Volume 21, Number 29

HST Community Notices

Course & Academic Resources

Conferences, Lectures & Seminars

Student Opportunities

Professional Opportunities

Career & Financial Guidance Programs

HST Community Notices

MIT AND HARVARD COVID-19 RESOURCES

MIT Resources:

MIT Information Hub: covid19.mit.edu

Teaching Resources: http://teachremote.mit.edu/networks

Email addresses for COVID related questions:

  • Student support: covid19-support [at] mit.edu (COVID19-support[at]mit[dot]edu)
  • Events exceptions/concerns: COVIDevents [at] mit.edu (COVIDevents[at]mit[dot]edu)
  • Travel exceptions/concerns (provost/chancellor): COVIDtravel [at] mit.edu (COVIDtravel[at]mit[dot]edu)
  • Travel/visitor/events POLICIES: em-staff [at] mit.edu (em-staff[at]mit[dot]edu)
  • Cancelling and expensing travel: travelsupport [at] mit.edu (travelsupport[at]mit[dot]edu)
  • Educational continuity: ed-continuity [at] mit.edu (ed-continuity[at]mit[dot]edu)

Harvard University Resources:

HU Website updates: https://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus

HMS updates: https://hms.harvard.edu/coronavirus

HMS Office of Student Affairs: https://canvas.hms.harvard.edu/courses/2769

Teaching Resources: https://teachremotely.harvard.edu/

Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum: Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum

COMPILATION OF OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER OR REQUEST HELP IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

An update on MIT efforts to provide PPE for local hospitals can be found here.

For additional opportunities, please refer to the current list posted here on the HST website.

UPDATE YOUR STUDENT DIRECTORY PROFILE ON THE HST WEBSITE

The HST website now has a searchable student profile directory (restricted to HST students, faculty and staff). We hope this will be a great resource for students to connect over research interests, shared hobbies, questions about lab search, etc. All students have a skeleton profile with name, start year, degree program and school email address, other available fields are opt in.  Please consider logging on via Touchstone and updating your profile (available fields include: photo, personal email, personal website, PI, research interest keywords, hometown, hobbies, and more!)

Course & Academic Resources

LEADERSHIP COURSE 8.S397 - SECOND HALF-SEMESTER

This Spring 2020, we have begun to offer a new course on professional strategies and skills and leadership at MIT. It has been widely recognized by MIT that such training is vital for advancing graduate student and postdoc careers in academia and industry. A large variety of topics useful for all career choices are covered throughout this set of two half-semester courses, together with interactive components and discussions. 

Given current circumstances, now is the time to think about and proactively develop your leadership skills! 

The second half-semester course on Leadership (8.S397) is starting March 31, 2020!
Classes meet online with zoom Tuesdays 9:30-11am and Thursdays 5:30-7:00pm until May 12. 

This is the 2nd part of our MIT LEAPS program: LEAdership and Professional Strategies and Skills (Note: It is not a prerequisite to have taken Part 1 on Professional Strategies and Skills)

Graduate students and postdocs are encouraged to register for this spring course to take advantage of this opportunity! 

Course Description 
8.S397 -- Developing Your Leadership Potential (runs online Mar 29 to May 12, 2020)
Both leadership and management skills are critical to the success of an MIT PhD after they leave the Institute. Although there is some overlap between these two sets of skills, this course will focus on developing the leadership skills that will make it possible for you to have a greater impact and success in your future work, whether in academia, industry or other area. 

Each of us has to find their own way in the leadership labyrinth and develop their emotional intelligence, a critical component of leadership, which complements IQ and technical skills.  We will investigate self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation and managing relationships. On the practical side, we will discuss team building, negotiation, managing and resolving conflict, bias, diversity and inclusion. This course is specifically for doctoral candidates in the School of Science.

Additional information
Graduate Students: Please register for 8.S397 in the same way as you do for your other classes during Spring registration. 
Postdocs and Listeners: Please email us to register: mitleaps [at] gmail.com (mitleaps[at]gmail[dot]com)

This class has 6 credit units; expected weekly workload is ~5-6h, including class time. For registered students, there will be a pass/no record grade. All participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion.

Note: As this is a pilot, this course is hosted in the physics department. There are not yet any matching course numbers across other departments. The course will be co-facilitated by groups of selected postdocs who are learning to teach this course. This will provide for additional mentoring and networking opportunities.

This course is supported by Michael Sipser, Dean of the SoS, Beatriz Cantada, Program Director, Institute Community and Equity Office, Timothy Jamison, Associate Provost and Ian Waitz, Vice-Chancellor for undergraduate and graduate education.

UPCOMING GUEST LECTURES - HST.576 - TOPICS IN NEURAL SIGNAL PROCESSING

Here is info for upcoming virtual lectures in Dr. Emery Brown's class - open to everyone even if not registered in the class!

