Graduate Consortia

Graduate Consortia are non-degree, self-organized groups of affiliated scholars who collaboratively investigate broad topics such as human rights, global health, and climate change. Each consortium will serve as a structured hub around which interested faculty, students, and staff can rotate through a series of topical proseminars, courses, lectures, journal clubs, conferences, full-immersion boot camps, and other self-managed activities.

Infectious Diseases Consortium
Infectious Disease Consortium (IDC) is an affiliation of faculty, students, and post-docs engaged in infectious disease research. The intent of the IDC is to build upon the existing strengths of infectious disease research across Harvard University. By bringing together faculty across schools to offer timely courses on contemporary issues in infectious diseases, the IDC hopes to create new synergies for students and faculty alike by generating a new focus on interdisciplinary graduate training in infectious diseases.

Graduate Consortium on Energy and Environment
The Harvard Graduate Consortium on Energy and Environment fosters a community of doctoral students who are well versed in the broad, interconnected issues of energy and environment while maintaining their focus in their primary discipline. Through debate and dialogue in coursework and seminars, students are able to identify the obstacles, highlight the opportunities, and define the discussion of an energy strategy for the 21st century and beyond. Once admitted to the Consortium, students are required to take three courses designed to give them an introduction to several critical aspects of energy issues. Students are also required to participate in a weekly reading seminar, led by faculty members from around the university, which provides an overview of the energy field from a wide range of perspectives. Each student in the program is eligible to apply for graduate fellowship support and up to $1,000 towards attending conferences or other appropriate professional activities during their time in the program.

Microbial Sciences Consortium
The Microbial Sciences Graduate Consortium at Harvard fosters a community of students who, through their participation in Microbial Sciences Initiative (MSI) activities and coursework, become well-versed in the many and diverse disciplines that are advancing our understanding of microbial systems.

Boston Evolutionary Genomics Supergroup
The Supergroup is a forum where individual research groups can share unpublished work at a level higher than the individual lab. The goal is to bring together the strong evolutionary genomics community in the Boston area. The format involves a monthly meeting that rotates among three sites -- Harvard/OEB, Longwood/HMS, and Broad/MIT -- and the presentations are generally chalk talks with no slides. Breakfast is provided, so we request RSVPs.

Certificate Programs

Certificate Program in Therapeutics
The Therapeutics Graduate Program is a new HILS-wide certificate program that provides a rigorous curriculum and builds a community of PhD students and faculty with common interests in Therapeutic Sciences. The program will provide cohesive training toward gaining a broad and deep understanding of therapeutics-based research for PhD trainees who desire rigorous multidisciplinary training in the sciences relevant to: identifying and developing novel diagnostics and therapeutics; understanding and elucidating mechanisms of drug action; understanding clinical failures; developing compounds and applying them in preclinical and clinical studies; and understanding the societal implications and impact of these activities. Students interested in pursuing rigorous coursework and dissertation research in these fields, and who would like to be part of a community of like-minded students, fellows, and faculty, should consider this program.

Leder Human Biology & Translational Medicine Certificate Program
The LHB Program has two goals. First, it provides PhD students with a working knowledge of the fundamentals of human biology and disease, primarily through a series of courses, to enrich their basic science training and broaden their research interests. Second, it demystifies the culture and practice of medicine, facilitating future collaborations with clinicians and physician-scientists, through activities designed to bring students into a hospital environment for direct contact with physicians, patients, medical students, and physician-scientists. The full program runs for 1.5 years, beginning in Spring of the G1 Year, and it is interdigitated with a student's other graduate program requirements. Students who successfully complete the LHB Program will receive a certificate in Human Biology and Tranlational Medicine with their PhDs.