The Professional Development Committee is responsible for putting on a number of academic seminars throughout the semester. In addition to the educational seminars, GSG partners with the Graduate School to host several professional development workshops.


2024-2025 Session Events

3MT Workshop Technical Communication Talk – Visualizing data & creating visual aids

📊 Join us for the “Technical Communication Talk”!
Are you ready to sharpen your skills in visualizing data and crafting impactful visual aids? This engaging session will provide practical tips to take your presentations to the next level!

📅 When: November 14th, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
📍 Where: Walker 120A

Whether you’re looking to improve your technical communication or just want to create better visual content, this event is for you. Brought to you in collaboration with the Professional Development Committee and the Humanities Department at Michigan Technological University.


🔗 Register here:
https://lnkd.in/g53zDgyy

Looking forward to seeing you there! 🎓


Journey beyond graduation: Alumni tips on CPT, OPT & professional growth

Join us for “Journey Beyond Graduation: Alumni Tips on CPT, OPT & Professional Growth” with special guest Dr. Neerav Kaushal from Michigan Tech’s ICC!
🗣️ Bring your questions and get expert advice on navigating your career, CPT/OPT options, and professional development. 💼

📅 When: October 31 @ 12:00 pm
📍 Where: Library 244
🍴Snacks and refreshments will be provided

🔗 Want more info? Please email us at gsg-prodev@mtu.edu or join our Discord channel to stay connected! 🙌


3MT Workshop

Hosted by: Professional Development Team

Join us for a workshop designed to help you communicate complex ideas clearly and compellingly, no matter your audience. Our expert facilitators will provide practical strategies to refine your presentation style, ensuring your message is clear, impactful, and engaging.

📍 Where: Michigan Tech Library, Room 244
🕒 When: Wednesday, October 30, 3:00–4:00 PM

This event is brought to you by the 3MT organizing team in collaboration with the Professional Development Committee. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your presentation skills!


Talk by Mr. Paul Stinson 

Come join us for an exciting Talk by Mr. Paul Stinson and GSG Meet & Greet event. It’s the perfect chance to network, learn, and bring up any concerns you have!

📅 Date: October 22, 2024
🕒 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: AOB 201, MTU

What’s Happening?
👉 Opening by Dr. Mari Buche
👉 Talk by Mr. Paul Stinson
👉 Closing by Dr. Jun Min
👉 GSG Meet & Greet


Monthly Presentation Practice Sessions

Hosted by: Professional Development Team

Join us once a month for a collaborative and supportive environment where graduate students can practice their research presentations, share ideas, and connect with peers. Whether you’re preparing for posters, oral presentations, the 3-Minute Thesis event, or any other format, this is the perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills!

🔹Location: Library, Room 244

🔹First Session: September 27th, 5:00 PM

🔹Contact: gsg-prodev@mtu.edu

Scan the code to join our Discord channel for updates and more information!


Summer Interview Sessions (Behavioral &/ Technical) – (July – August  2024)

Hosted by GSG in collaboration with Career Services, we’re excited to offer you an incredible opportunity to elevate your Behavioral & Technical interview skills.

Why join?
🔹 Expert Guidance: Learn from experienced professionals.
🔹 Interactive Sessions: Get hands-on practice and real-time feedback.
🔹 Boost Your Confidence: Master the art of acing interviews.

🗓️REGISTER UNTIL JULY 21, 2024
📍 Online Sessions (Details to follow)

Don’t miss out! Secure your spot now by clicking here

🎥 For more information check out this video.


2023-2024 Session Events

Career Planning Workshop by Dr. Melissa Baird

Join us at the Van Pelt and Opie Library Room 244 on December 1st at 12pm noon for lunch and refreshments as we embark on a transformative journey for strategic career planning with Dr. Melissa Baird. Dr. Baird is an Associate Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Social Sciences and the Associate Dean of STEM Equity for the Graduate School. The goal of the workshop is to give insights into practical career planning tactics and her extensive research background lends a unique perspective to this workshop.


