Workshops and programs for prospective and current graduate (Master's and PhD) students in computer science and related engineering fields.
Many top universities have visit days geared towards students interested in pursuing a PhD in engineering or applied science disciplines. These usually take place over a weekend and are almost always all-expenses paid! This is a great way to visit schools that are on your application list without having to bear much of the cost. I encourage every student to take advantage of these opportunities. I did this during my senior year of college which resulted in my strong applications and admissions to some of the top computer science programs in the world!
The McNair Scholars Program maintains an extensive list here.
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University of Michigan - Explore Graduate Studies in Computer Science & Engineering
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UIUC - Multi-Cultural Engineering Recruitment for Graduate Education
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University of Washington - CSNext: Graduate School Prep Workshop
There are not many general workshops that focus on dissertation writing. Instead, many universities offer their own events where students can attend on-campus workshops or seminars on this topic. Most schools will have writing centers or graduate writing courses that students can enroll in.
- EECS Rising Stars Academic Career Workshop
- Rising Stars in Data Science Workshop
- Rising Stars in Computer Graphics
- Sandia National Labs Rising Stars
- Stanford Rising Stars in Management Science and Engineering
- Johns Hopkins Rising Stars in Engineering in Health Workshop
- UMaryland Rising Stars in Machine Learning
- Rising Stars in Cyber-Physical Systems
- IEEE Rising Stars
- Rising Stars in Computer Architecture
- IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society Rising Stars Workshop
A lot of schools have their own summer/winter future faculty programs tailored for their own students. For example, Cornell has their Future Professors Institute but registration for non-Cornell students is $45. Be sure to check if your institution has a similar program, I know there are others at Berkeley, Stanford, etc.
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Adelante Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Future Faculty Bootcamp
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American Institute of Chemical Engineers Future Faculty Mentoring Program
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LATTICE: Launching Academics on the Tenure Track: an Intentional Community in Engineering
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PITT Future Faculty Discovery Development Program (PITT-FFDDP)
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Rochester Institute of Technology’s Future Faculty Career Exploration Program (FFCEP)
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute STEM Faculty Launch Workshop
As academic jobs become increasingly hard to obtain, especially for those outside of engineering, many graduate schools are providing professional development targeted towards industry positions. Cornell has a program called Careers Beyond Academia that I've been fortunate to participate in since my first year. I've attended numerous workshops, symposiums, and even gone on a career trek to Silicon Valley! While I'm interested in working equally in academia and industry, I believe that expanding my options has allowed me to learn about both fields and will help immensely in my future career choices. Definitely check if your school or program has an office dedicated to helping students prepare for careers beyond academia!
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