Graduate Researcher Advancement & Skills Program (GRASP)

The Graduate Researcher Advancement and Skills Program (GRASP) empowers engineering graduate researchers to develop core capabilities across several key areas and communicate their research effectively. Training is delivered through interactive seminars, workshops, short courses, and one-on-one tutorials.

Fundamental Writing Skills

Writing with Clarity

This practical short course is designed for those who would like to build strong foundational writing skills for effective research communication. Through engaging exercises, the participants will develop techniques for sentence structure, paragraph flow and logical text organisation.

Session 1: Understanding Sentence Structure

Understanding sentence structure is crucial for effective writing. By understanding the various components and types of sentence structures, one can write clear, concise, and engaging sentences to effectively convey their intended message.

Session 2: Sentence Modifiers, Parallel Construction and Language Use

Ambiguous and confusing sentences can result from misplaced or dangling modifiers, or from a lack of parallel grammatical structure. This session will explain the concept and function of sentence modifiers, and offer strategies to avoid long, run-on and unclear sentences. It will also cover various aspects of grammar and their discourse functions in research writing.

Session 3: Understanding and Improving Cohesion and Coherence

This session aims to help participants understand coherence and cohesion by recognising how ideas in a text are linked to the purpose or aim of a piece of writing, and how they are connected through the choice of words and connectives. It also introduces strategies for achieving coherence in writing.

Session 4: Text Structure and Purpose

This session focuses on text structure, explaining how a paragraph or text can be written with a clear purpose and supported by relevant details. It also introduces text organization strategies to help structure the flow of a text logically for effective communication.

Research Communication Skills

Context Matters: Telling a Research Story

To communicate research to a wide range of audience, the presenter or author needs to situate their research in a context that the target audience can easily relate to or understand. Then, they need to succinctly present the research niche, and strategically highlight the novelty and contributions of their work. This seminar introduces a conceptual model to assist Engineering graduate research students to structure their research story effectively for both spoken and written communications.

Crafting the Narrative: Storytelling in the Literature Review

The literature review is a vital first step in any research project. Writing a literature review is not just about summarizing sources or ideas; it involves weaving them into a compelling narrative that presents the evolution of ideas and identifies gaps in the existing research. This process helps to define the research niche and highlight the novelty of the research project. In this seminar, we will learn how to structure and craft a literature review with purpose and flow.

Writing the Confirmation Report

Confirmation is an important milestone in the PhD journey. In the process, the candidate submits a confirmation report and makes an oral presentation of their work to the Milestone Review Panel. The confirmation report should reflect a clearly defined research project which is coherent and feasible. This session will provide participants with key information to assist them in structuring and writing their confirmation report.

Developing a Conceptual Framework in Research

A conceptual framework in research is a roadmap which integrates the literature review, research questions, aim, and methodology to help with the operationalisation of the research design. It outlines:

• how the existing body of knowledge is weaved together to frame the focal topic, research questions, aim, and methodology of a specific research study;
• how methodological aspects relate to relevant objectives, and answer research questions; and
• how the relevant objectives for the research process work together to achieve the main research aim and draw coherent conclusions.

With clear conceptualisation, a graduate researcher can provide a roadmap of progress which coherently aligns the research gaps, overarching aim, research objectives and expected contributions. Such a roadmap is also the foundation on which good research communication is built. This session presents strategies to help engineering graduate research students develop their conceptual framework for research communication.

Note: Please attend this seminar prior to attending Writing the Confirmation Report. This seminar may also be helpful to those who are currently planning or writing their progress review report or even thesis.

Designing an Effective Poster Presentation

This seminar provides participants with guidance and tips on how to design an effective poster presentation that balances text with graphics, and present the research story in a visually attractive and effective way.

