Past Events in 2022-2023
"What I Wish I Knew as a First Year" Panel: 10/13/2022
Panelists: Jessica Chiu (Odom), Broderick Lewis (Shull), Hiyab Mekonnen (Notestein), Sonal Rangnekar (Hersam), Michael Toriyama (Snyder)
Location: Ford ITW (Ford 1-350)
Five panelists from different research groups, academic backgrounds and experience in the department will share their PhD journeys. We encourage all first years to sign-up for a chance to hear about everything from the famously rigorous MSE courses to advisor selection and shifting experiences as we stay longer in the department.
LaTeX Workshop: 11/03/2022
Join MSUS for our newest installment in the software workshop series! On November 3rd, you will be introduced to the LaTeX document preparation system. The workshop will start with the basics, then touch on some more advanced techniques for sparking up your assignments and publications. There will also be time to address your own specific ideas and challenges. No experience is necessary and all years welcome! All attendees need to bring a personal laptop and register an account with Overleaf before the workshop (it's quick!).
Date: Thursday, Nov. 3rd at 5pm
Location: Cook 2068 (MSE Teaching Lab)
Illustrator/Inkscape Workshop: 11/17/2022
Inkscape is a free and open-source software that is a powerful alternative to Adobe Illustrator. The project has been around for nearly two decades and is still under active development with new features being added with every release. The tool has the potential to save a lot of time when making complex scientific illustrations, but the learning curve can be a bit frustrating. The workshop is intended to lower the barrier for making the switch.
We will cover the basics of the most useful tools in Inkscape for scientific illustrations and also learn shortcuts and tips for navigating Inkscape. Come with a laptop (with Inkscape downloaded from inkscape.org!) to follow along with the workshop. Hopefully, this will get us started on the journey to saying goodbye to pesky powerpoint slides with 50+ objects.
Date: Thursday November 17 at 12-1pm
Location: Cook 2058
MSUS Career Workshop - Networking Practices & Communication: 12/08/2022
Join NCA’s doctoral career advisor, Elysse Longiotti, to discuss best practices for networking as an advanced degree professional. In addition to discussing how to leverage LinkedIn effectively and develop your profile, we’ll spend time drafting communication and questions for future connections.
Date: Thursday December 8 at 12-1pm
Location: Cook 2058
Checkerspot Guest Lecture - Neal Anderson: 01/19/2023
Neal Anderson, a materials scientist who started working at Checkerspot after receiving his Master of Engineering in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, will present his career path and answer any questions you may have about going into materials science-based industry.
Checkerspot is a company based in the Bay Area in California that designs performance materials at a molecular level by optimizing microbes to biomanufacture unique structural oils produced in nature, but not previously accessible at commercial scale. The company is currently commercializing three materials: a light-weight urethane-based composite (i.e., Algal Core™ ski and snowboard cores) and a cast urethane (i.e., Algal Wall™ sidewalls), both commercialized initially through the brand WNDR® Alpine, as well as algal oil formulated into MiDori® BioWick and sold in partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies to clothing brands worldwide. Check out their website: https://checkerspot.com/
Date: Thursday January 19 at 12-1pm
Location: Cook 2058
Science Communication Workshop with Yale SciComm Club: 02/01/2023
We’ve all been to a seminar where you walk away thinking “wait, what were they trying to say?” Or maybe you’ve tried to explain your project to your parents and been faced with blank stares and a “that’s very nice honey.” How can you talk about science in a way that folks will understand? By honing your science communication skills! Join Lizzy Nand, a PhD candidate at Yale University and co-founder of Yale Science Communication - A Graduate Student Organization as she shares her expertise on science communication and teaches the skills you can use to improve your talks. Whether you’re talking to your parent, friend, colleague, or an expert in your field, these are the skills that you can use to make sure that everyone walks away understanding your work just a little bit better.
Date: Wednesday February 1 at 12pm
Location: Cook 2058
MSUS Pottery Workshop: 04/28/2023 & 05/05/2023
Join MSUS for an evening, practicing one of the oldest forms of material science: Ceramics & Handmade Pottery!
During the event, you will get to construct your own hand-formed item out of clay, which can be a ceramic mug, stationary/cosmetic holder, or even a plant pot. Your hand-crafted item will be available in 2-3 weeks to take home after it has been baked and glazed.
Date: Friday April 28 at 4-6pm and Friday May 5 at 4-6pm
Location: Pot Shop in Evanston (1224 Chicago Ave)
"How to make the most out of conferences?" Panel: 07/26/2023
Do you feel nervous about attending a conference? Are you stressed over what to wear and how to present yourself? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the talks and networking opportunities happening in the conference? Then you should sign-up for the MSUS “How to make the most out of conferences?” panel, where we invited a group of panelists to share their experiences and tips on how to make the most out of attending or presenting in conferences.
Date: Wednesday, July 26th 12-1 PM
Location: Ford ITW