Graduate Research Professional Development (GRPD)

The College of Graduate Research Studies (CGRS), in collaboration with SMU Libraries, is offering a wide range of GRPD-approved workshops designed to support students’ academic and professional growth.

Through these workshops, students can strengthen their research skills, master effective database searching, work confidently with data, and sharpen their writing and presentation abilities. In addition, sessions on holistic development provide valuable insights to support personal and professional success throughout their research journey.

With such a diverse selection available, students can choose the workshops that best align with their goals while also fulfilling their GRPD requirements.

When: January to March, August to September

The College of Graduate Research Studies (CGRS), in collaboration with the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC), offers a suite of GRPD-approved career workshops designed to prepare senior year students for success beyond their studies.

These workshops equip students with the tools and insights to make well-informed and realistic career decisions, present themselves as strong, compelling candidates to potential employers, and maximise opportunities for securing industry positions that align with their skills and potential.

With practical guidance, interactive sessions, and career-focused strategies, these workshops provide students with the knowledge and confidence to navigate their professional journey with clarity and purpose.

When: January to March, August to November 

The Centre for English Communication (CEC), in collaboration with the College of Graduate Research Studies (CGRS), is offering an enhanced format of the Graduate Instructor Communication Course. Enhanced course is delivered in two intensive 2.5-day workshops (Part 1 and Part 2), providing greater flexibility for doctoral students while retaining the programme’s comprehensive curriculum.

Through these workshops, students will learn to analyse their audience and purpose, improve pronunciation, refine vocal delivery, and present ideas with confidence. The sessions feature interactive activities, role plays, and peer as well as instructor feedback, ensuring a dynamic and practice-oriented learning experience.

By the end of these workshops, students will have developed the communication skills needed to teach effectively, engage audiences, and strengthen their professional presence both in academia and beyond. It also prepares students for the Graduate Instructors English Assessment, which is a pre-requisite to become a Graduate Instructor in SMU.

When: Late May

This 2.5-day workshop is designed to help students master the craft of scientific writing and improve their chances of publication. More than just a writing course, it offers an insider’s view of the publishing ecosystem, guiding students through the reviewer’s perspective and the editor’s key considerations.

Led by Justin Lebrun from Scientific Reach, participants will learn how to write for the reader through hands-on rewriting exercises, focusing on clarity, structure, and flow. They will also receive practical tools—including tailored checklists and open-source assessment resources such as SWAN—to ensure the quality of their figures, titles, abstracts, introductions, conclusions, and references.

By the end of the session, students will know how to write with precision and maintain the reader’s attention, gaining insights that directly support successful publication.

When: Early June

This 2.5-day workshop is designed to help students overcome the most common pitfalls of scientific presentations and transform their delivery into a confident, engaging performance. Led by Justin Lebrun from Scientific Reach, the workshop equips students with practical techniques to boost confidence and captivate their audience.

Students will learn why presentation impact depends less on text-heavy slides and more on their presence, clarity, and visual support. They will tackle the three biggest challenges faced by presenting scientists: fear, overly technical slides, and unexpectedly mixed audiences. By mastering a framework for slide design, refining live delivery, and strengthening their response to questions, students will leave with greater confidence, fluency, and authority.

Through hands-on activities such as slide redesign, live oral presentations, and an exclusive tutorial on mastering Q&A sessions, this workshop offers a unique opportunity for students to sharpen their communication skills and stand out as compelling presenters in academia and beyond.

When: June

This workshop gives postgraduate students the essential tools and proven techniques to deliver research pitches that truly stand out. Using the storyboard methodology, students will learn how to distil complex discoveries into clear and compelling narratives framed around the “Big Why–Why–What” approach, keeping the focus on what matters most to their audience.

Through practical strategies such as designing a one-page hero shot for a powerful first impression, and combining words, intonation, visuals, and body language in harmony, students will gain the confidence to present their research with clarity, impact, and persuasion.

Conducted by Justin Lebrun from Scientific Reach, this workshop empowers students to turn their research into a story that not only informs but inspires.

When: Late August