Are you making the most of your institution's resources?
Our 26th and 27th book winners are Simran Bhola (prospective PhD student) and Neha Lund (incoming PhD student)! And our coffee funds winner was Jordyn Ricard (research assistant)! Be sure to enter the book giveaway for your chance to win a copy of A Field Guide to Grad School! More details below (at the end of the post).
Before jumping into discussing institutional resources, I’m asking one more time for current undergraduates, post-baccs, and graduate students in psychology to share their financial experiences in their research-related roles via this survey. Responses will be used to inform my presentation during the Cognitive Development Society pre-conference workshop “Working toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive cognitive developmental science” co-organized by Drs. Jasmine DeJesus and Steven Roberts. Please note that this is an informal survey—one that is not IRB-approved nor connected to any ongoing research that I’m doing. Following the conference, responses will be deleted from my Google account; however, the general findings may be made public via Twitter or some other platform (but NOT included in any publication). If you have any questions prior to completing this survey, please email me at letstalkgradschool@gmail.com.
LINK TO SURVEY: https://forms.gle/zsQjBMirC2XvX6sb9
Now, onto the good stuff!
In a recent meeting with my students, we discussed how to make the most of their institution’s resources. During our conversation, we tried to think creatively—moving beyond those resources designed to support classroom and research performance and productivity. Finding various resources within an institution can sometimes feel like a frustrating treasure hunt. So, I’m hoping this post will help you take advantage of those resources available to you—both those you already know about and those that perhaps didn’t occur to you to seek out.
Financial resources. Although I’m not so focused on financial resources in this post, they are the first to come to mind. I’m hoping that, as part of your funding package, you received guaranteed research and conference funding. If this isn’t the case, I highly recommend talking with current graduate students to learn how they fund their research and conference travel. There are often internal opportunities. For example, at the University of Michigan, I could apply for one conference travel grant each year that was basically guaranteed (I simply needed to submit a budget and proof of conference acceptance). For research, there were several opportunities, but two were almost guaranteed—one pre-candidacy and one as a candidate—given through the graduate college.
The biggest point I want to make here is, if you don’t have the financial resources you need, ask. During my fifth year as a PhD student, I was applying to jobs on two markets and was regularly attending double the conferences of my cohort mates. After exhausting my conference and research funds, I approached someone in our academic affairs office to see whether there were extra funds somewhere to which I could apply. Although the official answer was no, there were some discretionary funds that could be used to help students in exceptional cases. I was asked to draw up a budget and promptly received those extra funds. I’m not sure what prompted me to ask, but I’m glad I did. It’s possible that you may hear “no” far more than you hear “yes.” but if you don’t ask, the answer will definitely be “no.”
Libraries and computing. Libraries aren’t just for books! Many libraries have subject librarians who are expert in navigating a range of resources available to students and researchers based on their interests. For example, as an instructor, I would schedule time for my students to meet with Michigan’s psychology librarian to learn how to conduct literature searches and access information needed to conduct primary research.
Libraries also regularly offer training opportunities to learn new software or even pedagogical practices. While a PhD student, I enrolled in several workshops to help me make the most of instructional tools and our course management system as well as navigate Photoshop and other design software.
Institutions often have computing and printing clusters that you can use should you need, for example, to print a poster for a conference. Note that on-campus printing costs are often lower than those off campus (though, not always!). On the topic of computing, check whether you have access to free software as a student (or staff member). Institutions often have deals with software companies like Microsoft to provide software access for free or some nominal fee. This information is usually available on your institution’s Information Technology site.
Writing and career centers. Writing is a skill that requires a lot of practice. As you produce more and more writing, it may be helpful to seek out guidance from writing experts. Many institutions have dedicated writing centers for students at different levels that provide writing consultation and services for free. I highly recommend at least checking out your institution’s writing center to see whether there are opportunities for you to receive feedback on your writing (be it writing for a class or writing for publication). I understand that it can be hard to put yourself out there—but the benefits usually outweigh the discomfort associated with sharing our writing.
