Upcoming Events

Professional Development Winter Warm-Up Calendar

A curated calendar of skill development and wellness activities for the month of January.  

Check out these activities to boost your skills and/or wellness. Most are asynchronous and require a low time commitment; some you can do on your own and some are workshops that require advance registration. 

Winter Welcome Back – January 2023

The Graduate School invites graduate students to attend Winter Welcome Back events, happening January 17 through 23.

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Ableism, Interrupted

Tuesday, January 17 | 11:00 am -1:00 pm | Pre-registration required

This session will explore the definition of ableism and how it has been institutionalized in higher education. Attendees will learn about the different forms of ableism that exist on college campuses and how this affects disabled students, staff, and faculty. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussion and ask questions related to non-disabled privilege. Finally, attendees will also discuss actionable steps to address ableism. This is an introductory level session aimed at graduate students, but staff and postdocs are also welcome. Presenters include Mari Magler, Director of the McBurney Disability Resource Center; Ruben Mota, UW–Madison’s ADA Coordinator; and Amy Van Aartsen, graduate student in public health and chemistry. Lunch will be provided at 12:15 pm after the presentation. 

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Setting up for Success in Your Mentoring Relationship: Aligning Expectations

Tuesday, January 17 | 1:30 – 3:00pm | Pre-registration required

Proactive communication about goals and expectations in research mentoring relationships is essential to a productive and mutually beneficial experience. Our conversation will include considering a case study and how you might align expectations to promote successful relationships with your mentor and/or current and future mentees. All graduate students and postdocs welcome.

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Tips and Tricks for Interviewing: A Workshop for Master’s and Doctoral Students

Wednesday, January 18 | 12:30 – 1:30pm | Pre-registration required

We will discuss how to prepare for interviews beyond the tenure track: first impressions, types of interviews, and researching employers. Much focus will be placed on preparing for interview questions, especially using the STAR method. The workshop wraps up with next steps after the interview and will leave time for Q&A from the audience. Pizza will be served at 1:30 pm.

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A Practical Approach to Project Management

Thursday, January 19 | 10:00 am – 3:30 pm | Pre-registration required

Project management is a set of skills that can be applied in academic, non-profit, laboratory, business, and many other settings. Learn principles of project management and apply them to your own project in this collaborative, day-long program. You will think creatively, define a problem, establish project goals, create a plan, and prepare for implementation. Since no project runs perfectly, the program will also address how project leaders manage change and other common challenges. You will leave better prepared to lead a team and deliver results. Students will also hear from a panel of successful project managers. Lunch will be provided, with vegetarian options.

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Authentic Purpose: Practical Steps Toward the Good Life…Even in Times of Uncertainty

Friday, January 20 | 1:00 – 2:30 pm | Pre-registration required

Are you surviving or thriving? What does “the good life” look like for you — and how far out of reach does that seem? Purpose is key to resilience in times of uncertainty. This talk will demystify the concept of purpose, translate recent research into practical application and provide an actionable roadmap for a life of thriving. This event will be in-person and streamed. Refreshments provided.

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Cocoa and BuJo (Bullet Journaling) for Graduate Students

Monday, January 23 | 2:00 – 4:00 pm | Pre-registration required

Have a project you are working on? Wondering how to keep track of your personal goals and tasks for the new year? Bullet journaling is an effective and creative way to organize numerous aspects of your life. Drop in for some cocoa, and pick up and design a journal. While supplies last. This is a community building event intended for all master’s and PhD students.

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Please see the Graduate School Events Calendar for a campus-wide list of professional development events for graduate students: http://grad.wisc.edu/pd/events/.