Volume 25, Number 27

HST Community Notices

Course & Academic Resources

Conferences, Lectures & Seminars

Student Opportunities

Professional Opportunities

Career & Financial Guidance Programs

HST Community Notices

HELP SPREAD THE WORD - HST!

Are you traveling for any of the following reasons?

  • Conference/workshop
  • Giving a talk
  • Visiting your alma mater

Can you help promote HST by talking to prospective students?

Contact Laurie Ward (laurie [at] mit.edu (l)aurie [at] mit.edu (aurie[at]mit[dot]edu)) for talking points and promotional materials to distribute.
A link to an HST Programs Slide to include in your presentations can be found here.

Course & Academic Resources

NIH NEUROTECH COURSE

Learning How to Translate and Commercialize Neurotechnology

Supported by the U.S National Institutes of Health (NINDS, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDDK, NIDA, and NCI) and the Bakken Medical Devices Center

www.neurotechcourse.org

This comprehensive educational training course offers best practices for successfully navigating the translation and commercialization pathways for neural devices. Program faculty provide expert instruction on topics ranging from understanding the user perspective to non-clinical and clinical studies to entrepreneurship. The course is designed for individuals with a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds including scientists, engineers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and supporters of neurotechnology translation.

This course features:

  • Online video lecture series and certificate of completion
  • June 6-7, 2024: Annual in-person workshop in which participants work in small groups with expert program faculty to conduct interactive case-study exercises (Limited Seats Available. Apply here by April 2, 2024)
  • No fees to participate

Don't wait, start translating today!

MIT COMMUNITY WELLNESS CLASSES AND RESOURCES

This year, the MIT community is adapting to new ways of taking care of ourselves and others. If you’d like to connect with your community, stay active, sleep better, relieve stress, and more, Community Wellness at MIT Medical can help you find wellness programs that fit your needs.

View all Community Wellness classes here.

MIT WRITING AND COMMUNICATION CENTER (WCC)

The Writing and Communication Center offers free one-on-one professional advice from communication specialists with advanced degrees and publishing experience. The WCC can help you further develop your oral communication skills and learn about all types of academic and professional writing.

WCC Individual Consultations
During these consultations, you can work on your written or oral projects with WCC instructors who can guide you at all stages of your communication process.

WCC has prepared a series of workshops on style, literature review writing, and other topics. You can register for our offerings through this link.

For more information or to register for these programs, check the WCC website.

UPCOMING EVENTS FROM THE TEACHING + LEARNING LAB (TLL)

Our Mission
The Teaching + Learning Lab (TLL) partners with MIT educators, staff, and administrators to create a reflective educational environment where students are academically challenged, actively engaged, and personally supported.

Upcoming Events:

Find information on upcoming TLL programs, speakers, workshops, etc. here.

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

Subscribe here to the TLL Newsletter.

HARVARD CATALYST COURSES AND EVENTS

Harvard Catalyst works with Harvard University’s schools and affiliate academic healthcare centers to build and grow an environment focused on team science – where discoveries are rapidly and efficiently translated to improve human health. We catalyze research across all clinical and translational domains by providing investigators with opportunities such as pilot funding, free resources such as biostatistics consultations, training and mentoring programs, and numerous courses. To facilitate communication, collaboration, and data collection, our informatics team develops a range of open-source tools available to the community within Harvard University and beyond.

Information on courses and training through Harvard Catalyst can be found here.
A calendar of Harvard Catalyst events can be found here.
Subscribe to the Harvard Catalyst Newsletter here.

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

CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF LIT WITH AUTHOR JEFF KARP

In person at Brookline Booksmith! Celebrate the release of LIT with author Jeff Karp.

  • Thursday, April 11, 2024 - 7:00pm
  • Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA 02446-2908

Register here for the event!

RSVP to let us know you're coming! Depending on the volume of responses, an RSVP may be required for entrance to the event. You will also be alerted to important details about the program, including safety requirements, cancellations, and book signing updates.

LIT: Life Ignition Tools: Use Nature's Playbook to Energize Your Brain, Spark Ideas, and Ignite Action

Radically simple experimental tools to help anyone tap into a high-energy brain state to fire up innovative potential and shape their lives with intention—by the founder of a Harvard biomedical engineering innovation lab.

In an age of convenience and information overload, it’s easy to go through the motions, pressured, distracted, and seeking instant gratification rather than harnessing our potential for meaningful and impactful lives. When we’re accustomed to a low energy brain state and lulled by the comfort zone it creates, it’s difficult to rouse ourselves to act with intention and create the lives we truly want to lead.

