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October 1, 2019In this issue: Keeping a CV of failure, looking at workplace culture, free flu shots, and more.
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Tips for Grads: Personal EffectivenessBy Matthew Zinsli, PhD student
Keeping a CV of Failure
In academia, success tends to follow success. Competing for top national grants is easier if you have already won prominent fellowships. Getting out a few publications (no easy task!) can give you an advantage in the academic job market.
Most often, it is through the curriculum vitae (CV) – a list of accomplishments – that academics demonstrate their success. The demands of appearing to be successful and the nature of the CV format, however, mean that failures are hidden away. Mentors – often tenured professors and academic superstars – have such long CVs that it may seem as though they’ve never failed at anything!
Everybody fails, and anyone who has been in academia for long probably has more misses than hits. Yet by absenting failure from academic self-representation, the CV can make every failure seem calamitous and heighten feelings that one is an impostor in the academy.
Recently, some academics have begun to create and share a CV of failures, to make academic failure more visible and, more importantly, acceptable. This list of failures – unfunded grant proposals, rejected paper submissions, job offers not extended – is the mirror image of the CV.
I created my own CV of failures with two purposes in mind. First, it is incredibly cathartic. Documenting my failures allows me to move on from them. Putting each in context alongside other failures diminishes the individual blow to my self-esteem. I’ve survived failure before and will do so again.
The second purpose is more important, and that is to share it with others. This has opened up conversations, helped others to share their own anxieties, and normalized failure as part of the process of becoming a better scholar. No one is always successful, and it’s important to recognize that fact.
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.”
If you’re interested, check out our infographic for details and email gspd@grad.wisc.edu to let us know.
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| DiscoverPD is an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. Review the nine facets of professional development, complete a self-assessment, and get a customized report and recommendations.
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| | Upcoming Professional Development Events
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Students have a myriad of factors to consider when looking for employment. However, one common, but ever so important, component is often over-looked: workplace culture. How can students dig deeper and get that sneak peek into a company? This session will dive into possible strategies available via company social media inquiries, Employee Research Groups (ERGs), company diversity policies, and LinkedIn advanced search options. We will also be discussing key, open-ended questions for applicants to ask during their interviews, specifically designed to get a sense of workplace culture. Join us for a presentation by career advisor Andrew Kohls, and an open conversation as we discover these strategies and learn from each other.
Communicating your research to a non-specialist audience is an essential career skill, whether you’re preparing for job interviews, networking at a conference, or just trying to explain to family and friends what you do with your time. This workshop, sponsored by the Writing Center and the Graduate School Office of Professional Development, will help graduate students from all disciplines to prepare an accessible, intriguing three-minute talk about their research. If you’re interested in learning how to craft a concise, general explanation of your research, or if you plan to participate in the 3MT® Three-Minute Thesis competition, this workshop is for you. After the workshop, stick around for dinner and an additional workshop hosted by the Multicultural Graduate Network (MGN) and The Writing Center!
If you can convince your momma outside of academia that what you're doing matters, you can pretty much convince anyone. This workshop, hosted by the Multicultural Graduate Network and facilitated by the Writing Center, will explore strategies for explaining your research to others while holding a space for multiple, intersecting identities across a range of language, writing, and speech practices. Please join us for a lively conversation as we discuss strategies for presenting your research, for connecting with a wide range of audiences, and for supporting each other's work!
Before the event, please join us for the Graduate School Office of Professional Development's annual 3MT® Three Minute Thesis prep workshop, You're Researching What? Crafting a 3-Minute Research Talk that Appeals to the Public. There will be dinner served between the events with gluten-free and vegetarian options. It is recommended that individuals interested in competing in 3MT®, or those who want to improve their ability to communicate their research to a general audience attend both workshops.
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Improving Style
Tuesdays, Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29 | 3 - 4:30 pm
6172 Helen C. White Hall
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This week's Software Training for Students (STS) courses:
- MATLAB 1
- Drop-in Sessions at DesignLab
- Illustrator 1
- Excel
- Photoshop 1
This week's Social Science Computing Cooperative (SSCC) courses:
- Data Wrangling in R
- Data Wrangling In Stata (Full)
- Automated Reports with Stata Markdown
- Stata Workshop: Loops and Macros
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Special Events & Symposia
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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 1, 2019. Read more and apply on this webpage.
January 2020 Dissertation Writing Camp application open soon
Supported by the Graduate School and facilitated by Writing Center senior staff, the Dissertation Writing Camp will be held Jan. 6 - 10, 2020 and offers an opportunity for dissertators to make significant progress on their dissertations by drafting a substantial amount of writing in a structured, collegial environment. Develop writing strategies, receive feedback, build peer support, and get uninterrupted time to focus on your dissertation. Applications will open Oct. 7 and close Oct. 30 and require an advisor endorsement. Visit the Graduate School Dissertation Help webpage for detailed descriptions and application information.
Chicago Quantum Exchange Trainees now accepting applicants
Quantum Opus, a corporate partner of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, is now accepting applications for internships. The company, located in Novi, Michigan, develops novel products and services that enable researchers to make single-photon measurements. Interns are desired to improve the company’s low-loss, high-speed photon detectors, superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, and custom engineering solutions for nanowire response, mid-infrared photon counting, custom cryogenic systems, and integration with waveguides and photonic chips. Interested graduate students should send a resume and cover letter to info@quantumopus.com explaining why they are interested in working with Quantum Opus, their areas of interest, and their unique expertise.
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Meet the 13 new mental health providers at UHS
Thirteen new mental health providers recently joined University Health Services, including providers with a focus on students of color, LGBTQ+ students and additional Spanish-speaking providers. In addition, Mental Health Services is offering expanded hours, with services available until 7 pm on Monday and Tuesday each week. Get your free flu shotUniversity Health Services will offer free flu shots to all students. Students can significantly reduce their chance of contracting the flu by getting vaccinated and keep the campus community healthy. Flu shot clinics will be held on the following dates: - Tuesday, Oct. 1, 10 am - 2 pm, HSLC Atrium
- Thursday, Oct. 10, 10 am - 2 pm, Gordon Dining & Event Center
- Monday, Oct. 21, 5 - 9 pm, College Library
- Tuesday, Nov. 5, 10 am - 2 pm, Memorial Union
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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 Dean of Students Office's Graduate 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 Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The PMF Program is a flagship leadership development program at the entry level for advanced degree candidates. The Program attracts and selects the best candidates possible, developing a cadre of potential government leaders. It provides salary and benefits during the two year appointment and encourages the development of leadership capabilities. The Become A PMF section of the PMF website outlines major components of the application and assessment process. Applicants should review each component, including the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Eligibility includes needing an advanced degree from a qualifying college or university (e.g. master’s, PhD, JD). There will be an informational webinar open to all disciplines, with a focus on diversity and inclusion, on Wednesday, Oct 2 from 3 - 4 pm (CST). The Dan David Prize awards scholarships to doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, carrying out research in one of the selected fields (cultural preservation and revival, gender equality, artificial intelligence) for the current year. Registered doctoral and post-doctoral researchers who study at recognized universities throughout the world, and whose research has been approved, are eligible to apply. Ten scholarships of $15,000 are awarded. More details on the scholarship, access to the online application and recommendation form can be found on the Dan David Prize website. The Boren Fellowship awards up to $36,000 to U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. Boren Fellowships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security (broadly defined). The IRIS Awards Office will be offering two information sessions for UW-Madison graduate students interested in learning more about the Boren Fellowships. They will be held on Oct. 23 & Nov. 21 from 4 - 5 pm in 336 Ingraham Hall.
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