Past Activities 2020-2023

Activities from Two GSG Administrative Sessions

 

Curriculum Vitae Workshop (February 2023)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

January 31st, 2023:

Curriculum Vitae Workshop 

Host: Dr. Melisa Baird

Are you getting ready to apply for jobs? Have you been wanting to revise your CV lately and have no idea where to start? 

Join Dr. Melissa Baird, director of graduate studies in the Social Sciences department for a brief session regarding CVs.

When? Tuesday, February 14th
Where? East Reading Room at the Library
What time? Noon


Career Planning Workshop (January 2023)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

January 31st, 2023:

Career Planning Workshop

Host: Dr. Melisa Baird

Join GSG and the Van Pelt and Opie Library in learning why planning your career is more than just choosing a company or industry. 

Dr. Melissa Baird, Graduate Director of Social Science, will walk through the steps to take you down the path to the career you want. This short workshop will take place in the Library East Reading room from 12:00-12:30 on January 31th. Light snacks will be provided!

Sign up here.


5 Tips for Grant Writing (January 2023)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

January 17th, 2023:

5 Tips for Grant Writing

Host: Dr. Andrew Fiss

Looking to maximize the returns on the grants you write? Don’t even know where to start? Watch Dr. Andrew Fiss, Associate Professor of Technical & Professional Communication, and learn 5 Tips for Grant Writing. From finding solicitations to submission, learn the skills and resources you need to succeed.


Career Fair Prep Session (September 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

September 14th, 2022:

Career Fair Prep Session

Host: Nicholas Kwiek

Come join Career Services to prepare for the upcoming career fair and learn about resources available on campus to help you market yourself as a professional.


Navigating Advisor/Advisee Relationships Seminar (April 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

April 14th, 2022:

Navigating Advisor/Advisee Relationships Seminar

Host: Margaret Plank, GSG PD Chair

Many advisor/advisee relationships are positive and productive; others can be challenging and difficult. Communication, power dynamics, different expectations, and more, can make these relationships difficult to navigate, and even negatively impact graduate students’ experiences at the professional and personal levels.


Career Navigation for Scientists – Part III (March 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

March 17, 2022:

Career Navigation for Scientists – Part III Panel Discussion

The Professional Development Committee at the Graduate Student Government and MTU’s Career Services are collaborating to bring you a three part seminar dedicated to navigating careers for scientists. Panels will be made up of professionals across academia and industry within different departments and disciplines. These panels will feature brief speaker introductions, questions about their backgrounds, public Q&A, and breakout rooms for discipline specific questions.

The third panel on March 17th, 2022 at 6 pm EST will feature MTU affiliates from departments of cognitive learning, social sciences, and humanities. Our prestigious panelists include:

Cognitive learning:

Dr. Brandon Perelman – earned his PhD in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors from MTU and is now the Human-Autonomy Teaming ERP Program Manager at Army Research Laboratory.

Hannah North – earned her MS in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors from MTU and now is a Senior UX researcher at Sleep Number corp. Between her MS and current job she also was employed as a senior human experience researcher at Kohler and a User Experience Designer/Analyst at Imperial Supplies

Social Sciences:

Dr. John Arnold – earned his PhD in Industrial Heritage and Archeology from MTU and is now the historical architect at the Keweenaw Historical National Park.

Humanities:

Dr. G. Edzordzi Agbozo – earned his PhD in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture from MTU and is now an assistant professor of English at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.

Dr. Hua Wang – earned her PhD in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from MTU and is now the senior lecturer in the Engineering Communications Program at Cornell University.

