Professional Development
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..
Professional Development for Indigenous and Women of Color Graduate Students
This is offered by Faculty Women of Color in the Academy (FWCA) National Conference in Arlington, Virginia, April 11-14, 2024. See detailed information on this website. The Graduate School is happy to work with interested participants to secure travel funds.
Department of Energy Advanced Research Agency 2024 Energy Innovation Summit.
Graduate-level students interested in energy and innovation are invited to apply to the Student Program at the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) 2024 Energy Innovation Summit. The application deadline to participate is approaching soon on January 29, 2024. More information about the Student Program can be found on the ARPA-E Summit website and the Student Program fact sheet can be found on the ARPA-E website. The Summit will be held May 22-24, 2024, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center near Dallas, Texas.
Students accepted to the Student Program will be invited to participate in the third annual Proposing Ideas for Technologies that Can Harness Energy Sustainably (PITCHES) session. Selected students will present a five-minute pitch to their peers and a panel of industry representatives, who will provide feedback and ask questions. PITCHES is a unique opportunity for students to showcase innovative and novel energy ideas in a semi-formal setting in front of like-minded peers and industry representatives. The deadline to apply to PITCHES is March 22, 2024. More information about PITCHES can be found on the ARPA-E website.
Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Research Awards
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2024 Solicitation 1 cycle. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
SCGSR application assistance workshops will be held on March 9, 2023, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM p.m. ET and April 20, 2023, 2:00 PM p.m. – 4:30 PM p.m. ET.
The first workshop will provide a general overview of the program and the application requirements. It and will also include a time for discussing potential research topics with the program managers.
The second workshop will guide attendees through the application process, answer general questions, provide guidance on proposal writing, and feature discussions with scientists and former awardees.
The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory or facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist . The goal of the program is to prepare graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the mission of DOE’s Office of Science. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall graduate thesis while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the host DOE laboratories.
SCGSR is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE’s Office of Science. Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 919 graduate awardees from 155 U.S. universities to conduct thesis research at all 17 DOE national laboratories across the nation.
The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), in collaboration with the Office of Science’s six research programs offices and two research and development R&D and production offices, and with the DOE national laboratories/facilities. Program administration support is provided by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). More information on the SCGSR program can be found at by visiting the SCGSR program website., by attending the program’s virtual office hours which are held every Tuesday between 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET via this Zoom link, or by emailing the SCGSR team sc.scgsr@science.doe.gov
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.
Making Documentary Graduate Course
Would you like to learn valuable production skills and incorporate a video component into your thesis or dissertation? A media project can expand access to your work and reach viewers inside and outside of academic circles. This class will teach you the basics of production and guide you through the process of making a short documentary. There is no previous production experience necessary and students from all disciplines are welcome. To learn more and see examples of student work, look here.
Instructors: Sean O’Brien and Antonio Torres
Fall Semester; Friday 9-11:40 A.M.
For more information contact Sean O’Brien at (406)493-8342 or e-mail sean.o’brien@mso.umt.edu.
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#