All of the remaining class lectures will be virtual. All of the instructions for how to join will be updated at the following link each week: https://bit.ly/2Qbmz5T 

Brandon Westover, MD, PhD, Director, MGH Critical Care EEG Monitoring
Control Systems for Brain Sates: Therapeutic Medical Coma

Maryam Shanechi, PhD, Assistant Professor & Viterbi Early Career Chair, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Systems, University of Southern California
Neural Decoding and Control of Multiscale Brain Networks; From Motor to Mood

Abstract: In this talk, I first discuss our recent work on modeling, decoding, and controlling multisite human brain dynamics underlying mood states. I present a multiscale dynamical modeling framework that allows us to decode mood variations for the first time and identify brain sites that are most predictive of mood. I then develop a system identification approach that can predict multiregional brain network dynamics (output) in response to electrical stimulation (input) toward enabling closed-loop control of brain network activity. Further, I demonstrate that our framework can uncover multiscale behaviorally relevant neural dynamics from hybrid spike-field recordings in monkeys performing naturalistic movements. Finally, the framework can combine information from multiple scales of activity and model their different time-scales and statistics. These dynamical models, decoders, and controllers can advance our understanding of neural mechanisms and facilitate future closed-loop therapies for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Bio: Maryam M. Shanechi is Assistant Professor and Viterbi Early Career Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California (USC). She is also a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at USC. She received her BASc degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto in 2004 and her SM and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2006 and 2011, respectively. She held postdoctoral positions at Harvard Medical School and at UC Berkeley from 2011-2013. She directs the Neural Systems Engineering Lab at USC. Her research is focused on developing closed-loop neurotechnologies and studying the brain through decoding and control of brain network dynamics. She is the recipient of various awards including the NSF CAREER Award, ONR Young investigator award, MIT Technology Review’s top 35 innovators under the age of 35 (TR35), Popular Science Brilliant 10, Science News 10 scientists to watch, and an ARO multidisciplinary university research initiative (MURI) award.

HST.590 SCHEDULE OF LECTURES & COURSE EVENTS

Topics in Product Development and Health Care Policy

HST.590 will continue as scheduled online. Registered students will receive the zoom link via email; others interested in attending virtually should email Max Cotler (mjcotler [at] mit.edu (mjcotler[at]mit[dot]edu)) to request the link.

  • April 2, 2020: Brian Winey and Harald Paganetti - MGH Software Development; Jonathan Jackson - CEO, Dimagi Inc.
  • April 9, 2020: Amy Winslow - President, BioPorto Diagnostics; Kate Rumrill - CEO, Ablative Solutions
  • April 16, 2020: Muhammad Zaman - Professor, BU Biomedical Engineering and International Health, Op-ed contributor to Huffington Post
  • April 23, 2020: Ashley Mateus - VP, Akili Interactive; HST Alumna

UPCOMING EVENTS FROM THE TEACHING + LEARNING LAB (TLL)

Information about upcoming workshops for graduate students and postdocs can be found here.

If you have any questions about programs and resources available to graduate students through the TLL, contact Ben Hansberry, Asst. Director for Graduate Student Teaching, bhansber [at] mit.edu (bhansber[at]mit[dot]edu)

Subscribe here to the TLL Newsletter.

HARVARD INNOVATION LABS CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Information about the Harvard i-lab and it's upcoming events and activities can be found here.

Conferences, Lectures & Seminars

MGH NEUROLOGY GRAND ROUNDS - MTT MEMORIAL LECTURE

Topic: Conceptual refinements that justify brain death determination

Presenter: James L. Bernat, MD, Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Active Emeritus Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College

James L. Bernat, MD is a neurologist at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Formerly the Louis and Ruth Frank Professor of Neuroscience, currently he is a Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Active Emeritus. Following graduation from Cornell University Medical College, he trained in internal medicine and neurology at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He has been a Dartmouth faculty member for 43 years. Dr. Bernat has been elected to fellowship in the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurological Association, and the Hastings Center. He is a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. His scholarly interests are in ethical and philosophical issues in neurology, particularly brain death and disorders of consciousness. He has authored over 250 articles and chapters on topics in neurology and bioethics. He is the author of Ethical Issues in Neurology, 3rd ed. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008) and co-editor of Ethical and Legal Issues in Neurology (Elsevier, 2013) and Palliative Care in Neurology (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Important: Zoom User Guide– Grand Rounds Participants

  1. Join Zoom Meeting via https://partners.zoom.us/j/7980131942.
  2. Do not unmute Audio
  3. Do not enable Video
  4. Ask questions only through Chat

For questions or support, please contact Bo (Carol) Qian (bo.qian [at] mgh.Harvard.edu)

MEDTECH BOSTON INFORMATION SOURCE & CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Boston has long been known as a medical mecca of scientific discovery. Boston’s healthcare professionals and administrators are adopting practices from other high-risk and service industries. The ‘big data’ movement is thriving, fundamentally changing our healthcare delivery systems. Digital health investments are higher than ever before. Medical hackathons and un-conferences are now an every-weekend occurrence. And both redesign and innovation promise to change medicine as we know it. It’s all happening right here, right now. But the problem is that many of us don’t know it. Despite Boston’s innovative energy and a solid medical infrastructure, many medical providers and health care entrepreneurs remain in the dark about the opportunities, events and work happening in and around the city of Boston – and across the country. That’s where we come in.

