IMOD Professional Development Program (PDP)

IMOD has built a year-round professional development program that, through continual refinement based on the inputs and needs of its community, helps create a unified Center culture and advances the skills of IMOD members. Leveraging IMODs research, education, and industry partners we provide an integrated series of in-person, live online, and on-demand resources.

The cornerstone of our Professional Development Program is the week-long, in-person, lab-based summer course: Optoelectronic Materials: Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Systems (OMS^3).

To complement the in-person experiential training offered through OMS^3, our virtually hosted training sessions focus on core professional skills that both enhance interaction in the Center and setup our trainees for success in future careers. Previous series include sessions on developing Team Science skills, improving communication by considering your audiences’ knowledge levels, using storytelling in structuring research discussions, and using design principles to structure scientific figures, posters, and presentations. We have engaged partners to offer a series on career navigation, including sessions on building an effective resume, networking, and interviewing. Our industrial partners have provided insight into the innovation process, IP issues, and what careers in startup and industry look like.

When possible and appropriate we record and edit sessions and post them for public access on our Quantum Education Portal. Follow us on our social media channels to keep up to date with new resources posted there.