Summer is a good time for researchers to brush up on modern statistical techniques and research methods by taking advantage of short courses offered by faculty members who specialize in cutting-edge methods.  It is a good idea for graduate students to develop the habit of learning new techniques that may be applicable to their research.  Doing so  enables students to stay up to speed on new developments, and it facilitates networking with faculty and students from related research areas. 

The Science Student Council aims to enhance psychological science students’ experiences as graduate students.  As such, we have identified a number of short courses that are being offered in the United States this summer.

A number of additional workshops are offered through the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Check its website for more details.

Funding support for graduate students is available from a variety of sources.  For example, students whose mentor is a member of the Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology can apply for travel funding to attend statistical workshops. In addition, travel support is often available through individual graduate schools. 

If travel is not a possibility this summer, check with your own university and with others in your area to learn about local continuing education workshops. 

Nisha Gottfredson is a graduate student in the Quantitative Psychology program at the University of North Carolina. She receives National Institutes of Health fellowship funding to study approaches for handling nonignorable missing data.