The following are resources you may need during your time at the College of the Environment and University of Washington. We have attempted to cover as many aspects in the life of a UW grad student, but if there is something you do not see here and think we should include, please send us an email.
What’s on this page
Career and professional development resources
The College of Environment hosts a series of quarterly workshops and panel discussions specifically for graduate students addressing a wide range of professional development and career topics – video recordings of some of these past events can be found below.
Pathways to a Postdoc
UW College of the Environment postdoctoral scholar panel discussion: “Pathways to a Postdoc” (YouTube video)
College of the Environment postdoctoral scholars Joe Finlon, ATMOS SCI; Colleen Hoffman, CICOES; Lisanne Petracca, SAFS; and Maureen Williams, SAFS, provide insights on their pathways from graduate education to postdoc assignments, in search of careers in the lab. SEFS professor Aaron Wirsing moderates the discussion as postdocs describe their decision-making process and influences that led them to UW.
How to find an Environmental Science Postdoc Guide: Written by two current postdoctoral scholars at other institutions to provide guidance for the transition from grad school to a postdoc position.
Resilience & Well-Being for Graduate Students
Graduate student professional development workshop: “Resilience & Well-Being for Graduate Students” (YouTube link)
UW Resilience Lab CoEnv presentation
UW Resilience Lab WBLL Guidebook
UW Resilience Lab director Megan Kennedy leads an interactive session to present concepts centered on resilience and well-being, while teaching skills for increasing focus and productivity while reducing stress. The session is designed to leave you with resources for building a stronger sense of connectedness, including how to take an equity-centered approach that addresses societal and environmental barriers to well-being.
Negotiating the Most out of your Mentoring Experience
Graduate student/faculty panel discussion: “Negotiating the Most out of your Mentoring Experience” (YouTube link)
Graduate student/faculty panel discussion: “Negotiating the Most out of your Mentoring Experience” – Q&A responses
Faculty members Alex Gagnon, OCEAN; and Sunny Jardine, SMEA, with doctoral candidates Megan Mueller, ESS; and Lila Westreich, SEFS, discuss the roles that mentors and mentees play in the dynamics of advising, and techniques to increase your networking base. Moderator SAFS professor Kerry Naish spotlights the vital importance that mentoring plays in the life of a graduate student.
Career Resources
The College of the Environment Careers Resources page is updated daily with open opportunities for public and private sector jobs, postdoc appointments, and faculty positions. Graduate students working as teaching, research or staff assistants (TA/RA/GSA) can find assistantship opportunities on the UW Employment site and on HuskyJobs, the UW’s online job and internship search system for students.
The UW Career and Internships Center features many resources for grad students, including workshops, events, and individual sessions with a career counselor.
Science Communication
The Association of Science Communicators is a society for improving science communication. The Association offers a number of courses for specific science communication venues (e.g., television, podcasts, freelance work). Its annual meeting (Science Talk 2024) is in Portland, Oregon this year. Early bird registration ends January 31, 2024 (and there is a virtual option for attendance as well).
New graduate students
College of the Environment Orientation 2023
Here are the slides from the College of the Environment Orientation on 9/22/2023: 2023 New Graduate Student Orientation slide deck
Graduate School Survival Guide
This guide for entering graduate students, written by Dr. Wanda Pratt from the UW School of Information, provides an in-depth summary of tips and points on finding and working with an advisor or mentor, how to get the most out of your research and other helpful resources.
U501: UW Graduate School Orientation
University 501 (U501) is a self-guided, online resource designed for graduate and professional students at all three campuses and is intended to help prepare you for your arrival to and start at the University of Washington.
Graduate student life
Academic Student Employee (ASE) Union
If you’re an academic student employee (ASE), you are eligible to be part of the UAW Local 4121 Union. The Union bargains with UW on wages, hours, benefits and working conditions for the approximately 4,000 ASEs across UW’s 3 campuses. Learn more about the UW/UAW Contract here.
Office of Graduate Student Affairs
The Office of Graduate Student Affairs — in The Graduate School—utilizes a holistic approach to supporting graduate students through student-centered programming, timely resources, and intentional tri-campus partnerships. We strive to promote the well-being of our diverse graduate student body in our tri-campus network, so they can thrive and be successful at the university and beyond. Our motto is “Cultivating Capacities for Success.”
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS)
The UW GPSS represents the 13,000 graduate and professional students at the University of Washington’s Seattle campus. Over 150 elected or appointed students represent the graduate and professional degree granting schools, departments and programs. GPSS exists to improve all aspects of graduate and professional student life at the University of Washington.
Mentoring Resources
The College of the Environment provided a professional development session called, “Getting the most Out of your Mentoring.” The session brought together a panel of senior-level graduate students and select faculty members to discuss the mentor-mentee roles. Session participants benefited from understanding mentoring as an aspect of networking and relationship-building, and found practical tips in working in and through a mentor relationship. Linked here are documents on Mentoring Tips and the Mentor/Advisor Roles.
Mentoring services are available year-round and you can also apply to be a mentor. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is a fantastic resource for anyone preparing to teach or looking to hone their teaching skills. They offer resources, workshops, including a First Friday series for grad students and many events throughout the year.
The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education provides information on mentoring, called Thoughts on Choosing a Research Mentor.
