Welcome to the GSPD website!
The office of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Development (GSPD) is the hub of professional development for all graduate students and postdocs at UMBC. We are committed to providing a community of learning and support from the moment you arrive on campus to the day you depart for the next stage of your career.
Our goal is to provide you with the tools and resources you need to succeed academically and professionally. Whether you are a graduate student just starting your journey or a postdoctoral scholar looking to take the next step in your career, we are here to support you every step of the way.
We offer a wide range of programs and resources to help you achieve your goals, including:
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CIRTL – Teaching Certification
The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) program provides professional development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are interested in pursuing careers in academia. CIRTL offers workshops, courses, and teaching opportunities to help participants develop their teaching skills and build a strong teaching portfolio.
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PROMISE URMs GradStudents and PostDocs
The PROMISE program is committed to increasing the representation and success of underrepresented graduate students. PROMISE offers a variety of programs and resources to help students have a “third space”, a family away from family, to build their academic and professional skills, and provide mentoring, networking opportunities, and professional development workshops.
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Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
The OPA provides advocacy and support for postdoctoral research associates at UMBC. We also offer workshops and resources to help postdocs develop teaching and mentoring skills, prepare for academic job searches, and build professional networks.
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Resources
We offer various resources to help graduate students and postdoctoral scholars succeed, including funding opportunities for research and travel, career development resources, workshops, training sessions on grant writing and communication skills, and one-on-one consultations with our experienced staff.
In your time here, we hope you come to rely on our office for seminars on preparing for a career as a faculty member, building skills in teaching and public speaking, enhancing your writing and writing productivity, and learning to network to build a community of peers and mentors effectively. You can learn about the latest offerings and workshops from our website and myUMBC page or visit our Events Page.