Dr. Maria Bergstrom – earned her PhD in English Language and Literature from University of Michigan and is now a lecturer and academic advisor here at MTU in the department of Humanities.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Register here: https://mtu.libcal.com/calendar/gsg/scp3


Programming for R Seminar (March 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

March 1st, 2022:

Programming for R Seminar

Host: Hongjing (Truda) Xie; PhD Candidate, Statistics, MTU

Hongjing Xie is in her final year as a PhD student in Bio/Genetic Statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at MTU. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Changchun University in China in Statistics. She has a master’s degree from Northeast Normal University, China, in Applied Statistics and a master’s in Statistics from MTU. Her research interests are studying the association between complex diseases and genetic variants.


Career Navigation for Scientists – Part II (February 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

February 23, 2022:

Career Navigation for Scientists – Part II Panel Discussion

The Professional Development Committee at the Graduate Student Government and MTU’s Career Services are collaborating to bring you a three part seminar dedicated to navigating careers for scientists. Panels will be made up of professionals across academia and industry within different departments and disciplines. These panels will feature brief speaker introductions, questions about their backgrounds, public Q&A, and breakout rooms for discipline specific questions.
The second panel on February 23rd, 2022 at 6 pm EST will feature MTU graduates from departments of forestry, biology, geology and mining, and chemistry. Our prestigious panelists include:

Dr. Adam Coble earned his PhD in Forest Science from MTU and is now the Manager of Forest Health and Monitoring for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Dr. Kelsey Carter earned her PhD in Forest Science from MTU and now is Post-Doctoral Associate at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Department of Energy.

Dr. Rapsa Basu earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from MTU and now is the Lead Scientist in Precision Immunotherapy at Humane Genomics.

Dr. Aparupa Sengupta earned her MS in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology and her PhD in Biological Sciences from MTU, worked as a Biosafety Officer at Rutgers University, and is now a BioSafety officer at UofC-MERCED.

Dr. Matthew Songer earned a BS in Biological Sciences from MTU and an MD from University of Illinois, Chicago and is now an orthopedic spine surgeon and entrepreneur. He also earned a master of business administration from Northwestern University and taught at MTU and MSU.

Dr. Elisa Piispa earned a PhD in Geophysics from MTU, was an assistant professor at Yachay Tech University, and now is a Research Specialist and Lab Manager at the Paleomagnetism Laboratory of Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland.

Dr. Chet Hopp earned an MS in Geophysics from MTU, a PhD in Geophysics from Victoria University of Wellington, and is now a Postdoctoral Scholar at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the Energy Geoscience Division.

Dr. Bhaskar Halami earned his PhD in Chemistry from MTU, worked as a Senior Scientist at PPD in Thermo Fisher Scientific, and is now a Senior Scientist at Sirnaomics, Inc.

Dr. Chelsea Nikula earned her PhD in Chemistry from MTU and now works as a Higher Research Scientist in the National Physical Laboratory in the UK.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discuss careers with these knowledgeable people!


Career Navigation for Scientists – Part I (February 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

February 2, 2022:

Career Navigation for Scientists – Part I Panel Discussion

The Professional Development Committee at the Graduate Student Government and MTU’s Career Services are collaborating to bring you a three part seminar dedicated to navigating careers for scientists. Panels will be made up of professionals across academia and industry within different departments and disciplines. These panels will feature brief speaker introductions, questions about their backgrounds, public Q&A, and breakout rooms for discipline specific questions.

The first panel on February 2, 2022 (Wednesday) at 6:00 pm EST will feature MTU graduates from departments of Math, Physics, and Computing. Our prestigious panelists include:

Derek Dykens – graduated with a BS in computer system networking and telecommunications from MTU and is now a Global Retail Industry Strategist for Splunk

Dr. Alexandria Johnson – graduated with a BS in Physics from MTU and went on to Purdue to get her PhD in Atmospheric Science. She is now an Assistant professor at Purdue University.

Dr. Manish Kulkarni – graduated with a MS in Physics from MTU and went on to Case Western Reserve to get his PhD in Biomedical Engineering. He is now working as a Senior Staff Scientist at Diagnostic Solutions and Systems.

