Past Events

Unpacking Weight Stigma for Larger Bodies is a counseling group held by the Employee Assistance Program. Weight stigma describes the negative biases, attitudes, and behavior towards people based on their weight and size. This stigma is held up by social expectations that tell us how we should eat and look, and that we will be accepted if our bodies look a certain way. This stigma impacts both the physical and mental health of people with larger bodies. In this group, we will meet weekly for a brief introduction on a particular dynamic of weight stigma, and then group members can explore how the topic shows up in their lives and impacts them. Members can receive support from others who understand their experiences and can gain new perspective and tools. This is a virtual group that meets Tuesdays from 11 am-12 pm from 10/15/24-12/3/24. A pre-group interview is required to join the group. Those interested in joining should email eap@austin.utexas.edu to schedule a pre-group meeting with the facilitator to learn more. Email eap@austin.utexas.edu to schedule your meeting.

Hosted by the National Postdoc Association. Are you a postdoc considering a faculty position outside the United States? Join the NPA International Committee for an engaging panel discussion featuring panelists who completed a postdoc in biology in the United States and have transitioned to faculty roles in various countries, whether that be returning to their home country or embarking on a new adventure. All postdocs, domestic and international, are encouraged to attend this panel to ask questions, gain valuable advice, and consider their options in the next step in their academic career! Our panelists, Anusha Shankar, Ph.D. (India), Robert Peuß, Ph.D., (Germany) and Naima Starkloff, Ph.D. (Netherlands), will share their experiences and participate in breakout rooms to network with current interested postdocs. Speakers: Anusha Shankar, Ph.D., assistant professor, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, India Shankar is an assistant professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, India. She is especially fascinated by how some animals, like hummingbirds, can enter a low-energy state similar to hibernation, called torpor, at night to save energy. Her new lab will be helping fulfill her long-term dream of living in the tropics and studying how tropical animals manage their energetic needs in the context of their changing environments. In her previous position, as a Rose postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, she explored how hummingbirds can give us new insights into whether sleep and torpor are in a continuum in birds. During her doctorate, she used infrared video to capture the secret nightlife of hummingbirds as they “snored,” peed, and preened in their sleep. Her first National Geographic Society grant funded fieldwork in Ecuador, and the second grant funded work in Oregon. Shankar is passionate about teaching and mentoring and has mentored 22 students on her projects in the past few years. She also loves salsa and swing dancing, photography, and reading fiction. Shankar is a 2014 National Geographic Young Explorer grantee, a 2021 Early Career grantee, and was part of the 2017 Young Explorer Leadership and Development Program. Robert Peuß, Ph.D., akademischer rat (tenured scientist), Institute for Integrative Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Münster, Germany Peuß is an evolutionary physiologist and immunologist. He and his group investigate how parasite diversity shapes the evolution of the host with a particular focus on the evolutionary trajectory of cellular immune phenotypes, their underlying genetics and the subsequent consequences for host reproductive fitness using the Mexican cavefish. He did his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Münster, Germany. After four years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, where he started to establish cavefish as model for evolutionary immunology in the Rohner lab, he is back at the University of Münster to continue his study on host-parasite interaction and evolutionary immunometabolism with this fascinating model system. Naima Starkloff, Ph.D., assistant professor, Evolutionary & Population Biology (EPB) Department, Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics (University of Amsterdam) Starkloff is an assistant professor in the Evolutionary & Population Biology (EPB) Department of the Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics (University of Amsterdam). Her research aims to unearth the factors that determine the diversity of and interactions within biological communities, with a special interest in host-parasite interactions and human-environmental interfaces. Her primary system looks at seasonality and spatial variation in transmission risk of a neglected tropical disease, schistosomiasis (caused by Schistosoma haemotobium) in Tanzania. She is also interested in anthropogenic and other drivers of biodiversity variation across space and time. She spent the last three years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Civitello Lab at Emory University (2021-2024). Previous to that, she spent a year as a visiting assistant professor of biology at Davidson College teaching courses in ecology and biostatistics (2020-2021). She completed her doctoral degree in ecology & evolutionary biology at the State University of New York, Albany in the Turner Lab in 2020. She was concurrently an ornithology research fellow at the New York State Museum, co-advised by Jeremy Kirchman, Ph.D. Her undergraduate research focused on avian biodiversity and human-elephant conflict in Sri Lankan agricultural landscapes (2015).

Hosted by the National Postdoc Association. A two-day workshop for postdocs, October 29 and 31. Topics include practical strategies for mentoring younger scientists, such as giving effective feedback, coaching writing, speaking and presenting, and fostering motivation and productivity. You must be able to attend both sessions. Sara Grice Dann, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch, and Evelin Young, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, are facilitators.

Quant Night is an event hosted by the Graduate School as part of the Fall 2024 Advanced Degree Career and Professional Development series.

Networking Prep Session for Quant Night is an event hosted by the Graduate School as part of the Fall 2024 Advanced Degree Career and Professional Development series.

Join the Disability Cultural Center in discussion around a variety of disability-related topics each week. Whether you want to learn from other disabled people or have experiences or resources you are willing to share, these Disability Discussions provide space to have conversations you may not be able to have anywhere else. Let’s harness the power and expertise of the UT disability community!

This event is hosted by the Disability Cultural Center. Join us this fall on Zoom for Accessible Pedagogy Conversations. This informal, peer-directed space is open to all instructors who hope to share questions, strategies and recommendations regarding accommodations and inclusion in learning environments. With the support of Center for Teaching and Learning DCC, and Disability and Access staff members, we will explore new topics each week to enhance accessibility for all. We hope to see you there!

Hosted by the National Postdoc Association. A two-day workshop for postdocs, October 29 and 31. Topics include practical strategies for mentoring younger scientists, such as giving effective feedback, coaching writing, speaking and presenting, and fostering motivation and productivity. You must be able to attend both sessions. Sara Grice Dann, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch, and Evelin Young, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, are facilitators.

Unpacking Weight Stigma for Larger Bodies is a counseling group held by the Employee Assistance Program. Weight stigma describes the negative biases, attitudes, and behavior towards people based on their weight and size. This stigma is held up by social expectations that tell us how we should eat and look, and that we will be accepted if our bodies look a certain way. This stigma impacts both the physical and mental health of people with larger bodies. In this group, we will meet weekly for a brief introduction on a particular dynamic of weight stigma, and then group members can explore how the topic shows up in their lives and impacts them. Members can receive support from others who understand their experiences and can gain new perspective and tools. This is a virtual group that meets Tuesdays from 11 am-12 pm from 10/15/24-12/3/24. A pre-group interview is required to join the group. Those interested in joining should email eap@austin.utexas.edu to schedule a pre-group meeting with the facilitator to learn more. Email eap@austin.utexas.edu to schedule your meeting.

Hosted by UT EAP. Unlock the transformative power of aligning with your core values in our virtual session, " Finding Your True North: Charting Your Path to Wellness Through Values Alignment” on October 25th from 12-1pm. Dive into an interactive values identification exercise that will help you recalibrate your inner compass, guiding your decisions toward greater purpose and authenticity. Discover how aligning your life with what truly matters can significantly reduce stress, enhance resilience, and lead to a more fulfilling life. Join us to explore how this alignment can serve as a powerful tool for achieving lasting mental well-being and personal fulfillment.