At Medtech Boston, we highlight exciting medical innovation work in and around the city of Boston. We aim to start a discussion about the most exciting and controversial new healthcare offerings, igniting a new reputation for Boston as a city with first-class medical research and patient care, but also as a city full of passionate people who use new technology to think big thoughts about medicine’s most pressing problems.

More organizational information and event postings from Medtech Boston is available here.

MIT GLOBAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL HUMANITIES INITIATIVE (GHMHI) UPCOMING EVENTS

The goal of the Global Health and Medical Humanities Initiative (GHMHI) is to provide MIT students the training to analyze critically the determinants of health and roles of medicine in society from historical and cross-cultural perspectives.

Global Health programs in medical schools, schools of public health, and universities and colleges across the U.S. emphasize how biomedical training, research, and practice, as well as interdisciplinary collaborations beyond the health sciences, are necessary to improve the determinants of health—whether social, political, economic, or biological.

Medical Humanities is a subfield of medicine that draws on the humanities, arts, and social sciences to analyze medical education and clinical practice.

Find more information and a calendar of upcoming events at http://ghmhi.mit.edu/.

BRAINMAP SEMINARS

Future topics will be similar to the previous Brainmap season, with some talks on Optogenetics, MR-PET, BOLD physiology, ultra-high field MRI, multimodal integration, contrast agents, and many more exciting topics! Unless otherwise noted, seminars (webinars) are held on Wednesdays at noon.

Brainmap website: http://www.martinos.org/training/brainmap

To sign up for the mailing list, please go to: https://mail.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/brainmap

Student Opportunities

MITAC OPPORTUNITIES - VIRTUAL TOURS, EVENTS, PERFORMANCES,ETC.

Welcome! The MIT Activities Committee offers discounted tickets to the MIT community for local arts and culture, sporting events, and family activities.

View our list of Virtual Tours and Performances
Due to current COVID-19 concerns, all tickets are available for purchase online only.

Members of the MIT community: subscribe here (at the bottom of the page) to our mailing list/newsletter to receive the latest updates delivered right to your inbox!

CURES WITHIN REACH FOR CANCER (CWR4C) - SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

Overview: Cures Within Reach for Cancer (CWR4C) is a nonprofit startup that is getting new and affordable
cancer treatments to patients faster by repurposing generic drugs. This is a great opportunity for students to
learn about the drug development process and get hands-on experience working at a cutting edge social impact
startup at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), biology, and medicine.

About Cures Within Reach for Cancer: More than 200 drugs FDA-approved for non-cancer indications and now
off-patent and inexpensive may also be effective for treating cancer. These repurposed generic drugs offer a
major opportunity to improve outcomes for cancer patients and reduce healthcare costs. Yet these therapies are
not being pursued due to a market failure for developing low-cost treatments. CWR4C harnesses AI and
machine learning to mine “big data” from scientific literature and real-world evidence in order to identify the
most promising drugs to repurpose for cancer. We are developing new funding models for clinical trials and
enabling widespread adoption of the treatments.

Details: You will work directly with members of the founding executive team ( www.cwr4c.org/team ).
Responsibilities may include one or more of the following:

  • Literature review of preclinical and clinical data on repurposed drugs
  • Conducting meta-analyses of scientific studies to aggregate clinical outcome measures
  • Exploring strategies for patient engagement and the collection of patient-reported data
  • Analysis of real-world data in electronic medical records
  • Building machine learning models for text classification and evidence inference tasks
  • Designing and building interactive web applications and data visualizations
  • Researching social impact bonds or public policy changes to incentivize investment in clinical trials
  • Preparing marketing and communications strategies and materials

Specific roles we are currently looking to fill are described in greater detail below. A commitment of 30-40
hours per week for 8-10 weeks is preferred. The team currently operates out of Boston and Portland, Maine; the
ability to meet near either location is preferred, and some remote work may be possible. This is an unpaid
nonprofit internship, so interested students should apply for funding through their school.

Qualifications: This is a highly cross-disciplinary effort that could be a good fit for students in diverse fields
such as: biology, medicine, global health, computer science, statistics, biomedical informatics, design, business,
healthcare economics, public policy, communications, or marketing. You should be passionate about expanding
treatment options for cancer patients, a hardworking self-starter with attention to detail, and effective at both
independent and collaborative work.

To Apply: First check out the CWR4C website (https://www.cwr4c.org/) and watch the 5-minute overview video
(http://bit.ly/cwr4c_video). Then send your resume and a short explanation of why you are interested in
working with CWR4C to Founder and CEO Laura Kleiman at laura [at] cureswithinreach.org (laura[at]cureswithinreach[dot]org) .

Internship Opportunities for Summer 2020:

Biologist: Help us develop our research and evidence platforms to enable synthesis and integration of relevant
information from scientific literature and various real-world data sources. The ideal candidate is pursuing a
major in biology or a related biological sciences field and has experience in research and in conducting
literature reviews. Specific knowledge of cancer biology-related concepts and of statistics is preferred.

Biomedical scientist: Review and implement statistical methods to rank drugs by combining clinical criteria
(such as survival outcomes) and non-clinical criteria (such as publication bias) from multiple studies. Students
should be familiar with meta-analyses and statistical approaches to calculate aggregate measures based on
systematic reviews of scientific literature. The ideal candidate has a background in statistics, epidemiology,
computer science, or biostatistics with the ability to analyze and interpret quantitative data using R or Python.

Qualitative analyst: Help us learn about off-label use of non-cancer generic drugs by cancer patients through
engaging patients. Design and implement surveys, interview guides, focus groups, and other qualitative
approaches to systematically capture and analyze patient experiences and outcomes. The ideal candidate has
experience designing qualitative and mixed methods research, submitting IRB protocols and securing informed
consent, conducting interviews, and performing analytic coding and data analyses.

Machine learning / data engineer: Help us build, test, and deploy NLP pipelines to extract features from
scientific literature to handle language-based tasks (named entity recognition, parsing, classification). You will
build infrastructure to manage extraction, transformation, and storage of data using AWS or other cloud-based
technologies. The ideal candidate is majoring in computer science or another quantitative field and has
experience implementing NLP techniques such as transformer-based models and machine learning frameworks.

UI / UX / front-end engineer: Conduct research on habits and digital interactions of target users to design
UI/UX strategies and build elegant web applications for our drug repurposing AI platform. Create digital assets
including design files, wireframes, and interactive mockups, and develop reusable HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
code. The ideal candidate is a computer science major proficient in one or more JS frameworks (React, Node,
Express, Vue), who enjoys creating data visualizations and is comfortable working across the technology stack.

Backend / full-stack engineer: Help architect and build our initial drug repurposing AI platform, including
development of server-side logic, data pipelines, and micro services to interact with machine learning models in
research and production settings. The ideal candidate is a computer science or engineering major proficient in
one or more languages (Java, Python, Go, Node), with knowledge of databases and experience setting up
production pipelines using AWS or other cloud technologies.

FLAGSHIP PIONEERING - SUMMER FELLOWSHIP

Flagship Pioneering conceives, resources, and builds life-changing bioscience companies that create breakthroughs in health and sustainability. We harness science and entrepreneurialism to envision alternative futures, beginning with seemingly unreasonable propositions and navigating to transformational outcomes through an iterative, evolutionary methodology. We call this process “pioneering”.

We believe pioneering is best done in teams, and that pioneering is a process that can be taught, learned, and replicated. We are looking for extraordinary scientists, engineers, physicians and entrepreneurs to learn this process and work alongside individuals within the Flagship Ecosystem who are defined by their passion, boldness, and creative optimism. We collaborate, encourage failure, trust one another, and celebrate successful solutions to hard problems. We respect diversity of opinion, because we value the freedom to explore hunches.

At Flagship Pioneering, company creation begins with investigating “What if?” and “If only…”. Flagship Pioneering Fellows work in teams, starting with “What if” or “If only” and a blank sheet of paper, relying not on literature but on their scientific instincts and creativity to generate novel scientific concepts that challenge dogma. Flagship Pioneering Fellows learn to variate, iterate, and shape these ideas into unreasonable yet compelling venture hypotheses.

