Digital Professional Development Sessions
Level up your technical skills.
Stay on top of new technical and industry trends with professional education courses offered through the ACS Institute.
Online Course Schedule
Monday, March 23 I 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM ET
Infrared Insights: Turning Peaks into Practical Solutions
Successful interpretation of infrared spectra isn’t about memorizing peak positions—it’s about recognizing patterns. This short course explores the fundamentals of infrared spectral interpretation, including the meaning behind peak positions, heights, and widths, strategies for handling mixtures, and techniques for effective spectral comparison. Whether you use infrared spectroscopy in your work or are simply curious about solving chemical problems with greater clarity and confidence, this session offers practical insights to support your learning.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Analyze the spectral characteristics of different functional groups by examining peak positions, heights, and widths to accurately interpret spectral data.
- Evaluate complex spectral data involving mixtures and apply appropriate strategies to resolve overlapping signals.
- Compare and contrast spectra to enhance the precision and reliability of analytical conclusions.
Who Should Attend
This course is for anyone who uses infrared spectroscopy and is interested in improving their ability to recognize patterns in spectra and approach chemical problems with greater clarity.
Length of course: 90 minutes
Instructor: Brian Smith
Monday, March 23 I 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM ET
ChemIDP: Planning for Your Career
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) support your career and professional development by helping to identify career and training milestones through an iterative process of self-assessment, skill-strengthening, career exploration, and goal setting. This course will help students and postdoctoral scholars use the IDP framework to develop a tentative career plan that reflects their background, experiences, and career aspirations. Attendees will also learn how the ChemIDP™ online tool can support their career planning and preparation.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Understand how skills, values, and workforce needs intersect to create a satisfying career.
- Self-assess career values and strengths.
- Know the components associated with the Individual Development Plan (IDP) process.
- Utilize IDPs (e.g., ChemIDP™) to structure and plan for a career.
Who Should Attend
This course is applicable to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars. It is also recommended for those revising their career path and job search strategy.
Length of course: 90 minutes
Facilitators: TBD
Tuesday, March 24 I 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM ET
Finding Yourself: Identifying a Career that Matches Your Strengths and Values
This course will help participants develop networking skills to enhance their job search and enlarge their professional networks to promote career advancement. Participants will analyze and practice communication techniques that create a natural flow in networking conversations and meet networking goals. The course concludes with instruction in creating a networking plan geared towards obtaining work in the federal government.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Plan networking opportunities to get hired.
- Align networking tactics with their values and strengths.
- Network to identify promotions, opportunities for job changes, and award eligibility.
Who Should Attend
This course is for attendees who want to improve their networking skills to advance their careers.
Length of course: 90 minutes
Facilitator: TBD
Wednesday, March 25 I 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
Time Management for Academics
This course supports academic professionals in developing effective time management strategies to navigate the complex demands of academic life—including teaching, research, service, and personal responsibilities. Designed with a global perspective, the course addresses common time-related challenges across diverse academic systems and cultures. Participants will learn practical tools to prioritize tasks, set boundaries, and build sustainable routines that align with their professional goals and personal values.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Identify time management challenges common to academic careers across global contexts.
- Apply prioritization frameworks to balance teaching, research, service, and personal life.
- Design a personalized weekly schedule that reflects individual goals and institutional expectations.
- Use tools and techniques to reduce distractions, improve focus, and manage workload sustainably.
Who Should Attend
This course is for academics at all levels—including faculty, researchers, lecturers, and instructors—who want to improve their time management skills to enhance productivity, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Length of course: 2 hours
Facilitator: Stephen Habay
Wednesday, March 25 I 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM ET
Writing Excellent Grant Proposals
This course covers the basic principles of crafting a research proposal and highlights common errors and misconceptions for those new to grant writing.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Interpret advice on developing a competitive grant proposal.
- Identify resources for identifying available grant opportunities.
- Recognize common mistakes and pitfalls in proposal preparation and submission.
Who Should Attend
This course is primarily directed to graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career faculty who are relatively new to the grant-writing process. However, it may also be useful to others with limited prior experience in submitting grant applications.
Length of course: 90 minutes
Facilitator: TBD
Thursday, March 26 I 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM ET
Green cards for Scientific Researchers
Attendees will be given a thorough understanding of their situation relative to U.S. immigration law and develop a plan to maintain their status and eventually obtain a green card. The course will include a broad overview of all relevant laws as well as a Q&A in which attendees may ask questions about their own specific circumstances.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Describe common visa statuses (F-1 Student, J-1, and H-1B visa statuses).
- Define the qualifications for EB-1A and NIW green cards.
- Outline techniques for success with self-petition green card applications.
- Recall strategies for maintaining immigration status during the green card process.
Who Should Attend
This course is designed for foreign scientists in the U.S. who aim to maintain their legal status and plan for permanent residency through a green card.
Length of course: 90 minutes
Facilitator: Brian Getson
Thursday, March 26 I 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET
Psychological Safety for All Levels
Research shows that psychological safety is a key component of high-performing teams. Psychologically safe teams uphold a culture of continuous learning that doesn’t punish risk-taking, asking questions, or admitting mistakes. The term has become a widely used yet broadly misunderstood (and commonly abused) corporate buzzword over the past decade. Join this 2-hour pilot session where we’ll dive into the topic together. All are welcome to participate.
What You Will Learn
After completing this course, attendees will be able to:
- Know the research and origin of psychological safety .
- Identify the four stages of psychological safety .
- Self-assess your team’s degree and stage of psychological safety.
- Identify the connection between psychological safety and inclusion and belonging.
- Develop methods to cope in environments with low levels of psychological safety.
Who Should Attend
This course is applicable to people leaders unfamiliar with the topic and especially designed for individual contributors and early career professionals.
Length of course: 2 hours
Facilitator: Racquel Jemison and Meredith Harkel
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