The Mentoring Lab: Build Skills for Effective Undergraduate Research Mentorship
2024-05-14 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Registration required by May 10, 2024

Session 1: May 14, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, G10 Biotechnology Building
Session 2: May 30, 2024 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, G10 Biotechnology Building

If you have questions, please contact, Dr. Laura Schoenle, Engineering Learning Initiatives (laura.schoenle@cornell.edu).
Presenters: Dr. Colleen McLinn and Dr. Evelyn Ambríz, Cornell Graduate School
Join us for a two-part interactive discussion and workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. You will learn evidence-based mentoring techniques, articulate your own mentoring style, and engage with tools that you can use right now to enhance your mentoring practice. This workshop is ideal for the mentors of undergraduate researchers who would like to refine their mentoring practices or who are first-time mentors to undergraduate researchers.
In part one, we’ll use case studies and discussion prompts from the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research to explore foundational questions such as: “How can you set expectations for mentor and mentee to make sure the project and relationship stay on track? What are common challenges students face when getting started with research?”
In part two, we will engage with questions like “How can we ensure mentees feel welcome and support their growth and confidence as researchers?”
Additionally, we will preview new tools and resources being developed at Cornell as part of Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) Resource Center, primarily designed for use in graduate education and the professoriate, but highly relevant to mentors at all levels.
Space is limited and registration is required. All registrants are expected to attend both sessions. Workshops are facilitated by Dr. Colleen McLinn (cmm252) and Dr. Evelyn Ambríz (ea229) from the Cornell Graduate School. If you have questions, please contact, Dr. Laura Schoenle (laura.schoenle@cornell.edu).

Getting a Faculty Position: Lessons Learned During the Academic Job Search
2024-05-23 11:00 - 12:30 | Zoom
Join us for a live online panel discussion featuring postdoctoral scholars and graduate students who were offered faculty positions this year! Bring your questions about the process and hear from the recent experiences of other Cornellians.
Meets online via Zoom. Register to attend.
Panelists to be Announced.
Co-sponsored by Future Faculty and Academic Careers and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies, as part of the Graduate School’s Academic Job Search Series.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all community members. Individuals who would like to request accessibility accommodations should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

The Mentoring Lab: Build Skills for Effective Undergraduate Research Mentorship
2024-05-30 10:00 - 12:00 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Registration required by May 10, 2024 (contact us directly for late registrations)

Session 1: May 14, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, G10 Biotechnology Building
Session 2: May 30, 2024 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, G10 Biotechnology Building

If you have questions, please contact, Dr. Laura Schoenle, Engineering Learning Initiatives (laura.schoenle@cornell.edu).
Presenters: Dr. Colleen McLinn and Dr. Evelyn Ambríz, Cornell Graduate School
Join us for a two-part interactive discussion and workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. You will learn evidence-based mentoring techniques, articulate your own mentoring style, and engage with tools that you can use right now to enhance your mentoring practice. This workshop is ideal for the mentors of undergraduate researchers who would like to refine their mentoring practices or who are first-time mentors to undergraduate researchers.
In part one, we’ll use case studies and discussion prompts from the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research to explore foundational questions such as: “How can you set expectations for mentor and mentee to make sure the project and relationship stay on track? What are common challenges students face when getting started with research?”
In part two, we will engage with questions like “How can we ensure mentees feel welcome and support their growth and confidence as researchers?”
Additionally, we will preview new tools and resources being developed at Cornell as part of Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) Resource Center, primarily designed for use in graduate education and the professoriate, but highly relevant to mentors at all levels.
Space is limited and registration is required. All registrants are expected to attend both sessions. Workshops are facilitated by Dr. Colleen McLinn (cmm252) and Dr. Evelyn Ambríz (ea229) from the Cornell Graduate School. If you have questions, please contact, Dr. Laura Schoenle (laura.schoenle@cornell.edu).

