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by Jordan Wilkerson
As a PhD student, I dipped my toe into science journalism. From completing a science journalism fellowship to then freelancing for news outlets, I was tasked with telling a broad readership about the latest advances in science. Let me tell you, there were growing pains from writing in a style so different from academia. News stories’ strict word limits tormented me the most. There was no room for superfluous prose or stray information barely related to the storyline. Once I felt like I had created the most streamlined narrative I could, I’d often still need to cut a couple hundred words. Continue reading for a lesson from the news room.
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Are you a STEM student seeking multi-year funding for your research? If you are a US citizen or permanent resident who has completed one year or less of your graduate program, then you might consider applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). To learn more, join us for our NSF GRFP workshop on July 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET. If you are unable to attend on July 12, we will be holding an identical NSF GRFP info session on July 15 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
We will also hold a dedicated workshop for each of the two application essays: the research statement (July 18) and personal statement (August 17), as well as a peer working group for the research statement. For more information, see our NSF GRFP Canvas site.
Looking for fellowship support? Access information about grants and fellowships for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows through the CARAT database.
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Meet With Us This Summer!
Mock Presentations
Have an upcoming presentation? The FWC staff provides feedback on oral presentations, from conference papers to dissertation defense talks. If you would like to schedule a practice talk over the summer, please email us directly at gsas-fwc@fas.harvard.edu with your request. Please include your department, a brief description of your presentation, and a few possible times that you would be available for the mock talk. We can hold these talks over Zoom or in person.
Summer Drop-In Office Hours
Do you have a question about managing a writing project? If so, please drop by our office hours this summer, which will be held on Tuesdays (in Lehman Hall) and Thursdays (over Zoom) from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET. This is meant to be an informal setting, during which we would be happy to talk further about the services that our office can provide or to chat with you about your work. For more information, see our Engage events page. You must be logged in using your Harvard key to view the office hours listings.
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Workshops (open to all GSAS students)
Article Revision Workshop (last chance to register!)
Tuesday, June 28, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Summer is a great time to revise course papers into articles, or rough article drafts into final article drafts. In this workop, we will discuss strategies and best practices for article revision, ranging from scheduling your time efficiently to clarifying your argument. After this first workshop, a series of 2-3 smaller workshops (scheduled by poll) will be held in which any interested participants can submit work they’re revising for group discussion and feedback. Register for the June 28 Article Revision Workshop here.
The Big Picture of the Dissertation
Tuesday, July 26, 3:00–4:00 p.m. ET
Writing a dissertation not only takes a lot longer than a standard class paper, but also involves special considerations. In this workshop, we will look at some of the key factors that make a dissertation (and a book) more than the sum of its parts, including narrative arc, chapter function, clarity and detail. Please note that the exact time of this workshop is subject to change. Final details and registration information to follow. Register for the July 26 Big Picture of the Dissertation workshop here.
Harvard Traveling Fellowships and Merit/Term-Time Fellowships:
Information Session
Thursday, August 4, 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET
Are you looking for funding to conduct dissertation research? Join us as we discuss several of Harvard’s internal research fellowships—the yearlong Harvard Traveling Fellowships and the semester-long Merit/Term-Time Fellowships—and offer strategies for writing your most compelling statement of purpose. Following this session, prospective applicants may solicit group feedback on their statement of purpose intro during a separate hands-on workshop (to be scheduled by poll). Register for the Traveling and Merit/Term-Time Fellowships Info Session here.
The Intellectual Autobiography
Thursday, August 11, 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET
How did your story bring you here? Whether in fellowship essays, cover letters, or diversity statements, the genre of intellectual autobiography plays an important role in scholarly communication. Join us as we reflect on our own intellectual autobiographies and explore how our interwoven stories of work and life might help us gain a new perspective on our research and careers. Register for the August 11 Intellectual Autobiography workshop here.
Learn more about upcoming workshops and view our full schedule on the FWC Engage page!
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