April 5-11, 2021

This Week’s Events:    
0. Ongoing Services – updated 2/1/21    
1. APIDA MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP THEME:  PERFORMATIVE ACTIVISM AND BOBA LIBERALISM
2. IS BEAUTY A GUIDE TO TRUTH?
3. UNCOVERING YOUR VALUES SEMINAR 
4. GLC CAFÉ
5. INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT JOB SEARCH STRATEGY
6. ACEC PRESENTS: NIGHTTIME GUIDED MEDITATION WITH VIVEK RAJAN

Administrative Announcements:  
7. FREE CLEAR FACE MASKS AVAILABLE – 1st posting
8. DONNING OF THE KENTE GRADUATION CELEBRATION – 1st posting
9. SEXUAL ASSAULT AND VIOLENCE EDUCATION BY STUDENTS (SAVES) ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS – 1st posting
10. GRADUATE STUDENT BUDGET BOARD FUNDING REQUESTS NOW OPEN – 2nd posting
11. GRAD 5124: RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – REGISTER NOW! – 2nd posting
12. VIRTUAL SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS WORKSHOP OFFERED THIS SUMMER – 2nd posting
13. VIRTUAL ART EXHIBIT AND PANEL: INTERFAITH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, & ARTS – 2nd posting 

Jobs:  
14. 2021-2022 GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION – OFFICE OF GLOBAL ENGINEERING, ENGAGEMENT, AND RESEARCH (GEER) – 2nd posting
15. GRADUATE RESIDENT FELLOW POSITION – HONORS COMMONS 2021-2022 – 3rd posting

Volunteers and research participants sought:     
16. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A SENSORY TECHNIQUES RESEARCH STUDY – 1st posting
17. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR VIRTUAL REALITY IMPROVISATION STUDY – 1st posting
18. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CONSUMER WEB-BASED SURVEY ON EDAMAME – 1st posting
19. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EDAMAME SENSORY STUDY -1st posting
20. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COVID COMPANIONS PROGRAM – 2nd posting
21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EMOTION REGULATION AND EVALUATIONS OF LEADERS RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
22. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AUGMENTED REALITY RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ECHO LAB AR RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ON-LINE SURVEY ON DRINKING WATER BEHAVIOR – 3rd posting

Upcoming Events:   
25. MAXIMIZING LINKEDIN – April 12
26. REFLECTIONS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION FROM THE VT COMMUNITY – April 12-14
27. CRAFTING YOUR PERSONAL SCIENCE STORY – April 13 and 15
28. CHARADES: GAME TIME WITH THE GRADUATE SCHOOL – April 13
29. THE FRONTERA PROJECT – REGISTER NOW! – April 13
30. VIRGINIA TECH GRADUATE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE INFORMATION SESSION – April 14
31. HOW THE TEACHINGS OF RUMI CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALING AND PERFECTION OF OUR HUMANITY – April 15
32. FIWGSA’S DEI COMMITTEE MOVIE CLUB (APRIL) – FREEDOM RIDERS – April 16
33. KITE FLYING ON THE DRILLFIELD – REGISTER NOW! – April 19
34. CRAFTING A STORY OF YOUR RESEARCH – April 20 and 22
35. OLD TO NEW: CONNECT WITH YOU!  – VIRTUAL NETWORKING EVENT – April 21
36. FINAL GRADUATE STUDENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING FOR ACADEMIC YEAR – April 22
37. “SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DISASTER RESILIENCE” – SEMINAR BY ZAHRAA SAIYED – April 30

0. Ongoing Services – updated 2/1/21     
· GRADUATE SCHOOL: In person drop-off or pick-up of documents and materials M-F 1:00-3:00pm, 120 GLC. Request one-on-one assistantship or academic advising by using our online request form to set-up  a Zoom session.   
· CAREER ADVISING: schedule virtual career advising appointment via https://career.vt.edu/job-search/Handshake.html      
· COOK COUNSELING: Drop-in Zoom hours, Tuesdays 10am-12pm and Thursdays and Fridays 3pm-5pm, Zoom links found here. To make an appointment, visit: https://vt-ucc.titaniumhwc.com/ScheduleGraduateFirstCookConnect
· WRITING CENTER SERVICES: Schedule an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com/       
· GRADUATE OMBUDSPERSON: contact for appointment at gradstudentombud@vt.edu, 540-231-9573      

