The initial IMSD Bootcamp offers workshop topics such as “Learning to learn” and “Wellness”, which will prepare you for your first year in graduate school. You’ll also be welcomed into our diverse community of graduate students at Rutgers and have the opportunity to ask questions of those who are a few steps ahead of you on their own PhD journey.

Developing your own skills as a researcher is a key part of being in graduate school. Having “the right person” to teach and mentor you during your training is important. Finding someone who fits your learning and work style will be key to your success. In the workshop, we’ll discuss how to find the lab and research mentor that is the right person for you.

The path to a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint. In this workshop, we discuss the journey you’ll take and how to take advantage of professional development opportunities that Rutgers offers while having fun along the way.

In this workshop we discuss strategies to present your research so that everyone will appreciate and understand the importance of what you are studying and the impact of what you’ve discovered.

Graduate school offers you scientific training and is meant to increase your confidence in your ability to perform as a scientist. In this workshop, we discuss strategies to increase your self-confidence and belief in your ability to accomplish great research.

During graduate school you will take challenging classes and be asked to master complex scientific concepts. In this workshop, you will be introduced to cognitive skills approaches that will enhance your capacity to take in and retain new information and be successful in all your endeavors during graduate school and beyond.

During graduate school you will encounter many challenges. It’s not uncommon for students to have doubts about their abilities and even whether they belong. We are certain that you DO belong in graduate school at Rutgers. In this workshop we discuss how to counteract the negative effects of imposter syndrome so you too can “trust” yourself and your ability to make your own important contributions to science.

During graduate school there is much to learn, from classes in which you acquire basic information, to mastering the intricate scientific approaches that allow us to investigate biological processes in the smallest of detail, as well as invent. Not everything you will do will go smoothly, which can be frustrating, and other parts of your life will also have their ups and down. In this workshop, we discuss how to manage setbacks and why taking care of your mind and body will be key to your success in graduate school.

You’ve done the scientific work. Now it’s time to write and defend your thesis while at the same time preparing for what comes next. Sound daunting? We’ll discuss strategies for finishing strong and for readying yourself for the next step in your career.