In LIT, Jeff Karp, PhD, professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and biotech innovator, helps us look to nature as a vital source of humankind’s best wisdom, most inspired action, and greatest good.

Diagnosed with learning differences at a young age, he persisted through nearly insurmountable struggles with support from his mom in developing ways to achieve hyper-awareness and maximize decisions based on his curiosity, passion, creativity, and connection to nature. As a student at McGill University and at the University of Toronto, as a researcher at MIT, and as a professor at Harvard Medical School, he evolved these approaches into LIT (Life Ignition Tools) —and road-tested these tools daily in his own personal life and with his lab team to innovate medical discoveries inspired by the “problem solving” process they find throughout the natural world

LIT teaches us to:

  • turn inward and connect with what is truly important to us
  • turn outward to act on that, connecting with others and different ways of knowing
  • question assumptions—break out of habitual thinking and other patterns to discover what really serves you best
  • navigate multiple streams of sensory input and manage information overload
  • recognize manipulative messaging that can throw us off course
  • explore, experiment and discover fresh approaches to old challenges
  • intercept routine patterns to actively think and decide versus just jumping in with habitual responses

LIT takes us off autopilot and helps us stay alert, present, and fully engaged in our lives.

Dr. Karp also shares insights from some of the world’s most accomplished people, including Nobel Prize winners, the founder of an Indigenous wellness center, a visionary photographer, a social justice activist, a five-time US memory champion, an Olympic medalist, a neurosurgeon who founded a center for compassion, and numerous professors, inventors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and members of his laboratory—all creatives in their own ways.

Using Dr. Karp’s principles, anyone can redirect their lives with energy, focus, creativity, motivation, intention, and impact to create the lives they truly want to lead. Learning to be lit is the ultimate renewable energy and is accessible to everyone, anytime, wherever you are.

Jeff Karp, PhD, is an acclaimed mentor and biomedical engineering professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, a Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He has dedicated his research to bioinspired medical problem-solving, and his lab’s technologies have led to the formation of twelve companies. The technologies they have developed include a tissue glue that can seal holes inside a beating heart; targeted therapy for osteoarthritis, Crohn’s disease, and brain disorders; “smart needles” that automatically stop when they reach their target; a nasal spray that neutralizes pathogens; and immunotherapy approaches to annihilate cancer. Dr. Karp is also head of innovation at Geoversity, Nature’s University, a rainforest conservancy located in one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world. He was selected as the Outstanding Faculty Undergraduate Mentor among all faculty at MIT and the top graduate student mentor of Harvard-MIT students. Dr. Karp lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, children, and two Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON DRUG RESISTANCE

Shared Principles in Drug Resistance Across Diverse Biological Systems

Chairs
Alexis L. Kaushansky and Amir Mitchell

Vice Chairs
Priscilla L. Yang and Zemer Gitai

Contact Chairs

Application Information
Applications for this meeting must be submitted by May 26, 2024. Please apply early, as some meetings become oversubscribed (full) before this deadline. If the meeting is oversubscribed, it will be stated here. Note: Applications for oversubscribed meetings will only be considered by the conference chair if more seats become available due to cancellations.

Conference Description
The Drug Resistance GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

Drug resistance is a threat shared across multiple fields in medicine and agriculture. It is a primary area of ongoing basic, translational, and biotechnological research that often exists within siloed areas of research. The Drug Resistance Gordon Research Conference aims explore concepts and principles that transcend individual fields in drug resistance by assembling a multidisciplinary community of academic researchers, industry scientists, physicians, educators, and other stakeholders studying different aspects of drug resistance. The 2024 meeting will bring together investigators who study drug resistance in cancer, infectious disease, agriculture, and newer areas to the drug resistance space, such as neuroscience. We are particularly interested in welcoming researchers who utilize genomics, systems biology, chemical biology and different facets of quantitative research to inform our collective thinking on resistance. By learning about a diverse tools and approaches used by different communities we aim to uncover new strategies that overcome the challenges of drug resistance in individual organisms and across populations broadly.

The conference will recruit participants with diverse backgrounds, providing opportunities for students and young investigators to present their research through poster and oral presentations. This meeting has been historically characterized by strong interaction between investigators that do not interact in traditional forums; we plan to continue this tradition and invite researchers who don’t necessarily consider themselves part of the “drug resistance” community to join us: we welcome new voices and ideas!

Applicants interested in presenting their work as a contributed talk should indicate so on the submitted abstract (all sessions have multiple slots allocated for contributed talks). Applications by April 30 will be considered for oral presentations, applications made after this date will only be considered on the basis of available time slots.

HSI LUNCH SEMINAR SERIES

HSI Lunch Seminar Series with Carl Berke

Man Plans, God Laughs: A Personal Look At Early Stage Life Science Venture Investment

  • Thursday April 4, 2024
  • 11:30am - 1pm
  • E62-450

Join Zoom Meeting
Password: 100

Speaker:
Carl Berke, PhD, Partner at Mass General Brigham Ventures
Experienced biotech and digital health venture investor, with more than 25 years’ experience in the practice and management of innovation to bring new technologies from lab to market.

Carl holds an A.B. degree from Cornell University and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. He also served as a Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, teaching various courses on the topic of biomedical enterprise.

Lunch will be provided in person.

Moderators:
Anne Quaadgras, Director, MIT Sloan Health Systems Initiative
Doug Williams, Product Lead, Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship

INVITATION FOR GEM BIO WORKSHOP AT ICLR 2024

We are delighted to invite you and your colleagues to an upcoming workshop, “Integrating Generative and Experimental Perspectives for BioMolecular Design” (GEM) at the ICLR Conference in Vienna on May 11th, 2024. The primary focus of our workshop is to foster collaboration between machine learning experts and experimental scientists. We are actively seeking submissions of papers that demonstrate such collaboration, whether through purely computational endeavors or experimental work with rich datasets that can be utilized for learning purposes.

We would be thrilled to have your participation at the workshop, including submitting a paper or signing up as a reviewer. As a reviewer, you will have the opportunity to score submitted papers and provide valuable comments and feedback for the selection process. Excitingly, through a new partnership, the top papers will be nominated for fast-track submission to Cell Systems (IF: 11.091). This collaboration presents an excellent opportunity to showcase and disseminate the most outstanding works in this field.

You visit https://www.gembio.ai/ to find more details about the workshop, including an exciting lineup of speakers and panelists who have been pioneers in the space. 

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at gembioworkshop [at] googlegroups.com (gembioworkshop[at]googlegroups[dot]com). We look forward to your participation!

UPCOMING INSTITUTE COMMUNITY & EQUITY OFFICE (ICEO) EVENTS

A calendar of upcoming events is available here.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP BOSTON - EVENTS

The Medical Development Group Boston (MDG Boston) is a community of individuals professionally committed to the Medical Device and other Medical Technology Industry segments united by the belief that innovation and advances in technology lead to substantial improvements in health care.

MDG's Mission is to contribute to the continuing development of medical devices and other medical technologies by enhancing the professional development of its members, fostering and supporting entrepreneurial thinking, serving as a forum for exploration of new business opportunities, and promoting best practices in enterprise management.

MDG pursues this mission through the organization of educational programs and forums: the facilitation of cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration; the creation of venues for networking and information sharing for current and aspiring professionals, clinicians, and entrepreneurs; and the development of alliances with complementary organizations.

We would love for you to attend and spread the word in your community!

For more information on our upcoming events, visit our website.

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.

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.

Find out about Brainmap here. Sign up here for our mailing list, in order to receive notices about our upcoming seminars.

Student Opportunities

COMSCICON24 FLAGSHIP WORKSHOP - SUMMER 2024

ComSciCon provides graduate student attendees with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to meet early career leaders in science communication while also learning from, and interacting with, a remarkable group of invited scicomm experts. ComSciCon empowers future leaders in science communication to share their research and passions with broad and diverse audiences.

Graduate students: Applications for the annual ComSciCon24 Flagship Workshop, taking place from July 24-27 2024 in Boston, MA, are open! ComSciCon is scheduled to be held in person at Emerson College. Everyone studying in STEM fields is eligible to apply. Applications will close on March 31, 2024 @ 11:59 PM (EDT).

We encourage women, BIPOC, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, and all other people with any intersection of minoritized and/or marginalized identities to apply. ComSciCon is committed to diversity and equity, and encourages all people to apply to the conference! Lodging and meals will be covered, and travel support will be provided by ComSciCon.

Accommodations will be provided upon request. We will provide opportunities to request specific accommodations after the selection process for attendees is complete.

Start your application today, and good luck from all of us on the ComSciCon Leadership Team!

PKG STUDENT AND FACULTY AWARDS - NOMINATIONS OPEN

We are accepting nominations for our PKG Student Award and Paul Gray Faculty Award through March 27th.

Paul Gray Faculty Award
Nominate an MIT Professor who is building a better world through their work!
Honoring MIT's 14th president, this award recognizes a member of MIT faculty who exemplifies "building a better world" through their teaching, research, advising, and service. Nominate faculty at https://bit.ly/PKGPaulGray24.

Priscilla King Gray Student Award
Recognize a student who is building a better world!
Honoring Priscilla King Gray's contributions to public service at MIT, this award recognizes graduate and undergraduate students who are exceptionally dedicated to community engagement and making positive social and environmental changes at MIT and beyond. Nominate students at https://bit.ly/PKGAward24. 

MAJUMDER LAB RECRUITING PHD STUDENTS

Fully-Funded Research Assistantships in Machine Learning, Pandemic Preparedness, & Socioepidemic Misinformation

The Majumder Lab at Harvard Medical School & Boston Children's Hospital is currently recruiting PhD students who hope to conduct thesis research at the intersection of machine learning, pandemic preparedness, and socioepidemic misinformation. All applicants will be considered for ongoing projects that apply machine learning to pandemic preparedness and/or socioepidemic misinformation. Successful applicants will also be welcome to propose their own projects under these broad application areas.

Our team specializes in the use of search query, mobile phone, and news+social media data within these application areas. Methods of interest include agent-based and phenomenological models of epidemics, natural language processing of misinformation, and causal inference for health policy evaluation. However, previous experience with these data types and methodological approaches is not required, especially if quantitative and programming skills are strong.

Key Qualifications and Required Skills:

  • Programming proficiency in Python or R
  • Strong communication skills
  • Commitment to a fair and just work environment
  • Current enrollment in a PhD program at Harvard Medical School (including HST)

Optional Skills:

  • Prior experience conducting research on epidemics and/or misinformation
  • Prior experience with Bayesian inference
  • Prior experience with sentiment analysis, emotion analysis, and/or large language models

How to Apply:

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until all available positions are filled.

DRAPER SCHOLARS - APPLICATION SITE OPEN NOW

Draper is seeking creative, passionate, and  scientifically ambitious doctoral students to develop the next generation of microphysiological neural tissue models.  Organoids are a relatively recent exciting development in the MPS field capturing more interest in drug discovery because of their ability to mimic aspects of tissue complexity in terms of cell types and architecture.  However, the conventional use of organoids as  tissue models have a number of limitations including a lack of vasculature and perfusion which stunts growth and leads to necrosis, a lack of long range tissue coherence, and a lack of a facile method of longitudinally interrogating the organoid.  The next generation of neural models will address these limitations by combining advances in multiple fields including 3D printing techniques to spatially organize the tissue, multiplexed microfluidic interfaces to perfuse, interrogate and control the delivery of key nutrients and morphogens, multiplexed electrical interfaces to non-invasively monitor the synaptic brainwave activity, and directed iPSC differentiation to model specific regions of the brain. We are seeking students interested in developing the hardware and materials breakthroughs to combine these technologies in novel ways to enable more predictive and physiologically relevant neural models.

Draper’s Bioengineering division is a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists organized to support our nation’s interests in biotechnology, biodefense, and biomedical engineering.   Draper Scholars conduct research and apply it to real-world challenges in biotechnology systems, space systems, electronic systems and strategic systems, under the guidance of a Draper supervisor and an academic advisor from their university.  We work to have a cohesive learning environment to help our scholars grow into the next generation of innovators. Explore your opportunities to make a difference at Draper—for your education, your career and our nation.

Interested students should apply on the Draper Site: https://www.draper.com/careers/scholar-program

If interested, please apply as soon as possible, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein at jborenstein [at] draper.com (jborenstein[at]draper[dot]com)

GSC INSTITUTE AWARDS - NOMINATIONS OPEN

Every year the GSC gives out four Institute Awards, to be presented at the Institute Awards Convocation. The awards are:

Nomination of students and faculty for these awards offer a unique opportunity to honor these individuals for their invaluable contributions to graduate students and to thank them for their efforts. A complete nomination requires a supporting statement not to exceed one page or 500 words. Although there are no hard and fast guidelines, a strong nomination is likely to include a high-quality statement clearly describing relevant accomplishments, any specific task, and/or incidents reflecting the nominee’s dedication and genuine interest.

