Teaching
New TA Conference Workshop Leader (NTAC) An opportunity to be trained in teaching and learning pedagogy and get experience applying what you learn in order to develop and lead workshops for the incoming TAs each year. Students must be in the second year of their program or beyond. It is a relatively low time commitment with four days of summer training in June and August for the conference in September.
Teaching Certificate Program (TCP) This year-long program offers students an opportunity to develop their own course, teach it, and put together a teaching portfolio and statement for job applications. If you think you want to teach in the future, it's the best program you can participate in.
Participating in your 3rd year is ideal. You must have already passed your QE to join, and it is recommended to do it at least one year before you are on the job market so you will have a finished teaching statement and teaching portfolio for job applications. The application deadline is in May of the year prior to starting the program.
Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) For those who have successfully completed the Teaching Certificate Program and/or have served as an NTAC Workshop Leader, this fellowship is a highly recommended opportunity to serve as a mentor for other students currently participating in the program. It allows you to continue to develop your teaching philosophy, read teaching literature and engage with fellow chemists and scientists about teaching. You lead small discipline-specific groups and give feedback on course design projects. Fellows are selected each spring via a competitive application process. They are appointed for a full academic year, with the possibility of reappointment for a second year. The fellowship carries a $3,000 stipend.
Instructor for the BioEXCEL/EXCEL program Students design and teach a 5-week chemistry course for a diverse group of incoming freshman over the summer. An application is typically sent out via the student listserv in Spring.
For more information on opportunities available to graduate students through the Searle Center.