Pathways to Success Symposium
2024-06-04 09:30 - 16:30 | 148 Stocking Hall, 411 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14853
Pathways to Success is the Graduate School’s framework for helping graduate and professional students and postdoctoral scholars be successful in their research and scholarship, and establish necessary skills for their future careers.
The Summer P2S Symposium is a professional development opportunity for doctoral, professional degree, and research master’s students and postdoctoral scholars that will provide participants with information and tools useful for their time at Cornell and beyond. Participants may register for an individual session or all sessions offered on the symposium day.
For more information on speakers, visit the Pathways to Success Symposium webpage
Register now to attend.

The Application Process for an Academic Job
2024-06-11 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
To kick off the 2024-2025 Academic Job Search Series for Cornell graduate students and postdocs, come learn about the process of searching for a U.S. faculty job from start to finish: when to apply for faculty and other academic positions, what documents are required (CV, cover letter, etc.), and how long the process takes. Bring your questions for an interactive online discussion.
Presented by Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development.
Register to attend and you will receive the Zoom meeting link via email.
Sponsored by the Graduate School’s Office of Career and Professional Development as part of the Academic Job Search Series. We encourage you to learn more about the other support resources available to you through the Office of Postdoctoral Studies and Future Faculty and Academic Careers.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Individuals who have accessibility accommodations to request should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

Developing a Narrative For Your Teaching Statement
2024-06-24 11:00 - 12:15 | Zoom
Explore essential elements of a teaching statement for an academic job application. Come prepared to brainstorm key ideas of your statement. Leave with peer feedback on a first draft of your teaching statement, or ideas on how you might revise an existing draft to ensure it accurately reflects your approach to creating inclusive classrooms.
Presenters: Derina Samuel, Associate Director for Graduate Student Development, Center for Teaching Innovation; Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Cornell Graduate School; and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register to attend.
Co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development and the Center for Teaching Innovation as part of the Graduate School’s Academic Job Search Series.

