Have you ever been in a class or presentation session where the silence felt like a heavy wet blanket? Or conversely, where the discussion veered deep into tangent-land? In this session, we will provide you with practical strategies for starting and guiding on-topic and inspiring discussions in your classes. You will be introduced to a simple structure that you can use to organize any discussion – to start off strong and continue to run smoothly. We will also give you tools to maintain student participation.
G+PS Grad Student Workshops This Fall
G+PS (formerly the Faculty of Grad Studies/FoGS) is offering great workshops this fall on a range of topics: preparing your thesis, doing presentations, having a better relationship with your supervisor, and more.
Leading Discussions (for TAs)
TA-Instructor Working Relationship (for TAs)
As a Teaching Assistant, you will be working closely in different roles with an experienced instructor to teach. When this relationship goes well, it can be rewarding, educational, and fun. When it does not, it can be frustrating and overwhelming.
Presentation Skills (for TAs)
This workshop on presentation skills is designed for participants who expect to present their research within academia, organizational departments, or at conferences. Participants might also consider joining if they are preparing to defend a thesis or dissertation, or if taking part in job interviews. This workshop will enable participants to increase their confidence and try new approaches in any presentation setting. We will collaboratively explore models for effective presentations and apply these during short presentations delivered by participants.
Submitting your Thesis
Who should attend? Graduate students who are preparing to submit their thesis or defend their research findings before an examining board.
Working on your thesis? This session will review the UBC formatting and submission requirements and include:
- Planning ahead
- Thesis formatting requirements
- Electronic submission of theses
Presenters: Kelli Kadokawa and Kristy Brimacombe, their work includes advising students on thesis preparation and formatting.
Doctoral Exam Preparation
Who should attend? Graduate students who are preparing to submit their thesis or defend their research findings before an examining board.
This session will assist doctoral candidates who are ready (or nearly ready) for their Final Doctoral Exams and will include:
Mentoring Workshop (For TAs and TA Training Coordinators)
This half-day workshop is meant for senior TAs who will be serving, formally or informally, as mentors for other TAs in their department. The workshop is also open to TA Training Coordinators. During the workshop, you will focus on developing specific mentoring skills. The beginning of the workshop will focus on setting up the mentoring relationship, and the latter part of the workshop will focus on 3 core mentoring skills – feedback, reflection, and skill modeling.
Submitting your Thesis (via Webinar)
Who should attend? Graduate students who are preparing to submit their thesis or defend their research findings before an examining board.
Working on your thesis? This session will review the UBC formatting and submission requirements and include:
- Planning ahead
- Thesis formatting requirements
- Electronic submission of theses
Presenters: Kelli Kadokawa and Kristy Brimacombe, their work includes advising students on thesis preparation and formatting.
Doctoral Exam Preparation (via Webinar)
Who should attend? Graduate students who are preparing to submit their thesis or defend their research findings before an examining board.
This session will assist doctoral candidates who are ready (or nearly ready) for their Final Doctoral Exams and will include:
The non-academic job search for graduate students and postdocs
In this three-part session, Dr. Anne Krook will first review her own path through and out of academics and describe the lessons graduate students can draw from it. She will then show how graduate students can prepare themselves for the non-academic job market at the same time that they do their graduate work and what they must do. Finally, she will review the process and mechanics of entering the non-academic job market.
Facilitation Basics 1 (For TAs and TA Training Coordinators)
This workshop is part 1 of the Facilitation Basics workshops which are meant for senior TAs who will be delivering facilitated sessions focused on teaching enhancement for TAs. During this workshop, you will focus on developing key skills for designing workshops: determining workshop objectives, designing activities, time management, etc. The workshop is an interactive, peer-based model which will give you opportunities to learn about, practice, discuss, and reflect on workshop development skills, and will run from 9:00 AM until 12:30 PM.
Facilitation Basics 2 (For TAs and TA Training Coordinators)
This workshop is part 2 of the Facilitation Basics workshops which are meant for senior TAs who will be delivering facilitated workshops focused on teaching enhancement for TAs.
Discovering the Entrepreneur Within
Technical and Scientific Writing I and II
Breaking Patterns of Procrastination
This session is one of a series of seminars being offered by Graduate Pathways to Success in collaboration with the Life & Career Centre, Robson Square.
Improving Presentations through Productive Feedback
As graduate students, we are often asked to offer feedback on our colleagues’ presentation materials and/or presentations. Saying “good job” is too general and not particularly helpful! How can we be specific, while being helpful, respectful and constructive? What are the specific areas we can focus on to help others (and ourselves) create effective presentations?
In this workshop, we help you build your skills as a reviewer of presentations. You will be able to apply these skills to enhancing your own presentations.
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
Getting on Track with your Thesis
Getting the Word Out – writing your research for the public sphere
In this climate of knowledge exchange and community engagement, communicating to a mainstream audience outside the Academy is becoming increasingly important for research professionals. These days the onus is on members of the academic community to have a high public profile and to take part in public debate.
And, not only do universities want their academics to develop a highly visible profile and be seen in the public arena, but there also is an educated and interested community out there keen to hear what goes on within Academia.
SCARL I: Planning a Statistically Sound Research Project
From Stress to Strengths! Living a More Congruent Life
Stress is the top health and wellness reason for academic difficulties among UBC graduate students (National College Health Assessment, 2008). During this engaging and comfortably paced workshop, participants will have the opportunity to consider the notion of stress from a completely new lens. No longer will stress be seen as a behaviour to be “managed” or “balanced”. Rather, the focus will be on gaining familiarity with concepts related to individual wellness as it relates to each participant’s particular needs and values, in order to build resiliency.
Panic to Power: improving career confidence
Do you find yourself worrying about achieving your goals? Do you feel avoidant, unsure, nervous and slightly nauseous instead of excited, motivated, confident, and focused? Are you stressed about your thesis, research, or teaching duties? Are you unsure how to navigate the relationship with your supervisor or committee? Do you dread reaching out to other professionals, academics, or employers? Are conferences, networking events, and “meet and greets” a source of worry rather than inspiration?
Networking
SCARL II: Exploring and Visualizing Data
Getting the Interview – How to Make Your Application Stand Out
Do you want to significantly increase the chances of getting the interview as opposed to just applying and hoping? Don’t get lost in piles of resumes ever again! The application process can be tricky and one small mistake can lose any chance of an interview. Learn how to maximize each step and get the interviews you want.
Time Management
SCARL III: Two Group Comparisons and Beyond
How to own the 1st and Final Interviews to Secure your Dream Job!
Building upon his popular “Getting the Interview- How to Make Your Application Stand Out” workshop, Matthew will provide you with his top tips for excelling in your next interview. Matthew will be joined by an expert panel, who will add their advice on what to do, and what not to do, to secure you dream job!