Nominations Process

All nominations must be submitted online. You can submit a nomination at https://mitgscapp.knack.com/funding#institute-awards/

Nominations close: March 30 at 5pm

Only graduate students and postdocs are eligible to nominate a candidate. Please direct any questions to gsc-awards at mit dot edu. Winners will be notified before the Awards Ceremony. Please do not email to inquire about recipients.

GRADUATE COMMUNITY FELLOWS POSITIONS

Grad students, interested in improving graduate life & community at MIT while earning a partial stipend? Apply to become a Graduate Community Fellow!

When would I start? Start dates are flexible and based on the Fellow and the hiring organization. If you’re looking for a job starting this semester, over IAP, or next semester, these openings may be a great fit for you!

What would I do? Graduate Community Fellows work on projects and assignments that enhance the graduate community at MIT in targeted, impactful ways. Each Fellow reports to a staff member in the OGE or a partner organization. See specifics below.

What are the requirements? Must meet minimal eligibility requirements and agree to the terms of appointment. Appointment periods for Fellow positions vary. All positions serve 10 hours per week, and receive compensation of $700 per month.

International students with full-time RA/TA appointments should note that there are eligibility restrictions.

Available positions are listed at the current Fellow positions page.

Some current positions are listed below; find more info on each position at the current Fellow positions page.

How do I apply? Once you’ve reviewed position details, download the application to apply. Applications for all positions are reviewed on a rolling basis. We hope to hear from you!

Questions? Contact Jessica Landry, jlandry [at] mit.edu (jlandry[at]mit[dot]edu).

MITAC OPPORTUNITIES

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

Visit MITAC​ ~ Your Ticket to Fun for movies, museums, sports, theatre, music, family, seasonal & special events since 1984!

  • Online Website: https://mitac.mit.edu/
  • On campus: The MITAC Stata Center ticket office is open Tues-Fri 12-4pm.

Feel free to stop by and visit!  

We look forward to seeing everyone!

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!

OFFICE OF GRADUATE EDUCATION - FELLOWSHIP WORKSHOPS & FINANCIAL LITERACY RESOURCES

Fellowship Newsletter
Our Fellowship Newsletter is a monthly/bimonthly occurrence that includes upcoming opportunities and events, tips on applying to fellowships, announcements, and generally an avenue for us to relay fellowship related information. 

Interested in receiving the newsletter? Please sign up for our mailing list by clicking here. Future Graduate Fellowship Bulletins will be sent right to your email inbox.

Other financial literacy resources:

iGrad!

Check out the completely free iGrad Financial Literacy platform (offered in collaboration with the MIT Federal Credit Union).

Customized for MIT, iGrad includes 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, and spending-smarts. It is a great financial literacy tool for students and the MIT community in general. Find more information at https://mit.igrad.com/. We encourage everyone to sign up!

OGE website’s Financial Literacy section: https://oge.mit.edu/finances/financial-literacy/

OGE website’s fellowships section: https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/ including Fellowships Tips: https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/fellowship-tips/

Please reach out to the OGE at grad-ed [at] mit.edu (grad-ed[at]mit[dot]edu) with questions about our workshops or our financial literacy resources.

If there are further questions about fellowships, the OGE Fellowship section can be found here, especially the Fellowships Tips content 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.

MIT GRAD DIVERSITY & ICEO NEWSLETTERS

The Office of Graduate Education (OGE)’s GradDiversity seeks to support the success of underrepresented and under-served graduate students at MIT. This takes place through a series of programs designed to strengthen recruitment, enhance community, and ignite development in academic, leadership, and professional skills.

Together with the Institute Community and Equity Office and our faculty, students, and staff from across the Institute, we are committed to fostering a more inclusive and caring climate that intellectually engages and values all members of our MIT community.

Sign up for the GradDiversity Newsletter here.

Sign up for the ICEO Newsletter here.

MIT SPOUSES & PARTNERS CONNECT AND MIT LANGUAGE CONVERSATION EXCHANGE

We connect people across MIT for conversation, cultural exchange, and friendship.

MIT Spouses & Partners Connect - open to significant others of MIT students, postdocs, and staff

KERBEROS and ID CARDS for SPOUSES & PARTNERS
MIT students and employees may sponsor a guest Kerberos account for their spouse or partner to establish their digital identity in MIT's systems. Once registered, the spouse or partner may activate their digital MIT ID and obtain a physical card if needed. 

