November 2nd - November 6th, 2026 | Vol. 12, Issue 44
In this issue:
Fall into Focus: Offsite Writing Retreat at the Gell Center
��️ Wednesday, November 4th | ⏱️ 9:30 pm -5:00 pm | ��Gell Center of the Finger Lakes
Escape the daily grind for a serene day of writing and community | With Dr. Elaine Smolock, Ph.D.
What’s Included:
- Dedicated, quiet writing time off campus at the Gell Center of the Finger Lakes on W. Hollow Road!
- Light breakfast & catered lunch
- Refreshing nature walk or relaxing movement activity
- Optional: Celebratory social gathering after the retreat at Glen Hollow Winery on Seneca Point Road!
- Open to all grad students and postdocs.
�� Currently Full: Waitlist Available!
Brought to you in part by Writers & Books: A premier literary arts organization dedicated to fostering the reading, writing, and sharing of literature. Learn more at writersandbooks.org.
Eat & Meditate
��️ Thursday, November 5th | ⏱️ 12:00 pm -1:20 pm | ��Bhagat Room 1-6200 (SMD)
De-stressing meditation followed by a hearty meal sponsored by ISSA & PDA!
Career Talk: Science Policy & Advocacy
��️Thursday, November 5th| ⏱️ 11:00pm - 1:00pm |�� Ryan Case Methods Room
Join the UR Science Policy Initiative for a career talk with Isaac Smith and Erica Salamida from the Alzheimer's Association. Learn about what a career in science policy entails, from supporting constituents to engaging stakeholders. Coffee and pastries provided!
Collective Care: What if That Were the Intervention?
��️Friday November 6th | ⏱️ 11:00am - 2:30pm |�� Memorial Art Gallery Auditorium
2026 Special Public Health Grand Rounds: 15th Annual Bernard Guyer Lecture
Aza Nedhari, DHS, CPM, LPC, is a mother, a visionary leader, an architect of change, and an advocate for justice with more than two decades of experience in community health, perinatal wellness, and program innovation.
The keynote will present collective care as a framework rooted in disability justice and Black feminist traditions as a clinical and public health intervention, using the 13-year, 0% maternal mortality record of Mamatoto Village as a case study
myHub Virtual Alumni & Trainee Networking Event!
��️ Wednesday, November 11th | ⏱️ 4:00 pm -6:00 pm | ��Virtual Zoom
�� URochester SMD Graduate Students & Trainees:
Explore What's Next!
Hear directly from University of Rochester alumni who have taken their careers in a variety of directions at myHub’s virtual Alumni Career Exploration & Networking Event.
As a graduate student or postdoc, you’ll have the chance to connect 1:1 with alumni for informal, 20-minute conversations on Zoom.
Ask about:
�� How they navigated their career path
�� What their day-to-day work looks like
�� What they wish they had known during training
�� and much more!
No presentations or formal talks - just real conversations, honest insights, and an opportunity to explore what might be next for you.
Come with your questions, curiosity, and an open mind!
NIH Fellowship Mock Study Section
��️Thursday November 12th | ⏱️ 12:00pm - 2:00pm |�� 1-7619 Adolph (Lower) Auditorium
myHub will host an NIH Fellowship Mock Study Section to help trainees understand what happens to a fellowship application after it is submitted, reviewed, and processed.
University of Rochester Faculty will review fellowship applications and demonstrate the process by which an application is discussed and scored.
Food will be provided
Lessons for Translating Biomedical Research
��️ Friday, November 13th | ⏱️11:00 am -12:00 pm | ��K-307 Auditorium (SMD 3-6408)
Please join UR Ventures for a Special Guest Seminar by Matthew Shair, PhD ('90), Academic Researcher & Biotech Entrepreneur.
About the Speaker: Matthew Shair, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University, an associate of the Broad Institute and an affiliate of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. The Shair lab develops novel small molecule therapeutics and using chemical probes discovered in the lab, they study human disease biology. His lab discovered the dependency of CDK8/19 in acute myeloid leukemia and then licensed to Merck potential therapeutics in this space in the largest upfront payment ever received by Harvard. He co-founded Infinity Pharmaceuticals in 2001 and founded Nuvalent in 2017, where he was also head scientific advisor and a member of the board of directors from 2017 to 2025. Nuvalent has one approved drug in non-small cell lung cancer with another up for FDA review. In June 2026, Nuvalent was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $10.6B.
For questions, please contact Dina Uzri at dina.uzri@rochester.edu.