Institutions also often have career centers dedicated to students at different levels. Although you may be clear on the path you would like to pursue, it’s always good to see what else is out there and what else may interest you in case you need to adjust your course. My goal has always been to secure a tenure track position; however, recognizing that the odds were not in my favor, I participated in career workshops designed for PhD students considering non-academic positions. These workshops also served as networking events and highlighted the range of opportunities available. I did not take advantage of the career coaching opportunities; however, I wish I had. I know I could have benefited from some more interview coaching, among other things.
Certificates. Many institutions also offer certificates that can be earned while pursuing other degrees. These certificates may or may not be free and can require different amounts of extra coursework. While at Michigan, I earned a teaching certificate. This required me to complete a number of workshops, one short course, and a teaching portfolio. The certificate was free but did take some time (though, totally worth it to me). I also had friends earn cognitive science and data science certificates.
When deciding whether to pursue a certificate, it’s important to keep your goals in mind. For me, I wanted to signal that I was serious about teaching. Some of my friends who completed the data science certificate wanted to signal to future employers that they were knowledgeable about the field and its practices. Keep in mind, though, that not all certificates may make sense. I could have completed the cognitive science certificate, but it would have required me to take courses through my fifth year (the certificate launched in the middle of my PhD program). I didn’t want to allocate time to earning a certificate that I had effectively already completed through my previous coursework.
Statistics consulting. Your department and/or institution may also offer free statistics consulting for students. These services can be especially helpful when using a new analytic technique or when needing to brush up on your understanding of how to interpret some analysis. I’ve had a range of experiences with stats consulting—from not at all helpful to super helpful. So, see what your institution has to offer and give it a try. You might not receive the exact help you’re looking for, but may be pointed toward other resources that provide just the support you need.
Student health. Your health should be a priority! If possible, check out your student health center and see what services are available. It’s often the case that care received through student health centers is less costly (e.g., no co-pays). Some centers are more comprehensive than others, so you may be required to go off campus to seek some care. I know that my friends have had a range of experiences at their student health centers—some great, some awful. For me, it was a great option. In fact, my favorite primary care doctor ever was at the student health center at Michigan.
Campus gyms and recreation centers can also be great resources. Beyond working out alone, gyms and rec centers often host sports tournaments, offer free classes, and even allow students to borrow equipment (e.g., for climbing). I wish I had taken advantage of the gym and rec facilities more when I was a student, if only to connect with my cohort mates outside of classroom and lab spaces.
Some final thoughts.
Talk to your PI(s), program coordinators, and more senior students to make sure you know what resources are available to you.
Don’t assume your PI(s) know what you do and don’t know and can anticipate your needs. You know your situation best. To the extent that you can, clearly communicate what you know and your needs to your PI(s) so they can help you.
If there isn’t a community that you’re looking for, consider creating it yourself. This can be a big undertaking, but can certainly be worth the effort. Many institutions have funds available for students to launch new groups.
When you learn about new resources, share them with others. There’s enough gatekeeping in higher education.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
In this section, I highlight resources you may find helpful as you navigate the PhD application process as well as the PhD itself. This week, I’m highlighting a Twitter thread full of great tips on how to make the most of popular productivity tolls.
If you’d like to see a specific resource appear here, please share the relevant information via this survey. And remember, I maintain a running list of resources here.
Useful tools for PhD students: In this thread, Dr. Monika Kilmek-Tulwin shares a number of helpful resources for managing research, writing, and time. Take a look!
How to reach me: You are always welcome to email me (letstalkgradschool@gmail.com) or find me on Twitter @tweetsbymidge.
Want to support my #hiddencurriculum efforts? Consider “buying me a coffee” via Ko-fi. All funds will be put back into my Let’s Talk Grad School initiatives (i.e., weekend groups, buying/mailing books, etc.). Learn more about my efforts here.
Let’s give away some books: Readers located in the United States and Canada are eligible to enter the book giveaway to receive a copy of A Field Guide to Grad School by Dr. Jessica Calarco. To do so, complete this survey and note that you only have to complete it once to be entered in all subsequent giveaways! I do hope to expand the reach of the giveaway; however, at the moment, the shipping costs are too great to scale. If you’d like to talk about ways your institution could secure an electronic (or hard) copy, please let me know.
Until next time!
Margaret