Get started at https://ist.mit.edu/id. Please read the instructions carefully as there are different processes for those who live in an MIT residence and for those who live off campus.

For more information about where you can use your MIT ID card, see this page.

EVENTS FOR NEWCOMERS
The best way to stay up to date on all of our events and activities is to subscribe to our email newsletter!

FEATURED FEBRUARY EVENTS

Private Consult with MS&PC Staff
Facilitated by Program Manager, Jennifer Recklet Tassi, this private appointment via Zoom or in-person is a time to ask questions, voice concerns, and reimagine your life here in Boston. We can spend the time talking about whatever is on your mind - from job search and career development to navigating a new city to figuring out how to make your experience in Boston productive and meaningful.

Appointments will be available at various times during the week.

Book a 30-minute private Zoom or in-person appointment here: https://mspc.youcanbook.me/

FOR PARENTS
New and Expecting Parents Group
Meets Tuesdays at 11am in E23-385
Meet other expecting and parents of infants under one year to connect, share information, and support each other. Bring your concerns, questions, and experiences to the group. And of course, your babies are welcome! Led by MS&PC members Steph and Holland.

If you have any questions, please send an email to Steph, stephdm [at] mit.edu (stephdm[at]mit[dot]edu).

All Ages Play Group- Wednesdays at 10am
NEW LOCATION at the Site 4 Dorm 
45 Hayward St, Building E37, Cambridge, MA 02142 (next to the Kendall Square T station)
All kids from newborn age to 3.5 years old are welcome! You can bring siblings as well. It's a chance for kids to have fun while parents can chat, share parenting tips, and socialize. Please contact Zixin Chen chen476 [at] mit.edu (chen476[at]mit[dot]edu) if you have any questions.

Open Swim for Families
Recreational swim is a fun and positive way to practice new skills, be physically active, and spend quality time with family and friends in the pool. This opportunity is cost-free to MIT families, thanks to financial support from Office of Graduate Education, Westgate, Site 4 and MIT Spouses & Partners Connect. These open swim sessions are scheduled on a weekly basis on Mondays, but it will alternate each week between infants-toddlers and older kids (after school) groups.

If you live off-campus, please register here. 
If you live in Westgate or Site4, send us an email to spousesandpartners [at] mit.edu (spousesandpartners[at]mit[dot]edu) and we will connect you with the Parents Program Coordinators there.

Gift to New Parents
MS&PC would like to acknowledge your lifetime event and celebrate it with you by presenting "Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts" by Karen Kleiman or "What About Us?: A New Parents Guide to Safeguarding Your Over-Anxious, Over-Extended, Sleep-Deprived Relationship". If your baby was born in this academic year or previous one, or you are an expecting parent, you are welcome to receive a book from us by completing this form. MIT Affiliation is required. Find more information about MIT childcare and parenting resources here.

BEST WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR EVENTS

MIT Language Conversation Exchange - open to all members of the MIT community

How to find a conversation partner at MIT so you can practice a language you are learning or want to improve with a native speaker.

Visit our website: http://lce.mit.edu

  • Search and contact native speakers of languages you want to practice for one-on-one conversation held at your convenience
  • Watch this video to learn how our website works

Join our Slack Space: https://bit.ly/lce-slack

  • Join or create channels for the languages you are interested in
  • Practice your writing skills while meeting other people at MIT who share your language interests

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lce.mit.edu/subscribe

  • Stay informed about upcoming small group meetings & events

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE LCE

Email us at lce [at] mit.edu (lce[at]mit[dot]edu)

Follow us on Facebook @MITLCE

Visit our calendar

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

PASCALL SYSTEMS JOB OPENING

Pascall Systems, a medical device startup by a group of MIT alumni is recruiting interns/part-time positions from PhD candidates with backgrounds in signal processing, machine learning, etc. interested in an industry research stint at an MIT/Harvard medical spin-off/startup.

If you are interested, please read details of the position here https://www.pascallsystems.com/post/we-re-hiring-algorithm-engineer-intern-part-time-full-time and reach out to the CEO directly who was an MIT BCS alum (Tuan Le Mau, PhD, t_lemau [at] mit.edu (t_lemau[at]mit[dot]edu) or tuan [at] pascallsystems.com (tuan[at]pascallsystems[dot]com))

RESEARCH INTERN POSITION - PARADIGM BIOCAPITAL

Research Intern, Paradigm BioCapital
Full-time, in-person; New York, NY

Paradigm BioCapital is a $2.2B AUM biotechnology-focused hedge fund based in New York, NY. We believe that the most appealing investments in biotechnology deliver transformative benefits to patients and redefine the treatment paradigm for physicians. Our investment strategy focuses on identifying such opportunities at the earliest proof of concept where the balance of reward and risk is most attractive. 

