University of Michigan School of Information doctoral candidate Jane Im is a 2023 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Rising Star. 

The program is “an intensive workshop for graduate students and postdocs with historically marginalized or underrepresented genders who are interested in pursuing academic careers in electrical engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence and decision-making,” according to the website. 

About 100 participants engaged in three days of mentorship, advice and networking in November at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

“The program surpassed my expectations,” Im says. “I really enjoyed talking to other PhD students and postdocs who are women and gender minorities. It was my first time attending an academic event focused on these populations, and it was so beneficial.”

Im says the program was helpful in two ways: Reflecting on her progress and goals as a PhD candidate and receiving practical advice on navigating the faculty job market. 

“It was amazing to get concrete and authentic advice on navigating the job search process and life as a junior faculty member,” she says. “One takeaway I left with is the importance of learning how to communicate your research to different audiences.” 

Im says PhD students are used to giving conference presentations, but excelling at candidate job talks during the interview process is foundational. 

“The candidate job talk is often given to an audience of faculty members that include those who are outside of your research area,” she says. “Through the EECS Rising Stars I was reminded again that you really need to know how to communicate your work. ‘Why is my research important?’ and ‘How do I convey this to a broad audience?’ are key questions.’” 

Selection for the EECS Rising Star program is based on academic excellence and community engagement for people from historically marginalized or underrepresented populations. For PhD students interested in applying for the next EECS workshop, Im recommends applying at least one year before entering the job market, starting your application early and focusing on the one-page research statement. 

“Try to get a draft of your research statement done a month before the deadline,” she says. “It’ll give time for feedback and changes. For example, Kentaro Toyama, my advisor, gave me very insightful feedback on my statement so that I could revise it.” 

RELATED

Apply for next year’s EECS rising star workshop. 

Learn more about Jane Im, her research and time at UMSI by visiting her UMSI profile and personal website. 

Check out UMSI’s PhD in Information program!