Fellowship:

  • 12 Week Full-Time Fellowship: June 1, 2020 – August 21, 2020
  • Flagship Pioneering Fellows receive a stipend
  • Flagship Pioneering Fellows work at the Flagship Pioneering offices in Kendall Square (55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA, USA)

Key Benefits of the Flagship Pioneering Fellowship Include:

  • Learn Flagship Pioneering’s system of generating and refining actionable pioneering hypotheses
  • Exhibit and develop your creativity, adaptability, and ability to innovate
  • Contribute to the creation of game-changing ideas & innovations that can be developed into the next breakthrough companies
  • Work directly with highly experienced Flagship Pioneering team members—a group of widely recognized scientists, entrepreneurs, and executives
  • Build relationships and expand your network with a diverse and highly successful group of peers
  • Work alongside and learn from science and business leaders, leaders providing a unique platform for personal growth
  • Explore opportunities to become a full-time member of the Flagship Pioneering team

Qualifications

  • Deep scientific or business background aimed at life sciences
  • Demonstrated entrepreneurial behaviors
  • Academic excellence and self-starter mentality: confident, passionate, persuasive
  • Creativity and the ability to solve complex scientific and business problems
  • Previous Peace Corps, military, or public service experience considered
  • Currently a graduate or post-graduate student (MBA, MS, PhD, MD, etc.) with a scientific background from a top university
  • Preferably no more than 1-2 years away from full-time employment

Applications are open for summer 2020. Apply here.

ANNOUNCING THE 2019-2020 BENJAMIN SIEGEL PRIZE

The Benjamin Siegel Prize of $2500 is offered to the MIT student submitting the best written work on issues in science, technology, and society. The Prize is open to undergraduate and graduate students from any school or department of the Institute.

Submission Requirements

  • Please submit one electronic (PDF) copy of a single-authored work of no more than 50 pages written within the last two academic years.
  • Include one cover page with author identification, complete contact information, year and program of study.
  • Do not include any identifiers within the body of the work.

Email Submissions to: Gus Zahariadis at gusz [at] mit.edu (gusz[at]mit[dot]edu)

Deadline: Monday, April 6, 2020 - to midnight
Announcement of the winning paper will be made on Thursday, May 14, 2020

OFFICE OF GRADUATE EDUCATION - FELLOWSHIP WORKSHOPS & FINANCIAL LITERACY RESOURCES

Financial Literacy and Fellowship Workshops
Visit the OGE website (https://oge.mit.edu/finances/financial-literacy/workshops/) to find out about financial literacy and fellowship workshops.

iGrad
OGE also offers the free iGrad Financial Literacy platform (offered in collaboration with the MIT Federal Credit Union). Customized for MIT with videos, articles, games,  job board, searchable scholarship database, and interactive modules on a wide range of topics, including emergency-funding, credit card management, identity protection, spending-smarts, etc. it is a great financial literacy tool for students and the MIT community in general. More information can be found at https://iGrad.com/schools/MIT.

OGE’s Website Financial Literacy and Fellowship section updates
A new Financial Literacy section has been added to the website - https://oge.mit.edu/finances/financial-literacy/

Check out the updated fellowships section at https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/ especially the Fellowships Tips content at https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/fellowship-tips/

MIT Credit Union Events

https://www.mitfcu.org/Financial-Retirement/Event-Calendar

MIT GRADUATE STUDENT ROADMAP

The nearly 7,000 graduate students at MIT are one of the most talented scholarly cohorts in the world. Their educational experiences on campus go beyond just research.

In April 2017, when Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart brought together the offices of graduate and undergraduate education into the new OVC, the goal was to enhance existing services and identify new ways to provide every student, from orientation through commencement, with an exceptional student life and learning experience.

To help us meet our charge, we have been listening and responding to the ideas and concerns of MIT’s graduate students, and we have started to build stronger connections between members of the OVC team and the Division of Student Life (DSL).

Based upon meetings with graduate students in small and large groups, we have identified shared goals:

  • strengthening the support network for graduate students and their families;
  • addressing pain points associated with the cost and supply of housing; and
  • enhancing diversity and inclusion, advising, and professional development programs and services.

The Road Ahead

To achieve our goals, we have launched a series of initiatives, known collectively as the Graduate Student Roadmap, as part of a strategic effort to improve the graduate student experience at MIT.

Find more information about the Graduate Student Roadmap here.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE NEWSLETTER

Read current and past issues of the ISO Newsletter here. For non-students, you can also subscribe to receive published copies by email.

OGE - DIVERSITY INITIATIVES NEWSLETTER

The Office for Graduate Education (OGE) Diversity Initiatives hopes your semester is off to a good start! The intent of our newsletter is to serve you so that you feel that the graduate community at MIT is a place where you feel at home; you are welcomed, you belong and you matter. 

Read current and past issues of the MIT OGE Diversity Initiatives Newsletter here.

MIT GRADUATE ASSISTANCE INFORMATION NETWORK (GAIN)

MIT Graduate Assistance Information Network (GAIN) is a free 24/7 network of professionals who provide life management resources and referrals to help make life easier for MIT Graduate Students and families.

MIT GAIN services, which are available at no cost to you and your family, include:

  • Legal consultation
  • Financial consultation
  • Child care resources and personalized research and referrals
  • Elder care resources and personalized research and referrals
  • Relocation guidance
  • School/summer camp selection for children in grades K–12
  • Nutrition counseling
  • Career assessment
  • Resources for other life concerns, such as moving services, home repair and cleaning services, pet care, fitness programs & trainers, and more.

