October 21-25, 2024 | Vol. 10, Issue 42
In this issue:
- Graduate Student Flu Clinic
- IEW Week Event Grant
- G Talks with Dr. Williams -The Understanding
- NPA SmartSkills - Grant Writing
- Career Story - Working at a BioTech Startup
- RMSC After Dark: Monster Bash
- 12th Annual America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent Student Competition
- The 2024 GEPA Awards Philosophy Meeting
This year’s UHS sponsored Graduate Student Flu Vaccine Clinic for UR students will be held on:
- Tuesday, 10/29 from 11:30am-1:30pm in CEL 2-7534
- Thursday, 10/31 from 11:30-1:30pm in CEL 2-7534 and Flex Space 2-7608
| Trainee Group Funding Opportunity |
G Talks with Dr. Williams -The Understanding
UNDERSTANDING THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL JOURNEY
Tuesday, October 22 | 12:00 pm-1:00 pm | Virtual Event
Understanding one’s purpose in life is a deeply personal journey unique to each individual. It often involves introspection, growth, and discovery. Some people find purpose in their careers, family, or service to others, while for others, it may be rooted in creativity, spirituality, or personal growth. Knowing one’s purpose in life is about discovering a more profound sense of meaning that transcends day-to-day activities. It involves asking fundamental questions: "Why am I here?" and "What gives my life direction?" Rather than being defined by external success or a singular goal, purpose is about living in alignment with what feels most authentic to you. Contact Antonio Williams, Director for Graduate Diversity, at antonio.williams@rochester.edu, if you have any questions.
NPA SmartSkills - Grant Writing
Tuesday, October 22 | 3:00 pm | Virtual Event
The art of grant writing is a transferable skill that has both immediate and long-term payoffs. For new postdocs, preparing a fellowship grant is an excellent venue for planning out research and professional development goals. It necessitates establishing goals, milestones, and activities on a postdoctoral training timeline, which might otherwise be ill-defined. Grantsmanship skills include identifying a significant question or unmet need, establishing a compelling rationale, developing a strategy that is most likely to yield informative results, anticipating outcomes and pitfalls, and convincing the reader that you are uniquely equipped to be successful. And when you fail to do so on the first grant submission, you can incorporate reviewer feedback to strengthen your case (and your science!) when you resubmit the grant.
In this session, attendees will gain insights into successful grantsmanship strategies in the competitive landscape of biomedical research funding. From developing a strong training plan and identifying significant research questions, to lessons learned during the resubmission process, this session will equip postdoctoral researchers with essential strategies to maximize their current and future impact in the grant application process.
Career Story with Savannah Mortizky, Ph.D.- Working at a BioTech Startup: Pros and Cons of Wearing Many "Hats”
Thursday, October 24 | 12:15 pm-1:45 pm | Lower Adolph Auditorium (1-7619)
Guest Presenter: Savannah Mortizky, Ph.D.; TBS Ph.D. Alumna ‘22 and Scientist at HDT Bio
You always hear that working at a startup means you "wear many hats". Is this true? How many "hats" is too many? Savannah Moritzky, will share her experience working on vaccine clinical trials, and the pros and cons of working for a biotech startup.
myHub will be providing free pizza, salad, and pop/water for all participants. Please RSVP at the link below.
RMSC After Dark: Monster Bash
UR Thinkers is thrilled to invite you to RMSC After Dark: Monster Bash—a night where science meets spookiness at the Rochester Museum & Science Center (website)! This Halloween-themed event will bring classic movie monsters to life, with Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and Dracula lurking in their dark domains. It’s the perfect place to pitch your research while having a hauntingly good time!
This event is for adults 21 and over. IDs will be required at the door. Participate in sharing your research from 7-8:30 PM. Walk around with a sign that says “Ask me about my research” while enjoying a night of mingling and monstrous mayhem. We will be raffling off UR Thinkers swag at 8:30PM.
Limited number of free tickets available! Contact Ruby (qzeng6@ur.rochester.edu) for more information by Friday 10/25. Check out UR Thinkers full description of the event here!
