Professional Development Series

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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.

Spring & Summer 2022 Events

During Spring and Summer 2022, The Graduate School will partner with the Office of Postdoctoral Services to offer programming in several series, and with the Duke Career Center on the Careers Beyond Academia series. Visit the websites for these series for a full list of events in each of these themes.

The Mentoring and Communication Series
The Academic Job Search Series
Careers Beyond Academia Series
Alum Zooms Series

Core Competencies

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The Academic Job Search Series

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Careers Beyond Academia

Friday, April 8, 2022
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Developing a Network: A Workshop for Social Sciences and Humanities

In this workshop you will get to practice networking techniques and learn strategies to help you become more successful. We will also practice using online tools to make contact with new people and maintain your relationships over time. This workshop will feature Duke PhD alumni as facilitators.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
4:00 pm
A Political Scientist Builds a Career in Data Science (Webinar) - Rescheduled

Demand for social scientists is soaring across a range of industries and enterprises, from policy work to technology-enabled ventures. In this Ph.D. Pathways seminar, Jake Rothschild, Ph.D., currently Senior Data Scientist at Verasight, a leading data-driven consumer research and survey firm, will talk about his own transition from a political science Ph.D. at Northwestern University to the world of surveys, data, and research insights outside of academia. This free webinar is available to students through The Graduate School's subscription to VersatilePhD. This event has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 5 at 4:00 pm.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
10:00 am to 11:00 am
Networking: How to Build Professional Relationships for Long-Term Career Success

The world of work and how we navigate our professional lives have changed significantly due to the pandemic. However, networking remains one of the most effective approaches to getting your career on the fast track. This informative session will show you techniques for effective and tactful networking in this post-pandemic era.
Thursday, May 5, 2022
4:00 pm
A Political Scientist Builds a Career in Data Science (Webinar)

Demand for social scientists is soaring across a range of industries and enterprises, from policy work to technology-enabled ventures. In this Ph.D. Pathways seminar, Jake Rothschild, Ph.D., currently Senior Data Scientist at Verasight, a leading data-driven consumer research and survey firm, will talk about his own transition from a political science Ph.D. at Northwestern University to the world of surveys, data, and research insights outside of academia.
Thursday, May 19, 2022
6:00 pm
Building Your Professional Brand as a PhD (Webinar)

Tina Li, based in Australia, has spent over a decade working in the higher education sector in the fields of career education, training and development, advising and coaching, including programs at Macquarie University, Australian Catholic University and most recently the University of Sydney. In this Ph.D. Pathways seminar, Tina will provide some practical steps on how to start building and communicating a brand both online and offline. This free webinar is available to students through The Graduate School's subscription to VersatilePhD.
Thursday, May 26, 2022
12:00 pm to 12:30 pm
Senior Leadership Insights: A Conversation with Darryl Webster, J.D., Senior Executive and Advisor to Biotech and Life Sciences Companies

Get insight into a career in biotech and pharma with this month’s conversation featuring intellectual property attorney Darryl Webster '82, J.D. Mr. Webster has been part of the management team taking Precigen, Inc. public and in-house patent counsel for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (now Pfizer). In a conversation with biomedical engineering Ph.D. candidate Ellery Jones, he’ll reflect on leveraging his 30+ years of global corporate experience as an advisor to life sciences concerns.

Past Events

Contact

Melissa Bostrom, PhD
Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development
Duke University Graduate School
melissa.bostrom@duke.edu