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.

Diverse Perspectives Beyond Academia
Wednesday, May 22, 2019, 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Please join us for Diverse Perspectives Beyond Academia. The event will begin with a panel discussion on careers beyond academia, followed by a networking session with attendees from industry, clinical research, government, and HR, including Mako Medical, Syneos Health, and Bioagilytix. More information

Career Options for STEM Ph.D.s Networking Event
Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm

Want to build connections with the local biotech, pharma, and government community and learn more about these careers? Duke graduate students and postdocs are invited to attend a networking event at the North Carolina Biotech Center. Guests will include bench scientists, business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, CEOs, venture capitalists, government researchers, tech transfer specialists, and patent specialists from local companies. More information

Careers at LabCorp
Thursday, May 30, 2019, 9:30 am to 10:30 am

Interested in continuing your scientific career at an established and innovative global life sciences company based in North Carolina? LabCorp, headquartered in Burlington NC, provides comprehensive clinical laboratory and end-to-end drug development services. LabCorp is hiring PhDs for multiple positions. At this information session, you will have the opportunity to discuss Ph.D. career paths and the LabCorp hiring process as well as to network with speakers from the company. More information

From the Bench to the Clinic: A Career in Research and Development with Ben Maynor, PhD ’04
Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm

Ben Maynor, Ph.D. ('04, Chemistry) is the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Liquidia Technologies. Dr. Maynor, a co-inventor of Liquidia’s PRINT® technology, has initiated several new drug delivery technology initiatives at Liquidia since joining the company in 2005, including programs in inhaled drug delivery, ophthalmology, and other therapeutic areas. At this session, Dr. Maynor will share his experiences in taking a technology from the bench to the clinic and everything he learned along the way. More information

Clinical Research Careers at IQVIA Biotech with Nick Rizzo, PhD’17
Wednesday, July 17, 2019, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Careers in clinical research, pharma, and contract research organizations (CROs) can be a great fit for PhDs, especially in the biomedical sciences. During this interactive discussion you’ll learn from Nick Rizzo, PhD (’17, Genetics and Genomics) who is a Feasibility Research Analyst at IQVIA Biotech. Nick will discuss CROs, job hunting in industry, fellowships and other job opportunities for PhDs at IQVIA Biotech. More information

 

Core Competencies

Know Thyself: An Introduction to ImaginePhD
Friday, May 17, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Spend an hour getting to know yourself better with ImaginePhD, a free online tool that helps you assess your skills and interests as well as examine your values. More information

Professional Development Progress Lunches
Tuesday, May 21, 1:00 to 2:00 pm | Tuesday, June 4, 12:00 to 1:00 pm | Tuesday, June 18, 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Tuesday, July 9, 12:00 to 1:00 pm | Tuesday, July 23, 12:00 to 1:00 pm | Tuesday, August 6, 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Summer is a wonderful time to make progress on your professional development goals. Whether your aspirations include updating your LinkedIn profile, starting your teaching portfolio, preparing faculty job application materials, conducting informational interviews, or researching career options, join our informal lunch gathering to share your progress and your questions. .Join one or all six.

A Guide to Your Ph.D. Skill Development: A Workshop for the Duke Doctoral Academy
Friday, May 24, 11:45 am to 1:00 pm | Friday, May 31, 11:45 am to 1:00 pm

This workshop provides an opportunity to recognize the skills you have developed during your graduate (and postdoctoral) work, identify gaps, and find opportunities that can help you continue your professional development.

The Mentoring Relationship: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Tuesday, June 4, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Do you ever question your role in your lab? Do you hesitate to address issues with your mentor? Do you wonder how to be successful during this step in your career? In this interactive session, learn how to navigate the mentoring relationship, including how to promote open communication, work more productively with your mentor, and get the most out of your training experience. More information

Presentation Skills Peer Feedback and Coaching: A Two-Part Series
Thursday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 30, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

What makes a presenter effective? Is it content, delivery, or visuals—or the combination of them all? In this two-part series, you’ll have the opportunity to work on your areas for greatest improvement in your presentations. Applications due Monday, June 17, 11:59 p.m. More information

How to Make the Most of VersatilePhD (Webinar)
Wednesday, August 14, 2019, 4:00 pm

