Lunch & Learn

Career & Professional Development Events across NU campuses

UNMC, UNO, UNL and UNK have partnered to jointly offer Career & Professional Development events for graduate students across all NU campuses. This means you can attend events at other campuses. For more information, see the links below:

• University of Nebraska Omaha
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• University of Nebraska at Kearney

Event Registration

Although registration is not required for UNMC events, we strongly encourage you to register so that we can ensure that there is seating and food for all attendees. Please register for the UNMC Graduate Studies Professional Development Lunch and Learn events in Engage.

Events hosted at UNO, UNL or UNK may require advance registration. Visit the appropriate host campus website for more information, including registration and access to the online streaming link.

Additional Information and FAQs

Yes. A Zoom link will always be available for the Lunch and Learn events. Furthermore, the Lunch and Learn events are always recorded and posted on this page. It may take a few days for the recording to be posted.

 I am required to attend some of the Lunch and Learn events as a condition of my UNMC Assistantship or Fellowship. How do I document my attendance?

When you attend the UNMC Graduate Studies Professional Development Lunch & Learn events in person, your attendance will be recorded when you will scan your UNMC student ID badge with a Graduate Studies staff member.  If you attend the UNMC Graduate Studies Professional Development Lunch & Learn events via Zoom, then we will be able to record your attendance using the Zoom participant log.  However, for this to work, you must log into Zoom using a device or account that displays your first and last name. If you log in with just a first name or a phone number, we will not be able to identify you or give you credit for attending. 

Note:  Neither scanning your badge at the event nor logging in as a participant on Zoom will earn you credit for the UNMC Graduate Studies Badge Program.  If you want credit for the event through the Badge program, you will need to complete the Badge Program Reflection Form in Engage.

Finally, you can get credit for attending a UNMC Graduate Studies Professional Development Lunch & Learn event by viewing the recording and completing the Badge Program Reflection Form in Engage.  The reflection form must be submitted within two months of the live event.

The Professional Development Lunch and Learn Series provides you with various seminar topics to help develop professional skills. Each event explores a different topic designed to assist you in building a skill set that will help you succeed as a graduate student and can be used as you move forward in virtually any career. Time management, writing an effective cover letter or CV/resume, job search and negotiation strategies, career exploration, budgeting and financial planning, leadership and teamwork development, communication skills, and health/wellness are just some of the many valuable topics covered in this series. The Professional Development Lunch and Learn Series takes place on the third Thursday of the month during the fall and spring semesters.

Academic Year 2023-2024

September 7: Title: Using Social Media Effectively as a Professional Tool

Speaker: Jen Heemstra, PhD, Professor, Washington University

Time: 3:00 PM

September 21: Title: Strategies for Conflict Resolution and Difficult Conversations

Speaker: David Carver, PhD, Ombuds, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

October 6: Topic: Industry Jobs in the Healthcare Sector      

Speaker: Michael Cassling, CEO and Kyle Salem, PhD, CQuence Health

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

October 19: Topic:  Self Care Strategies

Speaker: Jeff Knapp, LICSW Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

November 2023: Topic: Streck : Career at a local biotech company

Speaker: TBD

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

November 16: Topic: Science Communication 101: Communicating Science to Non-Experts

Speaker: Jory Weintraub PhD, Director of Science Engagement, North Carolina State University

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

December 2023: Topic: TBD

Speaker: TBD

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

January 18: Topic: Business Career Panel

Speaker: Career Panel

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

February 15: Topic:  TBD

Speaker: TBD

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

March 2024: Topic: Visit Streck Facilities in La Vista, NE

Speaker: Various

Time: TBD

March 2024: Topic: Building Teaching Skills through TA, Supplemental Instruction, or One-on-One Training

Speaker: Laurey Steinke, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

April 11: Topic: The Art of Collaboration and Team Science

Speaker: Wayne McCormack PhD, Professor, University of Florida

Time: TBD

May 16: Topic: Informational Interviews: What they are, why you need them, and how to conduct them

Speaker: Bruce Mandt PhD, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Director of Postdoctoral & Career Development, University of Colorado

Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)

To suggest a topic for a future UNMC Graduate Studies Professional Development Lunch and Learn event, please email Dr. Karen Gould.