Writing for Publication: Analysing Language Patterns and Usage

A corpus-based approach uses authentic texts in a discourse community as the basis for analysis. It allows writers to discover prevailing language style and usage in a specific research area or journal inductively. This workshop introduces a simple and easy-to-use corpus analysis toolkit to help engineering graduate researchers explore language style and patterns in their specific discipline when writing for publication.

Writing a Results and Discussion Section

Writing the results and discussion sections can be very challenging. It involves presenting a large amount of important data clearly and discussing it effectively in light of relevant studies to support your conclusions. This session provides guidance and tips on how to write an effective results and discussion section.

Crafting a Research Article for Top Journals

This seminar covers the key aspects of manuscript preparation and submission to highly selective journals. Drawing on his editorial experience, Dr. Adam ‎Brotchie will provide tips for optimising the different elements of a paper, allowing you to communicate the significance and novelty of your work ‎effectively to editors, reviewers and readers. He will also provide advice on writing effective cover letters and appeal letters, and identifying the most-suitable ‎journal for your work. This seminar should leave you with a clearer sense of what editors look for in top journals, and the knowledge and tools to enhance ‎your publication success.‎

Writing High-Impact Papers

Attend this seminar to learn about A/Prof Philip Nakashima's experience in writing high-impact research papers.

“As an ex-editor of a Q1 Materials Science journal and an editorial board member, I will discuss my experiences as an editor and what editors are looking for in the way that they triage manuscripts. Desk rejection rates are rising steadily as pressures to publish increase and lead to a greater proportion of very mediocre submissions. There is an increasing cynicism among editors that makes the battle to publish in high-impact journals an increasingly tough challenge. And then there is subject-specific politics to be aware of... These issues will be addressed head on, and tips for how to "pleasantly surprise” editors into considering your manuscripts will be given.

As a first author on what is now a pretty “old” (2011) paper in Science, I will discuss how a really catchy storyline with multiple punchlines of significance can help you publish in the top-tier journals. I will discuss the ground work that precedes any such attempt, which can often take many years. I will try to suggest some avenues that might make the process shorter as ECR job transience is a key factor in hindering the development of storylines that span great lengths of time. I will also discuss a piece of work I am currently targeting at Nature and how the story took 12 years to develop. I will discuss how I may have shot myself in the foot by (possibly) having too many punchlines in this current story. That’s the eternal question of when is less actually more and when is less just unconvincing? That is the hardest question of all to answer! I will also address the role of storytelling effectiveness in making a paper really sell and convince a subject editor to move it past a desk rejection.”

Engaging Your Audience: Deliver an Effective Oral Presentation

Developing and delivering an oral presentation which is engaging and effective requires good strategies and practice. This workshop will guide participants through the process of planning, structuring and delivering an effective and engaging oral presentation (e.g., 3MT) to intended audiences.

Delivering an Effective Oral Presentation at a Conference

Delivering an oral presentation to either expert audiences or general educated audiences at a conference can be a challenging task. This seminar provides advice on how to structure and deliver an effective conference presentation, and practical tips on how to engage your audience. In-person participation is key to getting the most out of this session.

Avoiding Plagiarism

This session explains the functions of author-prominent and information-prominent citations. It also discusses the differences between acceptable and unacceptable use of sources, suggests ways to avoid plagiarism, and assists participants to obtain copyright permission from publishers or the relevant copyright owners for excerpts, figures or images used.

Writing a Review Paper

A review article in a top journal is much more than a comprehensive literature summary; it is an authoritative, perspective-rich account of the field that initiates discussion and helps guide future research. This webinar will explain editors' expectations, and provide a strategy for writing an impactful and insightful review.

The Research Storyteller: Communicating Research to Diverse Audiences

Communication is key! This interactive workshop will provide discussions and worked examples on what things a 'good communicator' within our profession might consider to help tell their story. We will look at skills which are relevant to milestones and beyond, including: how to give a good oral presentation; how to talk with different audiences; the power of a good figure. This is not a 'technical' workshop, but the aim is to look at communication not as 'just a report' or 'just a presentation', but instead as an opportunity to tell your research-story in the best way possible.