Position
Based in our NYC office, this internship is an intensive 10-12 week opportunity to learn and participate in a fast-paced and engaging investing environment. The intern will collaborate with the research team in evaluating potential investments through fundamental analysis of unmet medical need, clinical validation, and company outlook. 

Qualifications

  • MD (preferred), PhD in life sciences, or MBA candidate from a top-tier university
    • If MBA, then undergraduate degree in biological sciences or post-graduate work in the biotechnology industry
  • High integrity
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Passion for learning and humility in academic pursuits
  • Detail-oriented with an eye for inconsistent findings

How to Apply

Please submit the following in PDF format to Vinayak Nikam at vinayak [at] paradigmbiocapital.com:

  • Cover letter
    • Discuss any previous experience with biomedical research or the biotechnology industry
    • Highlight any therapeutic areas or technologies of interest.
    • Describe an experience when you worked in a small team of 3-5 people.
  • Resume

SALK FELLOW IN IMMUNOBIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS

Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA

Description
The Salk Fellows Program is a path for innovative early-stage career scientists to embark on fully independent research programs as an alternative to traditional postdoctoral studies. We seek leaders who are passionate in using innovative approaches to study the frontiers of immunology and inflammation, including neuro-immunology, cancer immunology, autoimmunity, host-microbe interactions (mutualistic to pathogenic), infectious disease, immunometabolism, systems immunology, immune engineering, and other inflammatory-related diseases. The chosen candidate will join a supportive and diverse group of highly interactive faculty in the Salk NOMIS Center of Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis.

Candidates should be recent PhD or MD graduates, at most two years from graduation, with demonstrated excellence in research and leadership. Salk Fellows are typically appointed for a period of five years after a successful review at the end of year three. Salk Fellow appointees are eligible for consideration for promotion to Assistant Professor at the Salk Institute. Mentoring is key to a Salk Fellow’s success and our Fellows are supported with financial and mentoring resources that allow them to launch their independent career, recruit trainees and establish stable funding.

Salk Fellows are often interdisciplinary scientists who establish new fields and integrate diverse approaches (e.g. cutting-edge genetic and animal models, metabolic and molecular assays, computer science, mathematics, imaging, computational biology, physics, machine learning, synthetic biology or engineering) to address fundamental biological questions in the broad areas of immunology, inflammation and infectious disease described above. Prospective Fellows’ are encouraged and supported to pursue exciting and innovative science.

The Salk Institute is deeply committed to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do with a passion for discovery, service, leadership and sharing of knowledge that addresses global microbiology and immunology challenges. To support their development, Salk Fellows are provided with a faculty mentor, a mentoring committee, administrative grant-writing support, and have access to a wide range of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Education Outreach, and Engagement & Wellbeing activities. Scholars underrepresented in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidates must complete an application online through Interfolio and include a current curriculum vitae, research statement, and three recommendation letters from scientists who are distinguished leaders in their fields, including one from their research advisor.  Selected referees should be able to comment in depth on candidates’ accomplishments and potential and describe the impact of their proposed research programs on their fields.  Research advisors should explain how candidates’ research is distinct from previous work conducted in their labs. Referees should also address candidates’ readiness to start and operate an independent lab and their potential to benefit from an accelerated path to an independent research career.

Applications with all required materials will be accepted until the position is filled but applications will begin being reviewed on April 1, 2024.

The expected pay range for this position is $85,000 to $100,000, $115,000 for computational roles per annum.  Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces diverse perspectives and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Link to apply: http://apply.interfolio.com/139659

FACULTY RECRUITMENT IN BIOENGINEERING - INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering - Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India

We invite applications for faculty positions from Indian and Foreign Nationals in Systems-level Biomedical Engineering in the following areas:

  • Medical Instrumentation
  • Medical Signal & Medical Image Processing
  • Physiological Systems Modelling
  • Data Science for Biomedical Engineering

In addition to candidates with post-doctoral academic experience, fresh PhD graduates and applicants with post-PhD industrial experience are also welcome to apply.

