September 17-23, 2012

1. WEEKLY SERVICES IN THE GLC  – UPDATED!
All weekly services are back!

  • Career advising (walk in, no appointment needed): Wednesdays 2:00-5:00pm, GLC Lobby
  • Cook Counseling (walk in, no appointment needed): Thursdays 1:00-5:00pm, Green Room
  • GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursdays, Reading Room
  • Statistical consulting by LISA: Weekdays, 1:00-3:00pm, GLC Videoconference Room
  • Writing Center support for grads: Thursdays 3:00-5:00pm, GLC Videoconference Room (additional hours are available in the Library)

2. USING JMP TO DESIGN EXPERIMENTS AND ANALYZE THE RESULTS
Monday and Tuesday, Sep 17 & 18, 5:00-7:00pm
The classical design (factorial design, response surface design, etc.) may fail to meet requirements due to an irregular design space, involving categorical variables, a nonstandard model and unusual requirements of sample size. This class will introduce how to use JMP to tackle these design challenges within a unified framework and make best use of your design budget. The topics covered tentatively in this course include: computer generated design, augmenting an existing design and design from a candidate set. Follow LISA on Facebook or Twitter  to be the first to know about LISA events! For more information, please visit the LISA website: www.lisa.stat.vt.edu.

3. GRAD SCHOOL SERVICE/ADVISING AREA CLOSED FOR WALK-INS
Tuesday, Sep 18, 8:00am-5:00pm, effecting GLC offices 110-120
The Graduate School student services and advising area (120 GLC) will undergo some changes on Tuesday, Sep 18, requiring that we close the service area to walk-in traffic. We ask that you try to avoid visiting the Graduate School on this day unless you need urgent in-person assistance. Email and phone assistance will be uninterrupted and accommodations will be made to see students in the Graduate School lobby as needed. Please stop by to see us after Tuesday to see our new, more student-friendly layout!

4. BLACK GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION (BGSO) FIRST GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday, Sep 19, 6-7:30pm

This meeting will be used to determine the events and programming done by BGSO for the academic year.  If there is something that you would like to see planned, please come out and let BGSO know at this meeting.  For those that can’t attend the meeting due to prior engagements, you can email your ideas before the meeting to lacox@vt.edu with the subject “BGSO PROGRAM IDEAS.” Follow BGSO on Facebook.

5. LECTURE: WHY UNIVERSITIES CAN’T DO WITHOUT GOD

Wednesday, Sep 19, 7:30pm, 3100 Torgersen Hall
Reformed Presbyterian Missions is sponsoring this lecture for graduate students and faculty entitled "Why Universities Can’t Do Without God:  The theistic foundations of modern education and research."  Dr. James Anderson will be discussing why education and scholarship must be built on the prior knowledge of God, showing the necessity of a theistic worldview to science, research, education, and ethics.  Before earning his PhD in Philosophical Theology, Dr. Anderson earned a PhD in Computer Simulation from the University of Edinburgh and worked in research in that field for 10 years.  He is currently a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC.  The lecture is free and open to the public.

6. WRITING CENTER SUPPORT IN THE GLC AND BEYOND
Thursdays, 3:00-5:00pm, GLC Videoconference Room
Walk-in without an appointment to receive assistance with your academic writing, or contact grad student Josh Thompson for an appointment: jdt225@vt.edu. Additional writing support is available through the VT Writing Center, located in the Learning Commons on the 2nd floor of Newman Library. Hours of Operation: Sun (Drop-In Service) 8pm-10pm; Mon-Wed 9am-10pm; Thu-Fri 9am-5pm; call 231-5436 for an appointment.

7. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, Sep 20, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
The GLC Café is offered throughout the semester with free coffee and tea in the company of your graduate-student and Grad-School colleagues. Bring your own mug if you can. 

8. UNDERSTANDING PAYMENTS AND TAXES IN THE U.S.
Thursday, Sep 20, 4:00pm, GLC Room C
An international tax specialist will cover the types of income, work restrictions, federal and state taxes, payroll forms, and more at this orientation event for international students. If you have questions, please contact Janet Kunz at jakunz@vt.edu.

