AVS Webinars 2026

The AVS Professional Leadership Committee is hosting a two-part series of free webinars for Mentors and Mentees that will be presented by Dr. Anne Lynn Gillian-Daniel from University of Wisconsin, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UW-MRSEC). As part of her position in the UW-MRSEC, Anne Lynn works to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in materials science and engineering and to help researchers improve their science communication and mentoring skills. Since 2015, Anne Lynn has been facilitating Research Mentor Training sessions and workshops for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty interested in improving their mentoring practice at universities and professional society meetings. Depending on which side of the Mentor-Mentee relationship you are on, join us for one or both of these interactive webinars.

Mentoring is a collaborative learning relationship that proceeds through purposeful stages over time and has the primary goal of helping the mentees gain the skills and knowledge they need to move on in their chosen careers. Research has shown that effective mentoring is linked to enhanced mentee productivity, self-efficacy, career satisfaction, and is an important predictor of academic success. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore ways they can work with their research mentors to get the training and support they need to be successful. They will also explore ways to expand their mentor network to get all the support they need.

Mentoring is a collaborative learning relationship that proceeds through purposeful stages over time and has the primary goal of helping the mentees gain the skills and knowledge they need to move on in their chosen careers. Although research has shown that effective mentoring is linked to enhanced mentee productivity, self-efficacy, career satisfaction, and is an important predictor of academic success, many mentors receive little to no training. Research Mentor Training (RMT) is a program designed to help research mentors maximize the effectiveness of their mentoring relationships. During this workshop, we will discuss expectations documents, a key component of the RMT curriculum. We will talk about what they are, what they can/should contain, and how they can be used most effectively in mentoring relationships. There will be small group discussions.

Introducing AVS Publications’ new reviewer checklist! Designed to reinforce the purpose and responsibilities of peer review, this tool will help reviewers provide critical scientific evaluation that will guide authors toward improving their research. Through a walkthrough of the checklist, we will provide a deep-dive into review strategies that will allow you to evaluate your peers’ work more thoroughly, constructively, and efficiently.Your abstract is your first impression – so make every word count! In addition to summarizing your work, an effective abstract boosts discoverability, attracts readers, and drives impact. In this webinar, we will walk through best practices for crafting clear, compelling abstracts that work for both readers and reviewers, with plenty of time reserved for questions and discussion.

You will learn:

What constructive reviews should look like
How to efficiently evaluate each section of a paper
Common issues within manuscripts and how reviewers can help identify and resolve them
Best practices when writing reviews
How to use AVS’s new Reviewer Checklist when completing reviews

e-Talks and Webinars	Date and Time	Type
Atomic Layer Etching of Electronic and Quantum Materials for Revolutionary Solid-state Technologies	Wed. August 19, 2026 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET)	FREE Zoom e-Talk

Short Course	Date and Time	Type
Vacuum System Design	Wednesday, Aug. 12, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET)	Zoom
Plasma-enhanced CVD: Fundamentals, Techniques, and Applications (2 half-days)	Tuesday-Wednesday, September 29-30, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET)	Zoom
Cleaning and Surface Conditioning Techniques for Integrated Circuit Manufacturing (2 Full Days)	Tuesday, September 29, 11:45 a.m.-6:45 p.m. (ET) Thursday, October 1, 11:45 a.m.-6:45 p.m. (ET)	Zoom
Cryopump Technology (1 Full Day)	Thursday, October 1, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET)	Zoom
Fundamentals of Vacuum Technology	Monday-Thursday, Nov. 9-12, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET)	In-Person

AVS Webinars 2026

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Mentoring Up: Ways to Get What You Need From Your Mentors

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Using Expectations Documents as a Tool to Improve Your Mentoring Relationships

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Beyond the Checkbox: Elevating Peer Review Through Structured Evaluation

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