IAP 2015 Activities by Category - Writing and Communications Skills

Ann Cheung

Jan/16

Fri

12:00PM-02:00PM

76-156

Enrollment: Advance sign-up for personalized abstract consultation
Sign-up by 01/09

Are you preparing an abstract for a paper or poster? How do you sum up your research clearly in less than 200 words? Can you grab the readers' attention without sounding too grandiose? Have you fretted over how much detail to include?

Join us in 76-156 from noon to 2pm on Friday, January 16th. Christina Lilliehook (Senior Editor, Cell Stem Cell) and Brian Plosky (Deputy Editor, Molecular Cell) will offer advice on how to write an effective abstract. The editors will give general tips and critique a few real examples, then we'll break into groups for personalized abstract writing consultations (with snacks!).

The general presentation is open to everyone at MIT; Koch Institute members and affiliates will be given priority for consultations. Consultations will be on a first-come-first-served basis, so sign up now and submit your abstract by January 9th to secure an appointment. Limit ~14, walk-ins may be accepted based on availability. Sign up via EventBrite.

--- Brought to you by the Executive Director's Office (EDO)

Sponsor(s): David H. Koch Inst. for Integrative Cancer Researc
Contact: Ann Cheung, 617 324-3533, ACHEUNG@MIT.EDU

Katharine Dunn, Scholarly Communications Librarian

Jan/16

Fri

02:30PM-03:30PM

3-270

Enrollment: Go to http://signup.mit.edu/publishing to register.
Sign-up by 01/16
Limited to 90 participants

Looking for job opportunities beyond academia or industry? In the first of a series of Graduate Student Council-sponsored talks on alternative careers, panelists will discuss their publishing jobs and how your degree in science or engineering could be an asset an editor, writer, content producer, or publishing manager.

The session will address what journal and book editors do, the difference between scholarly publishing and journalism, science writing for technical and lay audiences, the skills you need to succeed, and how to find jobs. 

Our panelists include:

• Ada Brunstein, executive editor and acquisitions group leader at Oxford University Press, who previously worked as an editor in brain sciences, computer science, and linguistics at the Cambridge University Press, MIT Press, and Blackwell Publishing;
  
  
• Jennifer Griffiths, editorial development manager for North America at the Royal Society of Chemistry, who has a PhD in biological chemistry and previously worked at the American Chemical Society;
  
  
• Wade Roush, acting director of Knight Science Journalism at MIT, who has a PhD from MIT's Program in Science, Technology, and Society and spent 20 years as a reporter, writer, and editor.

 

Refreshments will be served.

Go to http://signup.mit.edu/publishing to register.

Sponsor(s): Graduate Student Council, Libraries
Contact: Katharine Dunn, 14E-210, 617 253-9879, KHDUNN@MIT.EDU

Katharine Dunn, Scholarly Communications Librarian

Jan/14

Wed

01:00PM-02:15PM

14N-132

Enrollment: Please email khdunn@mit.edu to reserve a spot.
Sign-up by 01/14
Limited to 25 participants

Co-sponsored by Urban Studies & Planning Professor Anne Whiston Spirn and the MIT Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Publishing, Copyright & Licensing, this session will offer an overview of the reasons many book authors choose independent publishing and the services that exist to support them. Professor Spirn will discuss her own independent publishing experiences and share what she has learned; Scholarly Communication Librarian Katharine Dunn will provide a brief overview of some of the major book publishing services available, such as Amazon's "Createspace," "Lulu," "Smashwords," and "Dogear," and provide a look at a Libraries’ guide to these services.

Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Katharine Dunn, 14E-210, 617 253-9879, KHDUNN@MIT.EDU

Holly Sweet, PhD, Psychology

Jan/27

Tue

03:30PM-05:00PM

TBD

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 12/05
Limited to 20 participants

In this workshop, we will explore different styles of communication with
others, including passive, passive-aggressive, assertive and aggressive
behaviors. Through role playing, personal inventories, and group
discussion, we will examine what gets in our way of being assertive and
what helps us be more assertive, including asking for what we want and
saying no to unreasonable requests. We will pay particular attention to
effective methods of negotiating our needs with coworkers and supervisors.  