12th Annual America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent Student Competition
Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
The twelfth annual America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent student competition, scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 12:00 pm is now accepting applications.
Organized by the UR CTSI, the competition aims to promote student interest in regulatory science and the winning team may present their ideas to the FDA.
Students matriculated at the University are welcome to submit a 50-word entry and provide a five-minute presentation during the competition.
The proposed solution should align with the FDA Focus Areas of Regulatory Science. Visit the UR CTSI website to learn more.
Save the Date- The 2024 GEPA Awards Philosophy Meeting - Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 3:30 pm
Relax at Destress Fest
Take a break from studying and join the Health Promotion office for a Destress Fest! Located in the Welles Brown Oasis from 5pm to 7pm on October , we will have fun Halloween themed crafts along with relaxing music, tea, and some stress balls and other fun swag!
Meditative Guide for Us
Land on your inner peace and resilience with Our Meditative Guide for Us, a class designed specifically for the Black community at U of R. Led by our experienced instructor Deontae McLachlan, this experience draws from personal insights to help participants manage racial stress, cultivate self-care, and enhance inner strength. Through deep breathing, visualization, and guided meditation, you’ll gain tools to reduce anxiety, improve focus, and enhance creativity. This class is open to Black-identifying students, staff, faculty, and allies. Join us by registering for classes that start on
- November 9th via Zoom from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
The Body Project
Join us for The Body Project, a free, 4-week evidence-based body acceptance program aimed at helping women challenge unrealistic appearance ideals. Through engaging group discussions and interactive activities, participants will gain valuable insights into developing a healthier body image and self-esteem. Open to all undergraduate and graduate women, this program has proven effective in reducing body dissatisfaction and promoting body positivity, with non-binary students also welcome, though the focus is on femme-presenting societal ideals. Sessions will be held in the UHS 2nd Floor Reifler Room on November 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th from 4-5 PM. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow! Visit our event page for more information and register.
Annual Sex & Chocolate Carnival
Join the UHS Health Promotion Office for our annual Sex & Chocolate Carnival on Thursday, October 31st from 2:30-4:30pm in Hirst Lounge to learn about the spookiest topic of all: sex! Celebrate Halloween with lots of candy, safer sex supplies, giveaways, raffles, and Insomnia Cookie for the first 60 attendees. Organizations will include Planned Parenthood, Title IX, RESTORE, Trillium Health, and more!
National Postdoctoral Association Webinar: Navigating the Green Card Process - Information for Postdocs
Thursday, October 24 | 12:00 pm | Zoom Session
Hear from fellow postdocs who have successfully managed their green card applications, whether by selecting a law firm, through company sponsorship, navigating the process independently, or exploring other options. They will share their experiences, decision-making strategies, and information every postdoc should know before embarking on this journey. NPA resources on how to choose a lawyer and what information to consider will also be shared at the session. Panelists for this session include Elham Javed, Ph.D., Qi Gao, Ph.D., and Ayantika Sen Gupta, Ph.D.
MECCC ExCEL Scholar Award Competition
The early career bench and physician-scientists in Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Transdisciplinary Research Programs are committed to nurturing the next generation of diverse and multidisciplinary cancer investigators. Several of these faculty have joined the Excellence in Career Enrichment Leadership (ExCEL) Committee, which, among other efforts, runs an annual award competition and symposium for senior postdoctoral investigators.
| NSF I-Corps Regional Course Information |
NSF I-Corps Regional Courses are for university-based STEM researchers and early-stage startup founders who are interested in exploring the market potential of their work and learning entrepreneurial skills. Participants learn to apply “customer discovery” methodology to evaluate the potential for translating their technology innovation from the lab into a successful product and/or service.
This week’s social spotlight features Mark Osabutey, a PhD candidate in Neuroscience.
Accommodations
The University of Rochester is committed to providing inclusive experiences and equal access to programs and services. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, please contact Mary Beth Kitzel. In all situations, a good faith effort (up until the time of the event) will be made to provide accommodations.
OTE Submission Information
Submissions for the weekly Monday edition of OTE are due by Thursday at 5:00 pm. Please submit materials to myHub@urmc.rochester.edu.
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