Empowering Research Through Learning
Whether you’re a researcher, student, or part of the research support community, staying current with tools, data practices, and collaboration skills is essential. This page highlights campus-wide training opportunities that build both technical expertise and human-centered competencies—what we call Power Skills.
🔧 Technical & Data Skills
The Carpentries at Illinois
Hands-on, researcher-focused workshops that teach foundational skills for coding and data.
Coming Soon: Sessions are being scheduled now for Fall semester.
- Topics: Python, R, Git, Unix Shell, Data Management
- Audience: Researchers at all levels
- Certified instructors available
- Format: In-person or synchronous virtual
HPCBio at the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center
Advanced training for computational biology and omics analysis.
Core Workshops:
- Intro to Linux/bash
- Intro to HPC (with Dan Davidson’s group)
- Intro to R & Bioconductor packages
- Bulk and Single Cell RNA-Seq Analysis
- Microbial Profiling Analysis
- Reverse Workshops (bring-your-own-data sessions)
Format:
- Live Zoom sessions (most popular)
- In-person reverse workshops
- Asynchronous recordings (via MediaSpace) being developed
Audience:
- Graduate students, postdocs, and faculty—mainly from life sciences
CITL Data Analytics Workshops
Training for common research software and survey tools.
Workshops Offered:
- SPSS I & II
- STATA I & II
- SAS I & II
- R I & II
- Python I & II
- Qualtrics I & II
- Questionnaire Design
Topics Covered:
Statistical analysis, survey design, descriptive and inferential statistics, and data visualization
Audience:
Researchers, faculty, students, and staff working in all disciplines.
NCSA Training
- Primary platform: HPC Moodle
- Topics: HPC, cluster usage, computational methods
- Format: Online modules
Research Data Service (University Library)
Customized training, templates, and data management support
Key Topics:
- Data management lifecycle
- Metadata, cleaning, and backups
- Using Illinois Data Bank
- Publishing data papers
Format:
- Asynchronous materials
- Partner workshops
- Guest lectures
- 1:1 or group consults
Popular Resources:
💡 Power Skills
Building the human side of research through communication, collaboration, and leadership.
At Illinois, Power Skills are a campus-wide initiative grounded in the NSF-funded CyberAmbassadors curriculum, which focuses on the essential interpersonal skills needed for effective and inclusive scientific collaboration.
Recognizing the importance of these competencies, Research IT helped bring CyberAmbassadors to campus, ensuring that researchers and research support staff alike can benefit from structured, research-relevant professional development.
What You’ll Learn:
- Effective Team Communication
- Conflict Resolution & Problem Solving
- Inclusive Collaboration Practices
- Leadership for Interdisciplinary Research
- Facilitation & Stakeholder Engagement
Where to Access Power Skills Training:
Training is now integrated into Illinois Human Resources’ Employee Development offerings, supporting both individual learning and organizational effectiveness.
Explore training opportunities:
🔗 Employee Development – Illinois HR
🔗 CyberAmbassadors Curriculum Overview
Why It Matters:
As research becomes more collaborative and interdisciplinary, Power Skills equip individuals to:
- Lead and participate in team science
- Navigate complex communication environments
- Foster inclusive, productive research environments
These skills are especially valuable for professionals supporting research, where coordination across technical, administrative, and faculty stakeholders is critical.
📅 Stay Updated
Check our events calendar for upcoming workshops or subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop.
🤝 Build With Us
Have a training program to share or want to collaborate on a session?
Contact us: researchit-help@illinois.edu