November Postdocs and Mentors Newsletter

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:23:27 -0500
events, graduates, graduateschool, mentors, postdocs, students, workshops

Welcome, Retriever postdocs and mentors, to the November Newsletter!

UMBC's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs welcomes you to the 5th edition of our new monthly newsletter! Highlights include several online and in person workshops, including helpful webinars about A.I., teaching, and research in different industries. We hope you can take advantage of some great opportunities this fall semester!
"Talk it Through" Topic of the Month:
A recommended topic for postdocs and their mentors to discuss this month:
Funding – What are the opportunities for fellowships or grants, and how can we prepare?
★ Have suggestions for us? Put your thoughts into our new Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Suggestion Box!
Events

UMBC Graduate Student & Postdoc Development (GSPD):
Follow our MyUMBC GSPD page and stay updated on our PAWsome resources and workshops!
★ Friday 11/7, 1-2 pm, ILSB 233:
Effective Teaching series: Designing & Grading Assignments RSVP here
Counts towards a CIRTL certification. Open to all!
★ Friday 11/20, 1-2 pm, ILSB 233:
Effective Teaching series: Overcoming End of Semester Overwhelm RSVP here
Counts towards a CIRTL certification. Open to all!

UMBC Center for Social Science Scholarship:
★ Friday 11/7, 12-1:30 pm, Public Policy 438:
Dealing with unstructured data (text, images), APIs, and API calls to LLMs RSVP here
★ Wednesday 11/19, 4:30-6 pm, Hybrid, PAHB 216:
CAHSS New Faculty Micro-talks RSVP here
★ Wednesday 12/3, 12-1 pm, Online:
Translating Research for a Public Audience: Writing for the Public and Talking to the Press RSVP here

UMBC Library:
★ Monday, 11/10, 12-1 pm, Online:
Skills for Graduate Students: Advanced Research Strategies RSVP here
★ Wednesday, 11/12, 12-1 pm, Online:
Exploring the Gadgets & Gizmos In Your AI Toolkit: Dr. Eric Stokan RSVP here
★ Tuesday, 11/18, 4-5 pm, Online:
Skills for Graduate Students: Managing and Organizing Your Research RSVP here

UMBC Faculty Development Center:
★ Monday, 11/10, 12-1 pm, Online:
Teaching Generation 'Why?': Helping Students Find Meaning and Purpose in Your Course RSVP here
★ Tuesday, 11/11, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, Online:
Generative AI in Teaching II: Applied Skills and Use Cases RSVP here
★ Wednesday, 11/12, 12-1 pm, Online:
Bring Your Best Idea: Infusing Humor & Fun into the Classroom RSVP here
★ Thursday, 11/20, 12-1 pm, Online:
Integrating Community-Engaged and Experiential Learning into Your Course: Fostering Meaningful Learning and Student Success RSVP here
★ Tuesday, 12/2, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, Online:
I'm Not Teaching with Generative AI, But What Do I Still Need to Know? RSVP here

UMBC Career Center:
★ Thursday, 11/6, 12-1 pm, Online:
River Valley Ranch Career Corner
The RAND Summer Associate Program introduces outstanding doctoral students to RAND, an institution that conducts research on a wide range of domestic and international social policy issues and matters of national security. RSVP here
★ Monday, 11/17, 12-1 pm, Online:
Inside Scoop: Careers in Biomedical and Health Research RSVP here
★ Wednesday, 11/19, 11 am-12 pm, Online:
UMBC Connects: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory RSVP here

Events from Partners within the University System of Maryland

CARTI @ UMMS
★ Tuesday, 11/4, 9-10 am, Zoom
Pivoting to Aging Research: Opportunities for Every Discipline RSVP here
★ Thursday, 11/6, 9-10 am, Zoom
Writing and Conducting a Systematic Review RSVP here
★ Tuesday, 11/4 & 11, 1-2 pm, Zoom
Writing Your First NIH R01 Grant Application: 2-Part Seminar Series RSVP here
★ Tuesday, 12/2, 1-2 pm, Zoom
Identifying a Mentoring Team & Developing Mentoring Skills RSVP here
★ Thursday, 12/11, 9-10 am, Zoom
Making the Most of Your Unfunded Grant Application RSVP here
University of Maryland
★ Wednesday, 12/3, 2025, 6:30–7:30 pm, Online:
Behind the Hire: Insights from Matt Majoros, Partner with Workforce Genetics
Matt will discuss the skill sets valued in the life sciences industry, how to reach out to recruiters and hiring managers, best platforms to find open positions, expectations on how fast hiring moves and answer your question. RSVP here

Events from National Partners
CIRTL (the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching & Learning):
Reminder: UMBC is part of the national CIRTL network; you can earn a nationally recognized certificate that demonstrates your commitment to being an effective instructor! Email Dr. Gurganus at jgurganus@umbc.edu for more information.
★ Wednesday 11/5, 12-2pm, Online:
Shared Voices, Shared Decisions: Sociocracy for Educators and Leaders in Higher Ed RSVP here
★ Monday 11/10, 12-1 pm, Online:
Exploring Teaching Careers at Teaching Intensive Universities with CIRTL Alumni RSVP here
★ Tuesday 11/11, 11 am- 1pm, Online:
Examining and Analyzing Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Post-Secondary Contexts RSVP here
★ Thursday, 11/13, 12-1:30 pm, Online:
Overcoming Learned Helplessness: Helping Students to Develop Strong Team Skills Through Emotional Intelligence RSVP here
★ Monday, 11/17, 12-1 pm, Online:
Exploring Academic Careers Beyond the Professoriate with CIRTL Alumni in Centers for Teaching & Learning RSVP here
★ Thursday, 11/20, 2-3:30 pm, Online:
Leveraging Strengths of Neurodiverse Students in the Classroom RSVP here
★ Thursday, 12/11, 1-3 pm, Online:
Postdoc Teaching Practicum RSVP here

National Postdoctoral Association (NPA):
Reminder: UMBC has an institutional membership allowing you to get your Free NPA Affiliate Membership! Use your your institutional (UMBC) email address and attend events for FREE.
★ Check here for NPA's calendar of events.
★2025 NPA Social Sciences & Humanities Postdocs Special Interest Summit
Friday, November 14, 2025, 1-5 pm, Online Read More
Through a series of interactive online discussions led by the NPA, the summit seeks to identify barriers – and find paths forward – in the greater postdoctoral community. Sponsorship provides visibility to thousands of active, exiting, and aspiring postdocs.
Member Benefit for NPA Postdoc Members
Are you deciding on the next step after your postdoc? Need help looking for jobs that excite you and then figuring out how to apply? The NPA is proud to partner with SciPhD and provide a free, permanent license for all NPA members to their online web application tool – Flamingo™. Sign up here.

★ 2025 NPA SmartSkills Registration: SmartSkills is a free, virtual course for NPA members. Experts teach monthly classes that focus on building skills critical to career and personal success. Postdocs can earn a certificate from the NPA by attending 10 out of the 12 skills classes. Takes place the fourth Tuesday of each month, at 3 p.m. ET. Register here.

NCFDD (National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity):
Reminder: UMBC has an institutional membership with the NCFDD, an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community dedicated to supporting academics in making successful transitions throughout their careers. Sign up for free and join their email newsletter!
WEBINARS:
You must log in to register.
★ Thursday, 11/13, 2025 2-3pm
SKILL #10: How to Manage Stress, Rejection & the Haters in Your Midst RSVP here
★ Friday, 11/14, 2025 1-2pm
The Weekly Meeting- for planning ahead RSVP here

★ Tuesday, 11/18, 2025 10-11 am
Virtual Writing Session RSVP here

Connect with NCFDD members: Join the new NCFDD community to connect with other faculty - whether it's getting help with a challenge you're facing or finding an accountability partner - it's a space to connect with others from Graduate Students through Department Chair. Check the events calendar for more information!

The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe's most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. UMBC provides free access. Sign in today.
Sign up to receive the several different newsletters The Chronicle offers that are all about higher education! They are helpful resources that are released daily and weekly.
★ Check out The Chronicle's virtual events page, including On Demand recordings!

Resources

Are you mentoring undergraduates? Consider using a mentor-mentee agreement to define expectations and ensure your undergrad stays motivated, understands how best to communicate with you, and succeeds! Here are some resources available!

UMBC Library Research Guides: check out the new one about Artificial Intelligence (AI) & AI Literacy!

Job Sites in Higher Ed:
Postdoc Opportunities Board
NPA Job Board
The Chronicle Job Page
HigherEd Jobs
By the Office of Graduate Student and Postdoc Development (GSPD) at UMBC. Contact the author Aubrie at azepp1@umbc.edu for questions or suggestions about the newsletter.