MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2018 Activities by Category - Leadership Skills

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Advocacy 101: How to Influence Your Government

Peter Su, Chair of GSC External Affairs Board

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Limited to 25 participants
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

Tuition waiver tax… Net-neutrality... Travel Bans…

Does the current political climate leave you feeling powerless? Learn how to make change through the GSC’s External Affairs Board (EAB) advocacy workshop!

The External Affairs Board has extensive experience advocating on behalf of graduate students on both state and federal levels. The Board also organized the GSC’s response to the recent tax reform bill and worked with the administration and local Cambridge government on graduate housing.

This three-workshop course will give you the basic skills to effectively advocate for your opinions at the federal, state, and local levels.

Workshop 1 on Jan 18: Overview of legislative structure and procedure. You will be supplied with resources to contact your representatives and track issues and policies that impact you. We will review approaches the MIT GSC has taken to advocacy.

Workshop 2 on Jan 25: Preparing materials for meetings or calls with political offices, and what to expect during a meeting.

Workshop 3 on Feb 1: Advice from a panel of policy-makers and staff.

Participants of all three course will have the chance to apply what they’ve learned with the EAB at a Massachusetts Statehouse or Washington DC visit later this semester.

If you’re interested, please indicate which workshops you’ll be coming to by filling out this RSVP form: tinyurl.com/advocacy-101-rsvp

Contact: Skylar Deckoff-Jones, 13-4153, (505) 795-4382, SDECKOFF@MIT.EDU


Legislative Structure and Procedure

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 05:00PM-07:00PM 50-220

Advocacy Documents and Meetings

Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 05:00PM-07:00PM 50-220

Panel of Policy-makers

Add to Calendar Feb/01 Thu 05:00PM-07:00PM 50-220

Bite-sized Professional Development

Sally Susnowitz, Director, DSLx Life Learning

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/08
Limited to 30 participants
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Professional development is great– but where to find the time?  We’re offering an array of short, practical workshops to enable you to learn and apply important professional and life skills in as little as an hour. Designed with busy staff, graduate students, post-docs in mind, each session will include a concise presentation, brief Q&A, and hands-on practice. 

Sign up for one or more than one -- but sign up soon since space is limited!

Sponsored by the Division of Student Life (DSL) Professional Development group and DSLx Life Learning

 

 

Contact: Sally Susnowitz, W32-119, 617 258-7344, SUSNOWIT@MIT.EDU


How to Stand Out in a Job Interview

Add to Calendar Jan/09 Tue 02:00PM-04:00PM 4-145

Preparation and practice are key to standing out in a job interview. This workshop emphasizes tips, resources and practice to help you prepare. You will become familiar with common types of interview questions, how to identify areas for growth and focus to ensure success during the interview, and how to participate effectively in the interview process with greater confidence.

Michelle King Harrington - Career Development Specialist, MIT Human Resources


Active Listening Hands-on

Add to Calendar Jan/10 Wed 05:00PM-07:00PM tba, Prerequisite: watch the video noted below

Watch a live demo of the active listening triangle method & Positions-Interests-Options-Solutions (PIOS) process, then get to practice your skills and this process yourself!  We'll serve a light dinner to keep your energy level active.

Come prepared by first watching this short video presentation on active listening, since the session will build on this information:  http://dslx.mit.edu/resources/active-listening

 

Monika Avello - iREFS


Under Your Skin: Working with Students

Add to Calendar Jan/11 Thu 02:00PM-03:30PM 4-145, for staff, post-docs, GRT, GRAs, etc.

Full title: Under Your Skin: Working with Students Who Challenge your Values

Working with students whose values differ from our own can significantly impact staff when the differing values transgress on identity and/or lived experience. We'll explore the intersection of serving students and self-preservation, and identify strategies for finding balance.

Intended audience: Staff, including post-docs, GRTs, and GRAs

Kristen Covino - Associate Head of House, Joseph Zimakas - Student Support Services Staff Associate


From Stressed Out to Stress Hardy

Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM W20-407

Do you often feel stressed in your personal and/or professional life?  Most people do.  Are the techniques you use to deal with stress effective? Dr. Brooks will describe specific, realistic strategies to develop resilience in ourselves and assist others to do the same.  He will also examine the importance of empathy and empathic communication in relationships even when faced with ¿difficult¿ people or situations.

Dr. Robert Brooks - Psychologist


Under Your Skin: Working with Colleagues

Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 02:00PM-03:30PM 4-145

Full title: Under Your Skin: Working with Colleagues Who Don't Share Your Principles

Diverse skills and viewpoints often makes a team stronger. However, sometimes there's pressure for members of the team to compromise their values and principles. This session will focus on improving team dynamics and working relationships through constructive confrontation and role modeling.

Kristen Covino - Associate Head of House, Joseph Zimakas - Student Support Services Staff Associate


Coaching Others to Use Active Listening

Add to Calendar Jan/17 Wed 05:00PM-07:00PM tba, Please prepare by watching the short video linked

Active listening is a key step in conflict resolution, and you can help others to learn how to resolve their own conflicts using this approach.  Come join us for a light supper and a great session about how to coach others to use the active listening method and the Positions-Interests-Options-Solutions (PIOS) process.  Prepare by watching this short video: http://dslx.mit.edu/resources/active-listening

Monika Avello - iREFS


Strategies for Supervisors

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 02:00PM-03:00PM 4-145

Come learn from two seasoned supervisors about some essential ways to manage employees.  We will talk about things to do and things to avoid, and we'll think through some scenarios.  You don't need to be a supervisor -- just someone who is interested in managing people.

Claudette Palmer - Manager, Campus Activities Complex, Jennifer Smith - Assistant Director, Campus Activities Complex


Positive Mentoring Relationships

Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 02:00PM-03:00PM 4-145

Whether you are interested in finding a mentor, improving upon your mentoring skills, or being a good mentee, come learn more about making mentoring a successful part of your 2018!

Don Camelio - Associate Dean, Residential Education, Leah Flynn Gallant - Asst. Dean and Director, Student Leadership and Engagement


Active Listening in Complex Situations

Add to Calendar Jan/24 Wed 05:00PM-07:00PM tba, Please watch video mentioned below

Join us for a light supper and some strategic thinking about how to use active listening and conflict resoluion in challenging situations that are thorny and complicated.  To prepare, please watch this short video: http://dslx.mit.edu/resources/active-listening

Monika Avello - iREFS


The SCARF Management Model

Add to Calendar Jan/30 Tue 02:00PM-03:30PM 4-145

Want to be your best self at work?  Interested in learning neuroscience-based management practices? The SCARF model highlights five key social domain areas that the brain is hardwired to respond to, and since these areas dramatically impact motivation levels and performance, you should know more about them.

 

Sonja Dagbjartsdottir - DSL Human Resources Administrator


Considering Your Own Path

Add to Calendar Feb/01 Thu 02:00PM-03:00PM 4-145, For DSL Staff only

What is your next career move going to be? Whether you're just starting a position or have been in your role for years, taking some time to map out your career plan can benefit you personally and professionally. We'll do some career vision mapping and then have an open discussion about career goals. This session is intended to lift up your spirits and get you excited about where you are going. Take a moment to dream big!

Tessa McLean - Associate Dean of Student Conduct


Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Andrea Finnin, CERT Program Manager

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 15 participants
Attendance: Participants must ultimately attend all sessions, make-up sessions TBA.
Prereq: Must be a member of the MIT community.

Thank you so much for being interesting in joining MIT’s Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT)!  Ultimately we hope to build a presence in all main campus buildings, so that in the event of an emergency we have a network of people in place that can help to manage the event on location until disaster responders arrive, or to evacuate the building if necessary.  To do this we first need to build a capable team, and that's where you come in!

Started in the 80’s in California, CERT is a program whose main mission is to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.  Information about the mission and background of CERT can be found on ready.gov's website.

The full training manual is available for review and download online. Binders with all course materials will be provided to participants.

This training material was developed by FEMA and it takes 20 hours to complete.  The training covers the following segments:

One – Disaster Preparedness

Two – Fire Safety

Three – Disaster Medical Operations 1

Four – Disaster Medical Operations 2

Five – Search and Rescue

Six – CERT Organization and Disaster Psychology

Seven – Terrorism and CERT

Eight – Course Review and Exercise

Sponsor(s): Emergency Management
Contact: Andrea Finnin, W91-203H, 617 715-2469, ANDREAF@MIT.EDU


Disaster Preparedness

Add to Calendar Jan/09 Tue 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager, David Barber - Emergency & Business Continuity Planner, Suzanne Blake - Manager, Office of Emergency Management


Fire Safety

Add to Calendar Jan/11 Thu 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager


Disaster Medical Operations 1

Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

David Barber - Emergency & Business Continuity Planner, Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager


Disaster Medical Operations 2

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager, David Barber - Emergency & Business Continuity Planner


Disaster Medical Operations 3

Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Basic Treatment - How to:

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager, David Barber - Emergency & Business Continuity Planner


Light Search/Rescue & CERT Organization

Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager


Disaster Psychology

Add to Calendar Jan/30 Tue 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager


Final Exercise

Add to Calendar Jan/31 Wed 01:00PM-03:30PM TBD

This session is our culminating exercise.

David Barber - Emergency & Business Continuity Planner, Andrea Finnin - CERT Program Manager, Suzanne Blake - Manager, Office of Emergency Management


Design Lab: You

Jenny Jin, Max Evans, MIT SB 2018, Course 2

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions

This IAP 2-week workshop introduces tools of human-center design thinking and design sprints —employed by Google and IDEO in product development and innovation — and applies them to the most important product of our lives: ourselves.  You will quickly learn the methodology of human center design - mindsets, needfinding, inspiration, ideation, rapid prototyping, tracking data, and iteration.  You’ll apply design methodology and conduct fieldwork towards a hands-on design challenge for a very specific user of one.  You are in the position of knowing that user the best, yet designing for our own lives has never felt or been that straightforward - why? What are the patterns of default perceptions and behaviors that each of us hold for different situations, and can we redesign them from the ground up? These are the questions that we will be probing through hands-on work and discussing with a community of fellow students and facilitators.


Enrollment: Limited to 12 participants; Advance sign-up required; Preference towards freshmen and sophomores. 

To register for this course, please send an email to Jennifer (jjin@googlealumni.com) to reserve your slot.

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsor(s): Edgerton Center
Contact: Jenny Jin, jjin@googlealumni.com


Add to Calendar Jan/08 Mon 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410
Add to Calendar Jan/10 Wed 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410
Add to Calendar Jan/12 Fri 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410
Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410
Add to Calendar Jan/17 Wed 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410
Add to Calendar Jan/19 Fri 10:00AM-12:00PM 4-410

Jenny Jin


Developing Leadership in Yourself and Others

David Nino, Senior Lecturer, GEL-MIT Engineering Leadership Program

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 35 participants
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: Graduate Status

Join us for this workshop series designed for MIT graduate students interested in “making a positive difference” in their chosen fields. Grounded in research but experiential and engaging in delivery, these workshops will build practical skills that apply to engineering and technology environments.

This series is offered through the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program in collaboration with the Graduate Student Council. Students are welcome to attend some or all of these workshops. Those who attend the entire series will receive a special acknowledgement from the Gordon-MIT Engineering Program.

Limited to 35 participants

To Register: Email Lisa Stagnone (lstag@mit.edu)

 

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Lisa Stagnone, lstag@mit.edu


Leading New Teams

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 12:30PM-04:30PM 4-149

Turning a smart group of people into a committed, focused, & effective team is not easy feat and "real teams"  rarely evolve naturally. Acquire a proven framework for designing and leading new teams in engineering and technology environments.

Complete this workshop to be able to


Motivating and Developing Others

Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 12:30PM-04:30PM 3-442

The heart of leadership is the ability to inspire people without relying on authority.  Only one in ten practicing managers are skilled in motivating others.  Learn to engage and develop people to deliver their best work.

You'll be able to


Mastering Constructive Conflict

Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 12:30PM-04:30PM 4-149

In a safe and open environment, conflict can serve an essential role in building collective capacity for creativity, innovation, and group learning. Learn how conflict can achieve these constructive outcomes.

Attendees will learn to:

Assess your own personal preferences for conflict.
Become a better problem solver in groups.
Increase your ability to deliver and receive critical feedback.

 


Discover & Develop Leadership Strengths

Add to Calendar Jan/30 Tue 12:30PM-04:30PM 4-149

Discover your leadership strengths and invent career pathways for putting them to work. We will be joined by John Strackhouse, who advises some of today¿s top leaders in technology.

Attendees will learn to:


Discover your distinctive professional strengths.
Identify work environments that can bring out your best.
Explore strategies for securing jobs that align with your life aspirations.


Essential Skills for Researchers

David Rolnick

Enrollment: Advance sign-up preferred
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

This series of workshops offers practical advice on communication skills for researchers. Each session will include time for participants to practice the skills and receive feedback from peers and panelists. 

Use this form to indicate interest in the four workshops - we will send room information for later sessions once rooms are confirmed - https://goo.gl/forms/3N2A1FCmwmzXuyKB3

Week  1

Delivering an Elevator Pitch  

Week 2

Writing a broad-impact abstract

Week 3 

Designing a scientific figure

Thursday, January 25

1:30-3:00pm

4-159

Panelists:

Felice Frankel, Center for Materials Science and Engineering, Research Scientist and science photographer. See examples of Felice’s work at: https://www.felicefrankel.com

Participants are encouraged to bring a photograph / chart / other figure, ideally of their own work, for feedback.  It doesn't have to be perfect! 

Week 4

How to give a TEDx talk

Thursday, Feb 1, 2:30-4 pm

MIT room 4-163

Giving a TEDx talk is a good way to gain visibility and communicate beautiful ideas to the lay public. In this discussion / workshop, we will explore how to design and deliver TED-style talks.

Participants should be prepared to attempt a TED-style intro - about 3 minutes, without slides, introducing a general audience to a favorite topic.

Sponsored by Communicating Science @ MIT and the PKG Public Service Center.

 

Sponsor(s): Communicating Science @ MIT, Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center
Contact: Alison Hynd, W20-549, hynd@mit.edu


Delivering an Elevator Pitch

Add to Calendar Jan/11 Thu 02:30PM-04:00PM 4-163

Panelists:

Practice your pitch and receive real-time feedback from the audience and panelists. 

David Rolnick


Writing a Broad-Impact Abstract

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 02:30PM-04:00PM 5-233

Panelists:

Diana Chien, Instructor/Manager, MIT Biological Engineering Communication LabBrian Plosky, Deputy Editor, Molecular Cell

Panelists will present on the essentials of writing a good broad-impact abstract, then all participants will have a chance to practice abstract writing and receive feedback from peers and panelists.

David Rolnick


(CANCELED) Improv Skills for Business

Louis Sweeny SM '95

Jan/23 Tue 10:00AM-11:30AM 5-232
Jan/24 Wed 10:00AM-11:30AM 5-232
Jan/25 Thu 10:00AM-11:30AM 5-232

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 18 participants
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

The speaker was called home (Washington state). Please register for IAP 2018 Activity: Improv to Improve Communication Skills taking place on January 29, 2:30 p.m., E19-202. 

This workshop will introduce a set of simple improv games or exercises that promote creativity, problem solving, and are easy to learn. They are also fun. We will review the game rules, demo them, play them, and then reflect/analyze.

Allaying some common concerns:
1.    I'm too shy: this is a safe space, many people who come will be shy, you can play "shy" and your other characters can react and give you things to respond to, and its all over in a few minutes.
2.    This is touchy-feeling and can't help me in my professional life:  improv training is now a standard component of many fortune 500 professional development courses
3.    I'm not funny: you don't have to be, trying to be funny is a "crutch" in this work, you just have to be present, listen hard, and respond with the fist thing that comes to your mind, which often turns out to be funny for reasons you would never expect.
4.    My English is not perfect. Excellent! That is a great offer to your partner.

Register for this free event: http://alumic.mit.edu/improv_skills_for_business_2018

Sponsor(s): Alumni Association
Contact: Elena Byrne, W98-206C, 617 252-1143, EBYRNE@MIT.EDU


Leadership through a Different Lens

Nadi Kassim, Assistant Professor of Military Science

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/12
Limited to 35 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: None

Leader development is a critical component to ensuring younger generations are prepared for the challenges in the 21st century. Leaders must develop a balance of character and competence to respond to this ever-changing world of diverse cultures, technological innovations, and globalization. Taught by combat veterans who have led organizations of up to 120 people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe and elsewhere, this interactive 2-day seminar will use thoughtful classroom instruction, meaningful small group discussion, and innovative practical exercises to develop skills, leadership qualities, and techniques that can help prepare you to lead in the most complex situations. This course will undoubtedly resonate with young adults and emerging leaders.

Light breakfast, lunch and costs associated with this seminar will be provided. MIT Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni are welcome to attend.

The seminar is scheduled for 30-31 January from 730 AM - 430 PM each day and will start at 1st Floor, W59 (201 Vassar St, Cambridge MA 02139 - Heinz Building across the street from the MIT Football and Baseball Field).

Contact: Nadi Kassim, W59-192, 979-824-0026, NKASSIM@MIT.EDU


Learning Leadership Skills Through Feature Films

Angeliki Rigos, Executive Director, Tata Center for Technology and Design, Andrew Silver, Retired Professor of Film

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 12/01
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: interview - email asilver@asilverproduction.com

Using film to illustrate a spectrum of leadership skills and styles, the participants will observe and discuss the essence of leadership in action.  The films viewed will include Apollo 13 and Fat Man & Little Boy.  Students will better understand the strengths and limitations of various leadership styles in different contexts and reflect on their own styles of thinking and acting.

Contact: Angeliki Rigos, E19-432F, 617 715-5976, RIGOSA@MIT.EDU


Fat Man & Little Boy

Add to Calendar Jan/08 Mon 01:00PM-05:00PM NE49-Room 2173

Angeliki Rigos - Executive Director, Tata Center for Technology and Design, Andrew Silver - Retired Professor of Film


Apollo 13

Add to Calendar Jan/09 Tue 01:00PM-05:00PM NE49-Room 2173

Angeliki Rigos - Executive Director, Tata Center for Technology and Design, Andrew Silver - Retired Professor of Film


Managing With Situational Leadership II

Margaret Ann Gray, Senior Consultant, Leadership Programs, Dyan Madrey, Organization Development Consultant

Add to Calendar Jan/31 Wed 09:00AM-04:00PM NE49-5145, L-Lab

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required

Managing With Situational Leadership® II

This course teaches a practical model for deciding how best to lead others and obtain results. It puts into perspective the ever-changing roles found in leadership, management, and supervision. This course matches clearly MIT's new emphasis on performance management.

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Sponsor(s): MIT Human Resources
Contact: Elizabeth Hawley, NE49-5000, 617-253-0497, eahawley@mit.edu


Managing Your Negative Self-Talk: Growing from Overachiever to High Performer

Di Ye, Zhennovate Founder

Enrollment: Sign up at https://goo.gl/forms/u8XYQ3ofDpDykMY73
Sign-up by 01/16
Limited to 50 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: MIT Community members

Ever felt inadequate, disheartened, paralyzed, or anxious because of that judgmental negative voice in your mind? What are you telling yourself in the face of dreams, opportunities, challenges, and failures? Inner Critic, the negative voice that arises in our mind, is a natural part of human experience. Inner critic can send us through an emotional downward spiral if we do not know how to manage it.

How you talk to yourself matters. 

Interwoven with real-life stories and insights experienced by MIT students and alums, these workshops will teach practical tools to help you discover blind spots and manage inner critic.

 

Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Di Ye, hello@zhennovate.com


The Inner Critic

Add to Calendar Jan/22 Mon 07:00PM-09:30PM 56-114

Understand how inner critic works

Debunk myth about inner critic and resilience

Discern disempowering language patterns in your daily conversations

Learn tools to channel your self-judgements into the supporting voice to get unstuck and focus on addressing the real problems (Part 1)


Empowering Self-Talk

Add to Calendar Jan/26 Fri 07:00PM-09:30PM 56-114

Learn more tools to channel your self-judgements into the supporting voice to get unstuck and focus on addressing the real problems (Part 2)

Practice generating empowering self-talk in various scenarios, ranging from daily work planning, to preparing for job interviews, to failing forward with an important project, to speaking up at meetings, to networking for resources, etc.


MIT VMS Boot Camp: Crash Course in Enterprise B2B Sales for Startups

Kent Summers, MIT VMS Mentor, Haley Tidd, Program Administrator

Add to Calendar Jan/26 Fri 09:00AM-04:00PM 4-370, Lunch break from 12-1 PM

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/25
Limited to 110 participants
Prereq: None

In its 7th year, this popular IAP workshop is consistently received by attendees with enthusiasm. Providing practical knowledge of "how to sell," the Sales Boot Camp provides entrepreneurs starting a new venture and business school graduates entering a new profession with basic tools for success—how to target enterprise sales opportunities, manage a sales process, acquire customers and generate revenue. Attendees will gain basic knowledge and confidence to support better sales decisions.

The workshop is comprised of two 3-hour sessions, combining lecture, interactive exercises, and anecdotal evidence from real sales situations. Attendees will trouble-shoot “failed sales” Case Studies and recommend corrective action or behavior. The first session focuses on basic concepts and tools and mechanics required for sales focus and efficiency. The second covers more subtle aspects of selling with emphasis on how to navigate an organization, overcome bias, build consensus, negotiate and close deals.

Kent Summers has been offering this Boot Camp in collaboration with VMS since 2008. He regularly presents the Sales Boot Camp at the MIT Sloan School, the Harvard MBA program and the Wharton School of Business. Summers founded and sold three software companies in the Boston area, and since 2002 has served as a mentor to dozens of MIT start-ups. His success with early-stage ventures and enterprise sales is uniquely suited to the needs of start-up ventures.

Email vms@mit.edu to register

Sponsor(s): MIT Venture Mentoring Service
Contact: Haley Tidd, W31-310, (617) 258-0720, vms@mit.edu


Offshore Sailing Shore School

Scott Dynes, Bluewater Skipper

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: An interest in sailing

You know that MIT has a fabulous river sailing program, but did you also know that MIT also has an offshore sailing program, where you can sail around Boston Harbor, to P-town, along the Maine coast, and even to Halifax, Nova Scotia?

The purpose of this IAP course is to show you that sailing large, offshore boats differs from dinghy sailing only in degree: the boat and sails are bigger, you can stay out longer (days!), and you don’t have to come back to the dock at night. We are offering 8 sessions that will cover the fundamental and practical aspects of large boat sailing, with the goal of making everyone feel equipped with the knowledge to feel comfortable sailing along the coast. The classes will cover keelboats, weather, navigation (including celestial navigation), safety at sea, racing, and chartering a boat in the Caribbean.

No prior knowledge of keelboats or sailing is required (though the latter is very helpful); just an interest in learning about sailing in the salt water.

Contact: Scott Dynes, 37-438N, 781 472-9005, SBCDYNES@MIT.EDU


Introduction to Keelboats

Add to Calendar Jan/09 Tue 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

Whether you're out for a day sail or crossing the ocean, you'll need to understand the various onboard systems. This session provides basic knowledge of the typical coastal cruising sailboat -- structure, rigging, electrical, engine, navigation, etc. Attendees will learn the nautical terms for things (the galley, not the kitchen) and get a sense for life aboard at sea.

Eric Brown - Bluewater Skipper, Scott Dynes - Bluewater Skipper, Matt Wall - Bluewater Skipper


Racing

Add to Calendar Jan/11 Thu 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

Racing is a very fun and very effective way to learn how to sail well; you are on a boat with expert sailors who are helping you to sail the boat. In this session we will introduce sailboat racing and cover a broad range of topics that will enable you to have fun while racing keelboats.

Adam Traina - Bluewater Skipper


Chartering a boat

Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

If you have some experience sailing, there's a good chance you can charter a boat in the Caribbean and elsewhere. This session discusses the practical aspects of arranging for and sailing a charter in the Caribbean. Topics we will talk about include:

Tim Hall - Bluewater Skipper


Classic Yachts: Sailing & Maintenance

Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

In place of the safety at sea lecture previously scheduled we are grateful to welcome Tom Mayotte, who will talk about the special demands and eccentricities that commanding a classic yacht requires. This will be most useful in preparation for our first season with the Mashnee, our new bluewater boat (Thanks to Jan and Ruth Rozendaal!), which is a classic yacht. 

We will learn useful skills and techniques 

 

Scott Dynes - Bluewater Skipper


Navigation #1

Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

Where are you? How will you get to your destination safely? In this course we will cover the basics of coastal navigation, including how to read nautical charts, identification of navigation aids, proper compass use and the rules for safe navigation.

Theodric Young - Bluewater Skipper


Navigation # 2

Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

In part two of this introduction to coastal navigation, we will further discuss skills for safe navigation, including understanding of tides and currents, the navigation rules, as well as techniques for using electronic devices such as depth sounders, GPS, and RADAR.

Theodric Young - Bluewater Skipper


Weather

Add to Calendar Jan/30 Tue 06:30PM-08:00PM 66-144

You've probably heard `Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning', but did you ever wonder why that is so? In this session we will cover many aspects of weather as it related to sailing, including:

Eric Brown - Bluewater Skipper


Celestial Navigation

Add to Calendar Feb/01 Thu 06:30PM-08:30PM 66-144

Before there was GPS, there were the stars. In this session we will go through the theory and practice of celestial navigation; we hope to have enough sextants to allow for hands-on activities. While you will not walk away from this class knowing how to navigate by the stars, you will know why and how it works, and what to do next if you want to learn celestial navigation in detail.

 

Adam Traina - Bluewater Skipper


Shadow Magicians: Finding Freedom to Become Yourself

Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain, Addir Interfaith Coordinator, David Schulz, Blue Ocean Faith, Addir Interfaith Intern

Add to Calendar Jan/16 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135
Add to Calendar Jan/18 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135
Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135
Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135
Add to Calendar Jan/30 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135
Add to Calendar Feb/01 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 1-135

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/15
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session
Prereq: None

Whether through bad habits, negative thought patterns, or counterproductive behaviors, we all have a 'shadow' that sabotages us at times.

This unique experiential course will teach key concepts and skills for exploring our shadows through analyzing emotions and addressing the impact of formative experiences on our operating beliefs and behaviors. We will gain a higher level of self-awareness and begin the process of troubleshooting deep-seated obstacles to success and happiness.

 

Issues that can be explored include:

 

Concepts and skills taught include:

Participants are encouraged to attend at least 3 sessions. You must register for the sessions you will attend. There are 10 spots per session. You will be placed on a wait-list for a session if it is full. Priority will be given to those who sign up for 3 or more sessions.

Timeliness: Due to the personal nature of the course, the door will close at 10 minutes past the hour. No one will be admitted after that point, although you are welcome to attend future meetings.

Email shadow-magicians-staff@mit.edu with questions.

shadowmagicians.mit.edu

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, W11-011, 617-359-7457, ADAM1@MIT.EDU