Research Data Management: File Organization (organized by MIT Libraries)
Do you struggle with organizing your research data? Wonder if there’s a better way to arrange and name your data files to optimize your work? This workshop will teach you practical techniques for organizing your data files.
Topics will include: file and folder organizational structures and file naming. This session will include hands-on exercises to apply the concepts to your particular data project.
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 26th, 5:00-6:00pm
Location: 14N-132
Register here
Plan Your Finances, Plan Your Life: Strengthen Your Relationship with Money (sponsored by MIT Work-Life Center)
Would you like to strengthen your relationship with money and learn to live within your means while continuing to spend on what matters most to you? Learn to eliminate financial overwhelm and instead powerfully manage money in your day-to-day life by designing a spending and savings plan (a.k.a. a budget) that allows you to have more freedom, choice, and peace in your life.
In this session, you will learn:
- The main reasons why most people aren’t as powerful with their money as they could be
- The #1 way to positively shift your mindset around money instantly
- Three steps to a life of financial ease and flow
- Five steps to developing a new financial plan that works for your life
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 26th, 5:30pm dinner, 6:00-7:30pm seminar
Location: 46-3189
Register here
CAP Lunch & Learn with Jobcase: Data Analytics and Machine Learning for Powering Job Search Engines (hosted by CSAIL Alliances) New
What is the CAP Lunch & Learn? The CAP Lunch & Learn (L&L) is an informal lunchtime event planned for a small group of MIT Ph.D. students and postdocs who are thinking about an eventual career in industry. It is hosted by CSAIL Alliances and a guest from one of CSAIL’s affliate companies. The event is highlighted by a short talk given by a senior corporate executive who presents a technical topic, explains how research in industry differs from academic research and shares personal experiences and a candid account of their own career path for the benefit of the participants. The speakers are encouraged to share honest perspectives about their career path and refrain from recruitment “pitching” and there will be ample Q&A.
Discussion:
- Taxonomy of the kinds of jobs people can get after they graduate and an outline for deciding which ones to focus on.
- Career path from Course 16 (Aeronautics & Astronautics) at MIT to appointment as the head of a Data Analytics and Machine Learning group at Jobcase, a late-stage social media startup in Kendall Square.
- Current focus: Full reengineering of core job search technology that powers over 100 jobsites. Jobcase applies analytical expertise in user behavior modeling, data quality, and search result scoring to create a total registration membership to date of 48 million+ Americans.
Terran Melconian (’00, SM ’01) manages the Data Analytics and Machine Learning team at Jobcase. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Course 16 at MIT, where he researched the robustness of airline schedules to adverse weather. Terran subsequently worked on Image Search at Google and on reliability and big data at TripAdvisor. At Jobcase, the analytics team focuses on user behavior modeling, data quality, and search result scoring.
Fred Goff (SM ‘01) is an entrepreneur and workers advocate building technology to better serve working men & women to achieve success. In 2009 he reorganized a machine learning asset management company to launch Jobcase.com – a company now considered the only social media site dedicated to empowering the American workforce. Jobcase, a CSAIL affiliate member, harnesses the power of big data to effectively provide tools, and to connect and empower America’s workforce on a local level, matching the right candidate with the right mentors and career opportunities at the right time. Previously, Goff was a proprietary trader and hedge fund manager of various companies, successfully managing up to $1 billion. Fred Goff holds a MS in Management of Technology from MIT, as well as a MS in Public Policy Management and BS in Managerial Economics & Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 27th, 1:00-2:30pm
Location: Stata Center – Patil/Kiva Conference Room 32-G449 (Gates Building, 4th Floor)
Register here
Simple Strategies to Resolve Conflicts with Difficult Supervisors and Coworkers (sponsored by MIT VPR)
Discover simple and practical strategies to resolve conflicts and work effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and collaborators in an academic environment. Participants will learn the basic principles of assertive communication in order to develop long-term professional relationships at the workplace and to mentor other researchers effectively.
The presenter, Dr. Dora Farkas, received her Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering and her Ph.D. in Biological Engineering, both from MIT. Dora won an NRSA research grant from NIH and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Tufts Medical School as a principal investigator on clinical trials. She also worked for several years in the pharmaceutical industry as a Senior Scientist in Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics. Dora is currently a thesis and career coach for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. She is also the founder of www.FinishYourThesis.com, a community site that has helped thousands of graduate students finish their theses since 2009.
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 27th, 3:00-4:30pm
Location: 46-3002
Register here
Networking Pub Night (organized by Boston PDA) See end of newsletter
Meet your fellow postdocs and rub elbows with industry professionals from local Biotech and Pharma companies. We’ll have lots of excellent hors d’ouvres and our space will be staffed by bartenders eager to serve your favorite adult beverage from our cash bar.
Bring your friends, your business cards and make some new friends and contacts! Availability is first come, first served and is filling up quickly. Postdocs from all institutions and Industry PhDs are welcome.
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 27th, 6:00-8:30pm
Location: Rattlesnake Bar and Grill (384 Boylston Street, Boston)
Register here
Sports & Pizza Thursdays
PDA weekly sports event continues! Join us for a friendly sports game and/or pizza at Muddy’s. You don’t have to play any sports to get a slice of hot pizza. But, if you do, we got free access to the MIT Rec Center for all postdocs during our events. We are continuing with soccer on Thursdays. For volleyball, there are additional events upcoming and we are working on basketball games and dance events. Recover, recharge and socialize after the games at Muddy’s pub. Free, hot pizza will be served and drinks are available for purchase with a valid ID. Please, RSVP so we can order enough pizza. There is also space for your feedback in the form!
Date and Time: Thursday, April 28th 6:00-7:00pm Soccer, 7:30pm Pizza
Location: MAC Court (3rd Floor of Zesiger Center, W35-375)
Muddy Charles Pub (MIT Building 50)
Register for Pizza at Muddy’s here
For all questions regarding the events, email the Sports Committee of PDA at jelenas@mit.edu
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Sport%20Activities%20for%20MIT%20Postdocs
Yoga Classes for Postdocs
We are conducting yoga class series regularly and the next one is starting on April 27, and will be taking place on Wednesdays, 7:30 pm on campus (building 37 or building 16). A rate for postdocs and their spouses/partners is offered for a 10 class session for $80. This is a gentle all-level relaxing yoga class and no prior experience is required.
The classes will take place on the following 10 dates:
April 27, May 4, May 11, May 18, May 25, June 1, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29
If you are interested, please reserve your spots by contacting Sarah Safieddine or the instructor Hadassah Segal directly.