Ph.D. Connections Conference 2025

Embarking on the transition from Ph.D. student to professional can be daunting, often accompanied by the emergence of impostor thoughts and feelings. This session provides a space for participants to discuss and explore the complexities of this challenge openly. Through evidence-based strategies and collaborative dialogue, attendees will gain practical insights to effectively manage impostor experiences and confidently navigate the job search process.

Are you interested in learning how to effectively connect with colleagues and prospective employers? Do you want to know how to sell the transferability of your research to a broad industry audience? If so, this integrative workshop will help you to develop a strong pitch that can be used in networking opportunities. Come and a) learn about the process of networking, b) develop and practice your pitch, and c) understand University Career Center networking and career development resources.

Generative AI (GenAI) tools can be powerful aids in career exploration and the job search process—but they also come with risks and limitations. Knowing when, where, and how to use these tools effectively can help you gain an edge while ensuring your applications remain authentic and professional. In this workshop, we will explore examples, practice AI-assisted job search strategies, and critically evaluate AI-generated content to understand both its strengths and shortcomings. By the end of the session, you will have practical experience with GenAI tools and a clear understanding of how to use them wisely—without letting them take over your job search.

Goals

• To demystify the role of GenAI in job searching, highlighting both its strengths and limitations and to provide hands-on experience, equipping you with strategies to leverage GenAI responsibly in your job search.
• To demonstrate practical applications of GenAI for career exploration, resume writing, cover letters, and interview preparation—while identifying where AI-generated content can fall short or be misleading.

Please note that registration and check-in start at 9:30 am and opening remarks will begin promptly at 10:00 am.

We have redesigned the traditional career panel into a roundtable discussion format that allows for more personalized one-on-one conversations with our invited Industry Experts.

In this interactive session, participants will connect with Industry Experts who hold Ph.D.s in a wide array of disciplines and are working in a range of professional fields.

Opening remarks from Rackham Dean Michael Solomon will begin promptly at 10:00 am followed by brief Industry Expert introductions. Our Industry Experts will then be seated at different tables and participants can choose who they would like to speak to by moving to those tables.

We will provide discussion topics and suggestions to help get the conversation going. Participants can rotate to different tables and speak with several Industry Experts throughout the event.

The goal of this session is to facilitate interactions between participants and guests to maximize individual connection while learning about diverse careers.

Please note that is limited. If your schedule changes and you are no long able to attend, please update your registration so that individuals on the waitlist may participate.

Further your networking by joining our Industry Experts and fellow participants for a catered lunch.