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October 26, 2021In this issue: The Dreaded "Elevator Pitch," register for the upcoming networking workshop, and more.
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Tips for Grads: The Dreaded "Elevator Pitch"
As a graduate student, you’ve probably been asked to give your research “elevator pitch” or “explain your research like you would explain it to your grandma.” It’s daunting to explain complex research to a lay audience, even if you have all the time in the world. After all, you spend all day every day (plus sometimes all night too!) pondering, troubleshooting, writing, gathering, and analyzing data. But many people interested in your work want you to get to the goods as simply and efficiently as possible. In the end, graduate students end up writing a thesis that will be dozens, even hundreds, of pages long. And we’re supposed to condense that to a few minutes or less?
The Three Minute Thesis® (3MT®) competition is one beneficial forum in which you can practice communicating your research to a non-specialist audience in three minutes or less. Whether you’re competing in 3MT or explaining your research to your grandma, you can learn from the 3MT® approach. Below are some challenges I encountered through my 3MT® experience and suggestions for overcoming these challenges in sharing your research.
Challenge: Explaining your research sounds patronizing, or without the field-specific details, the significance feels diminished.
Solution: Explain your research in terms your audience will understand (e.g. use a relevant analogy), rather than “dumbing your research down."
Challenge: Your day-to-day work feels disconnected from the big picture.
Solution: Visualize your research as an upside-down triangle. You probably spend most of your time in the point, the minutiae, the “microscopic” view. But back up to the broad side of the triangle, the “3,000-foot” view. Try to answer the question: How might my research impact my audience, someone my audience knows, or society more broadly?
Challenge: You don’t have results yet. Now what?
Solution: Focus on what the contributions to the field would be if your hypothesis is correct and your research goes according to plan.
Effective research communication is a vital portion of your graduate training. I encourage you to construct, practice, and improve your (hopefully no longer “dreaded”) elevator pitch, and consider this framework when discussing your research.
GradConnections Weekly is looking for fresh perspectives on the graduate student experience.
If you have advice, counsel, or tips for UW grad students, you’re invited to write a guest column for Tips for Grads.
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DiscoverPD is an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. Review the eight facets of professional development, complete a self-assessment, and get a customized report and recommendations.
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Upcoming Professional Development EventsAll event times and deadlines are listed in Central Time.
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| Three Minute Thesis® Semi-Finals
Thursday, Oct 28 | 4 - 6 pm
Memorial Union, Check TITU
Wednesday, Nov 3 | 4 - 6 pm
Health Sciences Learning Center, room 1306
Come cheer on your friends and colleagues as they compete for prizes and a spot in the Three Minute Thesis® Finals. Free and open to the public. No registration required for audience members. Registration for competitors is closed. Snacks will be provided.
Join us as we dive into the basics of networking. Regardless of your discipline, level, or professional goals, networking can help us all! In this workshop you’ll learn what networking is really about, who is currently in your network, why it matters, and how you can start engaging and adding to your network now. Come learn with us and share your own experiences.
LinkedIn is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. It’s the number one place companies post jobs, and it’s where recruiters look for talent. You want to be on LinkedIn, confidently connecting with professionals, sharing resources, and connecting with recruiters. How can you make the most of your LinkedIn profile? In this webinar, L. Maren Wood, PhD (Founder Beyond the Professoriate) will share with you 5 action steps you can take today to build a LinkedIn profile that will get you noticed and connected by professionals in career fields of interest.
Creating an individual development plan (IDP) encourages you to think about what you need to do next -- and over the next few years -- so that you achieve your goals. We will discuss how to define achievable goals, identify resources, and develop strategies for implementing and sustaining your plans. Participants will begin to create a personalized plan that takes into account career interests and addresses the development of knowledge and skills for professional growth. This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Professional Development and the Delta Program. Boxed lunch with vegetarian option provided.
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Healthy Academics Toolkit provides resources for supporting student mental health and well-being
At UW-Madison, students indicated that in the past year they were more likely to turn to their instructors for support related to mental health concerns than their peers. The Healthy Academics Toolkit provides instructors and teaching assistants with resources to support student mental health.
