January 4-10, 2016

1.  WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC – updated 1/4/16

  • Career Services advising: on hiatus until spring
  • Cook Counseling: on hiatus this week 
  • Graduate School regular hours: 8:00am-5:00pm
  • Immigration advising hours: MWF 1:00-5:00pm, TTh 9:00am-12:00pm
  • LISA Statistical Consulting: on hiatus this week
  • Writing assistance: on hiatus until spring

2. GLC CAFÉ: NEW YEAR’S EDITION
Thursday, Jan 7, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
Celebrate the beginning of the new year with the first café of 2016 and share your new-year-celebration traditions (and snacks, if you like)! Of course the usual free coffee, tea, and cookies will be provided, as well as some hot chocolate and hot cider. And whipped cream, because we still have some.

3. CHILDCARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN OF GRAD STUDENTS – 1st posting
Spaces are available in the Little Hokie Hangout (LHH) parent-cooperative child care center for the Spring semester, open 8:30am-6:30pm this spring. LHH offers child care in an affordable and accessible way. Email to childcare@vt.edu to set up a time to come see the program and ask any questions you might have. Half-day tuition at LHH for the entire Spring semester is only $840.00! That’s a one-time charge for all 78 days that your child attends the program.

4. CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT REP TO BOARD OF VISITORS – 2nd posting
Applications for Graduate Student Representative to the VT Board of Visitors are accepted until Feb 12, 2016. All currently enrolled graduate students in good standing are encouraged to consider this great leadership and service opportunity to represent graduate students’ voices, needs and interest on the VT Board of Visitors. Learn more at http://www.dsa.vt.edu/BOV/apply.php.

5. NOMINATIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS NOW OPEN – 2nd posting
A number of prestigious awards are granted to graduate students each year, carrying a monetary prize ($200-$1000 each) and award certificate. Discuss the possibility of your nomination with your advisor/department for any of the following awards:

  • Outstanding Dissertation in (1) math, sciences and engineering, and (1) in social sciences, business and humanities
  • Preston Society Master’s Thesis Award
  • Graduate Student Teaching Excellence (1) for GTA instructor of record (1) GTA instructor assistant
  • Graduate Student Service Excellence
  • Graduate Student of the Year (up to three awards given)
  • Outstanding master’s and doctoral student in each college and in interdisciplinary programs.

More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination are at: http://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/awards/2015_2016.

6. REGISTRATION OPEN FOR DATA MANAGEMENT BOOTCAMP IN JANUARY – 2nd posting
Graduate students interested in learning more about data management issues and best practices are invited to participate in the forthcoming one-day Data Management Bootcamp sponsored by the University Libraries at Virginia Tech, on January 15, 2016, 9am-4:30pm. Registration required, spaces are limited. Learn more and register online at https://docs.google.com/a/vt.edu/forms/d/1N_5RSqiE2U7eJYjRdWAOExDoakozRr06h-MwUj4WrB8/viewform?c=0&w=1.

7. GRAD-UGRAD MENTORING PROGRAM SEEKING MENTORS – 3rd posting
The Graduate–Undergraduate Mentorship Program (GUMP) is seeking mentors from all fields! This program allows graduate students to mentor undergraduate students considering graduate school. Undergraduates and graduates are matched according to their area of study, allowing the undergraduate to get a taste for graduate school and to ask questions of current graduate students. Each mentor is matched with 1–2 mentees, who will shadow/meet with them at times convenient for the graduate mentor during the Spring semester. Mentoring can help build leadership skills and provide an experience to discuss with future employers. GUMP is sponsored by the Graduate Student Assembly(GSA). Email to gump@vt.edu with any questions. If interested, apply at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1448905481133.

8. ACADEMY FOR GTA EXCELLENCE APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED – 3rd posting
The Academy for GTA Excellence (https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/jwrgrad/academy-for-advanced-teaching-and-transforming-learning-aattl/) invites applications for Academy member, Associate, and Fellow in its Learning Community. The Academy provides opportunities for graduate students to receive advanced education and training in innovative teaching and learning strategies. It also provides a space to recognize excellence in teaching by graduate students. Membership is open to graduate students at all VT campuses. Applications are available at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3Vsd1V1nnizMkqp; and nominations or recommendation form at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4PzjmrgAFGhBQUt; both are due Saturday, Jan 30. For questions about the Academy, contact VP and Dean for Graduate Education Karen P. DePauw (kpdepauw@vt.edu) or Nicole J. Johnson (nicj712@vt.edu).

9. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR BEHAVIORAL AND NEURO-IMAGING STUDY ON SOCIAL ATTITUDES – 2nd posting
VTCRI researchers are recruiting subjects for a behavioral and neuroimaging study on social attitudes. Participants will:  Answer questionnaires and complete assessments;  Play simple computer games during an MRI scan;  Receive $30-50 for their participation;  Receive a CD of their brain images from the MRI scan. Must be: 18-30 years old; Caucasian (White American) born citizen of the United States; free of metal implants; not claustrophobic. If you meet these requirements and are interested in participating, email participate@vtc.vt.edu or call Lauren at 540-526-2120 or Riley at 540-526-2068.

10. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR RESEARCH STUDY ON HARDWARE DESIGN – 2nd posting
The VT Configurable Computing Machinery Lab is looking for participants for a research study on a new tool being developed for automatic suggestion of reusable designs. Participants will be asked to design two simple circuits in Verilog to test the effectiveness of such a tool. Email Kevin Zeng at kaiwen@vt.edu to set up a time or if there are any questions.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE: CONTINUING THE FIGHT FOR INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
Monday, Jan 18, 10:00am – 2:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room, GLC
Participate in an interactive session using case studies to learn, discuss, and craft the next steps in the struggle for graduate student success. Hear a briefing by Vice President and Dean Dr. Karen DePauw about InclusiveVT and responses to last year’s MLK Day forum. Students are highly encouraged to participate in the process and work with university administrators in Creating an Affirming Environment: Eradicating academic bullying in graduate education. Lunch provided.