Professional Development Resources
There are many opportunities at UM-Dearborn for graduate students to get involved in the cutting-edge research conducted on campus by our faculty members.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) Graduate Education Office offers programming and resources to support both academic and professional development.
Opportunities and Resources
CECS will host several workshops over the academic year. Topics covered are designed to address graduate students' issues, provide support, and to prepare students for academic and career success. Workshops offered at a regular interview include:
Navigating the Advisor-Advisee Relationship
In this workshop, students learn about the best practices between advisees and advisers, including setting expectations, boundaries, communication, and more. Students will identify University resources to support a healthy relationship with their advisor and learn how to address conflict in a productive manner.
Regularly offered in Fall.
Preparing for a Career in Industry
In this workshop, students interact with a panel of doctorate-holding engineers working in industry. Students will learn perspective in transitioning from the academic program to a fulfilling industry career. Panelists will share their experiences about navigating a career with an earned doctorate, including the steps students should take during their academic program and what they can expect after graduation.
Regularly offered in Winter.
Building a Culture of Academic Integrity
In this workshop, students learn about academic integrity, including its definition, how it is addressed at a University level, and best practices for integrity in the era of artificial intelligence. Students will discuss ongoing challenges inside and outside of the classroom related to academic integrity.
Regularly offered in Fall and Winter.
Supporting Mental Health for International Doctoral Students
In this workshop, students will learn about some of the major challenges and norms in mental health faced by international doctoral students. Students will also learn about the University resources to support their mental health, including Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and discuss best practices.
Regularly offered in Fall.
Doctoral Tea Break
Students, staff, and faculty are invited to attend Doctoral Tea Breaks hosted regularly throughout the academic year. In these social events, there is no agenda, but instead an opportunity to meet your fellow doctoral students and support networks within the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Regularly offered in Fall and Winter.
Rackham Professional Development Opportunities
Rackham offers a variety of resources and programming to contribute to your professional and academic development of students in our Ph.D. programs.
Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program
The Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program allows doctoral students to pursue a fully supported and funded internship during their graduate training (summer, fall, or winter). Internships offer students a mentored professional learning experience in diverse career settings.
Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship
The Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship supports outstanding doctoral students who have achieved candidacy and are actively working on dissertation research and writing. We seek to support students working on dissertations that are unusually creative, ambitious, and impactful.
Approximately 240 Rackham doctoral students are nominated each year by Ann Arbor programs. Starting from 2023 cycle, we are pleased to announce that Rackham extended nomination for this prestigious fellowship to Rackham doctoral students at UM-Dearborn.
In collaboration with Rackham Graduate School, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching offers programs to help graduate students prepare to pursue and succeed in faculty careers. Topics include preparing for the job market, learning about current issues in higher education, tenure and faculty worklife, and effective teaching for a diverse student body.
Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
A Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) is employed to teach courses, or coordinate, lead, or assist in the instructional process in direct interaction with students in assigned classes, labs, quizzes, problem sessions, or during office hours. GSIs have a critical role in teaching undergraduate students at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Students who receive an appointment are in good standing in their CECS graduate degree program.
Instructional Training
Doctoral students appointed as GSIs attend GSI Teaching Orientation provided by CECS before teaching courses. Also, students also participate in ongoing professional development training while holding the appointment.
Depending on needs, a select few master's level students receive an appointment as GSIs.
Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering Ann Arbor
The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering (CRLT-Engin) on the Ann Arbor campus offers workshops that are open to all interested individuals. Each fall, the CRLT-Engin provides required training for GSI teaching in the CECS. A list of other upcoming workshops that may be of interest to GSIs and all students.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
A Graduate Student Research Assistantship (GSRA) program is a vehicle to provide financial support for the academically-related research activities of active University of Michigan graduate students. Students who receive appointment are in good standing in a University of Michigan CECS graduate degree program and may perform personal research (including thesis or dissertation preparation) or assists faculty performing research that is relevant to his or her academic goals.
There are many opportunities at UM-Dearborn for graduate students to get involved in the cutting-edge research conducted on campus by our faculty members.
Research Labs
Check out each departments's lab and the faculty conducting research in an area of interest:
The intent of the CECS Doctoral Conference Travel Grant is to provide opportunities for Ph.D. students to become familiar with, participate in, and build a network in their academic professions. As part of its commitment to advancing excellence in research and training, CECS may provide 50% matching funds for conference attendance. The remainder of the funding comes from other campus awards, the student's department, faculty advisor, or combination of the three. Funding from outside CECS, including grants directly from the conference and Experience+, will be subtracted from the total budget eligible for 50% matching funds.
The intent of the CECS Doctoral Student Publication Grant is to provide funding to offset the costs of research publication. As part of its commitment to advancing excellence in research and training, CECS may provide 50% matching funds for reimbursement of research publication fees. The remainder of the funding comes from other campus awards, the student's department, faculty advisor, or combination of the three.
The NCFDD is a nationally recognized, independent organization that provides online career development and mentoring resources for faculty, post-docs, and graduate students.
Career Support and Resources
Graduate students at CECS have access to career support and resources through both the CECS Career Success Hub and UM-Dearborn’s Career Services. In addition to these general Career Resources, here’s a curated list of resources for graduate students specifically.
- American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Career Center
- BioPharmGuy
- BMES Job Board
- Cyber Security Jobs
- Data Jobs
- Dice
- Engineering Jobs
- Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE) Career Center
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Job Site
- Manufacturing Jobs
- MyVisaJobs
- New Scientist Jobs
- Robert Half
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Career Center
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Jobs
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Career Center
- Stack Overflow Jobs
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Wellfound Startup Jobs