2024 Summer Success Symposium
2024-08-20 10:00 - 15:30 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
The Summer Success Symposium is a professional and community development event for new and continuing doctoral students from across all graduate fields. The symposium has a particular focus on bringing together recipients of graduate fellowships in support of diversity as well as all other doctoral students from backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy. This includes, but is not limited to students who identify as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latina/o/x, and/or Southeast Asian, and/or those that identify as first-generation college (FGC) students, LGBTQQ+ identified students, veterans, students with disabilities, women in STEM, students with DACA status, and others. Master’s degree students interested in pursuing doctoral studies are also welcome to this event.
Through this symposium, participants have the opportunity to form connections and establish community. This symposium also provides participants with the opportunity to engage with successful alumni, faculty, and professionals with shared experiences and identities. Summer Success Symposium keynote and workshop content focus on providing participants with access to knowledge and insights that will help them navigate their successful transition into and progression through their graduate studies.
Registration Required
10:00 am – 10:15 am ET
Check-In
10:15 am – 10:30 am ET
Welcoming Remarks
Speaker: Sara Xayarath Hernández, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student & Faculty Engagement, Graduate School
10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET
Opening Plenary Session: Values-Driven Leadership in Community-Engaged Scholarship and Practice
Speaker: Ruth C. Browne, Ph.D., President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House of New York, Cornell University – College of Human Ecology Inaugural Flemmie Kittrell Visiting Scholar, and recipient of the Cornell Graduate School Turner Kittrell Medal of Honor
About Dr. Ruth C. Browne
Dr. Ruth C. Browne is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House New York (RMH-NY), which provides temporary housing and support for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a caring and secure environment, close to the essential care and resources they need most. Prior to RMH-NY, Dr. Browne was CEO of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (AAIUH), a best practice catalyst for interventions that advance health and educational equity solutions for culturally diverse populations locally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Browne is a founder and a past Principal Investigator and Director of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center, an NIH funded Center of Excellence.
In 2023, Dr. Browne was named the inaugural Flemmie Kittrell Visiting Scholar for the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. Additionally, she is an Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and holds academic appointments in the Schools of Medicine, Health Related Professions, and Public Health. Dr. Browne is the recipient of two Fulbright Scholar Awards and numerous other honors, including the Cornell Graduate School Turner Kittrell Medal of Honor (2023), which recognizes individuals who have made significant national or international contributions to the advancement of diversity, inclusion, and equity in the academy, industry, or the public sector. This award is named for educators and activists Thomas Wyatt Turner, Ph.D. ’21, and Flemmie Pansy Kittrell, M.A. ’30, Ph.D. ’36, the first Black man and woman to earn doctoral degrees from Cornell.
Dr. Browne earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Princeton University, a Master of Public Health and Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, and a Doctor of Science from Harvard University School of Public Health.
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm ET
Lunch
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm ET
Alumni Keynote Session
Speaker: Christian D. Guzman, M.S. ‘11, Ph.D. ‘16, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst
About Dr. Christian Guzman
Dr. Christian Guzman is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering whose work investigates hydrology and water quality in the U.S. and tropical highland regions. His research group focuses on hillslope processes in watersheds, soil erosion, stable water isotopes, and nutrient transport. The research group also investigates environmental processes impacting social vulnerability. Dr. Guzman has a special interest in pursuing scholarship with a socio-hydrological perspective that benefits the local community, nation, and the world, including marginalized and underserved communities.
Dr. Guzman completed his postdoctoral studies at Washington State University with the support of a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Postdoctoral Fellowship. He completed his M.S. and Ph.D. at Cornell in Biological and Environmental Engineering where conducted research in Ethiopia, Colombia, and Ithaca, NY under the supervision of Professor Tammo Steenhuis. His doctoral studies were supported by several prestigious fellowships including the NSF GROW/USAID Research and Innovation, NSF Graduate Research, and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science Pathfinder Graduate Student Fellowships. While at Cornell, he was inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society and was recognized by Diversity Programs in Engineering as the 2015 Graduate Student of the Year. Before coming to Cornell, Dr. Guzman completed his B.S. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Florida.
2:00 pm – 2:15 pm ET
Break
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm ET
Student Panel: Mastering Your Transition Into & Progression Through Graduate School
During this panel discussion with continuing doctoral students from across the disciplines, panelists will candidly discuss their experiences and strategies for making a successful transition into graduate school. They will also share insights on their experiences navigating their ongoing progression through their graduate studies, and their exploration and preparation for various postgraduate career pathways.
Event Sponsors
Graduate School Office of Inclusion & Student Engagement, Diversity Programs in Engineering, and the Cornell Chapter of the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.
Attribution Statement
This program was modeled in part after PROMISE: Maryland’s NSF AGEP Summer Success Institute. The launch and institutionalization of the Summer Success Symposium benefited from support from the 2016 ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education and National Science Foundation under Award No. 1647094, CIRTL AGEP Transformation Alliance from 2016-2022. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the Cornell PI team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Grad Connect: A Resource Fair for Graduate and Professional Degree Students
2024-08-22 10:00 - 13:00 | Barton Hall, 117 Statler Drive, Ithaca, New York, 14853
This collaborative resource fair will allow graduate and professional degree students from across programs to engage with each other while learning more about the resources, offices, and organizations that help support their development and progression at Cornell. Open to incoming and current students. If you need accommodations to participate, please email gradstudentlife@cornell.edu.

Inclusive Teaching Institute for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars
2024-10-25 09:30 - 15:30 | ILR Conference Center, King-Shaw Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
This interactive workshop invites participants to reflect and connect with each other to share knowledge, explore how and why social identities come into play in the learning environment, consider how to remove barriers and increase accessibility, and create a plan to support student learning. (Sponsored by the Center for Teaching Innovation and the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers office). More information.
This program is an in-person retreat from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm on Friday, October 25, 2024, with a follow-up 90-minute online (Zoom) workshop the following week required to complete the program. As space in the institute is limited, please register early to save a place. Register for October 2024
If you have any questions please contact Melina Ivanchikova (md734@cornell.edu) at the Center for Teaching Innovation or Colleen McLinn (futurefaculty@cornell.edu) at the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers program.