Designing Effective Scientific Figures

High-quality figures are central to communicating scientific discoveries clearly and persuasively. This interactive workshop will provide practical guidance on designing publication-ready scientific figures that are both visually compelling and scientifically rigorous. The session will cover:

• Strategies for structuring multi-panel figures to tell a coherent scientific story
• Best practices for sizing, formatting, labelling, scaling, and colour selection
• Common mistakes that reduce clarity or impact
• Useful tools and software (e.g., Illustrator, BioRender, PowerPoint, Prism, etc)

Participants will gain actionable tips to elevate the clarity, aesthetics, and narrative strength of their figures, ultimately improving the quality and impact of their manuscripts and presentations. Participants are encouraged to bring one of their own figures to the workshop.

From Problem to Research Gap: Writing Introductions with the PSP-CaRS Model

Do you find it challenging to write a research introduction that effectively tells your research story, clearly articulates your research gap, and strategically highlights the novelty of your research? Writing a compelling introduction demands strategic, rhetorical storytelling. This seminar introduces a practical approach, Problem Solution Patterns (PSP) – Create a Research Space (CaRS), to writing introductions – a method that can also be applied to writing an abstract.

3MT Recipe for Success: Confidence, Clarity and Impact

Whether you're participating in the upcoming 3MT competition or simply want to improve your public speaking or research communication skills, this session will provide you with the toolkit to speak about your research with clarity, confidence, and impact.

LaTeX Training

Introduction to LaTeX A

This hands-on session is aimed at getting research students started using LaTeX. At the end of the session, students should understand the basic philosophy of LaTeX and the structure of a LaTeX document, and be able to typeset text and basic equations. In the session, we will use Overleaf, an online LaTeX editor.

Introduction to LaTeX B

This session will cover a selection of more advanced topics related to typesetting with LaTeX, and will assume basic knowledge from Introduction to LaTeX A. The session will cover typesetting of complex equations, creating tables, inserting cross-references, citations, and a bibliography into a LaTeX document, and creating user-defined LaTeX commands.

Laboratory Record Keeping

Unlock the Power of LabArchives

If you are worried about data loss, struggle to organise data, and aim to streamline your data management, bring along your laptop and join this in-person workshop which offers a great opportunity to:

• Understand the importance of data storage and management in research and how LabArchives can help in your PhD research.
• Gain valuable guidance, insights, perspectives and tips from experts and seasoned users.
• Watch demonstrations to see how LabArchives operates and facilitates collaboration.
• Receive technical support and help to tackle your specific needs and challenges.
• Leave with a functional template system to help you start navigating LabArchives.

Whether you are new to LabArchives or would like to sharpen your skills, this workshop is tailored to your needs.

Library Research Skills

Just starting your PhD at Monash? Here's how your Library can help.

Thesis Writing and Submission

Thesis Writing Workshop

In this workshop, Prof. Chris McNeill will discuss what should be in a PhD thesis from an academic perspective, covering the following topics:

• How should you structure your thesis?
• What results should you include and what should you leave out?
• What common pitfalls do students succumb to?
• What are examiners looking for, and how can you make the job of your thesis examiners easier?
• What thesis format should I use?

Getting Thesis Submission Right: Guidelines, Formats, Authorship and Copyright

Submission of the thesis is an important and exciting milestone. Before submitting your thesis, it is important that you get familiar with the university’s policy on thesis formatting requirements and faculty-specific guidelines, clarify authorship matters, and get permission for all copyrighted materials.

In this seminar, we will:

• explain the latest Monash University and Engineering Faculty’s guidelines on thesis writing;
• provide advice to avoid possible problems which may result in unnecessary delay in thesis submission and examination;
• show the formatting differences between a thesis including published works and a traditional thesis; and
• demonstrate ways to obtain permission for copyrighted materials and discuss authorship issues.