Learn how to navigate new features and the most popular resources on VersatilePhD, a online portal for PhD students, postdocs, and graduate alumni to explore careers beyond the tenure track. Learn about the VPhD Career Finder, the Options for Success career discovery course, and the Smart Jobs initiative in this webinar. Duke's subscription to VersatilePhD is sponsored by The Graduate School. More information

 

Academic Job Search Series

Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in academia can participate in the Academic Job Search Series throughout the 2019-20 academic year. The series addresses tenure-track faculty positions during the fall semester and broad career options in academia during the spring semester. You can find topics relevant to all students as well as specialized panels for two broad disciplinary areas: the humanities and social sciences, and sciences and engineering. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Academic Job Market Materials Bootcamp: The CV
Thursday, June 6, 2019, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Will you be on the job market this year? Summer is a great time to start preparing your materials and get feedback on drafts. Even if you haven't started working on your CV, we'll cover the basics of structure and formatting and leave the majority of time for editing and feedback. More information

Academic Job Market Materials Bootcamp: The Cover Letter
Thursday, June 13, 2019, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Will you be on the job market this year? Summer is a great time to start preparing your materials and get feedback on drafts. Even if you haven't written a single cover letter before, we'll discuss the basics of structure and formatting, how to tailor the letter for different institutions, and leave the majority of time for editing and feedback. More information

Academic Job Market Materials Bootcamp: Research, Teaching, and Diversity Statements
Thursday, June 20, 2019, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Will you be on the job market this year? Summer is a great time to start preparing your materials and get feedback on drafts. Even if you haven't written a teaching statement before, we'll discuss the basics of structure, content, and formatting and leave the majority of time for editing and feedback. More information

Careers in the Duke Surgery Office of Research Development
Thursday, August 8, 2019, 9:30 am to 10:30 am

Do you want to stay in a university environment and stay involved in research - just not as a PI? Do you like analyzing and evaluating grant ideas/resources/experimental design? Are you often counted on to be an objective, critical thinker when reviewing documents to make sure there are no gaps in logic or presentation? Come to this info session to learn more about the current job opportunity in the Duke Surgery Office of Research Development, as well as how PhDs can build careers in other areas of academic research development. More information

Academic Job search Series

Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in academia can participate in the Academic Job Search Series throughout the 2019-20 academic year. The series addresses tenure-track faculty positions during the fall semester and broad career options in academia during the spring semester. You can find topics relevant to all students as well as specialized panels for two broad disciplinary areas: the humanities and social sciences, and sciences and engineering. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Gender Differences in Academia: Challenges and Choices along Career Paths in Higher Education
Tuesday, September 17, 2019, 9:00 am to 11:00 am

This presentation explores some of the possible situations women and men may encounter (as a faculty member or some other type of position within academia) as well as provide information on current research findings related to the gender divide in college and university settings. More information

The Diversity Statement
Monday, September 23, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Increasing numbers of colleges and universities are requiring a Diversity Statement as part of the application process for faculty positions. What are committee members’ expectations for this statement, and how should you go about crafting one? In this workshop combining interactive exercises, best practices and real-world examples, Dr. Francisco Ramos will guide participants through the process of writing a diversity statement for the faculty job market. More information

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Academic Application Process Sciences and Engineering
Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 9:00 am to 10:30 am

In this session, a faculty panel in the sciences and engineering will discuss the faculty recruitment process from the search committee’s perspective. Topics include what the search committee looks for in application documents (CV, cover letter, research/teaching statements), the screening process, and selecting candidates to interview. More information

The Teaching Statement
Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

A teaching portfolio is more than a collection of documents: it is set of claims about your teaching and evidence to support them. In this workshop, you will examine how claims and evidence can be framed in way that allows you demonstrate your skill (or potential) as a university instructor in a teaching statement supported by materials created by you (such as videos, handouts and student assignments). More information

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Academic Application Package – Humanities and Social Sciences 
Thursday, September 26, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

In this session, a panel of faculty in the humanities and social sciences will discuss the faculty recruitment process from the search committee’s perspective. Topics include what the search committee looks for in application documents (CV, cover letter, research/teaching statements), how the committee handles the screening process, and ways that applicants can help themselves become candidates to interview. More information

Navigating the Dual Job Search
Friday, October 4, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm 