Take advantage of these additional MIT Work-Life programs and resources:

Find more information here.

MIT SPOUSES & PARTNERS CONNECT

Open to all significant others of MIT students, postdocs, and staff who have relocated to the Boston area

Visit: http://spouses.mit.edu

Contact: spousesandpartners [at] mit.edu (spousesandpartners[at]mit[dot]edu)

Facebook @mitspousesandpartners

Instagram @mspconnect

PEER 2 PEER STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICE

Need Someone To Listen?

Whether you’re having a bad day or just want someone to talk to, Peer2Peer’s community of MIT students is here for you.

Log in and chat anonymously about whatever’s on your mind with someone who really understands.

peer2peer.mit.edu

COMMUNITY SERVICE WEEKLY BULLETIN

At the heart of the MIT mission statement is a call to serve the nation and the world—and this charge is embodied by the MIT Public Service Center. Every year, we send thousands of students into communities locally, across the nation, and around the globe to apply their skills and knowledge for the betterment of humankind. In the Institute's best traditions of hands-on experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and creative problem solving, these students donate their time, create new technologies, form communities and companies—and ultimately change lives everywhere they go.

As part of MIT's Division of Student Life, we provide a central point of communication and support for the outreach and humanitarian efforts of the MIT community. We engage students, alumni, staff, faculty, and others in life-changing initiatives and social entrepreneurship ventures that provide needed resources to individuals and communities.

Sign up for the weekly Community Service Bulletin of Events and Programs here.

News and upcoming events are posted on the homepage.

Professional Opportunities

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER – SYSTEMS AND DEVICE R&D – TRITON SYSTEMS, INC.

Triton Systems, Inc. (Triton), located in Chelmsford, MA, was founded in 1992 as a leading applied research and development company, dedicated to creating products and processes for the US government and commercial markets. Since then, we have evolved into an integrated applied R&D and product development firm with a technology venturing arm and a global expertise in myriad of markets. Our team excels at creating and applying innovation to meet our customers’ toughest requirements - with the desired results - all within the essential time needed.

Our Advanced Technologies group is seeking an Engineer with strong practical experience in the biomedical fields.  This position provides the opportunity to learn and develop a variety of new technical skills to support the design and development of a host of different types of novel regulated medical devices and systems for patient monitoring, diagnostics, and interventional applications. A strong candidate will have experience in government grant process.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

  • Experience and interest in a team leadership role
  • Systems engineering and medical device development experience inclusive of use case definition, systems and detailed design, verification and validation testing, and failure mode and effects analysis
  • Applied electrical engineering experience capable of designing and integrating off-the-shelf sensor and signal processing hardware
  • Signal processing with proficiencies in MatLAB and/or Labview
  • Some software design is a plus with experience using Python, C++ or other programming languages  
  • Some on-demand fabrication experience is a plus inclusive of use of CAD and on-demand fabrication tools  
  • Broad physiology background with passion to broaden their knowledge
  • Demonstrated ability to work on complex solutions that utilize cross-disciplinary technical, industry, and military teams
  • Good time management and reporting skills with proficiencies with common office productivity tools (i.e. MS Office: Excel, Word, and Power Point)

DESIRED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Bioengineering or Electrical Engineering degree with either MS and 4/5 years industry experience or PhD with industry internship experience is desired.  

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The successful candidate will report to the Medical Device Program Manager and is responsible for serving in a team leadership role to support the successful creation and execution of government and industry R&D program contracts. The candidate will contribute to generating innovative technical solutions that will reduce trauma related mortalities and morbidities in the military and civilian markets. Activities will encompass all phases of product development from conceptual design through and including production ready build and participating in pre-clinical/clinical testing and commercialization. Responsibilities include:

  • Supporting the detailed systems design process which may also include integration with other medical IT systems or transport platforms
  • Specifying and integrating off-the-shelf sensors and signal processing hardware   
  • Generate bench level testing strategies and/or conduct experiments to better understand and minimize signal variances and confounders
  • Work with military and civilian medical end-users to better understand standard practices and market needs
  • Write reports and create and give presentations and briefings  
  • Proposal writing and business development efforts in biomedical applications

Due to the nature of our business and information associated with this position, interested candidates must be US Citizens and may be subject to a security investigation.

We offer a competitive salary with full benefits package.

We are an equal opportunity employer - M/F/D/VEEO.  We strongly encourage qualified women and minorities to apply.

Triton Systems invests in our team members and promotes qualified employees. We strongly encourage qualified staff to apply.

Triton Systems is a U. S. Government contractor; therefore, we are required to gather applicant information for Government reporting purposes.  To apply for this position please go to our website’s Careers section at www.tritonsystems.com and follow the link to  complete the application process.  This will ensure efficient processing of your application.