Responding to Examiner Comment

In this seminar, Prof. Chris McNeill will give advice on "How to effectively respond to and address examiner comments for your thesis in order to avoid unnecessary delays and get your PhD sooner!"

Is Your Thesis a Zombie Thesis?

“A zombie thesis looks like a thesis – with title pages, chapters, graphs and charts – but the parts aren’t quite hanging together yet” (The Thesis Whisperer 2014). This workshop introduces some strategies to help improve coherence in your thesis so that it doesn't become a zombie thesis.

Wellbeing and Productivity

Navigating Your PhD with Your Wellbeing in Mind

Undertaking a doctoral study is both an exciting experience and a challenging journey. The excitement comes from working on something we are passionate about, exploring new concepts or ideas, and making contributions to the knowledge base. However, at times, we may also feel stressed, lost or unmotivated when things are not going well or not as what we have expected. This session will explore strategies to manage our stress response when feeling under pressure, particularly in the academic context. The following topics will be discussed.

• Role of the researcher
• Relationship with the supervisor (e.g., handling feedback and conflict, managing the supervisory relationship) Managing wellbeing when confronted by challenges (covering flight/fight/freeze response, emotional regulation, growth mindset)

Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing Workshop

Join us for a 1.5-hour crash course on the 5 dimensions of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills.

The ability to understand our own emotions and those of others enables us to build relationships and deepen our emotional awareness. Managing emotional triggers helps us stay the course when tackling challenging tasks and difficult interactions.

Come and hear about some strategies that enable you to take a step back, consciously regulate big emotions and activate decisions that move you closer to your goals.

Graduate Research Student Rights and Support

Join us for an informative session where you’ll learn about your rights as a student at Monash University, discover the wide range of support services available, and gain practical strategies to help you navigate challenges and thrive throughout your studies.

Career and Employability

Career Essentials

Online Modules (offered by Career Connect)

1. Effective CV and Cover Letter Writing
2. Navigating Interviews

Please visit https://www.monash.edu/students/careers

Academic Career Paths

Engineering Your Academic Career

While a PhD proves your academic and technical rigour, a sustainable academic career demands intellectual agility, pedagogical mastery, strategic networking, and strong research communication skills. Join our panel of engineering PhD alumni as they reveal how they navigated the competitive job market and successfully transitioned from doctoral candidates to faculty members.

Our panel will share their personal experiences, covering:

• The job hunt: How to find (and land) the right roles
• The interview: Tips to stand out in a crowded field
• The brand: Defining a research vision that impresses the hiring committee
• The reality: Honest accounts of the pivots and perseverance required to succeed

Enhancing Teaching, Student Engagement and Classroom Dynamics

As engineering teaching assistants or future academics, mastering instruction, engaging students, and establishing strong classroom dynamics are essential skills. Join our panel of engineering PhD alumni for an interactive session designed to equip you with pedagogical and communication strategies needed to run effective workshops or practicals, boosting student engagement and classroom interaction.

The Non-Academic Career Landscape

Strategic Transitions for Engineering PhDs

Join our employability forum to hear Engineering PhD alumni share their career journeys. Learn to decode your research value and translate it into diverse professional opportunities across Management, Marketing and Sales, Tech, and Policy.

The panel will cover:

• Job search strategies: How to uncover and secure job opportunities
• Interview experiences: Tips for communicating research expertise to interviewers
• The skill gap: Identifying and developing essential skill sets for industry and the corporate world
• Personal branding: How to convince recruiters that you are a problem-solver
• Inside stories: Honest accounts of challenges and successes in the workplace

Introduction to Lean Six Sigma

As an engineering PhD, you excel at solving complex and technical problems. However, when you transition from the laboratory to industry, the challenges change. Companies don't just value deep technical knowledge but also the ability to eliminate or reduce waste, scale processes, and drive systematic efficiency. Lean Six Sigma is a methodology used in tech, manufacturing, and biomedical industries to optimize processes and enhance productivity. Join us to learn more about Lean Six Sigma (LSS), tailored specifically for engineering graduate researchers.

