January 7 – 13, 2019


Recurring Events:
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES

This Week’s Events
2. WEDNESDAY GLC CAFÉ
3. ALL-DAY THURSDAY GLC CAFÉ – PUZZLE EXTRAVAGANZA!

Administrative Announcements:
4. JEAN B. DUERR MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR WOMEN STUDENTS – 3rd posting
5. LITTLE HOKIE HANGOUT – LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE FOR SPRING ’19 – 3rd posting
6. ACADEMY FOR GTA EXCELLENCE INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP – 3rd posting
7. NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS – 3rd posting
8. WOMEN & GENDER IN INT’L DEVELOPMENT POSTER COMPETITION – 3rd posting
9. 2019 MLK ORATION COMPETITION: GRADUATE STUDENT SUBMISSIONS NEEDED – 3rd posting
10. GRAD 5124 – LIBRARY RESEARCH SKILLS (CRN 15044) – 3rd posting
11. GRAD 5024 DATA MANAGEMENT SKILLS COURSE OFFERED FOR SPRING ’19 – 3rd posting

Jobs:
12. BUILDING MANAGER – THE GRADUATE LIFE CENTER (SPRING 2019) – 3rd posting

Volunteers and research participants sought:
13. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR LIFTING STUDY WITH WEARABLE EXOSKELETONS – 3rd posting

Upcoming events:
— CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION PEDAGOGY: 1/30-2/1, Early bird registration ends 1/15!


Recurring Events
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES:
– Graduate School hours: MTThF 8:00am-5:00pm, W 9:30am-5:00pm
– Immigration advising hours: MWF 1:00-4:00pm, TTh 9:00am-12:00pm Room 120 
All other drop-in services are on hiatus for the winter break.

This Week’s Events
2. WEDNESDAY GLC CAFÉ
Wednesday, Jan 9, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
Enjoy free coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of fellow grad students and Grad School staff; network, socialize, relax! Bring your own mug if you can.

3. ALL-DAY THURSDAY GLC CAFÉ – PUZZLE EXTRAVAGANZA!
Thursday, Jan 10, 9:00am-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
If you are on campus already, come join us for a full day of treats and puzzling! We will be putting out a large puzzle for any grad student to assist in completing. The names of all puzzle contributors will be placed in a bowl for a gift raffle. In addition, we will ask you to sign the completed puzzle, which will be framed and hung on the wall in the Reading Room for posterity. Donuts will be on tap for the morning, sandwiches and chips for lunch and the usual snacks throughout the day. And, of course, coffee and tea will be available all day long.

Administrative Announcements:
4. JEAN B. DUERR MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR WOMEN STUDENTS – 3rd posting
The Jean B. Duerr Memorial Fund awards scholarships to women in an accredited college or university for the entire 2019-2020 academic year. Awards of $2,000 will be given to those applicants who best demonstrate academic achievement and community service. Must be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student with a minimum GPA of 3.6. Include a full official transcript with the application and postmark it by Mar 1, 2019 for scholarships awarded for the 2019/20 academic year.  No applications, including those with Mar 1, 2019 postmarks, will be accepted after Mar 5, 2019. For more information and a link to the application go to https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/types-of-funding/funding-opportunities/duerr.html. Questions? Contact Susan Butler at smcbutler@aol.com. 

5. LITTLE HOKIE HANGOUT – LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE FOR SPRING ’19 – 3rd posting
Little Hokie Hangout has limited spaces available for Spring ’19 semester. These spots will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, so don’t wait! Apply at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjj_SLm9-q62aNvKch5HlTZfGoL4dj-HoUN4DybjN1-n4KOg/viewform?usp=sf_link.

6. ACADEMY FOR GTA EXCELLENCE INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP – 3rd posting
The Academy for Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Excellence (Academy) invites applications for membership and advancement. Founded in fall 2014, the Academy enhances the knowledge and skills in teaching through advanced education and training in innovative teaching and learning techniques, and recognizes excellence in teaching by graduate students. The Academy is open to all graduate students from all VT campuses. Descriptions of membership levels, application requirements, and application can be found at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8kLLo4k5DYhXZ3v . Apply by Feb 3, 2019.

7. NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS – 3rd posting
A number of prestigious awards are granted to graduate students each year, carrying a monetary prize ($500-$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: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/student.html.  

8. WOMEN & GENDER IN INT’L DEVELOPMENT POSTER COMPETITION – 3rd posting
The deadline is Feb 1, 2019 for poster abstract submissions for the Women and Gender in Development Conference 2019 at Virginia Tech on Feb 28-Mar 1, 2019. Posters should explore the intersection between gender equality, women’s empowerment, and international development. The poster session creates a networking venue for scholars, students, and practitioners to share diverse methods, discuss ongoing challenges, and opportunities to advancing gender equality and promoting women’s empowerment and foster new partnerships. Spaces are limited. See the conference website www.wgdconf.org for more information on the conference, to submit a poster abstract and register. Early bird registration for the conference ends Jan 21, 2019.
 
10. GRAD 5124 – LIBRARY RESEARCH SKILLS (CRN 15044) – 3rd posting
An online, Health Sciences / Biomedical section of this elective, P/F 1-credit course is offered Spring 2019. Open to all, regardless of disciplinary or degree focus; however, those who have a research interest related to health or biomedical sciences will benefit most. Course is designed to increase successful completion of comprehensive literature reviews and project proposals; identify key information sources, use advanced searching skills and citation management tools, and explore important research planning topics such as building professional identity, evidence-based practice, data management, sharing research results, and authorship.  

11. GRAD 5024 DATA MANAGEMENT SKILLS COURSE OFFERED FOR SPRING ’19 – 3rd posting
Learn about the importance and benefits of data management including creating a data management plan. This 8-week course covers data organization, policies, documentation, storage, ethics, access, security, analytical tools, grant requirements (proposal and post- award), proper attribution, archiving, other issues and topics related to data in scholarly communication. P/F only, 1 credit. Offered collaboratively with JMU via 4VA. Course begins Jan 23 and ends on Mar 26; meets 10:00am-noon on Tuesdays in Torg 1100C.  Possibility of remote access; non-Blacksburg students should email alop@vt.edu before enrolling. 

Jobs:
12. BUILDING MANAGER – THE GRADUATE LIFE CENTER (SPRING 2019) – 3rd posting
SECL building managers oversee daily operations of the GLC by monitoring service, safety, and security of this space created for graduate students. Duties include walking rounds, responding to issues, and completing reports, in addition to the facilitation of the co-curricular and administrative programs of GLC services and events. GLC building managers are directly responsible for event bookings, opening & closing of the building, and submitting of facility work orders and daily reports. Must possess strong communication and customer service skills, along with the ability to move event equipment (tables and chairs). Looking for flexible staff members willing to work at least two shifts a week and have some weekend availability. Compensation is $12/hr. To apply, to “SECL VT Graduate Student Pool – Spring Semester” on jobs.vt.edu and submit an application and resume. Once applied, please send an email to Steve Buchner (satlbuch@vt.edu) to inform him of the submission.

Volunteers and research participants sought:
13. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR LIFTING STUDY WITH WEARABLE EXOSKELETONS – 3rd posting
Participants are sought for research study about lifting with and without wearable exoskeletons. Must be 18-35 years old with no recent or prior musculoskeletal disorders or back injuries. A height range of 5′ 5″- 6′ is preferred. Should be able to comfortably lift about 15 lbs from the floor to the waist height. Will perform a variety of lifting tasks both with and without the exoskeletons. Training session takes about 1.5 hours and the data collection session takes about 4-5 hours. The compensation rate is $10/hour. If interested, email Saman Madinei at madinei@vt.edu

Upcoming events:
CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION PEDAGOGY
Wednesday – Friday, Jan 30 – Feb 1, The Inn at Virginia Tech
The 11th annual conference showcases best practices in teaching and learning and hosts hundreds of participants from across the U.S. and world. Offered in conjunction with the conference is the Symposium on Teaching Large Classes (Feb. 2, 2019), which focuses on issues affecting large class instruction. For more information about the conference, visit https://chep.teaching.vt.edu. To register for conference, visit https://chep.teaching.vt.edu/Registration.html. Early bird registration ends Jan 15.