Graduate School

T.G.I.F.
2026-03-20 16:30 - 19:00, 2026-03-27 16:30 - 19:00, 2026-04-10 16:30 - 19:00, 2026-04-24 16:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Tell Grad’s It’s Friday is a Graduate and Professional Student-focused weekly event. Graduate students, Post Docs, Faculty, Staff, and PhDs are welcome to attend with one guest each; all guests must be 23+. Undergraduate students are not allowed to attend.

GradFUTURES Forum Professional Development Conference (Hosted by Princeton University)
2026-03-23 09:00 - 2026-03-27 13:00 | Online
About the GradFUTURES Forum

On behalf of the Princeton University Graduate School, Cornell graduate students and postdocs are cordially invited to attend the virtual sessions of the 2026 GradFUTURES Forum Graduate Student Professional Development Conference to be held March 23-27. Founded in 2020, the GradFUTURES Forum is a week-long professional development conference that is FREE and OPEN to graduate students from other institutions across the country and around the world.

Featuring dozens of keynote speakers, skill-building workshops, career panels, the conference offers dozens of online programs that support graduate students’ and postdocs’ success and prepare them for diverse career pathways.
Please visit this webpage to view the schedule (click on each date) and register for virtual sessions.
Online talks incude:

The Professional Development Advantage: Rodney Priestley and Eva Kubu, Princeton Graduate School
Understanding the changing PhD opportunity landscape: Matt Sigelman, Burning Glass Institute
Innovative Approaches for supporting International Graduate Students: Fanta Aw (NAFSA), Amy Nice (Institute for Progress, Former White House OSTP), Violet Buxton-Walsh (Institute for Progress) and Robin Catmur-Smith (International Student Resource Center)
Global Careers: Thriving As An International Scholar, Sonali Majumdar, Princeton Graduate School

Language Circle
2026-03-23 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-06 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-13 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-20 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-27 17:00 - 18:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Join us every Monday to learn a new language, brush up on an old one, or get more fluent through conversations with fellow graduate students who study these languages or are native speakers.
This spring, languages include Italian, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Norwegian, and French. Facilitators will be present for all!

If you are interested in facilitating Spanish, Korean, or any other non-English language, please email bigredbarn@cornell.edu

Knitting at the Barn
2026-03-24 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-04-07 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-04-14 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-04-21 17:30 - 19:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Do you love fiber crafts or want to learn? Come to the Barn on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 – 7 p.m.! This event is for both those interested in learning fiber arts and those who want to make steady progress on an existing project. Materials and guidance will be provided if needed.
This event usually occurs at 1-2 tables in the main space or greenhouse area of the Barn; email brb.art.fellow@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the group chat or request accessibility accommodations.

BRB Trivia
2026-03-24 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-04-07 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Trivia is back weekly on Tuesdays 7 PM to 9 PM at the Big Red Barn. Come with a team or show up on your own and see our trivia host, Jacob, to be matched with an existing team. All are welcome!

Explore Careers Outside Academia
2026-03-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
In today’s day and age, more and more postdocs and graduate students are open to the idea of careers beyond academia. Have you ever wondered how to start this transition and what are some things you need to think about before taking action? In this session, we will talk about how to start exploring career options outside of academia and some of the thought process behind it. Register to attend.
Presented by Graduate School Career and Professional Development staff and aimed at Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars.
Presenter: Susi Varvayanis, Executive Director of Careers Beyond Academia

Interstride International Student Career Summit
2026-04-02 11:00 - 17:30 | Online
Join career experts, international alumni, and employers on Thursday, April 2 for a dynamic, virtual event designed to empower international student careers in the US. Explore career tips, job search techniques, visa pathways, work authorizations, industry trends, and more. The event will feature an Employer Expo, where students can connect with international student-friendly companies recruiting for opportunities.Some sessions may be recorded, but live participation is encouraged for the best experience. Details will only be shared with registered attendees after the event.
This virtual summit is available for free through Cornell’s Interstride membership (please use your cornell.edu email to register). Cornell’s own International Career Coach, Erica Ford, will present on Finding Diverse Work Options for Year 1 of OPT from 3:30-4:20 pm ET.
Questions? Email contact@interstride.com.

Navigating the Transition from Academia to Industry: Practical Tips
2026-04-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Many academics are interested in industry positions, but the path to securing one is not always clear. In this 90-minute panel discussion, we will hear from industry experts at the intersection of bioenergy, genomics, and engineering, and get their practical advice for taking the first steps to an industry career. The panel will answer questions regarding industry resume do’s and don’ts, how to put your best foot forward in an interview, networking tips, and more.
Panelists will be:

Steve Hartig, Senior Consultant, Recon Associates
Sneha Srikrishnan, PhD. Segment Director for Fermentation Biosolutions at Archer Daniels Midland Company
Steve Fuchs, PhD. Business Development Director at Traitomic

Moderator: Efrain Rodriguez-Ocasio, PhD. GLBRC Bioenergy Postdoctoral Fellow
Registration required: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/QQPEAzmNR6-xJgybn-gv0w
Brought to you by the Wisconsin Energy Institute/Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Mentorship Program.
**If you have any accessibility needs, please email alexandra.schnoes@wisc.edu directly so the request is not missed.**

U.S. Immigration and Employment Options for International Postdocs and Graduate Students
2026-04-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Topics include:

U.S. permanent residence (‘green cards’)
National Interest Waivers for researchers and entrepreneurs
Extraordinary Ability petitions
Transitioning from F-1 OPT or J-1 status to H-1B, and ‘H-1B cap’ issues
Recent changes in U.S. immigration, executive orders and related issues

Presented by Jim Arkell, Senior Counsel, Husch Blackwell. Attend Zoom session.
Learn more about Husch Blackwell and request information.