Dr. Ruihao Huang – graduated with a PhD in applied mathematics from MTU and is now working for the FDA as a pharmacometrics reviewer.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discuss careers with these knowledgeable people!


How to be an Effective Graduate Teaching Assistant/Instructor Webinar (January 2022)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

January 27, 2022:

How to be an Effective Graduate Teaching Assistant/Instructor Webinar

Do you ever find yourself wondering how to be an effective Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Teaching Instructor (GTI)? The Professional Development Committee at GSG will be hosting Dr. Meyer as a speaker for our “How to be an effective GTA/GTI” Webinar.

Dr. Meyer works with the Center for Teaching and Learning at MTU and teaches a course about this very thing, so don’t miss this invaluable material!


Managing Finances for Graduate Students (November 2021)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

November 11, 2021:

Managing Finances for Graduate Students Workshop

As graduate students, managing finances is important and oftentimes difficult. We are delighted to bring you guest speaker Mike Kolasa, certified financial planner and advisor and Vice-President of the Marquette Trust and Investment Service Office, for an informative seminar on financial management.

Mike opened the Marquette Trust and Investment Service Office in 2012 and has 24 years of financial and legal experience. As a long-time resident of the Marquette area, his primary focus is on financial, tax, and estate planning as well as account investment management for clients in Upper Michigan and beyond.

Topics covered during the seminar will include:

  • Managing cash flow,
  • Negotiating your job contract,
  • Renting or buying,
  • Retirement planning,
  • Ensuring Life options.

Questions are welcome, and we hope to see you there!


Public Speaking (October 2021)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

October 27, 2021:

Public Speaking Workshop

Public speaking and effective communication skills are paramount to success in the workplace! The GSG Professional Development committee is excited to announce an interactive seminar on public speaking hosted by Marina Choy and Veena Namboodri, communication instructors and PhD candidates in the Rhetoric, Theory and Culture program at the Department of Humanities.
 
We will actively discuss speech anxiety management as well as tips for improving delivery, clarity, organization, audience engagement, and more. Join us next Wednesday, October 27th at MEEM 111 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
 
There will also be a dedicated Q&A time–feel free to come with questions!


Journal Writing (October 2021)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

October 21, 2021:

Journal Writing and Publication Workshop

Do you need help formatting your manuscript for submission or wondering how to start the process of submitting it for publication? Join Dr. Shari Stockero (Academic Affairs & Cognitive Learning Sciences) and Dr. Abraham Romney (Humanities) discussed the following in an online panel discussion: 

  • Choosing a Journal 
  • Developing a Writing Plan
  • Preparing a Manuscript 
  • Submitting the Manuscript 
  • Revising and Resubmitting


Python Seminar (August 2021)

Clicking on the webinar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

August 11th & 12, 2021:

Python Webinar with Jonathan Solis

Brought to you by the GSG Professional Development committee, we hosted a series of webinars on Python programming with guest speaker Jonathan Solis, a University of Iowa alum, with a specialization in Informatics and Human Computer Interaction. Jonathan is a software engineer based in Madison, WI and has almost 7 years of experience working with programming languages. He currently is a Senior Front End software engineer and led the seminar both days. 


Maximizing Conferences (April 2021)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

April 7th, 2021:

Maximizing Conferences Webinar

Conferences carry opportunities to share your work, gain visibility, expand your knowledge and build your network. So how can you maximize your conference experience and better take advantage of these opportunities?


Visa Issues and OPT/CPT for International Students (March 2021)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

March 4th, 2021:

Visa Issues, OPT/CPT Webinar

Most international students plan their OPT when they get closer to graduation. Some graduate international students are aware of how OPT/ CPT works, while many have questions about it. The Graduate Student Government decided to create a platform for international students to discuss their Visa issues and OPT/CPT issues with IPS and Career services. Machel Borsum from IPS and Beth Williams from Career Services lead the discussion and answer questions.

 

Public Speaking (February 2021)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

February 18, 2021:

Public Speaking Webinar

In this webinar, Marina Choy, PhD student in the Humanities department, covers topics such as speech anxiety, audience adaptation, speech organization, visual aids, support materials, and more. 


Publishing Your Research (January 2021)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

January 18, 2021:

Publishing Your Research Webinar

How to choose a suitable journal? How to write and prepare papers for publication? What happens when a journal reviews my paper? These are questions that we all have. In this webinar, Dr. Stockero and Dr. Oliveira guide us through their vast experience of journal publishing and reviewing.

 

Grant Writing (November 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

November 12, 2020:

Grant Writing Webinar

As a student or a researcher, a necessary component of your work is applying for a multitude of grants to obtain funding for future projects. Peter Larson, the Director of Research Development at Michigan Tech, leads this this seminar on grant writing. Peter specializes in creating effective grant and research proposals, particularly in the non-technical proposal sections that researchers often struggle with.

 

3MT Participant Training (October 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

October 28, 2020:

3MT Training Workshop

The participant training workshop for the 3MT competition was hosted on October 28th, 2020. The first hour consisted of a workshop on storytelling and creative communication led by Marie Peasley, and the second hour was a panel discussion with the 2019 & 2018 MTU 3MT winners, as well as the 2020 3MT Regional Winners.

More information about the 3MT on this page.

 

IDP Workshop (September 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

September 29, 2020:

IDP Workshop

The Individual Development Plan is an initiative launched by the Graduate School to help students plan their graduate education and what comes after. This plan is designed to help students set clear short and long term goals, and/or communicate them with their advisor.

Anna McClatchy, Student Support Coordinator at the Graduate School, led a discussion around the IDP and answered participants’ questions.


Career Fair Prep Workshop (September 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

September 16, 2020:

Career Fair Prep Workshop

Being well prepared for a Career Fair can make a big difference in your employment opportunities. And with the recent changes related to COVID-19, you might wonder what the best ways to prepare look like.

GSG hosted a Career Fair Prep workshop on Wednesday, September 16th. Chris Hohnholt, Assistant Director of Career Services and Career Advisor, was leading the discussion and answering questions about resume writing, (virtual) interviews, internships and co-ops, and professional grooming.

 

Teaching seminar for GTAs & GTIs (August 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

August 20, 2020:

Teaching Seminar for GTIs and GTAs

This seminar was hosted by GSG in collaboration by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning and designed for GTIs and GTAs teaching face-to-face, remotely or online during the Fall 2020 semester. Mike Meyer from the CTL led the discussion and answered participants’ questions about teaching resources, safety, student engagement, and classroom policies.

 
 

Academic


Seminar Series in Programming (July 2020)

Clicking on a seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

July 14, 2020:

Introduction to Machine Learning with Python, by Dr. Timothy Havens.

July 15, 2020:

Managing data (Data Mining) with R, by Sneha Nimmagadda.

July 16, 2020:

Introduction to Deep Learning, by Dr. Timothy Havens.

 
 

Life Events


Work, Health and Family Webinar (Oct. 2020)

Clicking on the seminar title will take you to the video recording of the seminar.

October 8, 2020:

Work, Health and Family

Balancing work and life is hard. While balancing your work and life, it’s also important to consider your health, especially during a global pandemic. Dayna Browning, Assistant Director of Outreach and Education, led the discussion in this “Work, Health and Family” webinar. Topics ranged from physical and mental health to stress management, work/life balance, efficiency, eating and sleeping habits.

 
 
 

Archives

2019-2020

Prior to 2019

  • You can view Academic Seminars prior to 2019 here.
  • You can view the Professional Development Workshops prior to 2019 here.

Topic Requests

If you would like to make topic suggestions or requests for academic and professional development events, let us know! Submit your request in the box below, and we will get back to you.


    Event Resources and Documents

    Technical Communication Series Data Visualization Nov’24 workshop

    3 Minute Thesis – Communicating your Thesis Oct’24 Workshop

    Gallery

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