RSVP form will be made available once time/location are set.In response to the changing NASA landscape, UMBC has contracted the services of Success in Science Career Coaching to provide a three-month series of career development events and services. This page will be updated with these opportunities on a rolling basis.
The UMBC point of contact for this series is Dr. Don Engel <donengel@umbc.edu>, Associate Vice President for Strategic Research Initiatives and Director of the Center for Space Sciences and Technology.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Presentation – Future-Proofing Your Science Career: Communicating Your Brand
- Large event open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- September 25, 2025 – 10am-10:45am, Hybrid Meeting:
- Building 34, Room W120B
W305 - A WebEx link will be sent to everyone who RSVPs. Note the WebEx client is optional; a web browser can join a WebEx meeting.
- Building 34, Room W120B
- Please RSVP here.
- Abstract:
Communicating your professional brand is about more than job applications—it’s about how you tell your story across every stage of your career. From a resume or CV to a LinkedIn profile or personal website, from networking conversations to high-stakes interviews, your brand needs to come through in different formats. This session explores how to craft a clear, consistent story that highlights your values, interests, and skills while adapting to different audiences.
We’ll walk through three major contexts for storytelling:
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- Written – permanent (e.g. resumes, cover letters, emails)
- Digital – dynamic (e.g. LinkedIn profiles & professional websites)
- Verbal – live (e.g. conferences, interviews, negotiations, panels)
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Through real-world examples and sector-based comparisons, you’ll see how the same brand can be communicated in multiple ways—whether you’re applying for a job, competing for a promotion, or seeking funding. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to ensure your brand isn’t just defined, but also seen, heard, and remembered.
This presentation references concepts introduced in earlier sessions from the “Future-Proofing Your Science Career” series. Prior attendance is helpful but not required—you’ll still gain plenty of value even if this is your first event.
Workshop – Future-Proofing Your Science Career: Building a Compelling Application
- Smaller interactive event, limited seats available, open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- September 25, 2025– 1pm-2:30pm, location details will be shared with those who are assigned seats.
- Laptops (with wifi connectivity) required
- Bring your resume/CV and a target job advertisement (digital or printed)
- Please RSVP here. Registrants will receive an email to let them know if they have a seat. Prioritization (in decreasing order):
- UMBC cooperative agreement scientists who RSVP by noon on September 22, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by noon on September 22, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by 5pm on September 24, 2025
- Abstract:
It’s one thing to understand your professional brand, it’s another to translate it into a powerful resume and cover letter that appeals to the reviewer. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll take concrete steps to do just that.With guided exercises and peer feedback, you’ll identify the most relevant elements of your brand to emphasize for a given opportunity, draft resume bullet points that highlight value, not just tasks, and shape a cover letter that tells a cohesive and compelling story.
Furthermore, you’ll leave with a repeatable process for tailoring future applications, and increased confidence that your materials reflect both your brand (i.e. your ‘deliverables’) and the likely evaluation criteria (i.e. the organization’s ‘desirables’).
This workshop references concepts introduced in earlier sessions from the “Future-Proofing Your Science Career” series. Prior attendance is helpful but not required—you’ll still gain plenty of value even if this is your first event.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Presentation – Future-Proofing Your Scientific Career: Aligning Identity with Opportunity
- Large event open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- August 21, 2025 – 10am-10:45am, Building 34, Room W150.
Please RSVP.
Workshop – Future-Proofing Your Scientific Career: Using Your Brand to Uncover Opportunities
- Smaller interactive event, 50 seats available, open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- August 21, 2025– 1pm-2:30pm, location details will be shared with those who are assigned seats.
RSVP to request to participate.Registrants will receive an email to let them know if they have a seat. Prioritization (in decreasing order):- UMBC cooperative agreement scientists who RSVP by noon on August 18, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by noon on August 18, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by 5pm on August 20, 2025
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Presentation – Future-Proofing Your Scientific Career: The Power of a Professional Brand
- Large event open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- July 10, 2025 – 10am-10:45am, Building 33, Room H114
Please RSVP
Workshop – Future-Proofing Your Scientific Career: Build Your Professional Brand
- Smaller interactive event, 50 seats available, open to cooperative agreement scientists with CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER
- July 10, 2025 – 1pm-2:30pm, location details will be shared with those who are assigned seats.
RSVP to request to participate.Registrants will receive an email to let them know if they have a seat. Prioritization (in decreasing order):- UMBC cooperative agreement scientists who RSVP by noon on July 4, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by noon on July 4, 2025
- CRESST II, GESTAR II, and PHaSER cooperative agreement scientists from any home institution who RSVP by 5pm on June 9, 2025