Spring Term 2026:
Event Details:
The Postdoc Writing Circle will resume after spring break, on a bi-weekly schedule starting Friday, April 3 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Graduate Writing Center on the first floor of Heckart Lodge.
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Date: Every other Friday, starting April 3
- Time: 9 am – 1:00 pm
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Location: Heckart Lodge
How are these writing sessions organized?
- 9:00 - 9:10 am: Arrival and goal setting. Share your goals for the day, say hi to others, and grab a snack and a coffee (provided).
- 9:10 - 9:30 am: (when applicable) Theme introduction and discussion.
- 9:30 - 12:30 pm: Focused writing time with breaks. During this time, we ask everyone to maintain a quiet, respectful environment to support deep work and concentration.
- 12:30 - 1:00 pm: General discussion and feedback on the specific theme.
What if you can't attend the entire session?
This casual, supportive gathering is designed to be flexible. Feel free to arrive late or leave early as needed.
What can you work on during this time?
Anything that contributes to the publication of your manuscript, a job application, or other professional development writing. Study design, outlining, concept mapping, manuscript development, CVs, research statements, teaching statements, cover letters, and more.
Each session includes dedicated writing time, with the final hour reserved for a special weekly theme and discussion/feedback. While you may use the writing time for scholarly or professional writing of almost any kind, the final portion of each session will focus on guidance and feedback related to the weekly theme.
Topics coming Spring Term 2026:
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April 3: Tait Bergstrom - An Intro to the process of creating a job market dossier
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April 17: Data Visualization & Science Communication
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May 1: Session Cancelled for General Strike
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May 15: Sarah Perrault - Understanding Biases in Science Writing
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May 29: Teaching & Teaching Statements
We look forward to seeing you and welcome your suggestions for the upcoming sessions!
Have any questions?
Email us @ - [email protected]
Past Events
Winter Term 2026
Join us every Friday from 9:00 to 1:00 pm at the Center's new space on the first floor of Heckart Lodge (room 104).
Each session includes dedicated writing time, with the final hour reserved for a special weekly theme and discussion/feedback. While you may use the writing time for scholarly or professional writing of almost any kind, the final portion of each session will focus on guidance and feedback related to the weekly theme. Didn’t find a topic of interest? Feel free to suggest a weekly topic for upcoming sessions.
What else can you work on during this time? Anything that contributes to the publication of your manuscript, a job application, or other professional development writing. Study design, outlining, concept mapping, manuscript development, CVs, research statements, teaching statements, cover letters, and more.
How are these writing sessions organized?
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- 9:00 - 9:10 am: When you arrive, you'll be invited to share your goals on via Box and say hi to others.
- 9:10 - 11:30 am: Writing time with short breaks.
- 11:30 - 12:50 pm: General discussion and feedback.
What if you can't attend the entire session? This casual, supportive gathering is designed to be flexible. Feel free to arrive late or leave early as needed.
Event Details:
- Date: Every Friday
- Time: 9 am – 1 pm
- Location: Heckart Lodge (room 104)
Topics
Jan 16: Professional CV
Jan 23: Cover letter
Jan 30: Research statement (academic)
Feb 6: Teaching statement (academic)
2024
OPA hosted monthly writing sessions for postdocs from January 2024. Postdocs joined us each month for an in-person and/or virtual two-hour writing session devoted to your current writing projects.
Join us for an in-person and virtual session devoted to your current writing projects.
- What can you work on during this time? Anything that contributes to the publication of your manuscript. Study design, data analysis, outlining, concept mapping, manuscript development, and more.
- How is this writing session organized?
- 9:00 - 9:10 am: When you arrive, in-person or virtually, you'll be invited to share your goals and say hi to others. If you're joining in person, feel free to grab snacks or drinks at Java II.
- 9:10 - 10:50 am: Writing time with breaks
- 10:50 - 11:00 am: Chat with other postdocs or feel free to head to your next meeting.
- What if you can't make it for the whole session? This casual get-together is meant to support you, so feel free to drop in whenever you can and leave when you need to.
May 16, 2024: 9-11 am at Valley Library, Java II
April 18, 2024: 9-11 am at Valley Library, Java II
March 21, 2024: 9-11 am at Valley Library, Java II
February 15, 2024: 9-11 am at Valley Library, Java II
January 25, 2024: 9-11 am at Valley Library, Java II