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Graduate students who work on biomedical research can register for the Morgridge Ethics Cartooning Competition. The topic of your cartoon should be about any ethical issue arising in or from biomedical research. All eligible people are encouraged to enter the competition. The first prize winner receives $3,500 with cash prizes awarded for second and third places.
Data Science Research Bazaar seeks proposals
The third annual Data Science Research Bazaar, focused on the theme of Data and Communities: Sharing and Protecting Data, will take place in February 2022 with in-person and virtual options. Researchers and data scientists, including students, are invited to submit a proposal for lightning talks, posters, interactive discussions, workshops, and the art meets science exhibit. With the exception of art submissions (due January 3, 2022), proposals are due November 30.
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- Multiple Imputation Using Stata
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Special Events & Symposia
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Winter grads: Apply to have your name listed in the commencement program
Winter commencement will be held Sunday, December 19 at the Kohl Center. Graduates will be seated by 9:40 am with the ceremony beginning at 10 am. If you want to have your name printed in the commencement program, you must apply to graduate in the MyUW student center by November 5, 2021. The apply to graduate process is separate from the degree warrant process; you do not need to apply to graduate in MyUW to receive your degree. For more details about the ceremony, visit the commencement website.
Reminder: Professional Development Grant for Student Organizations
Is your student org looking for funding? The Graduate School encourages graduate student organizations to apply for grants of up to $1,000 to be used toward professional development programming that directly benefits groups of graduate students. The deadline to apply for funding is November 5, 2021. Read more and apply for the student organization professional development grant.
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Upcoming flu shot clinics
University Health Services offers free flu shots to all students and employees. Upcoming flu shot clinics will take place at the University Club, 803 State Street, from 8:30 am - noon, and 1 - 4:30 pm on the following dates:
- Monday, Nov 1
- Tuesday, Nov 2
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Protect yourself and others from COVID-19
All students, employees, and visitors to campus are required to wear masks when inside campus buildings, unless working alone inside an office or lab with the door closed or while actively eating and drinking. Employees and students who have not shared proof of COVID-19 vaccination with UHS are required to test weekly on campus. University Health Services continues to offer free COVID-19 vaccines to all students and employees. For more information, see the COVID-19 Response FAQs.
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UHS services available remotelyUniversity Health Services is committed to supporting you. Many medical, counseling, and wellness services are available by phone and accessible online. Find out more on the UHS Remote Health and Connection webpage.
Mental Health Resources for Grad StudentsAccording to the 2019 Healthy Minds Survey, 93% of UW–Madison graduate students do not think any less of a peer who seeks mental health care, and 89% of UW–Madison graduate students who used mental health care found it helpful.
- UHS 24-hour Crisis Services. On-call crisis counselors can help address your most pressing concerns, address your safety, and help you connect with follow-up service needs. It’s available every day, including weekends, holidays, and semester breaks. Call the UHS crisis line at 608-265-5600. For situations that are immediately life-threatening, call 911.
- SilverCloud. This online, self-guided resource provides treatment options 24 hours a day through evidence-based modules on anxiety, depression, body image, and stress. SilverCloud is designed to help students manage day-to-day stresses and improve resilience.
- Individual Counseling. University Health Services offers individual counseling conducted remotely over phone or video, with bilingual mental health providers available in Mandarin or Spanish. Counseling topics can be any issue that causes distress – emotional, psychological, interpersonal, or academic.
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| Graduate Student Support and Assistance
The Dean of Students Office provides resources to students struggling with a variety of issues and can be your go-to spot for assistance as a graduate student. To contact the Graduate and Professional Student Assistance Specialist Elaine Goetz-Berman directly, email egoetz2@wisc.edu.
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Please note: Some graduate students may be ineligible to hold graduate assistantship appointments. Be sure to check with your graduate program coordinator about your eligibility before applying.
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The UW–Madison Arboretum is offering research fellowships for graduate students with proposals in all areas relevant to the Arboretum mission, including the social sciences. Those interested in restoration ecology, invasive species monitoring and management, stormwater impacts, horticulture, visitor experiences, citizen science, science communication, public engagement, K–12 outdoor education, the use of technology in public engagement, addressing diversity and inclusion, and the collection and analysis of long-term monitoring data at remnant and restored sites are especially encouraged to apply.
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