Planning for one person’s career is tough; planning for two people’s careers simultaneously is even harder! In this workshop, we will discuss how to establish professional priorities and how to have productive conversations with your partner. You will also hear from a couple who have successfully navigated a dual job search. More information

Successfully Negotiating Job Offers for Female Graduate Students and Postdocs
Tuesday, October 15, 2019, 10:00 am to 11:30 am 

In this workshop, designed specifically for female and female-identified graduate students and postdocs, you will learn how to evaluate and negotiate job offers so that we can start to close the gender pay gap! You will also practice how to identify your value, conduct market research to benchmark salary/benefits and role-play scenarios using effective responses and strategies. This workshop is useful for those targeting any type of job, including academia and industry. More information

The Faculty Interview – Sciences and Engineering
Thursday, October 17, 2019, 9:00 am to 10:30 am 

In this session, a panel of faculty members in the sciences and engineering will discuss the interview process for faculty jobs, including the campus visit, the job talk/chalk talk, and typical interview questions. More information

The Interview Process for Faculty Positions in the Humanities and Social Sciences: A Panel Discussion
Thursday, October 17, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

In this session, a panel of faculty members in the humanities and social sciences will discuss the interview process for faculty jobs, including the campus visit, the job talk, and typical interview questions. More information

A Humanities Faculty Career at a Small Liberal Arts College: Lunch with Laury Ward, PhD ’11
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Dr. Laury Ward, Associate Professor of Classics at Hillsdale College, will join interested students at an informal lunch gathering to discuss her career as a faculty member at a small liberal arts college. Join the lunch to hear about the differences between faculty careers at a research institution like Duke and a SLAC, to learn how she succeeded on the path to tenure and promotion, or to gain insight on how to navigate the hiring process at religiously influenced institutions. More information

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: Negotiating the Faculty Job Offer - Humanities and Social Sciences
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

In this session, a panel of faculty members from the humanities and social sciences address common elements that can be negotiated when an offer is extended. They also answer questions about common pitfalls in the process. More information

From Lemurs to Student Life: A Career in Academic Administration with Michele Rasmussen, PhD
Friday, November 8, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Since completing her PhD at Duke in Biological Anthropology (now Evolutionary Anthropology), Dr. Michele Rasmussen has grown her career in academic administration to include higher orders of primates than her subjects at the Duke Lemur Center during graduate school. Now the Dean of Students in the University at the University of Chicago, she draws on prior experiences as Dean of the Undergraduate College at Bryn Mawr College and as an Academic Dean in Trinity College and Director of the Academic Advising Center here at Duke. More information

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: Negotiating the Faculty Job Offer - Sciences and Engineering
Tuesday, November 19, 2019, 9:00 am to 10 am 

In this session, a panel of faculty members will discuss the negotiation process. More information


Core Competencies

An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Master’s Students
Friday, August 30, 2019, 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

Communication Styles: Mine, Yours, and How to Have an Effective Interaction
Tuesday, September 3, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Ever wonder why you may have some difficulties communicating with certain people? Are there exchanges with others that frustrate you? It's probably not the person but rather the difference in the styles of communication. Participants will learn how to recognize the four different communication styles as well as how to best interact with those whose style differs from their own. More information

An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Ph.D. Students
Thursday, September 5, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm

Whether you’re a new PhD 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

Making a Successful Impression (and How to Handle Mistakes If You Make Them)
Monday, September 9, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Do you have an upcoming interview, conference presentation, challenging conversation, or other situation for which you'd like advice? This workshop with In The Public Eye President Joy Javits will help you build the skills you need to make a good impression. More information

Know Thyself: An Introduction to ImaginePhD
Thursday, September 12, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Spend an hour getting to know yourself better with ImaginePhD, a free online tool that helps you assess your skills and interests as well as examine your values. ImaginePhD can help you surface gaps between your skills—the things you’re good at doing—and your interests—the activities that bring you satisfaction. Armed with that self-knowledge, you can make a plan to grow in the skills that matter to you. More information

How to Make the Most of VersatilePhD (Webinar)
Thursday, September 12, 2019, 8:00 pm

Learn how to navigate new features and the most popular resources on VersatilePhD, a online portal for PhD students, postdocs, and graduate alumni to explore careers beyond the tenure track. Learn about the VPhD Career Finder, the Options for Success career discovery course, and the Smart Jobs initiative in this webinar. Duke's subscription to VersatilePhD is sponsored by The Graduate School. More information

