Article by Autumn Siebold

Not many professional development resources can help with multiple specific jobs. That’s why Emily Weigel uses the tools offered by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD).

"NCFDD is useful to get professional development not offered at Georgia Tech, like advice specific to my various jobs on campus,” said Emily Weigel, an academic professional in the School of Biological Sciences. “I've been using the modules on NCFDD since I was a graduate student. And even now as a faculty member, there's always something new I can learn or be reminded to practice."

Georgia Tech recently joined NCFDD, which means that all faculty members and students have free access to all of the center’s resources.

“Traditionally, the training of graduate students focuses mainly on managing yourself; leading a team and mentoring students are sometimes forgotten,” said Shlomi Cohen, a third-year Ph.D. student in Quanititative Biosciences. “NCFDD’s website can help graduate students improve their knowledge, routines, and even their interaction with colleagues. As a Ph.D. student, I work with undergraduate students on several research projects, and I think we all benefit from developing these soft skills.”

Once you’re registered, check out some of these specific resources:

• Webinars on skills from time management to overcoming perfectionism.
• Events like the 14-day writing challenge.
• A library of past seminars like “Creating a Harassment-Free Lab” or “Twitter: How to Win Followers and Influence People.”
• Forums to discuss career development with faculty around the country.

To access your membership, visit faculty.gatech.edu/NCFDD, and click on the “Activate Membership” link to create an account.

For more information on NCFDD and other professional development resources available to faculty members, visit faculty.gatech.edu/development-center. To access professional or career development resources for graduate students, visit grad.gatech.edu/career-development.