this WEEK in HST

MIT & HARVARD COVID-19 RESOURCES

[New] Office of Graduate Education (includes consolidated resources list) https://oge.mit.edu/about/

Find a full list here: https://hst.mit.edu/covid-19-resources

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

[New 4.6.2020] PanFab (panfab.org) is a group of volunteer scientists, engineers, clinicians, and concerned citizens dedicated to helping healthcare professionals, first responders and patients respond to pandemic disease response (currently to COVID19) by using innovative approaches to alleviate shortages in medical products, coordinate product testing, and promote hospital uptake of innovative solutions.

[New 4.3.2020] CoVent-19 Challenge (https://www.coventchallenge.com/), a global collaboration to create ventilation solutions that we can rapidly deploy around the world to battle the COVID-19 mechanical ventilation crisis.

Find a full list here: https://hst.mit.edu/covid-19-resources#Opportunities

CONGRATULATIONS TO 2020 HST COMMUNITY AWARD WINNERS!

We are pleased to announce the following as the winners of the 2020 HST Community Awards:

• Irving M. London Teaching Award – Faculty: Dr. Sabine Hildebrandt
• HST Outstanding Teaching Award – Student: Brian Y. Chang
• Roger G. Mark Outstanding Service Award (Faculty or Staff) – Faculty: Dr. Mohini Lutchman
• Roger G. Mark Outstanding Service Award – Student: Adam G. Berger
• Thomas A. McMahon Mentoring Award: Dr. Ellen T. Roche​
• Seidman Prize for MD Research Mentorship: Dr. Leo L. Tsai

Note that given the cancellation of the HST Spring Dinner, we will be having a video award presentation with remarks from winners and nominees. More details will be forthcoming so that we can honor these community members for all their service.

Please join us in sending a huge HST Congratulations to these six members of our community!

SHRIYA SRINIVASAN, MEMP PhD ('20), NAMED SCHMIDT SCIENCE FELLOW

Eric and Wendy Schmidt Announce 2020 Schmidt Science Fellows

Eric and Wendy Schmidt have announced the 22 early-career scientists who comprise the third cohort of Schmidt Science Fellows, a program of Schmidt Futures, in partnership with the Rhodes Trust. The new Fellows aim to harness interdisciplinary approaches to tackle long-term societal challenges, including infectious disease, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

Entering its third year, the growing community of Schmidt Science Fellows now numbers more than 50 emerging interdisciplinary science leaders. Members of previous cohorts are now pursuing roles in universities, start-up companies, not-for-profits, and national research institutes and are part of a lifelong Fellowship community.

Shriya Srinivasan, MEMP PhD (’20) is among the 2020 Schmidt Science Fellows. She is the sole recipient representing MIT.

Shriya is a biomedical engineer who has pioneered new approaches to help individuals requiring amputation to restore the sense of touch and feeling in prosthetic limbs. The methods she developed have been translated to the clinic and are already benefiting patients, delivering improved quality of life. As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Shriya wants to pivot her science to focus on gastrointestinal motility disorders, which can prove debilitating for millions of people around the world. She aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of smooth muscle stimulation and then develop new solutions, including optically driven micro-devices that could be swallowed.

More information about the Schmidt Fellows and the 2020 cohort can be found here.

Congratulations, Shriya!

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!)

HOW TO PUBLISH A SCIENTIFIC PAPER: FREE WEBINAR

Publishing your research is vital for disseminating your findings to a wider audience and for personal career growth. However, publishing a manuscript in a scientific journal can be a challenging process to navigate. In this comprehensive webinar session, taken from one of Harvard Catalyst’s most highly rated and sought-after courses, Effectively Communicating Your Research, we will review the scientific publication process.