Graduate Etiquette Workshop and Luncheon
Friday, September 13, 2019, 11:15 am to 1:00 pm

Networking and interviewing activities frequently involve the challenge of balancing professional conversation with good table manners in handling food and drink. This workshop will build your skills and confidence in dining etiquette. Registration closes Thursday, September 5 at 11:59 pm. More information

Leveraging Your Strengths
Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:00 pm to 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. All participants will receive a free CliftonStrengths assessment to complete prior to the workshop; registration closes September 8 at 11:59 pm. More information

Speed Networking with Duke Alumni
Friday, September 20, 2019, 10:00 am to 11:15 am

Whether you're interested in meeting professionals in industry, startup, government, or academia, you'll find leaders in these sectors among the members of The Graduate School's Board of Visitors. This group advises the Dean of The Graduate School and helps to support and promote the mission of the school. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet these members in a speed-networking context. Registration closes Tuesday, September 17 at 11:59 pm. More information

Cultivating a Culture of Mentoring: A Workshop for Graduate Students
Monday, September 23, 2019, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

How can you establish supportive mentoring relationships? What is the role of good mentoring in your success as a graduate student? Join in the conversation in this interactive workshop. 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. More information

Preparing Ph.D. Applications: A Workshop for Master’s Students
Friday, September 27, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Master's students can pursue many options after graduation. If you’re considering applying to Ph.D. programs, join us for a workshop that will provide insight into the decision-making processes of doctoral admissions committees. Learn how to tailor your application to the institution and compete successfully in this workshop. More information

The Mentoring Relationship: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Wednesday, October 2, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Do you ever question your role in your lab? Do you hesitate to address issues with your mentor? Do you wonder how to be successful during this step in your career? In this interactive session, learn how to navigate the mentoring relationship, including how to promote open communication, work more productively with your mentor, and get the most out of your training experience. More information

Mapping your Mentoring Network: Identifying and Developing the Mentorship You Need
Wednesday, October 16, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

In an ideal world, your boss/PI would also be your mentor. However, that doesn’t always happen – and even if it does, you may need more than one mentor to get to where you want to go. In this workshop, we will discuss how to find your mentor(s), how to ask them for guidance, and what to do to keep your relationship strong. More information

“Leave a Lasting Impression: Interviewing Tips and Tricks from a Recovering Recruiter“ with Stacy Schnieber, Vice President of People and Culture, Camargo Pharmaceutical Services
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 9:30 am to 10:30 am

Preparing for an interview can be exhausting, even for the most seasoned professional.  It takes a lot more than practicing standard interview questions you may find from a quick Google search!  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.  You’ll leave armed with the confidence to ace that next interview! More information

Presentation Skills Peer Feedback and Coaching: A Two-Part Series
Friday, November 1, 2019 and Friday, November 15, 2019, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

What makes a presenter effective? Is it content, delivery, or visuals—or the combination of them all? In this two-part series, you’ll have the opportunity to work on your areas for greatest improvement in your presentations.  Through readings, peer feedback, expert coaching, and viewing videorecordings of your own presentations, you’ll identify and work on targeted goals that can make the greatest impact in your success as a presenter. Applications for this limited-enrollment opportunity due Friday, October 4 at 11:59 pm. More information

Communicating Honestly (but Tactfully) with Mentors and Mentees
Wednesday, November 6, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Many of us strive for perfection—or at least near perfection—and we want others to see us as exceptional. Perhaps for that reason, do you find it difficult to receive criticism from your mentor? Do you hesitate to be honest with your mentor? Do you struggle with how to provide feedback to the students or techs in the lab? Through discussion and role-plays, we’ll explore how to provide and receive feedback that will help us in our quest to be exceptional. More information

Moving From Mentee to Mentor
Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Congratulations! You are finishing your PhD or postdoctoral research and hoping to secure a faculty or industry position soon! You feel confident about your research, but you may have questions about building your lab personnel. How do you figure out whom to hire? How do you set up productive, working relationships with your mentees from the beginning? How can you give feedback? In this interactive session, discover how to successfully move from mentee to mentor. More information

