Note – Guides, slide decks, and other self-help resources are available in the Research Imaging Guide section of this website.

Imaging Solutions for Scientific Communication Lunchtime Seminars are based on the unique ways researchers use proprietary scientific applications, Microsoft Office, and a variety of graphics programs to create, acquire, and edit images included in grant applications, journal articles, and presentations to the scientific community. Free Imaging Made Easy Lunchtime Seminars cover topics including poster making, proper PowerPoint techniques, and Photoshop tricks.

Customized individual, small group, lab, or departmental classes can also be arranged for quad-based departments. Consider inviting us to your next lab or departmental meeting for some customized training—Schedule Beth Beighlie for your next lab or departmental seminar.

What you need to know

Note – For the foreseeable future, all Imaging Solutions Seminars will be held remotely at their regularly scheduled time by using Zoom. Send an email to ris@hms.harvard.edu to get a Zoom access link for each seminar.

Research Imaging Lunchtime Seminars are free and available to all Harvard, HMS, HSDM, HSPH, and affiliated hospital employees.

  • No registration is required for Research Imaging Lunchtime Seminars.
  • All Research Imaging Lunchtime Seminars are held from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM.
  • Research Imaging Brown Bag seminars qualify for AMA/PRA Category 1 credits.

All sessions are held remotely using Zoom; email ris@hms.harvard.edu to get the link to these seminars.

Imaging Essentials

January 13
SPECIAL SEMINAR
BioRender
Top Design Tips for Better Grant Figures
In this one-hour session, learn actionable tips and techniques for designing clear science figures for journal publications, including: - How to select the right color palette for your illustrations - How to optimize space and margins for clarity - How to appropriately label and number sequential figures - Tricks to optimize contrast and saturation for figures - How to follow journal guidelines while adding creative flair.
 January 20
Figures for Journals
 February 2
SPECIAL SEMINAR
BioRender
BioRender 201
A one-hour advanced workshop on using BioRender features to design better science figures. We will be diving deeper into five advanced tips and tools for saving time, improving your design skills & introducing you to our newly released features! This session is highly recommended for both intermediate & expert BioRender users!
 February 15
Poster Making for Large Format Printers
 March 1
Harnessing the Power of Photoshop
 March 24
Drawing Tools and Illustration Features in PowerPoint
 April 13
SPECIAL SEMINAR
BioRender
Live Figure Critique
Do you have questions about your BioRender figures? Submit your figures, and experts at BioRender will help you create a strong scientific illustration. Join this live critique to get tips on making concise, informative, and professional-looking illustrations.
 April 20
Figures for Journals
 May 5

 

Harnessing the power of Photoshop

Learn to create and use actions and droplets to minimize repetitive tasks. Find out how you can easily create actions and droplets to batch process images that need reformatting, resizing, or other uniform adjustments.

Imaging Essentials

Master the basics of identifying & editing raster, bitmap, pixel-based photos & vector objects. Determine correct file compression, color mode & bit depth options. Learn important fundamentals of image preparation. Understand how to prep images in one application for use in other applications. Become skilled at determining correct resolution & output strategies.

Figures for journals

Efficiency and reliability: easily prepare figures for scientific journals with familiar tools & a foolproof workflow that eliminates any chance of rejection for guideline violations.

Reliably accessorize on-screen presentations

Understand essential concepts of presentation design to display images reliably. Minimize the risks associated with specific fonts and design templates. Learn to use PowerPoint to insert illustrations, charts & movies in a way that will enable you to present with confidence. Also, master ways to use animation & make hyperlinks.

Poster-making for large format printers

Develop proper techniques for an efficient & pain-free way to construct posters. Maximize your message with images, illustrations & text by using PowerPoint & Photoshop to create large-format documents that print correctly.

Drawing tools and illustration features of PowerPoint

Uncover the secrets of PowerPoint’s sophisticated drawing tools. Discover how to draw complex shapes, edit Bezier curves, output high-resolution images, create PDF files, and prepare complex images for journals.