NIH FUNDED POSTDOC TRAINING FOR UNDERREPRESENTED AND MINORITY PHD STUDENTS

NIH Funded Postdoc Training in Informatics, Genomics, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Biomedical Data Science at Boston Children's Hospital

The Computational Health Informatics Program (CHIP) at Boston Children’s Hospital is now accepting applications for an NIH Funded Postdoc Training opportunity. The program has been committed to recruiting and retaining postdoctoral trainees who are URiM. We have maintained our commitment to diversity through prioritizing applications from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.

MACHINE LEARNING SCIENTIST (ECG SIGNAL PROCESSING) - PHILIPS RESEARCH

Here is a new opening at Philips Research, looking for a research scientist with background in data science and experience with ECG waveform analysis and feature extraction.

The job is posted here.

TRAMMEL THERAPEUTICS - BIOINFORMATICS POSITION

Trammel Therapeutics is a biotechnology company founded by 5AM Ventures aiming to develop new therapeutics by identifying novel targets in the tumor microenvironment. Our early biology platform will include access to novel datasets with experts in stroma biology, including early access to patient-derived datasets and proprietary assay systems to dissect the complexity of the tumor microenvironment.

We are seeking an exceptionally motivated computational biologist to build and lead bioinformatics as a core part of our biology discovery platform.

The ideal candidate will bring scientific leadership, prior industry experience, and proficiency working with high-dimensional, multi-modal datasets. The role will include building our bioinformatics capabilities while working with our scientific team, collaborating with external academic groups, and ultimately establishing bioinformatics as a central pillar within Trammel.

To learn more, please send a CV to careers [at] trammeltx.com (careers[at]trammeltx[dot]com)

LABSHARES NEWTON

We are excited to announce the launch of LabShares Newton, the first collaborative laboratory and biotech incubator in Newton, Massachusetts. LabShares provides a fully equipped laboratory, office space, and shared services to entrepreneurial biotechs without the hassle, lag time, and high upfront costs associated with building and managing their own labs. 

Through participation in the LabShares community, members receive a wide range of benefits and services. LabShares is conveniently located in a light-filled, modern office park near the Charles River -- just 15 minutes from Kendall Square with free parking, a gym, and a Fooda cafeteria.

LabShares is near capacity for its current space and has begun an expansion to double in size. We expect to open our newly renovated second floor in early 2019 and are accepting reservations now.

Check out the links below for more information. If you would like to schedule a tour contact Jenna Stein (jenna [at] labshares.com (jenna[at]labshares[dot]com), 857-222-5817).

LabShares Website

LabShares Press Release

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education offers an extensive range of clinical research training opportunities to prepare the next generation of clinician-scientists. Brief descriptions of the programs are provided below. As world’s largest biomedical research agency, the NIH encourages future clinician-scientists and medical researchers to consider adding an NIH experience to their portfolio.

Graduate Medical Education
NIH currently sponsor 17 medical specialty or subspecialty programs which have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We also jointly sponsor clinical training programs with extramural training partners, to include Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and the National Capital Consortium. In addition, we sponsor numerous "one of kind" translational medicine fellowship training programs. https://cc.nih.gov/training/gme/programs1.html

Clinical Elective Programs
Short term—4 to 12 week—clinically oriented elective rotations for senior medical and dental students; unique mentored specialty/subspecialty clinical research rotations are also available for combined program students (i.e., MD/PhD, DO/PhD). https://cc.nih.gov/training/students/clinical_electives.html

Clinical and Translational Research Course for PhD Students
Two-week intensive introductory course to demonstrate the role of PhD scientists in clinical and translational research, provide an overview and examples of how basic science and clinical observations lead to translational research, and increase awareness and access to Ph.D. role models, research resources, and potential career opportunities at the NIH. https://cc.nih.gov/training/phdcourse/index.html

Postdoctoral Research Training Awards
Provides the opportunity for recent doctoral degree recipients to enhance their research skills in the resource-rich National Institutes of Health (NIH) environment, which consists of more than 1200 laboratories/research projects. https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp

Graduate Partnerships Program
This program is designed to bring PhD graduate students to the NIH Intramural Research Program for dissertation research. https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/gpp

Core Curriculum in Clinical Research
Free courses offered include: Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR); Principles of Clinical Pharmacology (PCP); and Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Clinical Research. These courses are offered as distance learning courses. https://cc.nih.gov/training/training1.html

IIE EU - U.S.  EDUCATION COOPERATION FOR RESEARCHERS

For information on EU – U.S. cooperation in doctoral and postdoctoral education opportunities for U.S. researchers and organizations. Visit IIE online at www.iie.org. Please contact the programs directly for additional information or with any questions you may have.