Do You Know Your Rules? Improving Intercultural Interactions
Wednesday, December 11, 2019, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Knowing your own internal rules and expectations can have a positive impact on interactions with your fellow postdocs and students, family, and most importantly, your mentor.  The rules that direct our behaviors are often cultural – learned in childhood.  Like fish unaware of the water they live in, we can be just as oblivious to the cultural norms that drive our behavior.  In this workshop, we’ll explore some of our own rules and what values we are maintaining by following the rules.  We will also discuss how to communicate our rules and expectations to others in a positive way, and how to understand how others’ rules may affect their behavior. More information


Ph.D. Career Paths

From French Literature to the Tech Industry: A Conversation with Maria Bezaitis, PhD’94
Friday, October 11, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Dr. Maria Bezaitis received her Ph.D. in Romance Languages at Duke, launching a career that has traversed ethnography and design planning for product development, global research experience, and now the tech industry. She is currently Senior Principal Engineer at Intel, leading the Market Pathfinding team on the Next Generation Standards Group, and President of the Ethnographic Practice in Industry Conference.  During her visit to campus to be inducted into the Few-Glasson Alumni Society, Dr. Bezaitis will join students for an informal conversation about her career path over lunch. More information

STEM PhD Careers at RTI International: A Panel Discussion with Duke Alumni
Thursday, October 24, 2019, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm

What opportunities are available for STEM PhDs at RTI International? Join James Harrington, PhD ’10, Melanie Silinski, PhD ’03, and Ian Stewart, PhD ’16 for a panel discussion of their research careers at RTI International and their paths to their current positions. More information

A Humanities Faculty Career at a Small Liberal Arts College: Lunch with Laury Ward, PhD’11
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Dr. Laury Ward, Associate Professor of Classics at Hillsdale College, will join interested students at an informal lunch gathering to discuss her career as a faculty member at a small liberal arts college. Join the lunch to hear about the differences between faculty careers at a research institution like Duke and a SLAC, to learn how she succeeded on the path to tenure and promotion, or to gain insight on how to navigate hiring at religiously influenced institutions. More information

Innovative Careers for PhDs: A Workshop
Thursday, November 7, 2019, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

The career landscape for PhDs has changed dramatically, with the majority of PhD holders now pursuing careers beyond the academy. What are these careers, and how do you position yourself to be competitive for one? In this workshop, you’ll explore careers in startups, private industry, and beyond, then learn how you can find opportunities—and practice marketing yourself to best highlight your skills and experience. More information

From Lemurs to Student Life: A Career in Academic Administration with Michele Rasmussen, PhD’99
Friday, November 8, 2019, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Since completing her PhD at Duke in Biological Anthropology (now Evolutionary Anthropology), Dr. Michele Rasmussen has grown her career in academic administration to include higher orders of primates than her subjects at the Duke Lemur Center during graduate school. Now the Dean of Students in the University at the University of Chicago, she draws on prior experiences as Dean of the Undergraduate College at Bryn Mawr College and as an Academic Dean in Trinity College and Director of the Academic Advising Center here at Duke. More information

De-Mystifying the Private Sector: Tips on How to Thrive Outside the Academy (Webinar)
Thursday, November 14, 2019, 1:30 pm

Leaving academia for the private sector can be confusing and frustrating for many PhDs. How should you prepare differently for a private sector job? How might employers perceive your PhD? More importantly, how can you use your superb education as an advantage in the search process? Speaker Dr. Angela Murphy turned an English PhD into a successful career at a leading financial technology company. This VersatilePhD webinar is offered through The Graduate School's subscription to VersatilePhD. More information

Using Your Skills in Consulting: How to Make an Impact Beyond Your Academic Discipline (Webinar)
Friday, November 22, 2019, 3:00 pm

Dr. Kathleen Foote turned an expertise in Physics, with a focus on Physics Education Research, into a successful career in consulting by leveraging her diverse quantitative and social science skills. She is currently a Senior Consultant with Deloitte. In this webinar, Kathleen will talk about her pathway to non-academic work, provide insights into the world of consulting, and discuss the need to absorb and utilize knowledge. This VersatilePhD webinar is offered through The Graduate School's subscription to VersatilePhD. More information

Ph.D. Problem-Solving: Adopting an Effective Mindset for the Job Market (Webinar)
Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 3:00 pm

For many PhDs and postdocs, solving problems comes naturally in research. This webinar, led by Alok Gupta, will help you apply the problem-solving mindset to the job search and interactions with potential employers. This VersatilePhD webinar is offered through The Graduate School's subscription to VersatilePhD. More information

