blogs

Conferences: How to Rub Elbows with Purpose

Published: 13 September 2013
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: conferences, graduate school, networking, personal connections, professional connections

Going to a conference soon? Make use of your time by introducing yourself to others in your field. Don’t be shy! Going to a conference is more than just listening and presenting research. It’s an opportunity to meet people outside your school who have the same interests that you do. If you successfully make new contacts at a conference, you may be in the wonderful position of sharing research collaborations,…

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Publication-focused research.

Published: 5 September 2013
Written by Bill
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Categories: blogs

Probably the best thing my Bruce, my graduate school advisor, taught me was to always ask myself; how is this going to contribute to a paper.  It’s the major product of us academics, and probably the most important way we communicate our results.  Of course, not every experiment we do is going to end up in a publication, but before you do them, stop and ask yourself a few questions.

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Conference Tips: Presenting a Paper

Published: 30 August 2013
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: conferences, professional connections, research, science

About to give a paper talk at a conference? Here are some solid tips to ensure success: Practice, practice, practice It doesn’t matter how often you’ve given public speeches or how experienced you are in your research, you need to practice your presentation, and practice it numerous times. Practice it aloud by yourself or in front of your dog/cat/boyfriend/mother, just practice!Why? – You will become fluent in speech…

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Burnout – Part Two

Published: 29 August 2013
Written by John
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Categories: blogs
Tags: avoid burnout, grad school advice, graduate school, help, personal connections

So last week I talked a lot about what graduate school burnout is, and some warning signs that you might be experiencing burnout. This week I will be talking about what to do if you are experiencing some of the signs of burnout. Below are some helpful ways to help battle burnout and help you regain your passion for your field, knowledge, and your future career trajectory. Give Yourself…

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Burnout – Part One

Published: 22 August 2013
Written by John
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Categories: blogs
Tags: burnout, depressed, grad school advice, graduate school, help

With these next few posts, I would like to put some of the more glamorous aspects of grad school on hold – yes, there are many glamorous aspects of grad school – and talk about a very serious issue that impacts many graduate students: burnout. In part one of this two-part series, I will be talking about what burnout is, and some of the warning signs that you might be…

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Procrastination: A Series

Published: 21 August 2013
Written by Rene M. Paulson
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Categories: blogs
Tags: Rene Paulson

Are you a procrastinator? Maybe you’re even procrastinating right now by reading interesting blogs and articles about PhD students and the everyday issues they face. These online resources are helpful to you, and they’re certainly a more applicable procrastination than Facebook or YouTube, but you could probably get ahead on some work right now by writing a chapter of your dissertation or reading an important book/article assignment. However, it is…

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Making Money in Grad School

Published: 13 August 2013
Written by Rene M. Paulson
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Categories: blogs
Tags: grad school advice, graduate school, job advice, money, Rene Paulson, student loans

Now that I’ve told you how to apply for graduate school, you might be wondering how you’re going to pay for it all. If thinking about paying for grad school sends you into a panicked frenzy, then just take a deep breath and read this post to put things into perspective before you change your mind about grad school. Apply Early Applying early has paid off (in more ways…

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Conference Tips: Presenting a Poster

Published: 9 August 2013
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: conferences, graduate school, professional connections, research, science

Are you about to present a poster at a research conference? Here are some tips to ensure a great poster session: Know your audience’s poster-viewing style People typically peruse the title posters and if it involves something that interests them, they’ll stop and check it out. Some people want to read your poster without interruption. They may decide to ask you questions, or they may walk away without asking questions. Other…

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Bon Appetit: Eating on a Time and Financial Budget

Published: 7 August 2013
Written by John
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Categories: blogs

Chances are if you are in graduate school you probably barely have time to brush your teeth and comb your hair in the morning. Furthermore, unlike the majority of the workforce that lives paycheck to paycheck, your finances might look something more like school loan to school loan. With all of these time and financial restrictions, how is one supposed to be able to maintain a healthy diet? Well, I’m…

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Grad School Applications Part 5: Perfecting Your Application(s)

Published: 6 August 2013
Written by Rene M. Paulson
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Categories: blogs
Tags: Rene Paulson

I’ve talked a lot in this series about proofreading your applications and making sure there aren’t any mistakes in them, but I’m not done talking about the importance of perfecting your grad school applications. I also wanted to bring up other issues that you can easily avoid and things that you should keep in mind when reviewing your grad school applications before submitting them. Imagine reading through a published novel…

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