AAAS is pleased to offer a variety of essential skills courses in our academic subscription open access portal. Subscriptions include access to full Programs – such as the Career Pathways Program and Proposal Writing Program – as well as myriad individual courses. Our courses are designed by industry experts to address the needs of scientists as they embark on their careers, and to address the pain points of early career STEM professionals.
Proposal Writing Program: Writing Successful Grant Proposals
Learn best practices for effective grant proposal writing with this course. Maybe you have had difficulty in the past getting funding for your research. Maybe you have yet to write any at all. It is a difficult – and vital – aspect of success within STEM fields, and experts at AAAS have first-hand, in-depth knowledge of common pitfalls and weaknesses seen by many reviewers, and how to avoid rejection before a proposal is sent to review.
Best Practices for Writing NIH Grant Proposals
- Understand the organization of NIH and the proposal review process
- Place research goals in the context of funding agency priorities and intentions
- Learn the types of funding and how to locate funding opportunities
- Understand the five standard review criteria and NIH specific aims
Best Practices for NSF Grant Proposals
- Navigate NSF’s organizational structure and governance
- Stay aware of new funding opportunities
- Interact with NSF Divisions, Directorates and Program Officers
- Understand NSF’s merit review processes and review criteria
- Avoid rejection before a proposal is sent to review
- Develop proposals that are responsive to the NSF Review Criteria, including Broader Impacts
Avoiding Common Errors in Proposal Writing
- Gain knowledge in writing strong, competitive grant proposals.
- Develop strategies for effectively communicating your goals and how you will achieve them.
- Avoid common pitfalls and weaknesses seen by many reviewers.
Broader Impacts for NSF Proposals
- Explore the concept of Broader Impacts and its various aspects and implications
- Learn to effectively communicate Broader Impacts in writing a grant proposal
- Develop strategies to support Broader Impacts development and build capacity within your institution
Overview of Ethics in Scientific Research
- Understand what research ethics encompasses
- Gain knowledge in responsible conduct and identifying unethical situations
- Learn what to do when you discover ethical misconduct
Broader Impacts for NSF Proposals
- Explore the concept of Broader Impacts and its various aspects and implications
- Learn to effectively communicate Broader Impacts in writing a grant proposal
- Develop strategies to support Broader Impacts development and build capacity within your institution
Career Pathways Program: Learning Beyond Grad School
Students who are about to graduate face a dizzying array of choices. Do they continue on an academic path beyond a PhD, or do they or consider several non-academic career options within industry or government? Career Pathways: Learning Beyond Grad School Program prepares graduate students for the real-life challenges – and opportunities – that await beyond the classroom and helps them explore and pursue their career dreams.
Program-Exclusive Learning Tools
- Four interactive role play scenarios (coming soon!):
- Negotiating a salary
- Handling conflict in the Lab
- Handling conflict outside the Lab
- Working with your PI
- Sample resumes and cover letters
- Access to job postings
What Your Grad Advisor Didn’t Tell You
- Identify career options available to you
- Improve your communication skills
- Promote your skill sets
- Strategize for the job you want
Communicating Science: Fundamentals for Public Engagement
- Identify the benefits and key components of communication
- Define your goals and audience
- Craft your message
Understanding the Federal R&D Budget
- Learn the steps in the federal budget process
- Understand how the budget comes together in the executive and legislative branches
- Recognize how budget politics and science funding interact
Resume Writing for Graduate Students & Postdocs
- Understand the difference between a curriculum vitae (CV) and resume
- Develop a resume that will engage reviewers
- Learn best practices and inside tips
How to Network and Build Strong Relationships in Your Science or Engineering Career
- Learn how to use networking to advance your career
- Define steps to building your professional network
- Learn how to overcome challenges, such as low confidence
Preparing for a Successful Job Interview
- Make authentic connections that are true to your values
- Research the company, department and hiring manager
- Prepare for the interview, what to bring, what to wear and what to expect
Using LinkedIn to Build Relationships as a Technical Professional
- Build an effective profile
- Learn how to connect with the right people for your professional goals
- Find out how to move on to the next steps
How to Work in Diverse Teams Outside of Academia
- Understand the strengths and challenges of diversity
- Foster a culture of inclusion
- Learn effective communication
- Review best practices for conducting meetings
- Define project requirements
Engaging in Science Policy
- Recognize the impact of science policy engagement
- Understand the various levels of engagement
- Learn about the strategies and resources available for science policy engagement
How to Communicate with Congress
- Appreciate the importance of communicating with policy makers
- Learn how to set up and prepare for meeting a congressman
- Identify how to follow up after the meeting
Science Career Essentials Program
Students who are about to graduate face a dizzying array of choices. Do they continue on an academic path, or do they consider several non-academic career options within industry, government, agencies, etc.? What are the next steps to achieve their career goals – or simply find a job in their field? AAAS has created this program with the career needs of STEM undergraduate students in mind. Our new Science Career Essentials Program provides undergraduate students with courses delving into a variety of science careers, as well as networking and interviewing, so they can explore and pursue their career dreams.