9. GRADUATE SCHOLARS SOCIETY
Thursday, Sep 20, 4pm, GLC Room G
The Graduate Scholars Society invites you to attend the Fall 2012 information meeting.  The GSS believes being a graduate student should also be about scholarship, and scholars can apply their reason, training, and perspective to all issues. GSS is essentially a forum for graduate students from any department and any origin to examine the broader issues effecting our lives and times. At this session, you will hear more about the topics proposed for discussion this semester, and have an opportunity to join a group. Each group is limited in size and meets based on its own needs (most in the evenings, some off campus, some on).   Topics include: 1. The Financial Future of America – election platforms, domestic policy—making sense of the proposed financial strategies; 2. Current Events in Global Economics – should Greece stay in the Euro? What are the implications of China’s currency strategies?; 3. Future of Robotics – in 50 years, what should the world look like? Will the top 5 teachers of our generation be immortalized in robots for schools? Will the elderly have live-in care? Research robotics happens at Tech, learn what’s possible, and decide what direction you think research should take. For more information, email Gold Darr at grd0001@gmail.com.

10. GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY FIRST FALL DELEGATE MEETING

Thursday, Sep 20, 5:30-7pm, GLC Multipurpose Room.
The GSA Executive board invites you to attend the first delegate meeting for the semester. This will give you a chance to meet with the graduate students who serve as representatives for their respective academic departments, who are also liaisons to graduate students regarding graduate student issues/concerns, activities, etc. offered by the GSA. If you are interested in learning more about the delegate body and how GSA functions, please join other grads at this meeting and fill out this survey so we can have a better estimate for food and drinks. For more information please contact Shaimaa Abdallah, GSA President, at shaimaa@vt.edu.

11. VT STUDENTS FOR OBAMA MEETING

Thursday, Sep 20, 6:30-7:30pm, Squires Student Center Room 341
Want to help re-elect President Obama? Learn how you can help volunteer in order to ensure President Obama’s re-election at this meeting.

12. SAUDI NATIONAL DAY
Friday, Sep 21, 10am-4pm, Squires Student Center Williamsburg Room
Celebrate Saudi National Day with the Saudi Club at Virginia Tech! Take a tour of Saudi Arabia – start with the offering of Arabic coffee and dates and continue to know more about the country and its customs, traditions and people. Explore all parts of the country, tradition, education, tourism, and take photos in traditional clothes and meet students from Saudi Arabia. Gifts, brochures, magazines, your name written in Arabic, T-Shirts, wristbands and souvenirs will be giving to visitors as they come to explore and share with us this special day. It is very special for the Saudi Club at VT to share this day with friends, colleagues, faculty, staff and the people of Blacksburg.

13. TEAMS INVITED FOR LIBRARY’S HOKIE HIJINX SCAVENGER HUNT – 2nd posting
University Libraries is seeking teams to participate in the library’s Hokie Hijinx scavenger hunt, which will be held September 26-29. The top three teams will win prize bags to distribute among their members. Team leaders can sign up and check the rules.

14. APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH HONOR SOCIETY – 1st posting

Iota Delta Rho, the Interdisciplinary Research Honor Society is now accepting applications for membership. Applications and FAQs can be found on IDR’s website at:  http://www.idrsociety.org/membership/application/. Applications are accepted through Oct 3, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Tammy Parece, the Vice-President of Membership, tammyep@vt.edu.
 
15. SUBMIT YOUR EVENT REQUESTS AND IDEAS NOW! – 2nd posting

The GLC Fellows can help you get you what you want, but they need to know what it is first! The Fellows want to plan events and activities that will reach a wide variety of graduate students.  Please fill out the survey below so that they can learn more about you and what you would like to see in the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson-Brown: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1347293454435. The survey should only take a few minutes of your time.

16. NOMINATE A FACULTY MEMBER! – 3rd posting
The Graduate School is seeking faculty members for a series of lunch time discussions on various topics that may be of interest to graduate students.  Do you know a faculty member who might want to share their research with graduate students?  Or is there a topic area you would like to learn more about?  Let us know by completing the survey. Questions or comments?  Contact Tara Frank at tara@vt.edu.