Academic Job Search Series

Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in academia can participate in the Academic Job Search Series throughout the 2019-20 academic year. The series addresses tenure-track faculty positions during the fall semester and broad career options in academia during the spring semester. You can find topics relevant to all students as well as specialized panels for two broad disciplinary areas: the humanities and social sciences, and sciences and engineering. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Careers in Academic Administration
Thursday, January 23, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

You like working in academia, but you want to explore options for careers beyond tenure-track and teaching-focused positions. This overview will introduce you to major categories of employment opportunities in academic administration and help you get started in exploring the options of greatest interest. More information

Honing Your Versatility as a Future Faculty Member (for Humanities and Interpretive Social Sciences)
Wednesday, February 12, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Higher education is far from monolithic, yet it’s a challenge for many doctoral students to get a full understanding of what faculty roles and teaching duties entail at different colleges and universities. In this lively lunchtime conversation, six visiting faculty—all 2019-2020 Fellows through Duke’s Mellon Humanities Unbounded grant—share an insider view of faculty life at institutions beyond the R1 university. What are the joys and challenges of these roles? What might doctoral students expect in different educational settings, and how can they best prepare to teach in a rapidly changing higher ed landscape? More information

Managing Your Research Career Using an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

For better or for worse, your experiences and the training you receive as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers can greatly impact and shape the rest of your career. However, there are strategies and resources that can enhance your chances of getting what you came for. During this program participants will learn how to develop clear and specific goals and objectives, along with a plan for executing them. Topics covered include: The importance of setting goals and developing an IDP, introduction to the SMART goals model, resources for crafting and executing your IDP, and strategies for establishing expectations and effectively communicating research and career goals with your mentor/PI. More information

STEM Faculty Careers Beyond R1 Institutions
Friday, February 28, 2020, 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Academic positions can take many forms depending on the institution. The average day at an R-1 institution is very different compared to a liberal arts college or a community college. In this panel session, STEM faculty from various types of institutions beyond R1 will discuss their career path, how they prepared to go on the academic job market, and how academic hiring and promotion work. They will also discuss the split between research, teaching, and service, as well as work-life balance. More information

Graduate Student Conversation with Alumnus Julius S. Scott (Ph.D. History)
Saturday, February 29, 2020, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

As a doctoral student in the History Department at Duke University in the 1980s, Scott wrote a dissertation called “The Common Wind: Afro-American Currents in the Age of Revolution,” which reshaped the field through its study of the circulation of ideas and information in the Greater Caribbean and beyond during the era of the Haitian Revolution. As a faculty member in the department from 1988 to 1994, he worked with a remarkable cohort of graduate students who have in turn expanded and transformed the field of Atlantic history. Scott’s dissertation became a highly regarded work that was widely shared among historians, and it was published for the first time in 2018. More information

From Europe to the US and Back Again: Strategies for a Mobile, Multi-Lingual Academic Career
Monday, March 2, 2020, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm

This workshop will offer strategies for taking a career in the humanities across national and linguistic bounds. The focus of this event will be how to develop a professional profile that allows PhD students to make their research and teaching skills relevant in international settings. Dr. José María Rodríguez García, Associate Professor of Romance Studies, will guide the conversation with Kostis Kornetis, Teaching Associate in Modern European History at the University of Sheffield, UK. More information

Webinar: Non-Faculty Positions in Higher Education (Humanities and Social Sciences)
Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Would you like to stay in higher education but aren’t interested in faculty positions? During this panel discussion, you will have the opportunity to hear from panelists with Ph.D.s in Humanities and Social Sciences who have found fulfilling careers in higher education. They will discuss their paths, how to locate job opportunities, and how to apply for these types of jobs. More information

Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Careers in the Sciences and Engineering
Thursday, March 19, 2020, 9:30 am to 10:30 am – cancelled due to COVID-19

Want to keep doing research or teaching in an academic institution, but not sure you want the same kind of career as your tenured or tenure-track PI? The panel will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of non-tenure-track faculty appointments in the sciences and engineering. More information