Join Elliott Antman, MD, the director of Postgraduate Education at Harvard Catalyst and professor at Bigham and Women's Hospital, Wednesday, April 15, 2020 from 1-2pm EST for "How to Publish a Scientific Paper," one of many free webinars provided through Harvard Catalyst's new series, 
Building a Successful C/T Research Career: A Webinar Series on Leadership, Communications, and Mentoring.

With content drawn from the Harvard Catalyst course Effectively Communicating Research, this webinar will review the scientific publication process. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• identify the necessary steps for writing and submitting a manuscript
• describe key qualities of accepted papers
• identify common pitfalls within each section of a manuscript
• describe what happens “behind the scenes” at a medical journal

REGISTER HERE

Questions? Contact us at education [at] catalyst.harvard.edu

HARVARD CATALYST ONLINE COURSE - INTRODUCTION TO OMICS RESEARCH

Opportunity for

• An introduction to the principles of omics research
• Investigators who would like to integrate omics approaches into their research

Eligibility

• MD, PhD, DMD, PharmD, DNP, ScD, or equivalent

Time commitment

• Self-paced online videos and course work over six months

Session dates

• April 20 - November 6, 2020

Rolling enrollment ends

• 5pm on May 1, 2020

APPLY HERE

Omics is a rapidly evolving, multi-disciplinary, and emerging field that encompasses genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Each of these fields offers the possibility to understand and view biology from a global perspective in a way that was previously unthinkable. High-throughput methodologies can rapidly provide a global picture of the processes within cells at multiple levels, allowing for accelerated discoveries in health and disease.

As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, it's imperative for biomedical researchers to build a foundational understanding of managing large omics datasets. This online course will cover the different omics areas, including their appropriate applications and experimental challenges.

Course goals:

1. Understand the scope of omics research and methods in: genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics
2. Understand omics in terms of investigation for your biological questions (disease etiology, diagnosis, and treatment)
3. Learn about the importance of experimental design in omics research
4. Understand the challenges and limitations of big data analysis, including integration of data, batching, computational resources, and working with team members across all fields.

Questions? Please email us.

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 

Behtash Babadi, PhD, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland
Dynamic Analysis of Neural Data Underlying Auditory Behavior: Beyond the Linear, Static, and Gaussian Domains

• Monday, April 13, 2020
• Virtual - see instructions here: https://bit.ly/2Qbmz5T
• 9:30-11 am EDT

Abstract: In this talk, I present computational methodologies for extracting dynamic representations of neural processes that underlie auditory processing. These methods aim at capturing the sparsity, dynamicity and stochasticity of these neural processes, by integrating techniques from high-dimensional statistics, state-space modeling, point processes, non-convex optimization, and adaptive filtering. I demonstrate their utility using several case studies involving auditory processing, including 1) real-time decoding of selective auditory attention from M/EEG in a cocktail party scenario, 2) cortical dynamics of speech processing in the human brain, and 3) rapid task-dependent plasticity and functional auditory-prefrontal interactions during attentive behavior in the ferret brain.

Bio: Behtash Babadi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received the Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University in 2011 and 2008, respectively, and a B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran in 2006. From 2011 to 2014, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as at the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He received an NSF CAREER Award in 2016.

Patrick Stokes, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School
Granger Causality and its Problems in the Context of Data Modeling, Scientific Explanations, and Philosophical Accounts of Causataion

• Wednesday, April 15, 2020
• Virtual - see instructions here: https://bit.ly/2Qbmz5T
• 9:30-11 am EDT

Abstract: Granger causality (GC) is a statistical tool aimed at analyzing the flow of information between time series. It originated in econometrics and has since been used in a wide range of fields, including neuroscience, where it has been applied to most data modalities, exploring numerous physiological states and processes. Unfortunately, there are practical and conceptual problems that arise in its application. These problems have the potential to undermine both the statistical validity of results and subsequent conclusions about the behavior of the systems being studied. These difficulties remain largely unacknowledged, leaving ample opportunity for misunderstanding in the field. Indeed, the literature is a tangle of variant methods and applications, with inconsistent and conflicting assumptions, motivations, and interpretations. This talk will review GC and its underlying problems, and a set of applications in neuroscience will be discussed. These applications will highlight some of the conceptual pitfalls of GC and emphasize that these difficulties can be avoided through principled modeling and system identification. More broadly, the analysis of causation in philosophy and its role in scientific explanation will also be discussed. This context and conceptual clarification will enable investigators to better assess the utility of Granger and other causality methods, to gauge their own interest in applying such methods, and to properly interpret results.