Should I Do a Postdoc?
2024-11-12 12:30 - 13:30 | Zoom
Are you a graduate student wondering if you might want to seek a postdoctoral position on the way to the next stage of your career? Come hear an interactive presentation and engage in breakout discussion and question and answer by general field of study. Topics discussed will include: reasons to do a postdoctoral position, types of postdocs, how to apply and get funded.
Register to attend.
Presented by Graduate School Career and Professional Development staff and aimed at Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars.
Presenters: Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development

Interviewing and Negotiating for Academic Positions
2024-11-20 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-02-12 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
An important part of the academic job search is interviewing and then negotiating the offer. Come learn about the art of interviewing for faculty positions from your laptop or mobile device. The format will be interactive presentation followed by question and answer period.
Presenters: Yael Levitte, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity, and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register online
Co-sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Studies and the Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, as part of the Graduate School’s Academic Job Search Series.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Individuals who have accessibility accommodations to request should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers
2025-01-28 15:00 - 16:30 | ILR Conference Center, King-Shaw Hall, 140 Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
In this series of interactive workshops designed for current Cornell graduate students and postdocs and open to those in all fields, you will develop essential research mentoring skills, particularly in disciplines where research is conducted collaboratively and in teams. Learn best practices for mentoring research students and technicians and develop planning and communication skills needed to guide individual mentees and research teams.
All sessions will be practical in nature and feature short pre-readings or videos, case study discussions, and self-assessments to help identify your strengths and desired areas for improvement. Receive a certificate of completion for successfully participating in at least 4 of 5 sessions (dates: 1/28, 2/11, 2/25, 3/11, and 4/18). Interested participants should apply prior to the start of the series with the expectation of attending all workshops and actively participating in small and large group discussions.
Sessions are on Tuesdays between 3:00-4:30 pm ET. See full schedule and topics
Questions?

Contact Dr. Colleen McLinn, futurefaculty@cornell.edu or 607-255-2030

Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers is sponsored by the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, part of the Office of Career and Professional Development.

Information Session on the Cornell Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
2025-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Learn about the Three-Minute Thesis competition: history, format, judging, prizes, and how Cornell offers the chance to participate. Organizers will field your questions about competing in the Cornell Graduate School competition in Spring 2025.
Register online to attend an information session.

Virtual University-Wide Spring Career Fair
2025-02-05 12:00 - 16:00 | Online
The Virtual University-Wide Spring Career Fair is coming up on Wednesday, February 5, from 12:00 – 4:00pm ET. Student registration opened on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. This virtual fair is open to all students, and students can see the list of employers, register for sessions, and connect with employers through the through the Handshake event.
Prepare and get the most out of the career fair
Review these modules in the Career Development Toolkit from Cornell Career Services, Prepare for and Navigate Career Fairs and Networking. See also their Media Library of recorded workshops.
For more information on using Handshake as a participant in a virtual fair, review these articles and videos for students:

Handshake’s Guide to Attending a Virtual Fair
Participating in a Virtual Fair
View Employers Attending an Upcoming Career Fair

Questions about the virtual career fair can be directed to Kimberlee Swartz and the Employer Relations team. View more information here.

CNY Humanities Corridor: Getting Your Book Published - A Roundtable
2025-02-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Figuring out how to navigate the publishing process successfully can be mysterious and challenging. At this online round table for CNY Humanities Corridor faculty, postdocs, and graduate students, area university press editors demystify the process by discussing the questions they most often hear from authors and answering questions from the audience. Among the questions they will address:

How do I find the publishers most likely to be interested in my project?
When’s the best time and what’s the best way to approach an acquisitions editor?
What goes into a book proposal and what makes a proposal most likely to succeed in convincing the press to invite the manuscript?
Can I send proposals to more than one publisher at a time? What about the full manuscript?
How long should I wait to hear back from an acquisitions editor?
How does the peer review process work and how long does it usually take?
What happens after my manuscript is accepted…or rejected?
What about contracts? When should I expect to be offered one and what should I look for in it?
Is it okay if I’ve already published some articles out of my book manuscript?
I published my first book several years ago. What should I be mindful of this time around? What does it mean if my previous publisher won’t publish my newest manuscript?
What happens after I submit my final manuscript? Why does it take so long for the book to be published?

