TCORS: Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations (CAsToR)

Upcoming Workshops

Write a Winning Conference Abstract
Flyer for Write a Winning Conference Abstract
DATE + TIME: Tue Aug 05, 2025 • 12:00 PM — 1:30 PM
Planning to submit an abstract for the SRNT 2026 Annual Meeting? This hands-on workshop will help you further develop and polish your abstract draft in advance of the August 15th submission deadline. Bring a copy of your draft to the workshop! Guidance and recommendations regarding format and content will be provided, along with an easy-to-use template. The event will be held on Zoom. It is open to current & former CAsToR trainees & junior investigators. To participate, please email Molly Coeling (mcoeling@umich.edu).
SPEAKERS: Dr. Ella August
Copyediting with ChatGPT
Flyer for Copyediting with ChatGPT
DATE + TIME: Fri Oct 24, 2025 • 12:00 PM — 1:30 PM

This workshop will orient participants to when and how to best use AI tools in copyediting. The workshop will include:

  • A protocol for privacy protection
  • Suggested prompts to improve your experience using AI in copyediting

We will use ChatGPT in the workshop, but the principles & skills can be adapted for use with proprietary AI tools at your institution. There will also be some hands-on exploration!

This workshop is open to all CAsToR-affiliated individuals. To participate, please contact Molly Coeling at mcoeling@umich.edu.

SPEAKERS: Dr. Ella August

Recent Workshops

Systematic reviews and other types of evidence synthesis in tobacco regulatory science: a primer
DATE + TIME: Thu Mar 20, 2025 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
SPEAKERS: Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr. Jonathan Livingstone-Banks
DESCRIPTION: By the end of this session, participants will be able to: • Explain the purpose and value of evidence synthesis
• Identify different types of evidence synthesis and their relevance to different questions in tobacco regulatory science
• Identify a trustworthy systematic review or evidence synthesis product based on core review elements
• Plan next steps if they choose to undertake their own evidence synthesis View slides
Video for “Systematic reviews and other types of evidence synthesis in tobacco regulatory science: a primer”
Responding to Journal Peer Reviewers
DATE + TIME: Fri Jan 17, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
SPEAKERS: Dr. Ella August
DESCRIPTION: In this webinar, Dr. August will focus on basic principles and strategies for responding to journal peer reviewers, including how to: • Format responses to reviewers for easy comprehension
• Craft responses and associated manuscript changes to maximize your chances for final acceptance
• Address suggestions with which you do not agree
• Address conflicting advice from different reviewers Participants will gain hands-on practice using examples from BMJ Open.
Video for “Responding to Journal Peer Reviewers”
How to Conduct a High-Quality Journal Peer Review
DATE + TIME: Fri Nov 15, 2024 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
SPEAKERS: Dr. Ella August
DESCRIPTION: Peer review is a key skill for academic professionals. In this webinar, you will: • Increase your skills and confidence in writing a high-quality journal peer review report.
• Understand how to apply a three-step process to conduct a thorough and respectful journal peer review. Participants will be invited to consider various examples in small groups. To participate, please register here by Friday, November 8th. This workshop is open to all CAsToR trainees & junior investigators. Questions? Please contact Molly Coeling at mcoeling@umich.edu.
Video for “How to Conduct a High-Quality Journal Peer Review”
CAsToR Individual Development Plan
DATE + TIME: Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
SPEAKERS: Dr. Ella August
DESCRIPTION: Create your personalized career development plan. An IDP is a communication tool to support setting and reaching professional goals in collaboration with your mentor(s). In this workshop, you will: • Create an IDP using a self-assessment process and template developed specifically for CAsToR trainees & junior investigators (general skills, TRS competencies, and tobacco modeling competencies for modelers or modeling collaborators)
• Establish career and research goals
• Create a roadmap to reach your goals This workshop is open to CAsToR trainees & junior investigators only. All CAsToR trainees & junior investigators are encouraged to participate. Join us on Zoom on Tuesday, April 30th from 12-1:30pm ET. We will ask that you complete a portion of the self-assessment ahead of time.
CAsToR Workshop: AI Tools for Information Seeking
DATE + TIME: Thu Apr 18, 2024 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM
SPEAKERS: Tyler Nix, MS (Associate Director of Research & Informatics, UM Taubman Health Sciences Library) and Judy Smith, MS (Informationist, UM Taubman Health Sciences Library)
DESCRIPTION:

This workshop will orient participants to AI tools that can be used for information seeking and summarizing literature, such as: • Recognizing strengths and challenges of using AI in literature searching
• Learning best practices for avoiding incorrect or misleading information
• Understanding how to evaluate AI tools for information seeking There will also be some hands-on exploration! This workshop is open to all CAsToR-affiliated individuals. To participate, please register here by Thursday, April 11th. For more information, please contact Molly Coeling at mcoeling@umich.edu.