Bio: Patrick Stokes is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital. His research interest is in methods for modeling and identification of complex dynamical systems. He completed his Ph.D. in Health Sciences and Technology at MIT, analyzing the problems encountered with Granger causality analysis in neuroscience applications. He conducted part of his postdoctoral work at Massachusetts General Hospital, working on modeling and decoding several behavioral tasks as part of the DARPA DBS Transform project to develop closed-loop control of psychiatric disorders using deep brain stimulation. In his current position, he has developed methods for the detection, tracking, and analysis of time-varying oscillations in the sleep EEG spectrogram.

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 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

MIT COMMUNITY WELLNESS VIRTUAL CLASSES AND RESOURCES

Find current information on classes and resources provided by MIT Community Wellness here.

MIT ONLINE WRITING AND COMMUNICATION CENTER

Need a hand with your writing project, thesis, or job application? Have questions about delivering an important presentation? Our communication professionals have helped thousands of MIT students, post-docs, and faculty solve their writing and communication challenges. The Writing and Communication Center is an MIT service provided free to the entire MIT community. We look forward to working with you!

We are MIT lecturers with many years of experience working with writers from every department across the Institute. At the WCC, we consult with you one-on-one to address your specific academic or professional needs.

Our consultations help you produce outstanding written, visual, and spoken communication, including: Theses, dissertations, Journal articles, Dissertation proposals, CVs/resumes, cover letters, Personal statements, Research and teaching statements, Writing for any MIT class, Grant and fellowship proposals, Creative writing, Procrastination, Scientific and technical reports, English Language Learning issues, Start-up materials and elevator pitches, Classroom and professional presentations, Conference and job talks, Interview practice, Dissertation defense, Slide design, Poster design, Pronunciation and conversation practice, Shyness/stage fright, Writer’s block, And many other communication challenges.

To make an appointment: Go to https://mit.mywconline.com and click “Register.”

We look forward to meeting with you remotely! We’re excited about the opportunity to work with you on your communication challenges.

During our meeting, we’ll have live audio and video, and we’ll review your text using Google Documents.

Be sure to see the complete instructions for remote WCC consultations.

Please note that we can no longer meet with alumni or spouses/partners.

MIT LIBRARIES - RESOURCES FOR ONLINE COURSES AND RESEARCH

As you transition to online course and research, here are some important resources and updates from the MIT Libraries.

1. Expanded and free e-resources during COVID-19 closure: In addition to our regular e-resources, many publishers are making e-resources available for free and expanding existing subscriptions. See https://libguides.mit.edu/covid19closure-resources for the complete list.
2. To suggest a purchase of any ebooks or other online resources, especially those originally available as print materials, please submit your requests through https://libraries.mit.edu/suggest-purchase or contact me at crummett [at] mit.edu (crummett[at]mit[dot]edu) directly.
3. Please continue sending your interlibrary borrowing requests for articles, book chapters, and other potential e-access as usual. However, all BorrowDirect and interlibrary borrowing (ILB) loan requests are suspended for borrowing of physical materials until the Libraries re-open.
4. Review our tips on access to library resources off-campus at https://libraries.mit.edu/offcampus . If anyone needs troubleshooting, contact Ask Us at https://libraries.mit.edu/ask/ 
5. Theses for the May 2020 degree period may be submitted electronically in accordance with the Emergency Academic Regulations in effect March 15, 2020. The Libraries are working with the Institute to develop new specifications, and we will post updates on the Specifications for Thesis Preparation page when available.