A resource list will be provided to registrants. Register via Zoom

Moderator: Heather Stauffer, Syracuse University Press
Panelists:

Rebecca Colesworthy, SUNY Press
Laura Fish, Syracuse University Press
Sonia Kane, University of Rochester Press
Meagan Levinson, Cornell University Press

See panelist bios

Thesis Therapy: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Graduate Writing
2025-02-26 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-03-26 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-04-23 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-05-14 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Wednesdays: 1/29, 2/26, 3/26, 4/23, 5/14 at 3:30 pm
Register for the Thesis Therapy workshop (any date)
Facilitator: Lex Enrico Santí, LCSW
“Thesis Therapy: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Graduate Writing” is a CAPS workshop designed to support graduate students facing the emotional challenges of thesis and dissertation writing. Through a blend of narrative therapy, creative arts therapy, and mindfulness techniques, participants will address the psychological barriers that impede writing progress. The workshop offers therapeutic writing exercises and group discussions, fostering resilience, self-compassion, and creative freedom. Guided by professionals skilled in both therapy and academia, “Thesis Therapy” provides a supportive environment for overcoming writer’s block and managing academic stress, promoting personal and academic growth.

Lifting as You Climb: Accounting for Power and Privilege in the Mentoring of Early Career Professionals
2025-02-27 12:30 - 13:30 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
2025 MAC Public Keynote on Mentoring within the Academy
Lifting as You Climb: Accounting for Power and Privilege in the Mentoring of Early Career Professionals
February 27, 2025
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm (Box Lunch Available at 12:00 pm)
Location: G10 Biotechnology
Register through Qualtrics
Speaker: Terrell Morton, Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education, University of Illinois Chicago
Session Summary

In this presentation, Dr. Morton will identify individual and collective strategies for leveraging one’s power and privilege to be an effective and impactful mentor who uplifts students while also mitigating or preventing trauma and harm. He particularly attends to mentoring practices that support individuals from racially minoritized groups within the current sociopolitical climate.
About Our Speaker
Dr. Terrell R. Morton is an Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education at the University of Illinois Chicago. He is an alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University (B.S. Chemistry), University of Miami (MS Neuroscience), and UNC Chapel Hill (Ph.D. Education – Learning Sciences and Psychological Studies). Dr. Morton identifies as a Scholar-Activist! His work strives to transform the positioning and understanding of Blackness in mainstream education, specifically STEM, seeking justice and joy for Black women, Black students, and other minoritized individuals given the social-cultural-political-historical positioning of their identities. He is an accomplished, emerging scholar, having published in various academic and lay spaces, given over 50 global and national talks and presentations, and obtained over 13 million dollars in external grants. Through every endeavor, he strives to “walk it like he talks it.”
Sponsorship
MAC Peer Mentoring Program, Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement, and the Future Faculty and Academic Careers Program

Visas After Graduation (for International Students)
2025-03-11 17:30 - 18:30 | Zoom
The Visas After Graduation presentation for international students provides an overview of possible options for working long-term in the U.S. after graduation and eventually becoming a permanent resident (green card holder) if you desire. The law firm of Miller Mayer presents this. This presentation may be recorded by the Office of Global Learning International Services. Time permitting, we will address questions after the presentation.
Register for Visas after Graduation

2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
2025-03-19 15:00 - 16:30 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a competition for graduate students to develop and showcase their research communication skills.
The 2025 final round competition will be held in-person on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in G10 Biotech. We will also offer a virtual attendance option by Zoom for those outside of Ithaca. Attend and vote for your favorite presentation for the People’s Choice Award!
3MT challenges research degree students to present a compelling story on their dissertation or thesis and its significance in just three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. In addition to the first place and second place winners from among the finalists, audience members on March 20 will be asked to select a People’s Choice Award Winner.
Event registration is open.

