Spiny mice are a highly social, communal species ideal for studying grouping and nonreproductive social behaviors. In this talk, I will highlight data from various studies that identify neural mechanisms that allow spiny mice to get along with novel peers. Additionally, I will present new data on spiny mouse group dynamics and discuss future directions for obtaining high throughput data from complex groups.

Prairie voles are one of the few mammalian species that form enduring social bonds. In this talk, I will highlight ongoing work using transcriptomic approaches to examine how the brain’s social memory systems promote selective affiliation toward familiar individuals. 

The ability to craft an effective funding proposal is a skill that can reap a lifetime of rewards. As a graduate student, now is the time to hone your grantwriting proficiency. In this workshop, designed for students in STEM fields, you will learn how to identify funding opportunities, strategize the components of an effective proposal, and think like a grantwriter. Come with questions about this mysterious genre, leave with a template that you can adapt to become a competitive applicant for prestigious university, national, and international funding competitions. 

Register in advance for the link to this online workshop. 

See more Graduate College Workshops.

Learn about the basics of LaTeX - a text processor that can help with academic journal formatting. This workshop will cover the process of setting up LaTeX through Overleaf, getting familiar with basic LaTeX formatting - including sections, citations, and images - as well as using features specific to Linguistics writing, such as syntax trees and glosses. All are welcome!

Join Resources for Researchers Office Hours on Tuesday, September 15, 1-2pm via Zoom for a session on collecting data with Qualtrics. Nathan Jeffery from CITL Data Analytics will walk through how to get started using Qualtrics for research data collection, followed by open Q&A. Whether you're new to the tool or have a specific project in mind, bring your questions. No registration needed, all are welcome.

More than lists of accomplishments, your resume, CV, cover letter, and other application materials should make a clear, convincing case for why you are equipped to succeed in a role. In this workshop, we will discuss techniques for strategically crafting application materials that make that compelling argument. Topics will include deciding what to include in your application materials, how to write about your past experience in ways that catch the eye of readers, and tips for making your application materials send a cohesive message about your capabilities.

No registration required. This session is available online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

Schedule a career advising appointment at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/careeradvising

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

“Sample Preparation Techniques for Optical Microscope” 

Dr. Kingsley Boateng
Assistant Director of Bioscience Research Microscopy
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Many funding agencies require a personal statement in addition to an applicant’s research proposal. Why?! What on earth are you supposed to talk about? If these questions have induced writer’s block, this workshop is for you. We will assess the range of personal statement prompts you may encounter and distill their shared essence. Participants will learn the qualities of a compelling statement and a writing process they can follow to arrive at a complete first draft. 

Register in advance for the link to join this online workshop.

See more Graduate College Workshops.

“Inclusive Education: The Right to Belong” 
Featuring lecturer Dr. Jennifer Kurth, professor of Special Education at the University of Kansas

All people have the inherent human right to be full and valued members of their school communities, including students with complex communication and support needs. However, research suggests these children are overwhelmingly excluded from school communities. As a result, they achieve lower communication, social, and academic outcomes and fewer opportunities for flourishing lives as adults. In this Goldstick Lecture, Jennifer Kurth will discuss reasons for this persistent segregation and actions families, schools, and allies can take to make inclusion a reality for all students.

This event is free and open to the community; reception following the lecture in the Donaldson Family Atrium.

An effective interview should demonstrate why you're a good fit for a role and leave the interviewers excited about the prospect of working with you.  But actually achieving this goal can be a challenge. In this workshop, we'll discuss strategies for preparing yourself for job interviews, and techniques for answering different types of questions by telling your professional story in compelling ways.

No registration required. This session is available online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

Schedule a career advising appointment at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/careeradvising

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

Whether you're new to a graduate program or looking to start the academic year with the "write" habit, this presentation will offer helpful tips for overcoming common challenges and staying on track with writing. We will discuss "positive procrastination" behaviors and how to overcome them, share strategies for establishing writing routines, and review goal-setting and accountability. 