All MIT Libraries (including 24-hour spaces and book drops) are closed until further notice. Library staff members will remain available remotely during the closure. You can find up-to-date information about library services at https://libraries.mit.edu/about/covid19/ .

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.

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: https://www.martinos.org/education/brainmap/

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

REAGENT SCHOLARSHIP 2020 FOR CYTOSKELETAL LAB

We are now accepting applications for our annual Reagent Scholarship, wherein we award one cytoskeletal researcher with tubulin and/or actin protein reagents for use in their project (up to $3,000 value). The application is open to any researcher, including students, postdocs, PIs, lab technicians, and staff scientists.

Applications will be reviewed for intellectual merit and broader impacts.
Deadline to apply: May 7, 2020
Winner announcement: May 14, 2020

Apply Here

MINDHANDHEART INNOVATION FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

MindHandHeart is a coalition working to make MIT a more welcoming, inclusive, and healthy place.

Now accepting applications, the MindHandHeart Innovation Fund offers grants of up to $10,000 to students, faculty, and staff members. This year, we are looking to support projects that:

• Build community on campus
• Support mental and physical health
• Promote inclusion and respect
• Counter imposter syndrome
• Welcome new members of our community
• Encourage healthy sleep
• Bridge political differences
• Spread humor and joy
• Eliminate bullying
• Foster life skills

Beginning April 1, 2020, MindHandHeart is launching a virtual edition of the Innovation Fund in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis through April 30, 2020.

HOW TO ADULT SERIES

For all students

These events set students up for success outside of the classroom and after graduation and are co-sponsored by SOLE, ISO, DAPER, MIT Medical, MITFCU, MITAA, VPR, Radius, PKG, CAPD, LGBTQ@MIT, and MIT Communications.

The series has now gone virtual.
Sign up for each event at this link: https://engage.mit.edu/organization/sole/events

DEBUNKING NETWORKING
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 6pm-7pm EDT
Networking isn’t always about being a social butterfly or meeting as many people possible. This virtual session led by CAPD will address networking myths and teach you strategies to build and maintain valuable professional relationships.
Join via Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/133579392

FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE "REAL WORLD" ONLINE
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 6pm-7pm EDT
Join us for a How To Adult Series workshop on financing planning outside of MIT.
Join via Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/312088255

NAVIGATING "PROFESSIONALISM" IN THE WORKING WORLD
Thursday, April 16, 2020 12pm-1pm EDT
An interactive workshop about how to navigate professional in the workplace, what it means, and the power and privilege associated with "professionalism."
Join via Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/255238377

MIT GRADUATE STUDENT SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY HARDSHIP FUNDING 2019-2020

Graduate Student Short-Term Emergency Funding assists graduate students by providing financial support when they need help with unexpected and unavoidable emergency expenses. Typically, registered students apply for funds when they have exhausted all other resources. If Graduate Student Short-Term Emergency Fund disbursements are granted, they do not have to be repaid. Graduate Student Short-Term Emergency Fund disbursements may be subject to taxation based on withholding rates set by the IRS.

Student Eligibility: Be currently registered in an MIT PhD program or Master’s Program. Students on leave from MIT during Fall or Spring either semester are not eligible to receive the award. 

Eligible expenses: Unanticipated or unusual expenses that may have a negative impact on the student's educational experience and well-being. These expenses most commonly include basic living necessities and travel expenses due to family emergencies. 

Costs must have been incurred or become due while continuously enrolled during the current academic year. Each request will be considered individually and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of OGE. 

Expenses that are not eligible: Personal debt and other pre-existing voluntary obligations, tuition and program-related expenses, and other costs that may be covered by financial aid or loans.

Please fill out the Graduate Student Hardship Form if you are experiencing financial hardship related to COVID‑19 and we will do our best to support you during this difficult time.