About Us

  • A Vibrant Research and Robust Teaching Environment
  • Academic Programs: M.Tech. (Biomedical Engineering), M.Sc. (Biotechnology), Ph.D.
  • 29 Core Faculty; 200+ Ph.D. Scholars; 45+ M.Tech.
  • Students; 60+ M.Sc. Students; 20+ Post-Docs

Any queries?
Prof. Hari Varma (harivarma [at] iitb.ac.in)
Prof. Neeta Kanekar (nkanekar [at] iitb.ac.in)

Further information can be found here.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB POST DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP OPENINGS

Northwestern University, in collaboration with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), announces several post-doctoral fellowship positions. All positions are two-year, full-time fellowships that provide an opportunity for individuals who have completed a PhD or other terminal degree to gain expertise and experience in health services research broadly, with the goal of preparing for a scholarly career. All openings are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research; research activities must relate to NIDILRR’s Long Range Plan.

Information about and application requirements are available on the Integrated Program in Health Services and Outcomes Research website: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/cehs/fellowships/index.html

Contact Allen Heinemann at 312.238.2920 or a-heinemann [at] northwestern.edu (a-heinemann[at]northwestern[dot]edu) for questions about eligibility and program fit. We encourage applications from women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. Northwestern University and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab are affirmative action, equal opportunity employers.

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

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

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

NUCLEATE DEMO DAY

Nucleate Boston will be hosting Demo Day, a showcase of companies finishing the 7th iteration of the Nucleate Activator Program, on May 21st!

Nucleate is a trainee run nonprofit that hosts the Activator program. Activator is an equity free program that supports companies aiming to tackle the biggest challenges in human health and sustainability, connecting scientific trainees and business students with a world-class advisor network of startup founders, executives, investors, and renowned scientists.

Demo Day is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the promising young companies in the Boston biotech ecosystem launched out of the Activator. After the event, there will also be ample time for networking with the Nucleate community in addition to other leaders, peers, and colleagues in biotech. 

If you are interested, please visit this link for more information, and register if you would like to join! Feel free to email boston [at] nucleate.org (boston[at]nucleate[dot]org) with any questions, or visit nucleate.xyz for more details on Nucleate.

We hope you to see you in May, and hope you find the Nucleate Activator to be just as productive and fruitful as we do!

CAPD FACULTY JOB SEARCH GUIDE

CAPD has launched the Faculty Job Search Guide! This completes our online PhD career support program (Kerberos login required), which brings together industry and academic job search resources and examples for easy access. The whole set of resources, the Faculty Job Search Guide, the PhD Career Document Library, and our PhD Resumes for Industry Jobs, is there whenever our students are ready. You can also find links on the CAPD PhD page.

MCKINSEY AND COMPANY RECRUITING NEWS

Starting in January, we will begin recruiting for those interested in our full-time Associate role who graduate between December 2024 – Summer 2025. Advanced Professional Degree (APD) candidates are postdocs or working toward the following degrees: PhD, MD (including medical interns, residents and fellows), JD, PharmD, Nursing, and non-MBA Masters. Non-MBA Master candidates must have at least four years in between the completion of their undergraduate degree and graduate degree to be qualified as having an APD.

Over 80% of our consultants have advanced degrees in fields outside of business, and as our firm continues to grow and evolve, we are looking for more people like you – experts in their fields – to join our community. We hope you will consider starting your journey with us, so you can be at your best at McKinsey!

Make sure to bookmark our website ahead of the new year.

As always, feel free to reach out to our APD_Recruiting_Team [at] McKinsey.com (APD recruiting team) with questions!

What’s on the horizon…

Events beginning in 2024
We will be hosting virtual sessions each month. These sessions will help you learn about the world of consulting, how your degree will be valuable, what life is like at McKinsey, and how we help our clients solve the most complex problems.

We can’t forget to mention Insight & Diversity Connect! Planning is underway for these two flagship programs. Find information on our website.

Connecting on campus Our recruiting team or consultants may be visiting a campus near you. Whether virtually or in-person, we are excited to learn more about YOU and what makes you interested in McKinsey!

Fill out our Connect with APD form!

This will give you access to all things APD recruiting in the coming months.
Make sure you’re on our list.

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

MIT has a diverse range of career fairs, only a few of which are run by Career Advising & Professional Development. Others are managed by student organizations or academic departments. MIT students are also welcome at some fairs hosted by companies, professional organizations, and other universities.

To get the most of your career fair experience, see our Tips for Career Fair Success. You can also view the CAPD events calendar for career fair workshops.

Find out more about career fairs at MIT.

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)

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