Hello Postdocs,

We wanted to bring to your attention a few new items that were not included in our October Newsletter. Please read through for mentoring, programming, and funding opportunities.

Reminder: The 15th Annual Vanderbilt Postdoc Symposium registration is open through October 25th. The symposium will be an all-day event on Monday, November 1. Please register here.

Thank you,
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Mentoring Opportunity

For those of you interested in mentoring, we invite you to get involved with the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program.

The Bridge Program finds and fosters PhD-level scientific talent within traditionally overlooked groups. It focuses on increasing the number of PhDs from underrepresented groups in astronomy, biology, chemistry, materials science, and physics. After 17 years and over 160 students, the program has built a program committed to mentoring and world-class research.

The Bridge Program always wants to connect their students with good mentors — especially postdocs. Postdoc mentoring is crucial because students get to see what the next level looks like. Postdocs are experienced enough to provide great career advice, but not senior enough to forget what it was like being a grad student!

If you’re interested in connecting with the Bridge Program, there will be a Mentor Mixer on October 26th with faculty, students, and postdocs in the Graduate Student Lounge (room 100) of Alumni Hall at 6pm. Please register.

If you have any questions, reach out to Lauren Campbell, Ph.D., Assistant Director of the Fisk Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program.

English Language Center Postdoc Workshops

The English Language Center (ELC) has two upcoming Postdoc Workshops. These hour-long sessions will start at 10am on Friday, October 22 and Friday, December 10. The content of both workshops will be the same.

In these workshops, the following will be discussed:

• Strategies for effectively communicating with your advisor or mentor
• Resources for balancing productivity and mental health while managing postdoc responsibilities
• General tips for making the most of your postdoc years

Please visit the ELC website for registration information.

International Postdoc Programming

International Student and Scholar Services is hosting three upcoming seminars.

Can I do that? What is and isn’t Employment?: Monday, October 25, 2021 at 12PM
Can international students and scholars invest in a business while in the US? What about flipping houses? Immigration attorneys Michele Madera and Elise Fialkowski with Klasko Immigration Law will discuss what constitutes “employment” and what activities are acceptable in various visa categories. The conversation will range from volunteer positions to selling on eBay to accepting awards with financial prizes to investment and entrepreneurship. It will address common scenarios and provide practical advice on what you can and can’t do with each visa classification, with a Q&A to address your questions. Register here.

Immigration Options after OPT/AT with Immigration Attorney Adam Cohen: November 2, 2021 at 11:30AM
International students – Please join ISSS as we host immigration attorney, Adam Cohen with Siskind Susser PC, who will present on options after graduation and Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students/Academic Training (AT) for J-1 students, including the basics of the H-1B employment visa, pathways to permanent residency, and other options for you to explore. Register here.

Self-Petitioned Pathways to Permanent Residency: Immigration Attorney David Ware: November 16, 2021 at 5:30PM
International scholars – ISSS at Vanderbilt University hosts immigration attorney David Ware with Ware Immigration. He will present on building your CV to provide you with options/pathways to U.S. permanent residency which are self-petitioned, focusing on national interest waivers (NIW’s) and EB-1A’s for those of Extraordinary Ability. This workshop will not cover University-sponsored pathways to a green card. This session will not be recorded, so please make sure to attend if you are interested. The attorney does not provide legal advice, but rather general information to get you thinking about these topics. Register here.

For any questions, please contact Julie Wilbers for more information.

Other October Events for the Postdoc Community

What to Expect when Applying for Non-Academic Jobs: October 14, 2021 at 4PM
Preparing for the job market? Learn the process, timeline, and professional documents necessary to be a confident and knowledgeable applicant. Register here.

Women in the Academy: Negotiating Your First Academic Job: October 19, 2021 at 12PM
A presentation by Maureen Gannon, Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Development, School of Medicine. Register here.

Creating Effective Scientific Talks and Delivering Them with Confidence: October 21, 2021 at 2PM
Led by Kathy Gould, PhD, this workshop will provide basic instruction in strategies of engaging your audiences with maximally effective slide preparation and speaking techniques. Practice opportunities will also be made available after the workshop, with critical but supportive feedback. Register here.

Resources

• Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
• Center for Teaching
• Faculty Affairs
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Research@Vanderbilt
• VUMC Office of Research
• Graduate School
• BRET: Biomedical Research Education and Training
• Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities
• Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center
• Postdoc Funding and Job Opportunities
• Archived Newsletters and Past Communications