OPA Program

Are you developing a proposal for a course in your department? Are you planning to prepare a syllabus for an upcoming course or for the academic job search? The ability to create an effective course plan and syllabus is critical to the success of courses we teach, academic job searches, and in future academic positions.

Join us for an interactive workshop that will prepare you for developing or revising a course to be taught at or beyond Stanford. You will be able to:

II: Professional & Academic Writing

Prerequisite: Oral Communication

Spring Session: Thursdays, April 13 - May 18, 5:00pm-7:00pm

This  course on academic writing for publication focuses on learning to write coherently, clearly, and concisely. It will also include some practice in writing effective emails, letters, and short proposals. The course includes two 30-minute individual tutorials with the instructor.

III:  Oral Presentation

Prerequisite: Oral Communication

Spring Session: Tuesdays, April 11 - May 16, 4:30pm-6:30pm

I: Oral Communication

Spring Session: Monday, April 3 - Thursday, April 6, 4:30pm-6:30pm

Attendance is required ALL 4 Days

This course focuses on helping students improve their oral communication skills for academic and daily life. Emphasis is on increasing confidence and fluency through realistic activities both in and out of class covering pronunciation, idiom and slang usage, active listening skills, and conversation strategies.

Course topics:

In their efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, universities and employers are increasingly requiring prospective postdocs, fellows and employees to include a diversity statement in their application materials. This workshop will show you how to approach the diversity statement as a story about the intersections at which you stand and how those intersections inform your scholarship and teaching.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) is hosting a Winter treats get together for postdocs working on campus!

Sign up and stop by for cookies and other sweet treats on us!

Winter treats will be provided until supplies run out -- we recommend stopping by on the earlier side if you can!

Please note: If this is your first time registering for an event through our system, you will be asked to create an account before being able to access the event registration link -- please use your Stanford email address to register.

With all the outward tragedies, pressures, and stress in our world, it can be challenging to take what you need to fill your own cup. We are excited to be able to offer this practice-based session from stress and burnout specialist, Chibs Okereke.

During this session, you will learn tools for managing stress, anxiety, exhaustion, depression and burnout in healthy ways.

Space is limited. Once all spots are filled, registrants will be added to a waitlist.

Jessica Notini, Instructor, Stanford Law School

This lecture will examine critical negotiation theory involving how to move from an adversarial, “fixed pie” orientation to a more collaborative and creative orientation. We will discuss how to probe beneath surface positions, demands and strategies to discover the underlying needs and motivators of the people involved in a challenging conversation. We will also analyze how to analyze potential negotiated agreements in terms of other alternatives.

Dr. John Boothroyd, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology

This lecture will examine the mechanisms of writing and assembling a grant. We will examine writing strategies and requirements for the research plan, the heart of the grant. Other topics will include the grant "surrounds" --budget and its justification, research environment, biosketches, etc.

**PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME out of respect for the speaker.**

Dr. Jody Puglisi, Professor of Structural Biology

Starting up your first lab can be an overwhelming project. This lecture focuses on equipment, space and other resources included in startup packages, setting up your laboratory, recruitment, preparing for your first grant submission and budgeting.

**PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME out of respect for the speaker.**