Understanding the Federal R&D Budget
- Learn the steps in the federal budget process
- Understand how the budget comes together in the executive and legislative branches
- Recognize how budget politics and science funding interact
Communicating Science: Fundamentals for Public Engagement
- Identify the benefits and key components of communication
- Define your goals and audience
- Craft your message
How to Network and Build Strong Relationships in Your Science or Engineering Career
- Learn how to use networking to advance your career
- Define steps to building your professional network
- Learn how to overcome challenges, such as low confidence
Preparing for a Successful Job Interview
- Make authentic connections that are true to your values
- Research the company, department and hiring manager
- Prepare for the interview, what to bring, what to wear and what to expect
Using LinkedIn to Build Relationships as a Technical Professional
- Build an effective profile
- Learn how to connect with the right people for your professional goals
- Find out how to move on to the next steps
How to Work in Diverse Teams Outside of Academia
- Understand the strengths and challenges of diversity
- Foster a culture of inclusion
- Learn effective communication
- Review best practices for conducting meetings
- Define project requirements
Engaging in Science Policy
- Recognize the impact of science policy engagement
- Understand the various levels of engagement
- Learn about the strategies and resources available for science policy engagement
How to Communicate with Congress
- Appreciate the importance of communicating with policy makers
- Learn how to set up and prepare for meeting a congressman
- Identify how to follow up after the meeting
Careers in Bioscience Entrepreneurship
- Learn how to prepare for a bio-science entrepreneurial career track
- Research and find your place in the bio-cluster
- Explore how to do a self-assessment and fill the gaps
- Develop and implement your plan
Careers in Science Policy
- Explore the various types of careers in science policy
- Determine what types of science policy roles would be best for you
- Learn how they you can pursue these career paths
Overview of Ethics in Scientific Research
- Understand what research ethics encompasses
- Gain knowledge in responsible conduct and identifying unethical situations
- Learn what to do when you discover ethical misconduct
How to Make the Most of a Networking Event
- Develop effective strategies for networking events
- Learn how to prioritize your networking opportunities
- Discover tips and best practices for the events you attend
Science Communication Program
The Science Communication Program includes 8 core courses and Program-exclusive learning tools, such as interactive role-play scenarios. This Program has been designed to strengthen your STEM students’ communication skills – from creating strong presentations to public speaking and networking.
Communicating Science: Fundamentals for Public Engagement
- Identify the benefits and key components of communication
- Define your goals and audience
- Craft your message
How to Communicate with Congress
- Appreciate the importance of communicating with policy makers
- Learn how to set up and prepare for meeting a congressman
- Identify how to follow up after the meeting
Using LinkedIn to Build Relationships as a Technical Professional
- Build an effective profile
- Learn how to connect with the right people for your professional goals
- Find out how to move on to the next steps
How to Network and Build Strong Relationships in Your Science or Engineering Career
- Learn how to use networking to advance your career
- Define steps to building your professional network
- Learn how to overcome challenges, such as low confidence
Understanding the Components of an Effective Scientific Presentation
- Understand the strengths and limitations of a slide presentation
- Learn how to avoid “data dump” and instead articulate a scientific narrative
- Effectively manage the challenges facing the listening audience
How to Make the Most of a Networking Event
- Develop effective strategies for networking events
- Learn how to prioritize your networking opportunities
- Discover tips and best practices for the events you attend
Acing Your Interview
- Understand the typical steps in the application/interview process
- Develop responses to “difficult” and “awkward” questions
- Learn interviewing best practices
Developing Compelling and Comprehensible Slides
- Manage information to prevent audience overload
- Learn how to establish audio-visual synergy
- Tell a unified narrative
- Draw conclusions in your narrative
Science Policy Program
The Science Policy Program includes 6 core courses and an interactive role play scenario, Negotiating a Salary. AAAS created this Program to help STEM students and early career professionals learn the basics of science policy, understand how the Federal R&D budget works, and how to communicate effectively to create change.
Engaging in Science Policy
- Recognize the impact of science policy engagement
- Understand the various levels of engagement
- Learn about the strategies and resources available for science policy engagement
Careers in Science Policy
- Explore the various types of careers in science policy
- Determine what types of science policy roles would be best for you
- Learn how they you can pursue these career paths
Understanding the Federal R&D Budget
- Learn the steps in the federal budget process
- Understand how the budget comes together in the executive and legislative branches
- Recognize how budget politics and science funding interact
Communicating Science: Fundamentals for Public Engagement
- Identify the benefits and key components of communication
- Define your goals and audience
- Craft your message
How to Work in Diverse Teams Outside of Academia
- Understand the strengths and challenges of diversity
- Foster a culture of inclusion
- Learn effective communication
- Review best practices for conducting meetings
- Define project requirements
How to Communicate with Congress
- Appreciate the importance of communicating with policy makers
- Learn how to set up and prepare for meeting a congressman
- Identify how to follow up after the meeting
Additional Courses
Building Essential Skills for Progressing from Engineer to Manager
- Learn how to set career goals
- Review the importance of obtaining credentials
- Discover how to find a mentor
- Develop your ability to build relationships
Fundamentals of Bioscience Entrepreneurship
- Bring your inventions and discoveries to patients
- Understand the principles of bio-science entrepreneurship
- Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to advance your ideas
Designing an Undergraduate STEM Course
- Learning the logistics of how to plan a course
- Having a better understanding of who your students are
- Knowing which teaching method to use
- How to use active learning in the classroom effectively
Communicating and Collaborating Effectively with Teams for Early Career Engineers
- Understand the different forms of communication and when to use them
- Learn how to say things in a way that will help you get the response you are seeking
- Listen more effectively
- Understand the importance of being responsive
How to Find the Right Mentor in Your Career for Engineers and Scientists
- How to find a mentor as an early career engineer
- How to become a mentor regardless of what stage you are in your career
- How to identify the right protégé or mentor
- Strategies for getting the most out of the mentoring relationship
- How to end the mentoring relationship
How to Implement Career Changing Ideas for Early Career Engineers
- Understand how to broadcast the benefits
- Learn how to start with the results and end with the design
- Gain support from key stakeholders through collaboration
- Understand the importance of including end-user input
- Communicate the design confidently and clearly
