Professional Development

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Prof. Dan Schwartz is engaged in the community beyond campus and has helped create many opportunities for students to develop their professional skills, from policy work to promoting open-data initiatives. Schwartz group students believe an impactful graduate education thoughtfully combines coursework, research, and professional development activities. They are encouraged to participate, lead and invent new ways for their STEM knowledge to contribute to society, including the following activites.

Extracurricular Activities

GSS Many of our group members are heavily involved in student organizations at the University of Washington. We understand that part of being a well-rounded professional also includes becoming leaders within our own community. Current examples of EMI Lab student leadership includes being an officer in UW’s Association of Chemical Engineering Graduate Students (ACES), Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS), Women in Chemical Engineering (WChE), and the UW Student Chapter of the Electrochemical Society (ECS). Our members have also helped by organizing events like the Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Symposium, and Industry Panel events.

Data Science

Hackweek With the growing amount of data being generated, Schwartz group students actively participate in the DIRECT Program, where they gain critical skills in data science and software carpentry to advance their own research in the clean energy sector. Given the resources and expertise fostered here at the University of Washington, the EMI Lab pushed for the Electrochemical Society to host ECS Hackweeks at the bi-annual conference, which are week-long, immersive workshops that include Python tutorials and collaborative projects. As part of our push for data science research, our group sends students to be leaders at these conferences as course instructors and project pioneers. Please click here for more information about the UW DIRECT Program or here for more information about ECS Hackweek.

Participants include:

Torrance Foundation Tech Due Diligence Program

Students in the Torrance Foundation Tech Due Dilligence program gain the unique experience of being analysts for E8 Angels - a member organization of private, accredited angel investors focused on early stage cleantech companies. Responsibilities include participation in the pre-screening process and a deeper dive by being a member of a due diligence team. This is a great opportunity for students to gain insight into investor perspectives and the startup funding process, while leveraging their scientific knowledge to provide valuable advice as a technology consultant.

Participants include:

Policy

Effective science communication and policy analysis are important for efficient integration of scientific findings into society. To develop these skills, group members are involved with the Graduate and Professional Student Senate GPSS Science Policy Committee, a group that hosts policy career talks and an annual White Paper Project. This year, GPSS partnered with the Clean Energy Institute to create the Policy Analyst in Residence (PAIR) position. The PAIR mentors students interested in learning how to communicate their research to policy makers, students who are writing white papers or policy memos, or students that are seeking science policy internships and careers.

Participants include: