Events in the Professional Development Series can help students evaluate and prepare for the range of career options open to master's- and PhD-prepared professionals. This series is designed to broaden graduate students’ career perspectives and develop competencies in communication, self-awareness, professional adaptability, leadership, and professionalism.
Programming is offered on a two-year cycle and change each semester; over the course of two years, the series includes opportunities to learn about career paths in each of the five major career sectors available to alumni of The Graduate School: academia, business, entrepreneurship, government, and nonprofit.
Fall 2018 Events
Careers beyond academia
Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in industry, government, and nonprofit can learn about opportunities in the Careers Beyond Academia series throughout the 2018-19 academic year. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.
Visit the Careers Beyond Academia webpage for a complete listing of events.
Core Competencies
An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Master’s Students
Friday, August 31, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Whether you’re a new master's student or about to finish your program, this workshop will help you familiarize yourself with the career and professional development resources, programs, and opportunities available at Duke and beyond. More information
An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Ph.D. Students
Thursday, September 6, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Whether you’re a new Ph.D. student or about to finish your program, this workshop will help you familiarize yourself with the career and professional development resources, programs, and opportunities available at Duke and beyond, including the new Duke OPTIONS tool. More information
Creating a Resume that Stands Out in a Crowd
Tuesday, September 11, 2018, 9:30 am to 10:30 am
This workshop will provide you a framework for getting started, converting a CV to an industry resume, and ways to increase your likelihood of getting that initial phone screen or interview. More information
Postponed: Take Your Teaching Skills Anywhere: Identifying Transferable Skills from your Teaching Experiences
Monday, September 17, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
This interactive workshop will help you identify the transferable skills you’ve cultivated through your teaching and mentoring experiences and market them effectively in your application materials. This workshop will be rescheduled. More information
Postponed: Cultivating a Culture of Mentoring: A Workshop for Graduate Students
Monday, September 17, 2018, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
The goal of the session is to empower members of the graduate student community to become partners in the mentoring process, making it a deeply rooted part of the Duke experience. This workshop will be rescheduled. More information
Pursuing NSF Funding from Early Career to Postdoc: A Workshop for Graduate Students
Tuesday, September 18, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Whether you’re a first-year graduate student or near your dissertation defense, the National Science Foundation (NSF) offers funding opportunities that may be relevant for STEM (including social sciences) disciplines. This workshop focuses on NSF awards for graduate research and will provide practical, step-by-step guidance for writing NSF applications. More information
Developing Your Personal Leadership Brand
Wednesday, September 19, 2018, 12:00-1:30 pm
Learn how to define who you are to others, draw from your experiences to connect with team members, and effectively use your core values and principles in a leadership role. Learn why you need a leadership brand and what it can do for you. More information
How Do You Lead People Who are Not Like You? A Myers-Briggs Type Workshop
Monday, September 24, 2018, 11:30 am-1:30 pm
This interactive workshop will help you learn not only about your own behaviors and preferences but also how people with different personality types might perceive those behaviors and preferences, impacting your effectiveness as a leader. More information
Leveraging Your Strengths
New date: Tuesday, September 25, 12:00-1:30 pm
Using the CliftonStrengths assessment, this workshop will help you explore a new way to talk about your skills. We will investigate strategies for communicating your strengths to others, the challenges that your strengths might pose for you, and ways you can use information about your strengths to thrive in a team setting. More information
Articulating Your Accomplishments: Tips for Building a High-Impact Job Application
Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 9:30 am to 10:30 am
This workshop will provide you with a step-by-step guide to articulating your achievements, as well as a step-by-step framework for tailoring your resume to a specific job announcement. Participants will walk away feeling confident that they can create a high-impact job application for any position they choose to apply for. More information
Leave a Lasting Impression: Interviewing Tips and Tricks from a Recovering Recruiter
Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 9:30 am to 10:30 am
From researching the job and company, to making that first great impression, this session will give you insider information from a veteran HR professional. Come prepared to learn about connecting with the interviewer, answering interview questions and general etiquette. More information
Preparing Ph.D. Applications: A Workshop for Master’s Students
Monday, October 22, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Whether you’re a new master's student or about to finish your program, this workshop will help you familiarize yourself with the career and professional development resources, programs, and opportunities available at Duke and beyond. More information
Finding the Right Fit: How to Choose a Rewarding Career
Thursday, October 25, 2018, 9:30 am to 11:30 am
This workshop will help participants understand what makes a career the right or wrong fit, and provide them with a framework for choosing a rewarding career path. More information
How to Identify and Leverage Your Transferable Skills
Thursday, November 8, 2018, 9:30 am to 11:30 am
This workshop will help participants identify their core strengths and learn specific strategies for communicating their skills and experience to a broad audience via the cover letter and resume. More information
Speed Networking with Duke Alumni
New date: Thursday, November 29, 2018, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
Meet distinguished alumni who serve Duke as part of The Graduate School's Board of Visitors through this speed networking opportunity. Whether you're interested in meeting leaders in industry, startup, government, or academia, you'll find leaders from their fields. More information
Ph.D. Career Paths
Grad Student and Postdoc Lunch and Learn: Careers in Science Communication and Outreach
Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 12:15 pm to 1:30 pm
Jory Weintraub, Ph.D., will talk about what the field of science communication/outreach is like and types of jobs that are typically available. He will also give tips on applying for these types of jobs, and give attendees advice on how to build their resumes and get their foot in the door for science communication/outreach positions. Part of the 2018-19 Careers Beyond Academia series. More information
Speed Networking with Duke Alumni
Friday, September 14, 2018, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
Meet distinguished alumni who serve Duke as part of The Graduate School's Board of Visitors through this speed networking opportunity. Whether you're interested in meeting leaders in industry, startup, government, or academia, you'll find leaders from their fields. More information
Careers in Assessment and Evaluation: Lunch and Learn for Graduate Students and Postdocs
Monday, October 1, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Jessica Sperling, Ph.D., is Lead, Evaluation & Engagement for the Duke Social Science Research Institute (SSRI). In this Lunch and Learn session, Dr. Sperling will discuss her path to a career in evaluation – an area of work that utilizes PhD conceptual and empirical training in applied settings. More information
A Career Path as an Internet Entrepreneur: Lunch and Learn with Vick Khera Ph,D. ‘94
Friday, October 26, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Since receiving his Ph.D. in Computer Science, Vivek "Vick" Khera has co-founded five internet startups--and sold four of them. In this Lunch and Learn session, Dr. Khera will reflect on his career path to gain insights into success in the startup world. Part of the 2018-19 Careers Beyond Academia series. More information
A Career in Academia, Industry, and Government: Lunch and Learn with Michael Kurilla, M.D., Ph.D. '85
Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Dr. Kurilla is currently Director of the Division of Clinical Innovation at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Division at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and will use this Lunch and Learn session to discuss his career path through academia, industry, and government. More information
Past Events
- Spring 2018
- Fall 2017
- Spring 2017
- Fall 2016
- Summer 2016
- Spring 2016
- Fall 2015
- Spring 2015
- Fall 2014
- Spring 2014
- Fall 2013
- Summer 2013
Contact
Melissa Bostrom, PhD
Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development
Duke University Graduate School
melissa.bostrom@duke.edu