Should I Do a Postdoc?
2025-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Are you a graduate student wondering if you might want to seek a postdoctoral position on the way to the next stage of your career? Come hear an interactive presentation and engage in discussion about your questions. Topics discussed will include: reasons to do a postdoctoral position, types of postdocs, and how to apply and get funded.
Register to attend.
Presented by Graduate School Career and Professional Development staff and aimed at Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars.
Presenters: Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development

NPA SmartSkills Webinar: Navigating Uncertainty - Travel Challenges and Visa Revocations for International Postdocs and Scholars
2025-04-22 15:00 - 16:15 | Online
Sponsored by Seattle Children’s Research Institute
In recent months, international postdocs and scholars have faced increasing challenges related to travel restrictions, heightened scrutiny, and visa and SEVIS revocations. This session will provide an overview of the current U.S. immigration landscape as it pertains to J-1, F-1, and other visa categories commonly held by researchers and academic professionals. We will discuss recent policy changes, common triggers for visa revocations, best practices for international travel, and steps to take if problems arise.
Speaker: Brendan Delaney, Esq., partner, Frank & Delaney Immigration Law, LLC
Cornell University is an Organizational Member of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). You can sign up at no cost to you as a free, affiliate member and gain access to these and other webinars and resources. NPA SmartSkills events are held monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month in 2025. Classes are taught by experts and focus on building skills critical to career and personal success.

Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research
2025-04-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Join us for an interactive workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. You will learn evidence-based mentoring techniques and engage with tools that you can use right now to enhance your mentoring practice. This workshop is ideal for the mentors of undergraduate researchers who would like to refine their mentoring practices or who are first time mentors to undergraduate researchers. We are offering two workshop sessions that will include the same content, one on Zoom and one in person (in person includes lunch!).

Sponsored by the Cornell University Graduate School, College of Engineering, and the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), and open to all who will soon be mentoring undergraduate scholars conducting research (in any discipline).

Registration required

Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research
2025-05-22 12:00 - 14:30 | 142 Upson Hall, 124 Hoy Road, Ithaca, 14853, United States

Reunion 2025 @ The Graduate School – Cornell Trivia and Networking
2025-06-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Jacob Belding
Calling all doctoral and master’s degree alumni and current Graduate School students! Join us for an exciting afternoon filled with trivia and a sampling of local beverages at the Big Red Barn.
Keith Hannon
Test your knowledge with a fun round of trivia about famous Grad School alums, then relax and mingle with fellow professionals while enjoying a delightful sampling of local beverages. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect, compete, and celebrate!
Advanced registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. See you there!
Featuring trivia hosted by Jacob Belding ’26, current engineering Ph.D. student, and Keith Hannon, a member of the Cornell AAD team!
Hosted by the Graduate School and Cornell Alumni Career Programs.

Future Professors Institute Keynote Talk
2025-06-17 12:00 - 14:00 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
The Future Professors Institute engages graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in workshops, panel discussions, and talks focused on preparing them for faculty careers across institutional types.
The primary audiences for the institute are Cornell University graduate students and postdocs interested in faculty and academic career pathways who are committed to advancing access to higher education and supporting inclusive learning, mentoring, and research environments. Scholars external to Cornell who are affiliated with specific programs are eligible to register as well.
Additionally, we invite interested Cornell faculty and staff to register for the networking lunch and institute keynote talk by Dr. Wayne Scales on June 17.
There is no cost to attend; however, this is a space-limited event.
2025 Keynote
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 12:30 pm ET (Lunch from 12:00-12:30 pm)

Fostering Strategic University Partnerships for Excellence and Innovation
Developing strategic collaborations and partnerships is a key element of any university faculty member’s success. These partnerships advance both research, educational, and professional development agendas. There is a relatively broad spectrum of organizations and strategic agendas to develop such partnerships, but this discussion will consider one type of partnership that has received continued growing attention over the past decade. Although substantive partnerships between majority institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been occurring at least since the 1970s, in recent years due to the research trajectory of many of these institutions, expanding opportunities exist presently. For example, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has described these institutions as a relatively untapped national resource for talent. The importance and benefits of this type of partnership in higher education and recent examples of strategies used to create equitable and sustainable partnerships with HBCUs will be discussed.
Speaker