17. VOLUNTEERS FOR GSA GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL FAIR NEEDED
GSA hosts the Graduate and Professional School Fair for undergraduates on Monday, September 24 from 10:30am to 2:00pm in Commonwealth Ballroom, Squires Student Center. There will be over 100 graduate representatives from universities across the nation available to provide information about an advance degree. WE NEED YOUR HELP and many volunteers to make this event a success! Please consider volunteering your time, 1-2 hours, for GSA’s BIGGEST FUNDRAISER! Please fill out this volunteer form. For any questions please contact Kelsey Brunton, GPSF Program Chair and Coordinator at vtgpsf@gmail.com.

18. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR READING PRACTICES STUDY – 1st posting
Participants are needed for a study investigating reading practices on different media (i.e., paper, computer, iPad). This study will take around 3 hours to complete and participants will be compensated $10/hour (total $30). Requirements: Native English speaker, age 35-80. If interested, please contact Kyunghui Oh at khoh@vt.edu for further details.

19. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR LOAD-HOLDING STUDY – 2nd posting
Participants are needed for a study about the ergonomic research on manufacturing tasks.  The study consists of two sessions of about 1-2 and 3-4 hours respectively.  Requirements: male or female with no recent history of musculoskeletal disorders within the age range of 18-30 years.  Participants will be compensated $10/hr.  If interested, please contact Chelsea Susbilla at csus218@vt.edu for further details.

20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR STUDY ON HISTORIC BATTLEFIELDS – 2nd posting
Participants are needed for a survey on the public education and perception of historic battlefields among the VT community. As a potential participant, your opinions may be important. Your involvement is entirely voluntary and there are no known or anticipated risks by participating in this study. The survey should take less than 20 minutes and you will receive $5.00 as compensation. If you have any questions about this study or would like additional information, please contact Shamsul Abu Bakar (shunown1@vt.edu/540-449-9174). This study has been approved by the VT-IRB.

21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR SURVEY EXPLORING PURCHASING BEHAVIORS – 2nd posting
A VT graduate student in industrial design is conducting a survey to gather feedback on sustainable purchasing behaviors. The survey takes no more than 10 minutes. All responses will be kept anonymous. If you are interested in participating, please open the survey at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1346374534747. Contact Yushi by email at yushi@vt.edu with any questions.

22. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR BALANCE/GAIT STUDY – 3rd posting

Subjects are needed for a study investigating balance and gait in overweight individuals. The study will take place in the Kevin P Granata Biomechanics Lab in 208 Norris Hall. The study will take 1-1.5 hours to complete, and subjects will be paid $20 for their participation. If you are interested, please email your name, age, height, weight and days/times during the week you are available to participate to: biomechanics.esm@gmail.com Overweight individuals are especially needed.

23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ANKLE INSTABILITY STUDY – 3rd posting

Healthy, young adults WITH a history of ankle sprains are sought for participation in a research project on ankle sprain risk factors.  The study will require participants to complete ankle stiffness and joint position sense evaluations under fatigued and braced conditions.  All procedures have been approved by the VT IRB. Participants must be 18-35 years old, active (2-3 times/week), have no existing joint problems or chronic joint pain, and must not be participating in physical rehab or regularly using ankle tape or bracing. Testing requires 3 sessions (about 2–2.5 hrs/session). Participants will be compensated for their time at a rate of $10/hr.  Contact Courtney Haynes by email at chaynes7@vt.edu or call at 724-272-8574.

24. THE VT LIBRARY SEEKS YOUR FEEDBACK ON GRAD COURSE – 3rd posting
The VT library seeks your feedback on the Library research skills graduate course (Grad 5124) it offers. Your feedback will be useful in aligning the course to better meet the needs of graduate students. Provide feedback >>(takes less than 5 minutes): . If you have any questions, contact Tracy Hall, Instructional Services Librarian (tracy72@vt.edu, 540-231-3067). To learn more about the Grad 5124 course, visit: http://www.lib.vt.edu/instruct/grad5124.html.