First preference will be given to Course 6 women students.    Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14PY384TOazSbLwzt00Ir4KXiG0ev4-K8FBKsqXyqXx0/viewform

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Bianca Homberg, HKN Women's Initiative, bhomberg@mit.edu

Leah Gallant, Director of Student Activities

Jan/29

Thu

02:30PM-03:30PM

W20-307 /Mezz Lounge

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

Join our co-presenters Director of Student Activities Leah Gallant and Professional Introvert  Amma Marfo to learn more about building a personal and professional network that will add to your academic and professional experiences and open up all sorts of new opportunities to you!

Contact: Joel Pettigrew, W20-549, 617 253-5369, JOELP@MIT.EDU

Suzanne Lane, Director, Writing, Rhetoric and Professional Communication

Jan/26

Mon

02:00PM-04:00PM

56-162

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required

This workshop will provide vivid lessons and hands-on practice in communicating scientific research to a general audience.  A panel of science writers will explain strategies for making complex information accessible and memorable, without compromising accuracy.  The panelists will then lead participants in exercises for developing clear and vivid explanations of data and concepts.  Space is limited to 25.  Please contact wrap@mit.edu to reserve a place.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Suzanne Lane, E39-369, 617-253-3039, wrap@mit.edu

Dr. Gideon Goldin, UX Architect, Tamr, and Junjay Tan, S.M. '09 Mech.E./TPP, Field Engineer, Tamr

Jan/16

Fri

09:30AM-12:00PM

, Room 33-116

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/14
Prereq: None, open to all.

The visual presentation of data is an essential skill in both academia and industry. While the fundamentals of data visualization have remained relatively stable, the tools and techniques in use today have changed greatly, allowing people to create interactive visualizations more quickly (for better and worse!).

This 2.5 hour session (1 hour discussion, 1.5 hour hands-on)--geared towards beginners and people with basic knowledge of data visualization--aims to help you create better data visualizations faster by explaining the fundamental principles behind good design, while providing you with hands-on experience using industry-standard tools. We aim to answer some of the when’s, why’s, and how’s of data vis, pulling insights from graphic design to cognitive science, as well as our experience at various data-focused startups. Please bring your laptop! (Windows or Mac is preferred due to some of the software we will be running.)

Advance sign-up is not required, but it will be helpful to the presenters. Please sign up at:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1x3GtBRMv5hWcYZXxWz1GKvXjqOMsmcAe5j0gW-22o0A/viewform?usp=send_form.

Sponsor(s): Aeronautics and Astronautics
Contact: Marie Stuppard, 33-202B, 617 253-2279, MAS@MIT.EDU

Dr. Janet Rankin, Senior Associate Director, Teaching & Learning Lab

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/27
Limited to 20 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions

Virtually all job-postings for faculty positions in the US require applicants to submit a Teaching Philosophy Statement. While the format, length and emphasis of a teaching philosophy may vary considerably across institutions, disciplines and positions, many elements of a TPS are invariant.

In this 2-day, hands-on workshop, lead by Amanda Sobel from the Writing & Communications Center (WCC)  and Janet Rankin from the Teaching and Learning Lab (TLL), participants  will:

• Discuss the elements of an effective teaching philosophy statement
• Assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of TPSs from various disciplines
• Brainstorm ways to incorporate goals, strategies and evidence in their own statements
• Consider writing and communication strategies and practices to improve the impact of their TPSs
• Draft sections of their own teaching philosophy statements
• Provide feedback to, and receive feedback from peers on elements of their TPSs

Sponsor(s): Teaching and Learning Lab, Writing and Communication Center, Global Education and Career Development
Contact: Leann Dobranski, E39-207, 617 253-3371, LEANN@MIT.EDU

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Jan/28

Wed

01:00PM-03:00PM

E39-040

Dr. Janet Rankin - Senior Associate Director, Teaching & Learning Lab, Dr. Amanda Sobel - Lecturer CMS/Writing Program

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Jan/30

Fri

01:00PM-03:00PM

E39-040

Dr. Amanda Sobel - Lecturer CMS/Writing Program, Dr. Janet Rankin - Senior Associate Director, Teaching & Learning Lab

Ellen Finnie Duranceau, Program Manager, Scholarly Publishing, Copyright & Licensing

Jan/29

Thu

03:00PM-04:30PM

4-145

Enrollment: Please email efinnie@mit.edu to reserve a spot.
Sign-up by 01/22
Limited to 40 participants

The times they are a-challenging, especially for academic authors. With submission queues stretching toward infinity and a bewildering landscape of publishing options, writing the darned article or book begins to seem like the easy part. And first-time authors in particular might find that competition for reputable publishing options is fierce.

