Workshops and Courses

Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates

Below is a list of upcoming office hours, workshops, and courses for postdocs and research associates. An email announcement with detailed information will be sent out prior to each event, with a link to register through Eventbrite. You may also register for most upcoming sessions using this page. You MUST be a Harvard Chan School or Harvard-affiliated postdoctoral fellow or research associate to register.

The following links are training resources provided by the NIH:
Virtual Activities For Trainees Outside the NIH
Videocasts of the Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) Events

DF/HCC PATHFINDER Webtool is first of many tools that the initiative will deploy to support cancer-focused postdocs and clinical fellows in identifying educational resources, funding opportunities, and relevant meetings.

As Harvard University is a member of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), all postdoctoral fellows can become an affiliate member. Events provided by the NPA can be found here: National Postdoctoral Association Community Calendar.

Additional resources can also be found through Harvard University’s new institutional membership with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD), which runs through January 31, 2025.
NOTE: Individuals can activate their membership here  and MUST provide their Harvard email address.

Spring 2024 Workshops and Events

March 2024

NIH K Specific Aims Workshop

presented by Donald Halstead, Lecturer on Epidemiology and Director of Writing Programs

Thursday, March 7 | 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Online/Virtual Course
Description: This workshop will analyze the argument, organization, and flow of the Specific Aims component of the NIH’s K series of Career Development Awards. This is a peer review workshop. In order to generate a rich discussion, participants are expected to read a selected draft Specific Aims page prior to the workshop. Please note that writing the Aims is extremely challenging and that writing is rewriting, an iterative process. Hence, our feedback will always be constructive, focusing on clarity, readability, and flow.
Zoom link and calendar invite will be sent following registration.
*Please register by 12:00 p.m. on Monday, March 4.

Postdoc Life Cycle: Exit Strategies That Won't Kill Your Career

Tuesday, March 12 | 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
On Campus (Location: Countway Library, Minot Room, 5th Floor, 10 Shattuck St. OR 695 Huntington Ave., Boston)
NOTE: Postdoc Life Cycle workshops are highly interactive and engaging, please be prepared to participate in the discussions.

Description: Don’t get along with your boss in a big way? Know that your lab or clinic wasn’t the best fit for you? This workshop will help you consider best practices for transitioning as gracefully as possible out of a difficult work situation. Topics for discussion include how to maintain a cordial and productive relationship with your mentor while seeking letters of recommendation and help with networking, how to protect your authorship on a not-yet-submitted manuscript and how to leverage the support of other allies in your efforts to move on when you don’t have your mentor’s support.
Presenters: Ombuds Office for HMS/HSDM/HSPH

This workshop is part of the Postdoc Life Cycle Series.

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

Coming Spring 2024 Workshops
  • Spring NIH Grant Proposal Writing Course (5 Sessions) – *Application required/Limit 4 participants*
  • Writing Clearly and Concisely Series (5 Sessions)
  • Specific Aims Workshop
  • Strategies for Finding Funding and Building Your Research Portfolio
  • Designing a Course That Meets Your Goals
  • Writing a K Grant Award Series
  • Writing Academic Job Application Documents Series
  • Academic Job Search Panel Series
    • Getting a Job in Industry
    • Current HSPH Faculty: Job Search Experience
    • Getting a Job in Academia
    • Becoming a Research Scientist
Coming Fall 2024 Workshops
  • Writing an NIH Loan Repayment (LRP) Application
  • Writing a Resume for Jobs Outside of Academia
  • Writing Scientific Research Series (5 Sessions)
  • How to Plan for a Successful Postdoc Experience
  • Getting a NIH K Award
  • Specific Aims