Students may register online for these courses, they are listed in the course schedule under “Professional Development”.  Course numbers are listed below. 

The courses are 0 credits and do not appear on student transcripts; they are free of charge and open to all matriculated Graduate Center students.

 PDEV 79400  Advanced Spoken English: Teaching and Presentation Skills

GC:  Tuesday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Rm. 5382, 0 credits, Prof. O’Shields [57280]

This course is designed to help students improve their spoken English in a variety of academic and casual settings through guided instruction of American-style conversation and direct instruction of spoken English fluency and pronunciation skills.  Additionally, students will be instructed in the standard methods and style of teaching and presenting for the American university classroom.  Students will also be discussing and learning about American culture via themes and topics that are relevant to the students’ interests. Continue reading Fall 2019 Professional Development Seminars →

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Graduate Center, room 9204

Are you planning to go on the job market this fall? It’s never too soon to start preparing for your job search. In this workshop session, we will discuss how to use the summer to best prepare yourself for the academic job market. We’ll talk about:

• Setting a time table for your search;
• Job documents such as CVs, cover letters, and writing samples;
• Where to find information about position openings;
• What you might expect from the interview process;
• How you can best position yourself for opportunities.

Please fill out our event registration form to let us know you’re coming.

Communicating Your Research: A Talk by Kyle Marian

Thursday, May 16, 2019, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Graduate Center, Room 9204

How is laughter a symptom of connection, and how can academics use it strategically for impactful communication? When communicating your research, there are plenty of methods and media that allow you to connect your message to your target audience (whether they are the general public, policymakers, patients, or stakeholders). Each form has its strengths and its weaknesses and in this introductory talk, science communicator Kyle Marian will share why the art of comedy is a powerful tool for connecting with diverse target audiences, and the lessons academics and researchers can take from a comedian’s work to apply to what they do.

Sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative

Please RSVP

Please fill out our event registration form to let us know you’re coming.

About Our Speaker

Kyle Marian is a science communicator & former physical anthropologist, now focusing her work on multimedia and performance science communication/public outreach. She has performed in and produced public lectures, general science podcasting, science blogging, talk radio, and provided workshops training speakers for public events such as TEDx and comedy storytelling. She produces a monthly stand-up show called The Symposium: Academic Stand-Up featuring academics & researchers she’s trained to translate their obscure research & work life into comedy for wider audiences. She is also the social media manager for Guerilla Science, an international organization bringing science to new audiences in unexpected ways. She has a passion for using comedy in science communication and has recently been training with the Upright Citizens’ Brigade to hone her improv and writing skills. Internationally, she’s performed academic stand-up comedy through the UK’s Bright Club community, even taking the BBC stage during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015.

Improve Your Research Communication Skills: A Workshop with Kyle Marian

Thursday, May 23, 2019, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Graduate Center, room 9207

In this hands-on workshop, science communicator and comedian Kyle Marian will walk you through the process of creating academic-inspired comedy about your research and work life. In the process, you’ll learn the tools you need to become a stronger, strategic communicator no matter who your audience is. This workshop is ideal for folks who suffer from stage fright, are self-professed introverts, or just want to stretch their communication muscles in a new way. Even if you think you’re not funny, you’ll walk away with a new tool to engage different audiences with your work. During this workshop, we’ll break down the concept and equation of comedic communication, work on interpreting your research into stand-up, perform exercises to translate the same research ideas to different audiences, and get personalized feedback you can directly apply to your field engagement. Participants should bring a writing utensil and a notebook or paper.

Sponsored by the CUNY Central Office Career Success – Workforce Development Initiative

Please RSVP

Please fill out our event registration form to let us know you’re coming.

About Our Speaker

Kyle Marian is a science communicator & former physical anthropologist, now focusing her work on multimedia and performance science communication/public outreach. She has performed in and produced public lectures, general science podcasting, science blogging, talk radio, and provided workshops training speakers for public events such as TEDx and comedy storytelling. She produces a monthly stand-up show called The Symposium: Academic Stand-Up featuring academics & researchers she’s trained to translate their obscure research & work life into comedy for wider audiences. She is also the social media manager for Guerilla Science, an international organization bringing science to new audiences in unexpected ways. She has a passion for using comedy in science communication and has recently been training with the Upright Citizens’ Brigade to hone her improv and writing skills. Internationally, she’s performed academic stand-up comedy through the UK’s Bright Club community, even taking the BBC stage during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015.