September 3 – 8, 2019

Recurring Events:
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES
2. WEEKLY RECURRING EVENTS

This Week’s Events:
3. GRADUATE STUDENTS: CV AND RESUME WRITING (8/29 – Registration required)
4. MANAGING YOUR NEW ASSISTANTSHIP (8/29 – Registration required)
5. GLC CAFÉ – WELCOME BACK EDITION – CUBICLE TIRAMISU
6. FIRST GRADUATE STUDENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
7. AN EVENING OF APPALACHIAN BALLADS AND OLD-TIME SONGS
7A. MEET YOUR IMMIGRATION ADVISOR
8. INTERVARSITY GRADUATE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: FALL RETREAT (9/6-7; reg. required)

Administrative Announcements:
9A. GRADUATE SCHOOL PLANNERS ARE IN!!!!!
9. CHECK YOUR RESIDENCY STATUS FOR IN-STATE TUITION – 1st posting
10. CALL FOR PAPERS – SPECTRA: THE ASPECT JOURNAL – 1st posting
11. GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM RECRUITING GRADUATE STUDENT PANELISTS – 2nd posting
12. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSION – 2nd posting
13. GRAD 5984 – SS: BEST PRACTICES IN INTERDISCIPLINARY PEDAGOGY – 3rd posting
14. GRAD 5124: RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – 3rd posting
15. RESEARCH TOOLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS WORKSHOP SERIES – 3rd posting

Jobs:
16. FULL-TIME GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP – PEACE CORPS CAMPUS RECRUITER – 1st posting
17. FULL-TIME GRAD ASSISTANTSHIP WITH THE VTARTWORKS INITIATIVE – 2nd posting
18. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP IN ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGIES – 3rd posting
19. GRADUATE ASSISTANTS: CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING & LEARNING – 3rd posting

Volunteers and research participants sought:
20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AN AUGMENTED REALITY USER STUDY – 1st posting
21. VOLUNTEERS NEED FOR EXOSKELETON STUDY – 1st posting
22. GRAD STUDENTS NEEDED FOR STUDY ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WORK & WELL-BEING – 1st posting
23. AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR BIOMECHANICS STUDY – 2nd posting
24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY ABOUT  DATING – 3rd posting
25. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR STUDY ON HUMAN PERCEPTION OF SOUND – 3rd posting
26. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR AR DRIVING SIMULATOR STUDY – 3rd posting

Upcoming events:
— OLE AT VT-  DANCE CLASS
— BASICS IN R (9/11; registration required)
— GRADUATE STUDENTS: CV AND RESUME WRITING (9/11; Registration required)
— LGBTQ+ CONNECT LUNCH (9/17; registration required)
— DATA MANIPULATION IN R (9/17; registration required)

Recurring Events
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES:
– Career Advising: Thursdays, 3:00-5:00pm, GLC Lobby, starting Sep 19. Also see: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/gradcareeropportunity/.
– Cook Counseling: Thursdays & Fridays, 1:00-5:00pm. Will begin Friday Aug 30
– Graduate School advising hours: MTThF 8:00am-5:00pm, W 9:30-4:00, 120 GLC
– Immigration advising hours: MWF 1:00-4:00pm, TTh 9:00am-12:00pm, Room 120 GLC
– Writing assistance: reserve appointment at https://www.lib.vt.edu/spaces/writing-center.html

2. WEEKLY RECURRING EVENTS:
– WRITING STRATEGIES FOR GRADUATE WRITERS
Mondays,  9:30-11:00, GLC, Room D
Session can last up to 1.5 hours; you are limited to two of these special appointments at the GLC per semester.  Make an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com.
–    CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH SUPPORT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Wednesdays and Fridays, 2:30-3:30pm, GLC Room D
Practice conversational English with the help of our community volunteers.
Often, extra individualized support will be available before and after the Wednesday and Friday sessions.  Make an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com.
– GLC CAFÉ
2nd and 4th Wednesday and every Thursday, 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. See below for This Week’s Special Editions.
– FREE CHILDCARE – KIDS’ NIGHT OUT – WELCOME BACK!
Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm, VT Women’s Center, 206 Washington St., B’burg – STARTS SEP 5
Please sign up for this free Thursday evening session (6:30-8:30) of fun and games in a safe and supportive atmosphere for your child aged 2-12 at the Virginia Tech Women’s Center. Space is limited. Children should be toilet trained. Contact Jessie Meltsner at jmelts@vt.edu with any questions. https://doodle.com/poll/gqm2wvxwe3tqrgas

This Week’s Events
3 GRADUATE STUDENT LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2:00-4:00pm, Newman Library Multipurpose Room (101)
Who can help me at the library? How many books can I check out? What support do you offer for data management? Come find out the answers to these questions and more at the Graduate Student Library Open House! Stop in any time between 2:00-4:00pm to chat with representatives from across the library, ask questions, and learn about all the ways that the University Libraries support graduate students throughout their time at the university, from their first semester all the way to finishing a thesis or dissertation. Snacks and drinks will be served. Registration is requested. To register, visit tinyurl.com/libgradopenhouse.

