeed in its scientific mission!

Nominations are now being accepted for  leadership positions with the Broad NextGen Association for Postdocs and Grad Students. We are seeking nominations for two co-chair positions and two vice-chair positions. Both self-nominations and nominations of others are acceptable. Submit your nomination to academicaffairs@broadinstitute.org no later than Sunday, September 14.

Looking for more information? Attend the next planning meeting for the association, September 3, 12:00-1:00 in the Cascades Room (11th floor, 75 Ames). Lunch will be served and everyone is welcome to attend.

Once again, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Immigration and Appointments are hosting a Broad cross-cultural event. You are invited to this special Ice Cream Social, Wednesday, July 30, from 4:30-6:30 PM in the Yellowstone Room (2nd Floor, 75 Ames).

A special career development CV writing workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 23, from 12:00-1:00 in the Yellowstone Room with special guest Bob Dolan.

Your CV is used for the academic job search and in some cases for PhD’s seeking positions in industry or other research settings. This workshop will cover the important elements of crafting a successful CV, including strategies for how to effectively showcase your particular knowledge and experiences.  We will also discuss how to convert a 4-6 page CV into a 2-page resume for industry.

This event is open to all and no registration is required.

About Bob Dolan

Bob Dolan provides career guidance and counseling for MIT Postdoctoral Scholars and supports all courses and disciplines. He joined MIT in 2005 and has worked with undergrads, graduates, and alumni.  Bob is a Certified Job Search and Career Transition Consultant with experience in career management since 2001. Bob holds a BS in Business and an MBA. Before joining MIT, Bob had a private career consulting practice and worked with clients across multiple industries. He has industry experience in the Publishing, Chemical, and Telecomm industries where he managed local and global finance organizations supporting the Corporate, Tax, R&D and Manufacturing Engineering functions.

This event is sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the NextGen Association for Postdocs and Grad Students as part of an ongoing series of career and professional development workshops.

This is to remind you of the opportunity to present at the 2014 Postdoc/Grad Student seminar series. Seminars take place once per month and we are currently looking for speakers. We are actively seeking a presenter for the next seminar – Wednesday, July 16, 12:00 Noon. We invite you to present your work to your peers. Past speakers have come from labs and platforms all across the Broad Institute and partner institutions.

Benefits of giving a presentation

• Practice your public speaking in front of a supportive group
• Have the opportunity to have your talk videotaped for your eyes only and receive constructive feedback on your presentation technique
• Introduce your research to a new audience
• Receive useful feedback on your work from your peers in an informal atmosphere
• Good karma points!

Each talk is ~25 minutes and the audience is encouraged to ask questions during presentations.

Presentations of research in different stages of development are encouraged:

• Early stage projects in which the presenter is searching for suggestions on how to proceed.
• Ongoing research, in which a talk provides valuable discussion for research design issues.
• Research near completion

If interested in presenting or if you’d like more information, please email Angela Florentino.

All trainees are invited to the next session of the Responsible Conduct in Research Training Program, “Research Compliance at Broad: An Overview,” on June 25 from 12:00-1:30 in the Yellowstone Room (2nd Floor, 75 Ames).

Featured speakers include :
Ian Poynter, Data Security
Carolyn Connelly, Animal Research
Andrea Saltzman, Human Subject Protection
Lunch will be served.

Broad Institute Responsible Conduct in Research Training Program (“RCR”) provides a curriculum covering major areas of research integrity, a vital component for scholars conducting scientific research to carry out projects in an effective, efficient, and responsible manner. In addition to the online CITI RCR module, it is mandatory for all postdoctoral scholars whose primary appointment is at the Broad and for principal investigators (PI) with less than five years’ experience as a PI.

The Postdoc/Graduate Student Seminar Series continues this Thursday, June 19, at 5:00 PM in the Olympus Room.

For June, we are pleased to host:

Nikolai Slavov, PhD – Cancer Program, “Variable stoichiometry among core ribosomal proteins”

Towfique Raj, PhD – De Jager Lab/MPG, “From Genetic Association to Function in Neurodegenerative Disease”

Seminars are open to the Broad community and refreshments are served.

As a reminder, we’re always looking for folks interested in presenting their work at the seminar series. If you’re interested in presenting, please email Angela Florentino for more information.

You’re invited to the next

Trainee Coffee & Donut Hour

Friday, June 6 – 10:00-11:00 AM

Olympus Room (7CC, 1st Floor)

Come celebrate 2014 National Donut Day with us!

Are you preparing to apply for academic positions? You’re invited to a panel discussion with junior faculty who have recently completed the transition. They will be discussing their experiences (both good and bad) on searching, applying, securing, and negotiating a faculty position.

This is your opportunity to find out how to navigate the academic job market, give a convincing job talk, and successfully negotiate your start-up package. Get your questions ready!

“How to Search for a Job in Academia”
Tuesday, May 27, 12:00-1:00
Yellowstone Room (2nd Floor, 75 Ames)

Panelists include:

Dr. Paul Blainey
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT
Core Member, Broad Institute

Dr. Stirling Churchman
Assistant Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Associate Member, Broad Institute

Dr. Cigall Kadoch
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Associate Member, Broad Institute

This career panel is open to all Broad-affliated academic trainees. Lunch will be served and no RSVP is necessary.

This event is part of an ongoing series of career development workshops and seminars sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the NextGen Association for postdocs and grad students.