How can authors get noticed and succeed in such an environment?

For book publishing, we will address: What sorts of projects are university press editors seeking? What selection process do they use? Should you write a specialized book for readers in your field or aim for a larger audience? Can you publish your dissertation as a book? Can you submit to more than one publisher at a time?

For journal publishing, we will address: How do you target a journal for submission? How will your article survive the peer review process at a top-ranked journal and what are the pitfalls to avoid? How do scholarly journal editors think about impact, and how can you ensure your article will have it?

In this session, MIT Press Journals Director Nick Lindsay and Books Editorial Director Gita Manaktala will answer your questions about the publishing process at their press and offer concrete strategies to help you get from proposal to publication.  They will be joined by Una-May O'Reilly, Principal Research Scientist, CSAIL, journal editor and author of over 100 articles, and author David Kaiser, Director of the Program in STS.

 

Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Ellen Duranceau, 14S-216, 617 253-8483, EFINNIE@MIT.EDU

Greta Suiter, Collections Archivist, Jessica Venlet, Library Fellow for Digital Archives

Jan/23

Fri

10:00AM-12:00PM

14N-118, Bring your laptop

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/22
Limited to 14 participants
Prereq: None

There are many interesting women associated with MIT who have sparse Wikipedia entries or no presence at all. You can help fix this! Come to this Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to create or edit articles about MIT women using collections from the MIT Institute Archives as well as secondary sources. The Institute Archives collects materials from MIT alumni, faculty and departments. One of the collections we’ll be using for this Edit-a-thon is the Howe, Manning, Almy papers. Lois Lilley Howe, Eleanor Manning and Mary Almy are believed to be the first women to open an architecture firm in Boston.

This session is perfect for anyone interested in learning more about women at MIT, the Institute Archives’ collections, or Wikipedia editing. Let’s make Wikipedia a more complete record of MIT women’s achievements! No previous editing experience is necessary, but make sure to bring your laptop. 

Sign up to reserve your spot and learn about Wikipedia editing on the Meet Up page. 

Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Greta Suiter, 14N - 118, 617-258-5533, gsuiter@mit.edu

Ruth Levitsky, Coordinator for Speaking Clubs

Jan/05

Mon

12:00PM-01:00PM

E51-145

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

 

Join members of PowerTalk International Training in Communications to learn how to run a meeting.

The group will cover the before (planning your meeting effectively), the during (the nuts and bolts of getting business accomplished) and the after (preparing minutes that document what is to come)

This workshop is for all who have suffered through a badly organized meeting and/or are preparing to “be in the know” for the time when it’s their turn to plan and preside at a meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact: Ruth Levitsky, E18-201C, 617 253-3399, LEVITSKY@MIT.EDU

Patrick Henry Winston, Ford Professor of Engineering/MacVicar Fellow

Jan/30

Fri

11:00AM-12:00PM

10-250

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

Professor Winston offers heuristic rules that enable you to do better oral exams, job talks, lectures,
and conferences presentations, and make your listeners consider your performances to be inspiring.

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Patrick Henry Winston, phw@mit.edu

Steven Strang

	Jan/05	Mon	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/06	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/07	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/08	Thu	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/09	Fri	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/12	Mon	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/13	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/14	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/15	Thu	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/16	Fri	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/20	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/21	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/22	Thu	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/23	Fri	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/26	Mon	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/27	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115
	Jan/28	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	E39-115

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: none

The Writing & Communication Center (WCC) will continue to offer free consultations and advice on oral presentations and on any writing problem, including writing strategically, finding a topic, generating ideas, overcoming writer's block, improving grammar, crafting effective sentences and paragraphs, organizing ideas, using of evidence, analyzing audiences. We can help with technical writing; theses in all departments; job, graduate and med school application essays; research and teaching statements; resumes; conference talks; articles for publication; book proposals and chapters; and papers for any course. We also offer help on pronunciation. The WCC is open throughout IAP. You must be registered with our online scheduler. Go to https://mit.mywconline.com/index.php to register and to schedule appointments. Open to MIT undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-docs.

Sponsor(s): Writing and Communication Center, Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Steven Strang, E39-115C, 617 253-4459, SMSTRANG@MIT.EDU

David Shrier, Managing Director, MIT Connection Science

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/21
Limited to 14 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: none

Do you want to be able to raise money faster?  Do you want to enlist people to your team or try your product?

Great ideas are necessary but not sufficient for successful new ventures.  You also need to be able to inspire people to action.  Failed, inauthentic attempts to do this get labeled "spin" or "sales".  When done well and authentically, it's "strategic narrative" that transforms idea to action.

Inspiring change: strategic narrative for startup success will provide a hands-on lab for students to craft stories, obtain feedback, and improve them.  

• Students will hone their innovation storytelling skills and ability to develop an authentic narrative.  
• Different models of narrative and presentation will be explored via participatory example.  
• By the end of this intensive program, the core storyline for a business idea will be refined, including a crisp, vivid elevator pitch. 
• Enrollment will be strictly limited.  Motivated students are encouraged to apply. 

 

What is "strategic narrative"?

It's "strategic" because it articulates a vision.  It's "narrative" because it takes someone on a journey, with you, that involves change of some kind (we solve a problem, we take over a market, we invent the future). 

Why should I care? 

The most successful entrepreneurs in the world - Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Mark Zuckerberg - all told compelling stories that inspired people to change.

Ready to gain inspiration skills to make your idea a winner?  Then sign up!

Contact: David Shrier, E15-385, 617 715-5206, SHRIER@MIT.EDU

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Part I: introduction

Jan/29

Thu

09:00AM-05:00PM

E15-383, bring your laptop

Part I: introduction will help students create compelling stories that cause people to take action - invest in their startup, join their team, try their product.  Examples will be explored of successful narratives in a multi-media format.  Hands-on exercises will be conducted to apply learning directly to action.

David Shrier - Managing Director, MIT Connection Science

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Part II: advanced module

Jan/30

Fri

09:00AM-05:00PM

E15-383, bring your laptop

prerequisite: Part I (introduction)

Part II will step the game up: advanced narrative techniques that surprise and delight will be revealed and explored.  How do you stand out when everyone else is also telling great stories?  Students must have participated in part I to gain the benefit of this second module.

David Shrier - Managing Director, MIT Connection Science

Michellana Jester, Director, Action Learning

Jan/21

Wed

08:30AM-04:00PM

E62-221

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/16
Limited to 25 participants
Prereq: None

Stories fuel our imagination and shape the way we organize information, remember information, interpret the events of our lives, communicate our thoughts, and connect through and with our feelings.

In this workshop, participants will analyze and model what makes a good story and apply the principles and techniques developed in the workshop to share their own stories. Video recording will be used to allow participants to note their strengths and areas for further development, as well as track their progress.

As a result of this workshop, participants will know how to better speak and listen in ways that demonstrate authenticity, build trust, and foster collaboration in their professional and personal lives. Participants will share experiences to enhance their understanding and respect for one another. The workshop will be held Wednesday, January 21 through Thursday, January 22, 9:00- 4:00pm. 

Sponsor(s): Sloan School of Management
Contact: Michellana Jester, E40-196L, 617 324-1359, MJESTER@MIT.EDU

Jean-luc Doumont, Lead Instructor

Jan/20

Tue

02:00PM-04:00PM

10-250

Enrollment: Advance registration requested

Strong oral presentation skills are a key to success for engineers, scientists, and other professionals, yet many speakers are at a loss to tackle the task. Systematic as they otherwise can be in their work, they go at it intuitively, sometimes haphazardly, with much good will but seldom good results. Based on Dr. Doumont’s book Trees, maps, and theorems about “effective communication for rational minds” this lecture proposes a systematic way to prepare and deliver presentations.  Among others, it covers structure, slides, and delivery, as well as stage fright. Advanced registration requested via CareerBridge: https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student

Sponsor(s): Global Education and Career Development
Contact: Lindsey Fernandez, E39, 617 715-5329, LINDSEYF@MIT.EDU

Elizabeth Young, Associate Dean, Leslie Bottari, Staff Associate, Meghan Kenney, Assistant Dean

	Jan/22	Thu	12:00PM-01:00PM	4-149
	Jan/29	Thu	04:00PM-05:00PM	4-149
	Feb/04	Wed	04:00PM-05:00PM	4-149

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: freshmen, sophomores and juniors welcome

The Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming offers two fantastic leadership opportunities for undergraduates—orientation leader (OL) and associate advisor (AA). Both positions play a key role in helping first year students make a successful transition to MIT. Hear from students in these positions speak about their roles and responsibilities, the opportunities to work with faculty and staff, and the leadership skills they gained that will help them in the future. UAAP representatives will be available to give an overview of the application process and important dates. Light refreshments will be served. Bring any and all questions! 

Sponsor(s): Office of Undergrad. Advising/Academic Programming
Contact: Meghan Kenney, 7-103, 617 253-9764, MKENNEY@MIT.EDU

Tony Eng, EECS, Kun Xue, Gabriella del Hierro

Jan/29

Thu

02:00PM-04:00PM

MIT Museum

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Come watch MIT students compete for prizes in the "MIT Can Talk: Speaking Competition".  Participants give a 4-5 minute speech in English that relates to this year's competition theme. Material must be original, but it can include excerpts from other works (a speech, a literary work, a poem, a story, etc.) so long as sources are properly attributed. Prizes will be awarded by a panel of judges to those who are best able to deliver their material to a live audience. The event is open to everyone in the MIT Community.

To compete please visit http://mitcantalk.mit.edu/competition.html to register and for more information.

 

Add yourself to the mitcantalk-announce mailing list for reminders about general upcoming events related to MIT Can Talk.

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Kun Xue, kunxue@mit.edu

Dr. Tony L. Eng, Kun Xue, Gabriella A. del Hierro

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

Many great thinkers of the past, the so called "Renaissance Men", excelled in both Engineering/Science and Exposition/Rhetoric/Oration. The creative men and women who will be the leaders of tomorrow can do so as well. "MIT Can Talk" promotes campus-wide awareness of good oral communication skills. It consists of: (1) a series of independent workshop sessions on public speaking/oral communication, followed by (2) a speaking competition. The workshops are open to the MIT community, but the contest is open only to MIT undergraduates and MEng students. The various workshops address different aspects of speaking and oral communication. They are meant to be practical and hands-on. Sometimes, audience volunteers will be asked to participate in a demonstration; preference will be given to those who have entered the speaking competition. Check out the website for the most updated information on the workshops and competition!

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Dr. Tony L. Eng, mitcantalk@mit.edu

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Organizing Your Thoughts

Jan/23

Fri

10:00AM-12:00PM

36-112

Speaking in an organized manner will help others to understand you better.  Get your ideas across clearly and effectively in daily conversations as well as professional communications by speaking in a logical sequence.  Share your brilliance through organized thoughts.

Kitty Huang

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How to Tell a Compelling Story

Jan/23

Fri

12:30PM-03:00PM

36-112

Nothing grabs audience attention and imagination so strongly as a well-told story. This workshop will teach you how to tell a story so that people really listen: what to include, how to shape it, and how to keep every moment compelling. 
Want to enter the MIT Can Talk competition but don't know what to talk about? Come to this workshop!

 

Jo Radner

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Scientific Storytelling

Jan/23

Fri

03:30PM-06:00PM

36-112

Science can often be difficult to communicate well.  Learn how to communicate scientific concepts in a clear and compelling fashion using the elements of narrative craft.

Rafael Luna

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The Connection Equation

Jan/24

Sat

10:00AM-01:00PM

36-156

In this highly interactive hands-on clinic you will learn how to connect with your audience in social, academic and professional settings using improvisation techniques, and game creation.  By the end of the workshop you will be able to identify bad communication skills and know how to make the right adjustments.

Kevin Ball

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Voice and Presence: A Crash Course

Jan/24

Sat

03:00PM-05:00PM

36-156

If you are a public speaker content is not enough.  Do you excite your audience?  Do you really talk to them, not at them?  See them and be seen by them.  These are vital skills in public speaking.  You'll get a taste of these in  this workshop.

Keely Eastley

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Wielding Humor: Writing Humor

Jan/25

Sun

01:00PM-04:00PM

36-156

Humor can liven up any speech.  While no one can be "taught" to be funny, it sure helps to be able to use comedy within all forms of communication.  In this workshop, you will learn some ideas for how to incorporate elements into what would otherwise be a boring and uninteresting speech or presentation.  Come and "find your funny".  Squares encouraged to attend!

Dana Jay Bein

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Persuasive Speaking

Jan/26

Mon

10:00AM-12:30PM

32-144

Learn some simple techniques to make your speech more compelling.  You'll grab your audience's attention, keep them listening, and get them invested in what you're talking about.  Plus, have fun doing it!

Kortney Adams

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Your Presence in Space

Jan/27

Tue

01:00PM-03:00PM

Walker 201

An effective confident speaker is more than just physically "there" -- they are present, they are in the moment, they take up space. Learn how to find and fill both the space within you and the space immediately around you, so that you can be yourself in front of an audience. 
Wear loose clothing conducive for physical movement.

 

Anna Kohler

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Don't Just Stand There

Jan/27

Tue

03:00PM-05:00PM

36-156

Dynamic speakers are vocally energetic, but they should be physically energetic as well. Learn some ideas for how to more effectively utilize your room during a speaking engagement.

Dr. Tony L. Eng

Steven Strang

	Jan/05	Mon	12:00PM-01:00PM	E39-335
	Jan/12	Mon	12:00PM-01:00PM	E39-335
	Jan/26	Mon	12:00PM-01:00PM	E39-335

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/04
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: none

Calling all creative writers! Want to write something creative but need some motivation or support? Join other MIT writers to get advice about your own writing, to be a reader of other writers' work, and/or to get inspiration to write something. Any type of creative writing is welcomed:  e.g., fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, memoirs, personal essays, plays, blog entries, book reviews. We help each other get started on a creative writing project, we help each other develop ideas and style, we function as engaged and encouraging readers of each other's material.  The Group includes emerging and established writers. We meet every Monday from noon-1:00 p.m. in E39-335 (the same building that hosues Rebecca's Cafe in Kendall Square). Open to MIT undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, lectuers, staff and faculty.Please note that this is not a class and not a group for technical writing.

Please email <smstrang@mit.edu> to register.

Sponsor(s): Writing and Communication Center
Contact: Steven Strang, E39-115C, 617 253-4459, SMSTRANG@MIT.EDU

Colin Smith, Assistant Director

Jan/06

Tue

04:00PM-05:00PM

3-370

Enrollment: Advance registration requested

The Negotiating Job Offers workshop will examine the many variables that exist during the evaluation and negotiation process of Job Offers. Knowing how, when, and why you should negotiate will be reviewed. Salary vs. Total Compensation will be examined.  Strategies on the negotiation process will be discussed along with “Should You Negotiate?” and "What Can" and "What Can Not" be negotiated. These strategies can be used throughout your career. This workshop is open to undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs and alumni.  Advanced registration requested via CareerBridge: https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student

Sponsor(s): Global Education and Career Development
Contact: Lindsey Fernandez, E39, 617 715-5329, LINDSEYF@MIT.EDU

Jean-luc Doumont, Lead Instructor

Jan/22

Thu

02:00PM-04:00PM

10-250

Enrollment: Advance registration requested

Persuasion skills are a critical asset for any career: We must convince employers to hire us, get the boss to let us start a project, or get coworkers to help out. Persuading others offers a rational approach to it: it covers how to use personal/organizational power, how to deploy tactics on four different human planes, and how to harness basic social influences to get other people to accede more easily to our requests. Advanced registration requested via CareerBridge: https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student

Sponsor(s): Global Education and Career Development
Contact: Lindsey Fernandez, E39, 617 715-5329, LINDSEYF@MIT.EDU

Suzanne Lane, Director, WRAP

Jan/29

Thu

10:00AM-12:00PM

E39-335

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required

What kind of feedback is most effective in helping students to develop and structure their ideas, and to communicate them effectively in writing? This workshop will draw on composition research to explore the range of instruction and responding practices, from rubrics to peer review to individual conferences, and when each is effective. By considering feedback in relation to other forms of instruction, participants will learn to provide the kinds of comments and strategies that will help students understand how to improve both their specific texts and their abilities as writers.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Suzanne Lane, E39-369, 617-253-3039, wrap@mit.edu

Karen Boiko, Lecturer II, Marilyn Levine, Leturer II

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/18
Limited to 15 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: none

Do you lack confidence as a speaker? Have you struggled through presentations in your classes?  This workshop is for you.

We will meet for 3 two-hour sessions to explore the features of a great oral presentation, as well as the physiology and kinetics of confidence.  Throughout the workshop, we'll examine ways to make public speaking, on any topic, easier and more natural. The workshop will include instruction, group exercises, homework (just a little!) practice, and individual coaching, culminating in one or more brief presentations. The emphasis will be on crafting a talk, developing strategies for both remembering what to say and making the ideas memorable for the audience, and delivering the talk with confidence.  Note: This workshop will not include designing or using slides.

We will meet in E39-335, 10:00 a.m.-noon each day

Tuesday Jan 20

Wednesday Jan 21

Thursday  Jan 22  

Sponsor(s): Writing and Communication Center, Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Marilyn Levine, E39-115B, 617-253-3090, maynew@mit.edu

Kitty Huang, Copywriter, screenwriter, journalist and teacher

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Participants are urged to attend all sessions, although it's not mandatory.

Speechcraft programs are short courses in public speaking that are offered by Toastmasters International for people not wishing to make the full commitment to join a Club.

How does this program work?

Class One: Introduction & Organize Your Thoughts

Objectives:Learn the skills to organize speech content. Arrange thoughts into a logical sequence that leads the audience to a clearly defined goal. Understand the practical use of speech communication and introduce the techniques in speech communications.

Class Two: Deliver Effective Presentations & First Speech

Objectives: Begin speaking before an audience. Benefit from evaluation to improve speaking skills. Start with self-introduction. Introduce a speaker effectively.

Class Three: Polish Communication Skills & Get to the Point

Objectives: Build a speech outline that includes opening, body, and conclusion. Select a speech topic and determine its general and specific purposes. Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes. Ensure the opening, body, and conclusion reinforces the purposes.

Class Four: Be an Influential Speaker & Your Body Speak

Objectives: Learn listening and speaking techniques. Use gestures and body movements as part of the speech delivery. Explore different ways to use body language. Develop a natural and smooth body movement. 

*Participants who attend all sessions will receive a Toastmaster's certificate.

Sponsor(s): Toastmasters@MIT
Contact: Keesler Welch, E53-307, 617-324-7174, KEESLER@MIT.EDU

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Introduction & Organize Your Thoughts

Jan/07

Wed

06:30PM-08:30PM

E51 - TBD

Kitty Huang - Copywriter, screenwriter, journalist and teacher, Keesler Welch - Administration, The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

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Deliver Effective Presentation

Jan/14

Wed

06:30PM-08:30PM

E51 - TBD

Kitty Huang - Copywriter, screenwriter, journalist and teacher, Keesler Welch - Administration, The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

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Polish Skills & Get to the Point

Jan/21

Wed

06:30PM-08:30PM

E51 - TBD

Keesler Welch - Administration, The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Kitty Huang - Copywriter, screenwriter, journalist and teacher

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Influential Speaker & Your Body Speaks

Jan/28

Wed

06:30PM-08:30PM

E51 - TBD

Kitty Huang - Copywriter, screenwriter, journalist and teacher, Keesler Welch - Administration, The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

Peter Cohn

Jan/20

Tue

05:00PM-06:00PM

14N-132

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/20
Limited to 30 participants

Personal content management tools help you get organized so you can work more efficiently and save yourself time. Some tools help you organize all sorts of information (notes, pdfs, documents, etc.) and work more efficiently. Others let you annotate, cite, and/or share your content. In this session we’ll show you tools for doing this while working solo or in a group.

Please register.

 

Contact: Peter Cohn, 7-238, 617 258-5596, PCOHN@MIT.EDU

Suzanne Lane, Director, WRAP

Jan/28

Wed

10:00AM-12:00PM

E39-335

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required

By learning the stages of developing, structuring, rehearsing, and delivering presentations, students can become comfortable with a live audience, and use the interaction as a tool to develop their thinking. This workshop will help instructors think through their goals for oral assignments, so that they can scaffold the steps involved in developing presentations.  Workshop participants will be able to work on (re)designing assignments for their current or future courses by developing (i) a deeper understanding of fundamental oral communication concepts, (ii) strategies to integrate oral communication assignments into a class, and (iii) techniques and tools to provide feedback on student presentations.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Suzanne Lane, E39-369, 617-253-3039, wrap@mit.edu

Andreas Karatsolis, Associate Director, WRAP

Jan/27

Tue

10:00AM-12:00PM

E39-335

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required

While scientists typically communicate knowledge in the field through proposals, technical reports and journal articles, most undergraduate students spend their time in problem-set based classes which don’t include substantive engagement with readings in their field. In this workshop we will explore ways to engage students in reading and understanding published literature in their field, using that knowledge to design their own projects, and analyzing how the literature conveys meaning. Our overall goal is to help instructors develop and scaffold instructional activities and assignments so that their students can learn how to write effectively in these genres.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Andreas Karatsolis, E39-371, 617-253-3375, wrap@mit.edu

Seth Riskin, Co-director, MIT Museum Studio, Allan Doyle, Co-Director, MIT Museum Studio

	Jan/08	Thu	11:00AM-12:00PM	10-150
	Jan/08	Thu	02:00PM-03:00PM	10-150

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: None

Did you create something really cool last semester? Would you like to turn it into a museum display or exhibit? Spend some time this IAP taking your project to the next level. Ahead of the MIT Museum’s next spring showcase of student work, the MIT Museum Studio at 10-150 is open for project development with MIT Museum staff guidance. Come learn about opportunities to show your work at the MIT Museum and Compton Gallery. Get experienced advice on developing, communicating and presenting your work, from engineering prototypes, to art and design projects. Come to one of two listed meetings (or contact) for intro and access to the open Studio through IAP.

See http://web.mit.edu/museum/exhibitions/student-inventions.html for an overview of the MIT Museum Showcase, along with articles in MIT News, Boston Magazine and the Boston Business Journal.

Contact: Seth Riskin, 10-150, 617 253 4405, riskin@mit.edu

Emily A. Ranken, IHP Officer, EHS, Judith M. Reilly, Assistant to the Director, EHS

Jan/20

Tue

10:00AM-11:30AM

46-3310

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/19
Limited to 30 participants
Prereq: Chemical Safety Training

You are considering an experiment involving something toxic and reactive, and you don't want to be exposed or blow up the lab.  Laboratory research often involves the potential for exposure to safety or health hazards associated with chemicals or materials being used and/or the process and equipment involved.   Sometimes the hazards are well characterized and the precautions needed for safety are well defined.  However, this is research, and many times they are not. 

This class will introduce you to a tool, the Lab Specific Safety Procedure form,  to help you identify the hazards and complete a plan for conducting a procedure or experiment safely, managing any waste generated appropriately, and being prepared for an emergency. The first part of the class will be an overview to present the form and provide representative examples for how it can be used.  During the second part, participants will have an opportunity to begin a procedure for their own research.   

Once a Lab Specific Safety Procedure is developed it can be a useful tool for training others in conducting that  procedure or experiment safely, or helping lab mates know what to do if a problems occurs.

Advanced registration required: http://ehs.mit.edu/site/content/iap-course-registration

Sponsor(s): Environment, Health and Safety Office
Contact: Emily Ranken, N52-496, 617-253-0908, EMRANKEN@MIT.EDU

Meredith Pepin, Career Counselor

Jan/06

Tue

02:00PM-03:30PM

3-333

Enrollment: Advance registration requested

This workshop will teach attendees how to craft a strategic cover letter.  Participants should bring a job description they want to apply for to aid in the drafting of an effective cover letter.  General information on cover letters will also be discussed.  This workshop is open to undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs and alumni.  Advanced registration requested via CareerBridge: https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student

Sponsor(s): Global Education and Career Development
Contact: Lindsey Fernandez, E39, 617 715-5329, LINDSEYF@MIT.EDU

Maia Weinstock, Deputy Editor, MIT News, Kim Surkan, WGS Lecturer

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 16 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: none

Although Wikipedia is one of the most popular encyclopedias in the world, women are highly underrepresented on its pages. In this workshop, students will create original Wikipedia articles about notable women in history. Emphasis will be placed on women in the STEM disciplines, but students may chose women from any field. Participants will learn the nuances required of successful Wikipedia biographies; discover how to add appropriate images to Wikipedia articles; research notable women missing from Wikipedia's pages using multimedia resources from MIT's libraries; and come away having created a viable new article. No Wikipedia editing experience required.

Sponsor(s): Women's and Gender Studies
Contact: Emily Neill, 14E-316, 617 253-8844, ERNEILL@MIT.EDU

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Jan/12

Mon

07:00PM-09:00PM

14E-304, Bring your laptop

Maia Weinstock - Deputy Editor, MIT News, Kim Surkan - WGS Lecturer

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Jan/13

Tue

07:00PM-09:00PM

14E-304, Bring your laptop

Maia Weinstock - Deputy Editor, MIT News, Kim Surkan - WGS Lecturer

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Jan/14

Wed

07:00PM-09:00PM

14E-304, Bring your laptop

Maia Weinstock - Deputy Editor, MIT News, Kim Surkan - WGS Lecturer

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Jan/15

Thu

07:00PM-09:00PM

14E-304, Bring your laptop

Maia Weinstock - Deputy Editor MIT News, Maia Weinstock - Deputy Editor, MIT News, Kim Surkan - WGS Lecturer