4. MANAGING YOUR NEW ASSISTANTSHIP
Thursday, Sep 5, 10:30am, GLC Room B
This informal workshop, for students with a first-time assistantship at VT, will answer a variety of questions often posed by students when starting an assistantship such as payroll, tuition awards, maintaining eligibility, performance management, time worked, time off, and termination. We will also discuss how to work with your supervisor to get the most out of your assistantship experience. Register at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bBkDxALoiEz8m8t

5. GLC CAFÉ – FOOTBALL EDITION
Thursday, Sep 5, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
Come and enjoy some tailgating treats and learn (or talk) about football. Also, 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.

6. FIRST GRADUATE STUDENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
Thursday, Sep 5, 5:30-7:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
As a graduate student enrolled at Virginia Tech, you’re automatically a member of GSA. Of course, this means that you’re welcome to attend any and all of our General Assembly Meetings. These meetings are not just for delegates – there is an open forum for our community to voice concerns of which the delegate body may not be aware. More information about the organization can be found online at gsa.vt.edu.

7. AN EVENING OF APPALACHIAN BALLADS AND OLD-TIME SONGS
Thursday, Sep 5, 8:00pm, Squires Student Center, Brush Mountain Reading Room (3rd floor)
The graduate student group Community Change Collaborative invites you to an evening of Appalachian ballads and old-time songs. Come and learn more about the music. Free & open to the public. Check out these links for more information: NPR Tiny Desk Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA3Qw3KiEtk or https://communitychange.info/. Or email lkn4187@vt.edu for more info.

7A. MEET YOUR IMMIGRATION ADVISOR
Friday, Sep 6, 2:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Meet the staff of International Graduate Student Services, representatives of campus international organizations, and current students to learn about what they can do to help you on you immigration journey. Light refreshments will be provided.

8. INTERVARSITY GRADUATE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: FALL RETREAT
Sep6-7 (7pm Friday – 7pm Saturday) near Lexington, VA (1.5 hours from VT)
Join us on a 24-hour getaway in a beautiful mountain home for new friendships, delicious meals, indoor/outdoor recreation, group Bible discussion and prayer. Cost is $25 (scholarships are available). Space is limited to 25 participants. For more information and to register online, visit gcfvt.org.

Administrative Announcements:
9A. GRADUATE SCHOOL PLANNERS ARE IN!!!!!
Please come and pick up a Graduate School Planner in the GLC Reading Room or at the Graduate School Reception Desk.

9. CHECK YOUR RESIDENCY STATUS FOR IN-STATE TUITION
If you believe you are considered an in-state resident, please check your HokieSpa account to make sure that your correct residency is reflected. This info can be found under “View your General Student Information.” New graduate students who are Virginia Tech undergraduates are not automatically coded as in-state. To receive in-state residency, students must fill out a Graduate In-State Tuition Request form. For more information go to https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/tuition-and-costs/in-state-tuition-and-residency.html.

10. CALL FOR PAPERS – SPECTRA: THE ASPECT JOURNAL – 1st posting
The editors of SPECTRA: The ASPECT Journal invite submissions of scholarly work by Sep 16 in all areas of social, political, ethical, and cultural thought for the Fall 2019. Submit academic articles, book reviews, and original artwork for publication in volume 7.2. Submissions may speak to individual social science or humanities fields, or apply an interdisciplinary lens to contemporary theoretical, critical, empirical, or policy-oriented subjects. SPECTRA is a graduate student-run, peer reviewed scholarly journal hosted at VT. Its aim is to highlight the power of interdisciplinary work and provide a platform for scholars to work across disciplines and experiment methodologically. Scholarly submissions from graduate-students, early career professionals, and established thinkers accepted. Visit https://spectrajournal.org/announcement/ for more information.

11. GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM RECRUITING GRADUATE STUDENT PANELISTS – 2nd posting
The Graduate Honor System is recruiting graduate students to serve as panelists who review the evidence and determine the outcome of GHS cases. Must be a graduate student at Virginia Tech in good academic standing. Overall time commitment is 3-4 hours/semester based on the number of cases and panelist availability. If interested, contact the GHS Chair, Anurag Mantha (ghs@vt.edu), to set up a brief meeting to discuss the role. Once the meeting is complete, you will be added to the GHS email list and are free to volunteer to serve on any panel based on your availability.

12. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSION – 2nd posting
Multiple dates and times; registration requested. All sessions via Zoom (Meeting ID: 5402318316)
The Graduate School is offering a training session on how graduate students will use iThenticate to review the originality of documents, ensure accurate attribution to other authors, and eliminate occurrences of potential plagiarism. Registration at https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/ by searching for “iThenticate” in the search box.
Monday, September 16th at 2:00pm
Wednesday, October 16th at 10:00am
Wednesday, October 16th at 7:00pm
Tuesday, November 19th at 11:00am
Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:00pm
Thursday, December 5th at 2:00pm

13. GRAD 5984 – SS: BEST PRACTICES IN INTERDISCIPLINARY PEDAGOGY – 3rd posting
Looking for courses toward the Future Professoriate Certificate? Looking for a stimulating class this Fall to help round out Interdisciplinary Thinking AND Pedagogy?  Check out this new 2 credit offering from the Graduate School at Virginia Tech and help to design an actual capstone course! Fun Instruction by Dr. Annie Pearce and a great team of Cohorts held on Thursdays from 5:00-7:00pm in GLC Room B. Follow this link for more information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LmW6MnThKiK_kwus_SOVFm_BOdlT-Vat/view?usp=sharing.

14. GRAD 5124: RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – 3rd posting  
Take your research to the next level! GRAD 5124 (Research Skills for Graduate Students) is a one-credit, fully-online course offered by the University Libraries in fall 2019. Students will develop skills that will prepare them for research in graduate school and beyond. Four discipline-specific sections are offered, so students should be sure to sign up in HokieSPA for the one that relates to their subject area. Questions should be directed to Lisa Becksford at lisab5@vt.edu.

15. RESEARCH TOOLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS WORKSHOP SERIES – 3rd posting
There’s a lot to learn in graduate school, and the library can help! This fall, the library will offer a series of free workshops (offered both in-person and through Zoom) to help you develop the research skills you need to succeed in graduate school. Learn about literature reviews and database searching, citation management, data management, and developing your scholarly presence. For registration links and detailed information about each workshop, visit guides.lib.vt.edu/gradworkshops.

Jobs:
16. FULL-TIME GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP – PEACE CORPS CAMPUS RECRUITER
The Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) is searching for a graduate student who is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) to serve as the part-time Campus Peace Corps Recruiter (20 hours/week). The recruiter will be the main point of contact at VT and other universities in Southwest Virginia for people interested in joining the Peace Corps. The successful candidate will receive a graduate stipend and tuition remission. For application information go to: https://cired.vt.edu/About/job-opportunities.html

17. FULL-TIME GRAD ASSISTANTSHIP WITH THE VTARTWORKS INITIATIVE – 2nd posting
Seeking an experienced and resourceful graduate student to assist community-building and marketing phase of newly launched web resource platform (20 hr. GA stipend plus full tuition waiver for Fall 2019 – possibly Spring 2020). Successful applicant will have experience in on-line, virtual community-building, with strong internet and social media skills, event coordination, and will be good with people, reliable, self-starter, detail oriented, and able to write well with vision and understanding. Conceived and constructed by the VTArtWorks Initiative, a partnership of the School of Performing Arts, the University Libraries, the Moss Arts Center, and the Institute for Creativity, Art, and Technology, the new platform, called CriticalConnecXtions, is a crowdsourced, peer-to-peer, collaborative resource for grass roots arts-making partnerships, designed to strengthen civic relationships, identify assets, and activate those assets for locally-rooted economic development and social health. Send letter of interest and resume to: Bob Leonard, Project Director, at bob.leonard@vt.edu .

18. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP IN ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGIES – 3rd posting
Accessible Technologies in TLOS is looking to fill a 1-year GA. The position is for 20 hours/week. Full details are available in the online job posting (https://www.assist.vt.edu/student-wage.html). Questions can be emailed to assist@vt.edu. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

19. GRAD ASSISTANTS: CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING & LEARNING – 3rd posting
The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is seeking two graduate students with an interest in higher education pedagogy. These GA positions will involve duties related to the planning and completion of projects and evens, supporting center staff, conducting research and case studies, and other duties as assigned. Necessitates a mature and professional demeanor, a positive and approachable attitude, and the ability to communicate with diverse groups of faculty, staff, and students. Strong written and oral communication skills required. Successful candidates will be able to work both independently and in a team, have strong organizational skills, and be flexible. This is a 9-month Graduate Assistant appointment for 20 hours/week, with stipend and tuition remission. If interested, please email cover letters and CVs to James Harder, Research and Project Specialist, at jharder@vt.edu. Please indicate that you are applying for a graduate assistantship in the subject line of your email.

Volunteers and research participants sought:
20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AN AUGMENTED REALITY USER STUDY – 1st posting
The 3D Interaction (3DI) group invites participation in a research study with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies. This team is investigating the best ways to interact with AR and VR, and this study compares various methods of interaction with virtual data and information. Study will make use of state-of-the-art VR and AR technologies such as the HTC Vive and Magic Leap One. Participants will come to the Sandbox, Room 160 in the Moss Arts Center. Participants will be asked to complete interaction tasks such as navigation, viewport manipulation, and object selection in either AR or VR then for their comments about these innovative interaction techniques. The entire experimental session will take about 90 min. Experiment will be video and audio recorded for researchers’ further interpretations and analysis of user behavioral patterns. Must speak English, 18+ years old, have normal or corrected to normal vision (contact lenses are fine, no eyeglasses.) Participation will be on first-come-first-serve basis. For more information or to schedule a session, contact Feiyu Lu at feiyulu@vt.edu.

21. VOLUNTEERS NEED FOR EXOSKELETON STUDY – 1st posting
This lab-based study asks how using an exoskeleton changes the physical demands and productivity of both younger and older workers.  Participants must between 18-30 years or 45-60 years old, male or female. Performance is measured during a lifting/lowering task.  Expected findings will guide exoskeleton use for diverse groups of workers. There are 2 sessions each lasting approx.. 2 hours. Compensation is $10/hr. No self-reported current or recent (past 12-months) musculoskeletal problems or injuries.  The exoskeletons do not provide specific information about body size limits for their use, so participants will be excluded if an exoskeleton does not fit comfortably.  Email Albert Moore at amoore@vt.edu to sign up and receive the Informed Consent Form.

22. GRAD STUDENTS NEEDED FOR STUDY ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WORK & WELL-BEING – 1st posting
Virginia Tech researchers in the Department of Psychology are recruiting VT graduate students for a study on physical activity, work characteristics and psychological well-being. Participation will consist of the completion of three online surveys completed a month apart during the academic semester. Compensation is a $5 Amazon gift card per survey for a total of $15 in Amazon gift cards possible. Click link for first survey and more info: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bd3ZuQUw8ujvUKV.
Contact Trevin Glasgow (trevin@vt.edu) or Scott Geller (esgeller@vt.edu) with questions.

23. AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR BIOMECHANICS STUDY – 2nd posting
The Granata Biomechanics Lab is studying the impact of race and related factors on movement mechanics. This low-risk study will involve two testing sessions (approximately 30 minutes and 90 minutes in length). Participants will receive a total of $20 in compensation. Must meet the following criteria: (1) be between 18 and 30 years old, (2) self-identify as African-American, (3) can walk without an assistive device, and (4) have not had a lower extremity injury in the past 3 months that limited your physical activity for more than 2 days. If interested, contact Cherice Hughes-Oliver at cnh4ph@vt.edu.

24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY ABOUT DATING – 3rd posting
Participate in a study about what your parents told you and what they didn’t tell you. Conducted by Joong Won Kim and Dr. Bonnie Zare in the Virginia Tech Sociology Department. Purpose of this research is to explore how men build relationships with family, friends and romantic partners. Seeking information on answers to questions like: 1) Do you feel like the dating atmosphere at Tech is competitive? 2) What does your family expect from you regarding dating /starting a relationship of any kind/being intimate? 3) How do your ideas differ from your family’s? Must be at least 18 years old, male or male-identified and unmarried. If interested, go to https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8libq89kQnZuWkl.
Your name and your responses will be separated.  Survey takes less than 40 min. You will receive a $10 Amazon gift card for your time.

25. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR STUDY ON HUMAN PERCEPTION OF SOUND – 3rd posting
This user-study gives participants the chance to play an Audio-game with the Cube’s 128-speaker array using gestures alone while collecting valuable data on human perception of sound. Sign up for this immersive audio-game experience here: User-Study Appointment Calendar. The complete study will last for 60 minutes and will be held in the Cube, a facility within the Moss Arts Center. For more details, please go to http://wvtf.org/post/music-spheres-big-data-meets-big-sound. Questions? Contact Disha Sardana at dishas9@vt.edu.

26. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR AR DRIVING SIMULATOR STUDY – 3rd posting
The COGENT Lab at Virginia Tech (https://cogent.ise.vt.edu/) needs volunteers for a study using in-vehicle and head-up displays and how they impact drivers. Participants will be asked to complete short tasks while driving in the simulator and wearing eye tracking glasses. Must be 18+, an active driver with valid US driver’s license for over a year, and have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (corrected using contact lenses).  Compensation is $15 and the study should last no more than 1.5 hours. Please be aware that there is a risk of induced motion sickness when using a driving simulator. Do not volunteer if susceptible to motion sickness, migraines, epilepsy, dizziness or blurred vision, or are pregnant. Questions? Contact Nayara Faria via email at nfaria@vt.edu

Upcoming events:
OLE AT VT-  DANCE CLASS
Monday, Sep 9, 7:30-8:30pm, 104 Johnston Student Center
No prior experience needed. Olé at VT is a group of students dedicated to studying the art and performance of Flamenco dance, as well as other types of Spanish dance. Meets weekly to dance and perform various times throughout the semester including an exclusive final performance at the end of every semester. Open to all students, faculty, staff, and members of the community, regardless of experience with dance and/or Spanish culture.  For more information or questions, contact nitashas@vt.edu.

BASICS IN R
Wednesday, Sep 11, 5:00–7:00pm, Torgerson 1100
Are you a researcher who has recently collected data? Do you want help learning how to use a software package to analyze your data? R is a free statistical software used for data analysis in a variety of fields. This hands-on and interactive course covers the following topics: Navigating RStudio; Reading a data file into R; Computing Descriptive Statistics; Generating Graphics for Exploratory Data Analysis; Exporting a file from R. No previous coding experience required. Bring laptop and install R and RStudio by downloading from the following links: https://www.r-project.org/ (Links to an external site) https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/download/ (Links to an external site). If you already have R and RStudio, make sure they are the most up-to-date versions. This course is jointly sponsored by the Statistical Application and Innovations Group (SAIG) and Networked Learning Initiatives (NLI). Enroll Today: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/saig1-091119   Free to VT Faculty & Student Researchers
  
GRADUATE STUDENTS: CV AND RESUME WRITING
Thursday, Sep 11, 5:30-6:30 pm, Graduate Life Center, Room F
Graduate students attending this workshop will learn the basics of writing resumes and CVs, understand the key differences between the two documents, and how to convert a CV to a resume for an industry job search. Additional career resources available for graduate students will also be shared. Register at
https://vt.joinhandshake.com/events/324568/share_preview

LGBTQ+ CONNECT LUNCH
Tuesday, Sep 17, 12:00pm-1:00 pm, Graduate Life Center Room C
You are invited to this year’s LGBTQ+ Graduate Student Connect Lunch with keynote speaker Dr. Jordan Harrison, Clinical Psychologist at Cook Counseling Center. Students, faculty/staff, and members of the community are also invited to join us for the lunch. The event is free and all are welcome to attend. Please register at http://bit.ly/2019ConnectLunch. For accommodations, please contact Dr. Justin Grimes at jgrimes18@vt.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

DATA MANIPULATION IN R
Tuesday, Sep 17, 5:00–7:00pm, Torgerson 1100
Do you have a dataset you need to clean up? Do you want help learning how to use R to clean data? In this hands-on and interactive course, learn to do the following: Subset a dataset; Create new variables; arrange, sort, and rename variables; Stack datasets; Merge datasets. Very minimal coding experience is required. It is suggested that you attend the SAIG Short Course: Basics of R before attending this course. Bring a laptop to the course and please install R and RStudio which can be downloaded from the following links: https://www.r-project.org/ (Links to an external site).
https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/download/ (Links to an external site). If you already have R and RStudio, make sure they are the most up-to-date versions. This course is jointly sponsored by the Statistical Application and Innovations Group (SAIG) and Networked Learning Initiatives (NLI).Enroll Today: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/saig2-091719. Free to VT Faculty & Student