Concurrent Workshops Cover Topics of Interest to Students and Nonstudents Alike

Mental Health and Wellness in STEM: A Community Discussion

Who: This workshop is recommended for community college, undergraduate, postbaccalaureate and graduate students

What: The workshop will focus on mental health and wellness in STEM. A case study will serve as the framework for the session, as participants engage in small-group discussions on mental health and wellness from the perspective of a trainee, mentor and classmate. Workshop participants will: learn to destigmatize mental health and wellness, with a focus on the experiences of individuals systematically excluded from STEM; develop strategies to seek out mental health and wellness support from mentors; and reflect on how we, as a STEM community, can support our peers and colleagues maintain their mental health and wellness.

Post Baccalaureate Programs, Tips for Submitting a Successful Application, and Advice on Taking a Gap Year

Who: This workshop is recommended for community college, undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students

What: Speakers will discuss the various opportunities that can be explored during intentional gap years and/or the pursuit of postbaccalaureate programs. For those applying to postbaccalaureate programs, this workshop will also review best practices to make your application stand out and grab reviewers’ attention.

How to Wow the Reviewers — An NIH K99 Specific Aims Workshop

Who: This workshop is recommended for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists

What: Students planning to apply for grant funding, especially career transition awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) like the K99 or K22, need a great Specific Aims section. In this workshop, NIH staff will present policies, tips and resources for preparing career transition applications. Speakers will explain why the Specific Aims section is so important to grab reviewers’ attention and frame your research project. They also will guide small groups, as participants critique sample K99 Specific Aims. Attendees should bring a draft of their own Specific Aims section or a summary of their research project so that NIH staff facilitators can provide feedback.

Fair Play: Conversations about Racial Bias in STEMM

Who: This workshop is recommended for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists

What: In this workshop, participants will learn how unconscious or implicit bias gives rise to microaggressions. They will learn the names and definitions of these concepts by interacting with the videogame Fair Play, which represents a simulation of the complex social world of a graduate student in academia. Being literate in bias concepts is important for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to validate their experiences and support others. Participants will learn bias-reducing and resiliency-building strategies that can positively influence their current and future work environments, as well as a deeper understanding of the effects of bias on underrepresented minority students in biomedical, behavioral and clinical science fields.

NSF and NIH Funding: Strategies for Faculty

Who: This workshop is recommended for faculty, program directors and exhibitors

What: The workshop will feature a discussion of NSF and NIH funding opportunities, with an emphasis on newer programs and opportunities for faculty at minority-serving institutions and primarily undergraduate institutions. The session will include three presentations and a panel discussion with Q&A.

Cultivating Equitable Ecosystems in Academia, Step 1: Focus on Removing Barriers, not Fixing Individuals

Who: This workshop is recommended for faculty, program directors and exhibitors

What: Faculty and academic leaders have the positionality and power required to affect systemic inequities that impact the lived experiences of their colleagues. The significant national push to increase representation among faculty heightens the urgency for institutions to create environments that promote faculty success, particularly for colleagues from underrepresented groups. Workshop participants will identify behavioral and structural barriers that prevent equitable engagement from faculty and adopt approaches that embody authenticity and promote change.