A quote from a recent Fulbright U.S. student, "My advice to Fulbrighters of the future is that which was given to me. Go at it with an open mind; your experience will not be anything like you predicted and will mark you indelibly, but it will be great."

Career & Financial Guidance Programs

MCKINSEY & COMPANY: 2020 POSITIONS

Learn
Please visit our Advanced Professional Degree Showcase site for more information about offices & practices, diversity & inclusion, and recruiting timelines geared toward Advanced Professional Degree candidates.

You may also be interested in exploring our Careers quiz to learn more about roles available that match your skill set and interests.

Apply
Please apply on McKinsey's career website for the following opportunities:

  • 2020 full time Associate role: PhDs, postdocs, MDs, JDs, and master's degree* candidates who plan to complete their program between December 2019 and December 2020 (or 2021 for MDs only)
  • 2020 MD Fellow role: Medical students who are entering their third year of school (2021 graduates)

If you have a passion for digital and technology topics, consider joining Digital McKinsey by selecting Digital McKinsey (and an office) in the office preference section of the Associate application.

*If you are pursuing a masters degree and have earned an undergraduate degree fewer than four years ago, you will join as a business analyst. If you hold a bachelors degree and have at least four years of work experience, or completed or expect to complete your master's degree within four years of receiving your bachelor's degree, you will join as an associate.

Prepare
We want you to succeed in the interview process and believe you have the skills to do so. We provide support to all candidates who interview with us. You can find more information about our interview process, including practice cases on our careers website.

MIT ALUMNI ADVISORS HUB - ADVISING OPPORTUNITY FOR MIT STUDENTS

The MIT Alumni Advisors Hub is an online platform that students can use to ask for advice when they need it—from MIT alumni around the world. Students can get advice on their job and internship search, conduct a mock interview or informational interview, explore career paths and future entrepreneurial pursuits, and navigating life at MIT.

Sign up to gain access to a community of alumni who are eager to share their advice at https://alumniadvisors.mit.edu/.

Find an advisor today!

UPCOMING MIT CAREER FAIRS

Find out more information about career fairs here at MIT.

​GENIUSMESH JOB SEARCH PLATFORM

We all know that 75-80% of the jobs are not posted anywhere and most of these jobs are filled through referrals and networking. It takes months to network and find the right opportunities. Neerja Bharti, Sloan EMBA 15 has launched GeniusMesh to solve that particular problem within the MIT ecosystem.

GeniusMesh is a trusted job search platform that connects MIT AlumCos (companies founded or with current alumni) with MIT candidates looking for Sr. Manager to Executive roles. Being a trusted site for both parties, finding the right candidate for an existing job search or future potential opportunity becomes easy. You would be able to find a contract, contract to hire or full-time opportunities faster. Both local, as well as international candidates, would be able to take advantage of our platform.

“Our ultimate goal is to create an intimate and trusted hiring environment by making it easier for any MIT-affiliated graduate to connect with the right companies, and alums to find top talent faster”

Please sign up and let us know what you are looking for and we will bring the right opportunities to you. You would also be able to search part-time and full-time jobs in stealth mode. We don’t share your profile without your permission.

Joining the platform today will just take a couple of minutes! www.geniusmesh.com

Please contact Neerja directly at Neerja [at] geniusmesh.com (Neerja[at]geniusmesh[dot]com) if you have any questions.

MIT'S IGRAD FINANCIAL LITERACY & CAREER RESOURCES PORTAL

The OGE sponsors MIT's iGrad financial literacy portal, with resources to help with financial support.

The iGrad Financial Literacy platform (offered for free to the entire MIT community in collaboration with the MIT Federal Credit Union) is customized for MIT with videos, articles, games,  job board, searchable scholarship database, and interactive modules on a wide range of topics, including emergency-funding, credit card management, identity protection, spending smarts, etc. it is a great financial literacy tool for students and the MIT community in general.

More information can be found at oge.mit.edu/finances.      

GRADUATE STUDENT CAREER EVENTS - WEBSITE & CALENDAR

For those who are looking for other resources, recordings of career related workshops and sessions for grad students available here: http://capd.mit.edu

The CAPD Event calendar can be found here. 

Sign up for the Graduate Student Career Advising mailing list here.

CAPD OFFERS THE VERSATILE PHD RESOURCE TOOL

MIT Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD) is pleased to announce MIT’s subscription to The Versatile PhD, a web-based resource for PhDs considering careers beyond academia. Our subscription, generously supported by OGE, can be accessed by students and alumni via CAPD’s webpage and student CareerBridge accounts. Once students register, they can simply log in to the site directly (www.versatilephd.com) 

MIT CAREERBRIDGE

There are hundreds of jobs and internships now posted on CareerBridge, under both the Job Search and the On-Campus Interviews tabs. Check both tabs and apply as soon as possible.

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