Webinar: Seeking Tenure While Latina: Experiences of Latina Faculty at Research 1 Institutions 
Wednesday, March 25, 2020, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Struggles related to involvement, unwritten expectations and cultural taxation (Padilla, 1994), play a role in the underrepresentation of Latinas in tenured positions. This presentation will unpack the experience of Latina faculty seeking tenure at R1 institutions. The presenter will discuss reported experiences, emergent themes related to involvement and engagement, and practical implications for faculty of color, especially Latinas, as they navigate the tenure process. This presentation should particularly benefit underrepresented faculty members seeking tenure or seeking a career in academia. Additionally, findings from the study can be informative for underrepresented students, faculty, and staff as they provide insights into institutional dynamics and challenges that many underrepresented groups face, particularly in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). More information

National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity Webinar: Mastering Academic Time Management: Transitioning to a Faculty Role
Thursday, April 9, 2020, 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

This webinar is specifically designed to address these issues and provide participants with concrete skills to successfully transition from graduate student/postdoc to professor. Specifically, participants will learn: The three biggest mistakes that new faculty make in managing their time, why and how to align work time with institutional and personal priorities, how to create time for academic writing and research, how to organize a network of support and accountability for writing productivity and balance. More information


Core Competencies

An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Ph.D. Students
Monday, January 13, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm

Whether you’re a new PhD 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

An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Master’s Students
Thursday, January 16, 2020, 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

Handling Difficult Conversations
Thursday, January 23, 2020. 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Difficult conversations are a part of our professional careers, so to be successful in them we must learn, practice and hone the skills necessary for this type of work.  As with many aspects of life, the more you practice the more confident you will be in handling difficult conversations.  In this workshop participants will learn how to actively bring their concerns to the table with the goal of working toward the best win-win scenario for everyone. More information

Making Genuine Connections: Using Improv to Effectively Network
Friday, January 24, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Does networking feel awkward? Do you hate small talk? Do you feel like networking is inauthentic? If so, this workshop is for you. Learn how to find your own networking voice to connect with others in an authentic way and develop strategies to overcome the doubts that you have about networking. Try out improv comedy activities in a fun and supportive environment to warm up and connect with others and then apply those simulations to tangible takeaways to help you connect with others in various networking settings. No prior acting experience needed. More information

Identifying Your Mentoring Style
Wednesday, January 29, 2020, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

A mentor is someone who recognizes the potential in another person and helps them to develop that potential. Most of us can recognize potential when we see it. But the second part of the equation – helping someone to develop their potential – is where we struggle. If you are a mentor or expect to mentor others in the future, come learn about a powerful mentoring tool: the CliftonStrengths assessment. The CliftonStrengths assessment helps you discover what you naturally do best, and helps you to understand and work more productively with others. More information

Mentoring Diverse Groups: How to Bring Out the Best in All
Tuesday, February 4, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

This workshop is for anyone in a mentoring role! It will focus on skills and topics such as active listening, providing constructive feedback, and maximizing equity and inclusion. More information

Expressing Yourself: Improving Communication by Understanding Preferences
Wednesday, February 12, 2020, 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Have you ever wondered why a colleague always wants an agenda to prepare for a meeting or needs to know the big picture in order to work on the small details of a project? Using a free online assessment to explore your Myers-Briggs personality preferences, we’ll focus on how you can leverage a better understanding of others’ preferences to improve your communication with your research colleagues. More information

The Elevator Pitch, or Making a Successful Introduction
Thursday, February 13, 2020, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

The elevator pitch can serve as your introduction in networking opportunities. How can you make it as effective as possible? In this workshop, communication expert Joy Javits, President of In the Public Eye, will help you draft, edit, and practice your elevator pitch. You'll receive feedback on how to sharpen your pitch and establish your professional image in this limited-enrollment workshop. More information

Speed Networking with Duke Alumni
Friday, March 6, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Whether you're interested in meeting professionals in industry, startup, government, or academia, you'll find leaders in these sectors among Duke alumni. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet Duke alumni in a speed-networking context. More information

Taking Ownership of Your Professional Development, or What I Wish I’d Known when I Started Graduate School
Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Sometimes your graduate program feels like a series of deadlines set by other people. How can you take control of your experience and set your own timetable to achieve your career goals? In this workshop, Maria Carnovale, Ph.D. ’19 shares three key strategies that can help you take ownership of your graduate education. Dr. Carnovale is currently Lead Policy Analyst for Duke Science & Society. More information