GRADitude @ the Barn: A Celebration of Grad Student Appreciation Week
2026-04-14 - 2026-04-17 | NY
We want to express our GRADitude for you by celebrating Graduate Student Appreciation Week at the Big Red Barn, April 14 through April 17.
Schedule of events (all held at the Big Red Barn):
Tuesday, April 14, 7 – 9 p.m.: GRADitude Trivia
Wednesday, April 15, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.: Student-Parent GRADitude hour (snacks and activities for kids, snacks and beer for parents and partners)
Friday, April 17, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: GRADitude Pups & Popcorn
Friday, April 17, 4:30 – 7 p.m.: GRADitude TGIF (Free pizza! First come first serve, so get there early.)

Interviewing and Negotiating for Academic Positions
2026-04-14 15:00 - 16:15 | Zoom
An important part of the academic job search is interviewing and then negotiating the offer. Come learn about the art of interviewing for faculty positions, especially those on the tenure track, and what and how you might negotiate about salary, startup funding, or other details of a job offer. The format will be a highly interactive Zoom presentation followed by a longer question and answer period.
Presenters: Dr. Yael Levitte, Senior Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity, and Dr. Colleen McLinn, Graduate School Associate Dean for Professional Development
Register to Attend
Sponsored by Future Faculty and Academic Careers in the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development, as part of the Academic Job Search Series.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Contact careerandprofdev@cornell.edu for questions and accessibility accommodations. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

GRADitude Trivia
2026-04-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Join us for a special GRADitude-themed Trivia night on Tuesday, April 14!
Come with a team or show up on your own and see our trivia host, Jacob, to be matched with an existing team. All are welcome!

Student-Parent GRADitude hour
2026-04-15 16:30 - 17:30 | NY
Join us a the Barn for Student-Parent GRADitude hour! There will be snacks and activities for the kids, and snacks and beer for parents and partners.

Research on Tap: Why You Do What You Do
2026-04-15 16:30 - 18:00 | 148 Stocking Hall, 411 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14853
Location: Stocking Hall 148
Registration Required: https://cglink.me/2ee/r2298454
Have you ever wondered what research is being done on the Cornell campus outside of your own department? Want to grab a drink with friends and learn more about the diverse community of researchers working at Cornell? Then join Graduate Women in Science (GWiS), Big Red Brewing and the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) for Research on Tap to hear flash talks from two invited faculty members presenting on their research!
Once the academic talks are over, the learning doesn’t stop — join us for a guided beer tasting led by Big Red Brewing. Hope to see you there!
Food, alcoholic drinks (21+ only) and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided.
Funded by GPSAFC in collaboration with OISE and Big Red Brewing. Open to graduate and professional degree students, postdocs, faculty, and staff. Please contact gwiscornell@gmail.com for any accommodations you might require to make this event accessible to you.

GRADitude: Pups & Popcorn
2026-04-17 14:30 - 15:30 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
The Cornell Companions are coming to the Big Red Barn! Stop by for some popcorn & pup time to de-stress and de-compress at the end of your busy week.

GRADitude T.G.I.F.
2026-04-17 16:30 - 19:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
We’re giving out free pizza at this Grad Student Appreciation Week edition of Tell Grad’s It’s Friday! First come, first served, so get there early if you want a slice.
Graduate students, Post Docs, Faculty, Staff, and Ph.D.s are welcome to attend with one guest each; all guests must be 23+. Undergraduate students are not allowed to attend.

Thesis and Dissertation Overview
2026-04-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Attend a thesis and dissertation overview via Zoom in advance of the May 1 spring conferral deadline. Bring your questions!
For additional thesis- and dissertation-related instructions, templates, timelines, and a prerecorded video overview similar to this session, see the Thesis and Dissertation webpage.

Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research
2026-04-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research

Date Option 1: Friday, April 24, 2026 from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, by Zoom
Date Option 2: Monday, May 18, 2026 from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM, 142 Upson Hall (includes lunch)

Presenters: Colleen McLinn, Ph.D. and Darius Melvin, M.Ed.
Join us for an interactive workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. You will learn evidence-based mentoring techniques and engage with tools that you can use right now to enhance your mentoring practice. This workshop is ideal for the mentors of undergraduate researchers who would like to refine their mentoring practices or who are first time mentors to undergraduate researchers. We are offering two workshop sessions that will include the same content, one on Zoom and one in person (in person includes lunch!). Registration is required and space is limited. Sign-up now!

Sponsored by the Cornell University Graduate School, College of Engineering, and the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Boyce Thompson Institute. Open to all who will soon be mentoring undergraduate scholars conducting research (in any discipline).