Mastering the Art of Grant Writing
��️ Wednesday, November 18th | ⏱️11:30 am -1:00 pm | ��G-8534 Anderson Room
International students and postdocs: learn how to craft strong proposals and find funding opportunities for your research! Lunch provided!
Unlocking Your Family Story: Genealogy Series
��️Wednesday, November 18th| ⏱️ 12:00pm - 1:00pm |�� Rush Rhees Library
A 12-month genealogy learning program designed to help participants explore, preserve,
and share their family history through interactive sessions and hands-on activities.
Whether you are just getting started or already have genealogy experience, this program
offers something for learners of all backgrounds and skill levels.
| Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program |
The HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program supports postdoctoral scientists who show exceptional promise as future research leaders, equipping them to pursue bold and creative scientific research as they transition to independent faculty careers. Beginning with the 2028 competition — opening November 3, 2026 — the Hanna H. Gray Fellows and Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Programs will select scientists through a single, combined competition. (Applicant review is specific to career stage.)
Hanna Gray Fellows receive up to two years of salary or stipend support, additional support to cover certain expenses associated with their Fellowship, and tailored professional development, including personalized support for their faculty search. Fellows who obtain a qualifying tenure-track or equivalent faculty position will be appointed as Freeman Hrabowski Scholars.
| America's Got Regulatory Science Talent Competition (Deadline November 4th!) |
The fourteenth annual America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent student competition, scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, 2026 at 12:00 pm is now accepting applications. Organized by the UR CTSI, the competition aims to promote student interest in regulatory science. Students matriculated at the University in any undergraduate or graduate program of study 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 America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent page to learn more.
Entry forms are due by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
| Postdoc or Industry After a PhD? |
How Whitney Christian Chose His Path!
Whitney Christian earned his PhD while raising two young children—and made career decisions shaped by both his scientific interests and his family’s needs. He joins The Next Step to share his path from working as a lab technician to earning his doctorate at URochester and building a career in industry. A 2012 graduate of our Toxicology program, Whitney raised two young children during graduate school and navigated the unexpected loss of his PhD mentor. He discusses the support and decisions that helped him finish, why he chose consulting over a postdoc at Yale, and how that choice opened doors to medical device safety and industry leadership. After a decade at Medtronic, Whitney now serves as global vice president of clinical safety and head of Americas device safety at L’Oréal.
| Mental Health First Aid Training November Sessions! |
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Since 2008, more than 3 million people in the U.S. have been trained by certified instructors to identify, understand, and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
Training is available for everyone - SMD graduate students, postdocs, staff, and faculty can all attend Mental Health First Aid training conveniently on-site. MHFA Certified Instructor Amber Rivera, Director of Learner Life and Wellness, offers the training several times per year. Contact Amber (amber_rivera@urmc.rochester.edu) for more information or to register for an upcoming training session.
Training Sessions for Graduate Students & Postdocs
Afternoon Sessions:
��️Thursday, November 5th & Friday, November 6th| ⏱️ 12:30pm - 4:30pm |�� Rooms will be emailed
OR
Full Day Session:
��️Monday, November 16th| ⏱️ 8:00am - 4:15pm |�� Rooms will be emailed
This week's featured read ��✨: Cracking The Hidden Job Market: How to Find Opportunity in Any Economy by Donald Asher is a practical guide to uncovering unadvertised job opportunities across a wide range of industries and experience levels. Drawing on expert career advice, Asher explores effective networking strategies, proactive job search techniques, and methods for tapping into the unlisted job market, including direct outreach, building professional relationships, and identifying hidden openings. This book offers valuable advice on bypassing traditional application bottlenecks, effectively communicating career value, and landing roles that are never publicly posted. It is a helpful resource for students, postdocs, and professionals looking to expand their job searches, uncover new opportunities, and successfully navigate the next steps in their career journeys.
Stop by the GEPA office to check it out!
This week’s spotlight celebrates Karli Sutton, Ph.D., an SMD alumna who successfully defended her dissertation on October 26, 2026!
Working under Dr. Meera Singh, Karli focused her research on "platelet-mediated immune dysregulation in people living with HIV." Looking back on her journey, she shared that she wished she could "go tell high school Karli, whose most prized possession was her microscope, that in a couple of years, she would officially be Dr. Sutton (and that she did it while wearing bright pink shoes)."
A huge congratulations to Dr. Sutton on this incredible milestone!
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 the Office of Disability Resources. 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.
Connect with SMD
Tag us or use #URochesterResearch!