This presentation will be held via Zoom and is open to all current U of I affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). You will need to be logged into your Illinois Zoom account to join. 

Please register with your Illinois email by September 15 to receive the Zoom details on the morning of the event. If you register on the day of, please email wow@illinois.edu immediately to request the Zoom details - we will do our best to get them to you prior to the event.

All registrants will receive access to the presentation materials via email the following business day.

Preparing for the academic job market? The Writers Workshop will review genre expectations for academic cover letters and provide examples from a range of disciplines. We will share strategies for drafting, strengthening, and tailoring your own cover letters.

This presentation will be held via Zoom and is open to all current U of I affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). You will need to be logged into your Illinois Zoom account to join. 

Please register with your Illinois email by September 16 to receive the Zoom details on the morning of the event. If you register on the day of, please email wow@illinois.edu immediately to request the Zoom details - we will do our best to get them to you prior to the event.

All registrants will receive access to the presentation materials via email the following business day. All Zoom presentations are recorded and recordings will be included in the presentation materials.

Create the "write" habit! Our writing group provides graduate students with dedicated time to make progress on writing in a supportive atmosphere. The writing group provides structured writing, break, and discussion time, with each meeting consisting of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. 

You will be working on your own current writing (e.g., thesis, dissertation, manuscript). These groups do not offer feedback--if you're looking to learn more and improve your writing, check out our events or make an appointment to get individualized feedback. These groups are ideal for graduate students who are seeking to create or return to a writing routine, make progress and meet deadlines on long-term projects, or jump-start a new writing project. Find more information and our Writing Group FAQs here, and learn more about our consultations and policies.

Our writing groups are held every Friday from 9:30am-12:30pm, and we encourage you to attend regularly. We will not meet on campus holidays.

This event will be held in a hybrid format: Join us in-person in the Main Library Orange Room. Or, join us online. The Zoom link will be in your registration confirmation email and in the weekly reminder emails.

The Writers Workshop will email you a weekly reminder. You only need to register once for the recurring writing group. Please register using your University of Illinois email.

Join an informal session focused on providing an introduction to the wide variety of data science research and instructional resources at Illinois for faculty and staff joining the university this semester. All disciplines and campus units are welcome.

Hosts: John MacMullen, Executive Director, Office of Data Science Research (ODSR), and A.J. Schmidt, Data Science Program Coordinator, LAS

This session is part of the ODSR Data Science Research Collaboration Community webinar series.

What is a faculty interview actually like? What sorts of questions will I be asked? How should I talk about my research and teaching? What do I do if there are technical problems? Get answers to these questions and more as you learn the basics of the first-round faculty interviews.

No registration required. This session will take place on Zoom at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

LAS Faculty Writing Program: Thursday Writing Sessions

Join colleagues from across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences for weekly writing sessions designed to support sustained scholarly and creative productivity throughout the academic year. 

These recurring hybrid sessions provide dedicated time to work on manuscripts, grant proposals, books, creative projects, reports, and other scholarly endeavors in a supportive, interdisciplinary community. Participants are welcome to attend regularly or as schedules permit.

Each session includes:

• Protected writing time free from meetings and other distractions
• Opportunities to set goals and track progress
• Peer accountability and encouragement
• Connection with faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and research professionals across disciplines
• Occasional discussions and resources related to scholarly productivity, well-being, and sustainable research practices

The LAS Faculty Writing Program is open to tenure-stream faculty, specialized faculty, research scientists, research specialists, and postdoctoral researchers at all career stages. Faculty and research personnel from other colleges and units are also welcome to participate.

A separate calendar invitation is available for the Monday community and goal-setting sessions associated with the LAS Faculty Writing Program.

What can you ask for and how do you ask for it? After you receive a faculty job offer, you have a short period to evaluate it, negotiate and make your decision. In this workshop, you will learn how to develop a strategy to help you know when and how to negotiate effectively. 

No registration required. This session will be take place on Zoom at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu