OPA Program

The Winter 2021 Preparing Future Professors Program Application  -- Opens September 4, 2020 and closes October 7, 2020.

Description of Program:

Your postdoc training is more than just research! Apply design thinking to the wicked problem of a comprehensive postdoctoral training plan and make a bold plan that amplifies your interests and values as you transition to your career of choice. The work we do together will support new perspectives, identify mentoring needs, and ensure that your individual development plan is thoughtful and balanced.

Note: there is approximately an hour of required prework for this session. You will receive details for the prework upon registration.

II: Professional & Academic Writing

Prerequisite: Oral Communication

Fall Session: Tuesdays, October 13 - November 17, 9:00am-11:00am

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.

IV. Accent Reduction

Prerequisite: Oral Communication

Fall Session: Thursdays, October 15 - November 19, 1:00pm-3:00pm

This class helps non-native speakers to recognize and practice American English sounds, stress, and intonation patterns in order to improve comprehension and intelligibility. This is accomplished through identification of problem areas, focused practice and recording of exercises for instructor feedback.

Course topics:

I: Oral Communication

Fall Session B: Monday, October 5 - Thursday, October 8, 3:00pm-5:00pm

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:

III:  Oral Presentation

Prerequisite: Oral Communication

Fall Session: Thursdays, August 27 - October 1, 1:00pm-3:00pm

I: Oral Communication

Fall Session A: Monday, August 17 - Thursday, August 20, 1:00pm-3:00pm

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:

Experiencing positive emotions is important, not just in the good times, but even more so, when stress is high. In a pandemic and a time of great uncertainty, our usual routines are important, but not enough. When the typical restorative strategies aren’t available or are no longer effective, you have to be more intentional to maintain your emotional well-being. In fact, research indicates that positive emotions not only off-set stress, but also facilitate flexible, inclusive, creative, integrative and forward thinking.  
 

Yearning for the way life used to be? Predictable. Productive. Permitted to freely gather.

Although COVID-19 and the accumulative events of 2020 have taken much from us, perhaps there is something we can gain. Drawing from philosophy, neuroscience and the science of self-compassion and happiness, this interactive workshop will demystify how and why uncertainty is experienced as a strong psychological adversity and guide you in the deep self-exploration required to turn this crisis into an opportunity to live from your inherent value.

Getting things done can be a challenge any day. Trying to focus during a pandemic can be particularly challenging with new stressors and schedules at play. We know there are behaviors we could change to support ourselves better, yet finding the energy and motivation during global chaos is a struggle to say the least. Be it better relationship patterns, healthier eating habits, consistent sleep, more physical activity, or breaking that addiction to social media, there are good reasons to change and good reasons to stay where we are.