Coping with COVID-19: An Online Conversation
Wednesday, April 1, 2020, 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Many graduate students and postdocs have attended mentoring and communication workshops led by Melissa Segal, who is a licensed social worker and a Duke business manager. Please join her for an hour-long Zoom session to discuss whatever's on your mind – how to cope with stress during the coronavirus pandemic; how to navigate communication and relationships; and how to (try to) maintain a normal-ish schedule under abnormal circumstances. More information

Professional Development Progress Virtual Gathering
Thursday, April 9, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Friday, April 10, 2020, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Thursday, April 16, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Friday, April 17, 2020, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Thursday, April 23, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Friday, April 24, 2020, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Thursday, April 30, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Friday, May 1, 2020, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Whether you’re seeking structure, feedback, or community in working on your professional development goals, please join in this informal gathering to share what you’re working on with graduate student colleagues, find solutions to challenges you’re encountering, and create accountability to keep your progress moving forward. The gathering will be hosted by Dr. Melissa Bostrom, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development. Registration is limited to 10 participants to allow for conversation via Zoom.

Coping with COVID-19 Online Conversation: COVID-19 and Grief
Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 10:00 am to 11:00 am

We are all grieving many losses, including those of normalcy, connections, roles, and safety. Join this interactive online session to learn about the stages of grief, to give ourselves permission to grieve, to brainstorm how we can provide self-care, and to discuss how we can support others. This session will be highly participatory, so postdocs and graduate students should be prepared to join in the discussion. More information


PhD Career Paths

Leaving the Ivory Tower: Managing the Emotional Side of Career Change
Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 9:30 am to 10:30 am

A large part of how we define ourselves and how others define us is based on what we do for a living – our professional identity. But what happens when we are no longer a [fill in the blank]? How do we deal with the loss of self, the loss of professional status, the loss of affiliation with an elite group that we’ve been aligned with as long as we can remember? More information

Building a Career in the Federal Government with Vijeth Iyengar, Ph.D. ’16
Thursday, February 6, 2020, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Join us for an informal conversation with Dr. Vijeth Iyengar about his path to a career in the federal government through the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) and into his current role as Brain Health Lead and Technical Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information

Cultivating Resilience: How to Call Out Self-Doubt and Lean On Your Values During Career Transition (Webinar)
Friday, February 7, 2020, 3:00 pm

Contemplating your exit from academia can be stressful, scary, and complex. Stepping into a new career identity brings with it many difficult emotions as well as intense confusion about career goals and trajectories. This webinar will teach you how to turn into your difficult emotions, identify the painful beliefs you hold about yourself, shed the prison of self-doubt you have created for yourself, and begin a new leg of your career journey with a greater sense of freedom. This VersatilePhD webinar is offered through The Graduate School's subscription. More information

Working for Education Technology Companies After Your Ph.D. (Webinar)
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, 6:30 pm

The rapid development of education and learning technologies around the world can offer many career opportunities for PhDs.  But what kind of knowledge and skills are applicable? And how might PhDs build a meaningful career in this growing industry? The webinar is part of the PhD Pathways Webinars offered through VersatilePhD. More information

A Conversation with Alumni in the Physical Sciences and Engineering
Wednesday, April 1, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Join recent and distinguished alumni in physical sciences and engineering disciplines for an informal conversation hosted via Zoom. More information

A Conversation with Alumni in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Thursday, April 2, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Join recent and distinguished alumni in biological and biomedical sciences disciplines for an informal conversation hosted via Zoom. More information

A Conversation with Alumni in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Friday, April 3, 2020, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Join recent and distinguished alumni in humanities and social sciences disciplines for an informal conversation hosted via Zoom. More information

Publish and Pivot: Turning your PhD Skills into Careers in the Private, Non-profit and Government Sectors (Webinar)
Monday, April 27, 2020, 11:30 am

Join Dr. Mrim Boutla for an interactive webinar that will help you become more aware and fluent in the transferable skills, knowledge and value you have been gained through your PhD, and how to translate those into industry- and sector-specific talking points to increase your credibility and competitiveness as an emerging professional.  This webinar will review critical skill sets, career options and trends as well as practical exercises and resume guidance you can immediately use to clarify and reach your own definition of career success. The webinar is part of the PhD Pathways Webinars offered through VersatilePhD. More information