Dr. Wayne A. Scales (Cornell PhD ‘88), J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Prof. Wayne Scales received BS and MS degrees in Honors Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Virginia Tech and the PhD from Cornell University in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics with focus in Space Plasma Physics. He was an ASEE Postdoctoral Fellow in the Space Plasma Physics Branch of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Afterwards, he joined the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech and is currently the J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering and was founding Director of the Center for Space Science and Engineering Research (Space@VT) and founding Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program in Remote Sensing. Prof. Scales is also an affiliate Professor in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering. He has served as Special Assistant to the Dean of Engineering and Senior Consultant to the Vice President of Research and Innovation working on special initiatives in Quantum Information Science, Nanoscale Science, and Postdoctoral Affairs. He currently serves as Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs where his responsibilities include supporting special initiatives involving faculty development as well as research and workforce development partnerships with MSIs and HBCUs. His work in this area has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Sloan Foundation, and the Genentech Foundation Fund.
This keynote will be held on Cornell University central campus, and livestream access will also be available to remotely participating graduate students and postdocs.
Sponsorship
This is a collaborative initiative of the Cornell Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE), the Office of Career and Professional Development Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies,
Questions?
Institute Dates: Tuesday, June 17 (In-Person & Zoom); Wednesday, June 18 (Zoom)
Times: June 17, 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET; June 18, 12:30 pm – 4:45 pm ET
Locations: June 17, G10 Biotech & Zoom; June 18, Zoom
Registration: https://blogs.cornell.edu/futureprofs/registration-2025/
Registration Priority Dates: June 12, 2025 (for In-Person Participation); June 16, 2025 (for Virtual Participation)
Please direct any questions to: futurefaculty@cornell.edu

Future Professors Institute
2025-06-18 12:30 - 17:00 | Zoom
The Future Professors Institute engages graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in workshops, panel discussions, and talks focused on preparing them for faculty careers across institutional types.
The primary audiences for the institute are Cornell University graduate students and postdocs interested in faculty and academic career pathways who are committed to advancing access to higher education and supporting inclusive learning, mentoring, and research environments. Scholars external to Cornell who are affiliated with specific programs are eligible to register as well.
Additionally, we invite interested Cornell faculty and staff to register for the networking lunch and institute keynote talk by Dr. Wayne Scales on June 17.
There is no cost to attend; however, this is a space-limited event.

Day 2 Agenda:
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 12:30 – 4:45pm ET
Location: Zoom
12:30-1:45pm ET
Panel Discussion: Exploring Your Institutional Fit

Exploring Careers at Community Colleges, Liberal Arts Colleges and Master’s Granting Institutions, and Public and Private Research Universities

~ Short Break ~
2:00pm – 3:15pm ET
Fireside Chat: Navigating a Rapidly Changing Academy as an Early Career Faculty Member

Panelists:

Dr. Avery August, Deputy Provost and Professor of Immunology, Cornell University
Dr. Sherilynn Black, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education, Duke University
Dr. Dean Lacey, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Government, Dartmouth University

~ Short Break ~
3:30pm – 4:45pm ET
Concurrent Panels by Discipline: Establishing Your Scholarship and Research Agenda as a New Faculty Member

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Panel
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Panel

Sponsorship
This is a collaborative initiative of the Cornell Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE), the Office of Career and Professional Development Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies,
Questions?
Institute Dates: Tuesday, June 17 (In-Person & Zoom); Wednesday, June 18 (Zoom)
Times: June 17, 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET; June 18, 12:30 pm – 4:45 pm ET
Locations: June 17, G10 Biotech & Zoom; June 18, Zoom
Registration: https://blogs.cornell.edu/futureprofs/registration-2025/
Registration Priority Dates: June 12, 2025 (for In-Person Participation); June 16, 2025 (for Virtual Participation)
Please direct any questions to: futurefaculty@cornell.edu