MIT 100K LAUNCH - EXTENDED APPLICATION DEADLINE

Deadline: Wednesday, April 15th (11:59pm, ET)

Winner: $100K - Second Place: $50K - All Finalists receive cash prizes

MIT $100K Launch is MIT’s flagship business plan competition, where teams compete to develop and showcase their ventures to the world. First round is a written application from which the top teams are selected for the Semi-finals. Shortlisted semi-finalists present their prototypes along with full business plans leading up to the Grand Finale in May.

To facilitate participation of teams from different geographical locations, all competition rounds, mentoring sessions and presentations will be held online via virtual meetings and webinars.

Apply now: www.mit100k.org

To support competitors in their preparation for the finale, all semi-finalists will receive $500 of reimbursements to further their ventures.

SHAPE STUDENT LIFE ON CAMPUS - JOIN THE ASA

What will student life look like next year? What policies and regulations will need to change, in response to the COVID-19 crisis or otherwise? How should the MIT administration be best supporting student groups right now and going forward?

If you’re interested in answering those questions and forging the path ahead for student life on campus, join the Association of Student Activities!

The year ahead will be tough for student groups personally, financially, and logistically, especially as they deal with the uncertainty of what the fallout of this crisis will be. The role of the ASA will be even more critical during this time: representing student groups to the MIT administration and solving the problems that will present themselves over the next year. As a board, our responsibilities range from recognizing groups, granting funding and space, and being student representatives to SOLE and the Division of Student Life in their discussions of student group policies and initiatives. More than ever, we want students who are interested in having a voice in student activities and care about student life on campus to join us and help shape the MIT student experience.

If you are interested in taking part, you can find information on all ASA positions here and apply using this form if you are interested. Elections will take place during our spring General Body Meeting on April 15th.

Contact asa-exec [at] mit.edu (asa-exec[at]mit[dot]edu) if you have any questions about our board.

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.

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

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:

• Backup Child Care ($5 per hour)
• MIT Work-Life Seminar Series and Support Groups
• MIT Technology Childcare Centers

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.

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 Hannah Schram (jenna [at] labshares.com (hannah[at]labshares[dot]com), 857-222-5817).

LabShares Website

LabShares Upcoming Events

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."

VIRTUAL ALUMNI FIRESIDE CHAT W/ SUZANNE COOPER

• Wednesday, April 15, 2020
• 5:45pm EST

Contact: zrichard [at] mit.edu (Richard Zhang)

RSVP Requested Here

Alumni Fireside Chat is turning virtual! On April 15th, at 5:45pm EST, Suzanne Cooper (SM in Management and Finance), Executive Consultant at CGI, will share her personal stories and invite you to join the conversation. Suzanne has taken up multiple executive positions at various consulting and management firms. Most relevantly, she experienced the 2008 financial crisis and has a lot of share about job hunting during an economic downturn. This will take place over Zoom (detail in the RSVP link).

Alumni Fireside chat features the career trajectory of an MIT grad alum. Speaking in an informal lecture style, these events take place in the form of a moderated interview followed by Q&A from the audience. In light of the pandemics, some of our discussion will focus on career exploration, job hunting, and networking during self-isolation. Other topics that are explored in these talks include:

-Academia vs. Industry

-How do they transition from a technical to a managerial position (should they prefer)? -How do they stay technical (should they prefer)? -How do they keep themselves motivated?

You can stay updated about our events and activities through our WhatsApp group and/or Google calendar.

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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TWiHST is published every Friday during the academic year and bi-weekly during the summer.  

Anyone may submit Items for inclusion in the newsletter.

The deadline for submitting announcements for inclusion in each edition is Thursday at 2pm, immediately prior to a Friday publication date.
Items received later than this time will be held for publication in the following weekly or bi-weekly edition.

To submit an announcement: twihsteditors [at] mit.edu (twihsteditors[at]mit[dot]edu)

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