Building Your Tomorrow

UM is dedicated to helping students grow both in and outside of the classroom. This takes many shapes, such as writing retreats, engaging conferences, and career-development programs. Explore these pages to learn more about our offerings on career building and teaching resources that will guide you in your time here and beyond.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Student Representative Needed

The OSPI team is looking for a GRADUATE STUDENT to serve on the Flagship Fund Advisory Group. The Advisory Group will review the Flagship Fund proposals, meet with the proposal authors, and make recommendations to the President and Provost on the proposals in which to invest. We expect Advisory Board duties will require a 12-15 hour commitment, concentrated in late March and early April and to include proposal review and 2 or 3 Advisory Group meetings. Learn more about the Flagship Fund.

This year, the Flagship Fund invites proposals for one-year grants of up to $10,000 to build the University’s capacity to better utilize generative artificial intelligence. Proposals may be for individuals or teams in any sector to amplify existing areas of understanding, to adopt new ways of work, to pilot AI tools, or to participate in professional development. Proposals should align with one of the five, broad AI pillars the university has identified: 1) curricular integration; 2) student support; 3) operational efficiency; 4) enrollment, marketing, and advancement; and 5) research and innovation; and support one or more of UM’s strategic objectives.

Those with interest, experience, or expertise in AI would be valuable to the group, but that is not required. Please send nominations, including self-nominations, to leslie.webb@umt.edu and do not hesitate to contact her if you have any questions.

**You can also submit your own proposal to the Flagship Fund. Check out the submission details on the UM Strategy website..

Postdoctoral Training with Stanford Programs

Are you considering continuing your training as a postdoc? Applications are now open for two Stanford programs committed to supporting a thriving, diverse postdoc population. Eligible applicants may apply to either or both programs. Please see below for further details. 

• The Propel Postdoctoral Scholars program is for incoming and early postdocs in the biosciences at Stanford who have a strong desire to become faculty.
  • The Propel Postdoctoral Scholars Program empowers outstanding researchers, prepares future faculty leaders, and creates a community of promising bioscientists from backgrounds historically underrepresented in academia who are interested in becoming faculty. Propel is a 2-year cohort-based program that provides a $85,000 annual salary with benefits and $5,000 supplemental research funds.  
  • Propel is designed to help you thrive in your postdoc and faculty career with programming that supports community-building, career development to navigate the transition to a faculty career, and professional skills like grant writing, science communication, networking, and mentoring.  
  • Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact the Propel team for guidance on preparing a successful application, including connecting with potential mentors. 
  • Apply today! Application deadline is June 2, 2024.

Additional Resources

Teaching resources on the Graduate School TA Orientation and Teaching Resources webpage. You can also investigate the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project.

All graduate students can access the resources of the Writing and Public Speaking Center for their own work, and they can also refer their students to WPSC, or schedule sessions when writing tutors visit a class to pitch their services or provide workshops.

The Graduate School also posts weekly professional development webinars on Griz Hub, the University's events calendar page.

Writing and Public Speaking Center Graduate Student Workshop Series 

Throughout the semester, the Writing and Public Speaking Center on campus hosts a four-part series of workshops for graduate students addressing specific challenges of writing and research in graduate school, and providing tips and strategies for becoming a stronger, more organized and productive writer.

We still have a few spots left! Grad students from all departments are invited to join the Writing Center for our four-day Spring Break Jump Start Writing Retreat, March 18-21, from 9am-2pm daily. There is no cost to attend. The retreat offers independent writing time, focused discussions, support from Writing Center staff, hot beverages and hearty snacks. Attend online or in-person; repeat attendees welcome. To reserve a spot please complete this Jump Start Registration Form. More info on other Writing Center programs for grad students can be found here. Questions? Email writingcenter@umontana.edu.

Find more info on the Writing and Public Speaking Center website.

Jump Start Writing Retreat

This four-day writing-intensive program is offered winter session and spring break. Focused discussion on challenges specific to graduate student writers is coupled with daily independent writing times that allow you to apply new strategies and tips, as well as make tangible progress on your writing. The next session will be the Spring Break Jump Start: March 20-23, 2023. More information is available on the Writing and Public Speaking Center website.

Questions? contact Catherine Filardi: catherine.filardi@umontana.edu 

National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

UM graduate students are encouraged to take advantage of their free membership to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD). The NCFDD is a nationally-recognized organization that provides career development and mentoring resources to help faculty grow in their careers and find balance and success in their work lives. 

Here is a sample of offerings that might be of interest:

• How to Develop a Daily Writing Practice
• 14 Day Writing Challenge
• Flow: Finding (and Keeping!) Joy in Academic Writing and Research
• Media Interviews and Relationship Building
• Writing Through Writers Block: Turning Research Obstacles into Insight
• Intro to Academic Publishing Contracts and Negotiation Basics
• How to Translate Your Research for a General Audience
• How to Set up and Manage a Lab
• Building and Leading Successful Research Teams
• Creating a Harassment Free Lab
• Fulbright U.S. Scholar Information Session
• Pivot to Public Writing

Activate your membership on the Faculty Diversity website.

PD.education

PD.education, powered by DoctoralNet and available to all graduate students, is an online platform for developing your writing, thinking, and research skills throughout your graduate study. You will be able to access a number of different video webinars, as well as participate in 7- and 10-week writing challenges. You can sign up to receive regular updates from them with prompts for writing activities, webinars, and videos to help you stay on track with projects and your overall professional development. 

Montana graduate students have access to PD.education resources through a generic email, based on their degree level:

Masters students will use the following username: UMontMasters@pd.education

Doctoral students, including EdD, will use the following username: UMontDoctoral@pd.education 

All students will use the same password: #123Umt#