The Entrepreneurship Series

Scaling from Engineering PhD to Founder

This talk will cover the journey of COOloop, a recent startup looking to decarbonise the production of useful chemicals, starting with acetic acid. Acetic acid is a chemical commodity used in a wide range of applications, including the food and pharmaceutical industries as well as textiles, adhesives, paints and plastics. This talk will cover Dr Rajan Lakshman’s personal experiences on this journey, from his time as a PhD student at Monash to now, a co-founder and CTO of COOloop.

Translating Research into Practical Applications and Impact

In this seminar, Dr Dilpreet Buxi, CEO and co-founder of Philia Labs, will share his journey from a technical expert to a start-up founder, diving into the mindset shifts, strategic thinking and planning skills, and real-world challenges that come with moving from research to developing products and building a company. Whether you are thinking about your own venture or simply curious about the entrepreneurial path, this seminar will inspire you to think bigger and braver about the possibility of turning your research or ideas into products and impact.

Research Impact

Research Impact: Bridging Academia and Industry

This seminar will provide valuable information and perspectives on working with industry, and as a research student, how you can create research impact in a meaningful way to drive innovation, improve processes, and enhance efficiency.

Machine Learning, GenAI and Others

Machine Learning- A Starting Point

This workshop offers a practical introduction to machine learning, tailored for students and professionals in Engineering and IT disciplines. It will cover the fundamentals of machine learning, including the main categories of techniques, the basic rules for choosing the right approach, and an overview of widely used libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch. The focus will be on practical decision-making—how to match techniques to different types of problems—and exploring real-world applications across Engineering and IT contexts. The session will also highlight how foundational knowledge in machine learning can support future research pathways, including Honours, Master's, or PhD studies.

Foundation Models in AI: Language, Vision, and Diffusion

This workshop introduces the core principles of modern large language models (LLMs) and extends them to vision–language and multimodal foundation models. We examine key architectural components and training objectives that underpin these systems. Diffusion models are presented as a complementary generative paradigm within modern AI. The workshop includes practical demonstrations, such as few-shot learning with vision–language models, illustrating how foundation models enable rapid adaptation across tasks.

Responsible Use of GenAI in Academic Research

While generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools provide incredible potential, it is essential to understand the risks and ethical considerations involved. This seminar shares with engineering graduate researchers the general guidance provided by the university on what to consider when using GenAI in the research process. Best practices, pitfalls and strategies to ensure responsible use of GenAI in compliance with the university AI policies and guidelines will be discussed.

Data Fluency

Error Analysis and the Determination of Significance

On July 4, 2012, in a joint seminar at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the 36th International Conference on High Energy Physics in Melbourne, Australia, preliminary results were announced indicating that a new particle, the Higg’s boson, in the mass region around 125 GeV had been observed at a ‘5 sigma’ significance level. Acknowledging that all measurements, including those performed at the Large Hadron Collider, are subject to some amount of uncertainty, this seminar will examine error analysis, statistical significance, and hypothesis testing. As an introductory seminar, this will provide you with fundamental skills to appropriately analyze and interpret experimental data, and to perform statistical analysis, error propagation analysis, and significance testing to characterize the uncertainty in experimental data.

Digital Research Platforms and Tools

Think of Monash eResearch as your digital research partner. They provide the specialized infrastructure and expert support you need to handle the technical side of your project so you can focus on the actual discovery. If you have a project and aren't sure which tool fits, get help from Monash eResearch.

Support resources

Resources Useful resources for you to develop your skills for communicating your research effectively.

Contact us Work with us in one-to-one tutorials to improve your research communication skills in writing research reports, papers or your thesis.

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