1. APIDA MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP THEME:  PERFORMATIVE ACTIVISM AND BOBA LIBERALISM
Monday, April 5, 4-5pm, Online
This biweekly support group will address this week’s theme, “Performative Activism” and “Boba Liberalism.” Registration Link: https://rb.gy/uvnhuy

2. IS BEAUTY A GUIDE TO TRUTH?
Thursday, April 8, 12:30pm, Zoom
Beauty inspires humans to great feats of imagination and discovery. Can beauty also help us find truth about the world and ourselves? Might beauty contribute to the advance of science or reveal the presence of God? An Oxford physicist and a Virginia Tech philosopher explore the relationship between aesthetics and science. RSVP at bit.ly/veritas-beauty

3. UNCOVERING YOUR VALUES SEMINAR 
Thursday, April 8, 4:00 – 4:55 pm (EST), Zoom
Join the Graduate School for a seminar to learn tips about uncovering your core values. Registration form: https://bit.ly/Uncovering_Your_Values Contact the Graduate School Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion with questions: ordi@vt.edu

4. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, April 8, 4-5:00pm, Zoom https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/97678968202
Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee and join fellow grads and Grad School staff for some casual conversation and the occasional game via Zoom. If you have questions or concerns about this event, email Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu.  

5. INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT JOB SEARCH STRATEGY
Thursday, April 8, 4-5pm, Zoom
International graduate students will learn how to launch a successful American job search during this virtual workshop, including search strategies, etiquette, & online resources. Register here: https://vt.joinhandshake.com/events/643487/share_preview Contact Alyssa Rametta if you have questions: alyssarametta@vt.edu.

6. ACEC PRESENTS: NIGHTTIME GUIDED MEDITATION WITH VIVEK RAJAN
Thursday, April 8, 8-pm, Online
Vivek Rajan was trained and certified as a meditation teacher at the Art of Living Center in Washington D.C. in 2009 and has led these programs for hundreds of people nationally. Link: http://rb.gy/1wq4qe

7. FREE CLEAR FACE MASKS AVAILABLE – 1st posting
TransparenSee is a team of MPH students and a graduate student engineer who won the TECH Together grant competition last summer and created a scalable, clear face mask to allow communication to be more effective within the deaf and hard of hearing community, with the intention of creating a more inclusive environment. Our mask is reusable, easy to disinfect, adjustable, and validated to be equivalent to a cloth face mask. Using a clear mask allows individuals to read lips and see facial features. We are distributing our FREE mask to a wide variety of community organizations within the NRV. If you are interested in receiving masks for your staff, students, or know of a business that would benefit, please share our information and contact us through Instagram: @Transparen_See or Facebook: @TransparenSeeNRV. 

8. DONNING OF THE KENTE GRADUATION CELEBRATION – 1st posting
The Donning of the Kente Graduation Celebration, will be offered virtually this year! The Donning celebration is an opportunity to celebrate our graduating seniors and graduate students through a cultural lens. All students that participate in the Donning of the Kente Graduation Celebration, will receive a graduation celebration kit from the Black Cultural Center. All kits will be made available only in person, and will not be shipped. In preparation for this event, we will need to collect information as indicated on this form by April 15: https://forms.gle/ANRoN27Nfn7D7ru78

9. SEXUAL ASSAULT AND VIOLENCE EDUCATION BY STUDENTS (SAVES) ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS – 1st posting
Passionate about ending sexual and relationship violence in our community? Join SAVES! Sexual Assault and Violence Education by Students (SAVES) is a peer education group that focuses on leading conversations on consent, sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. Applications for 2021-2022 are now open. Apply at http://tinyurl.com/SAVES2021 by April 12th. Questions? Email soph0415@vt.edu

10. GRADUATE STUDENT BUDGET BOARD FUNDING REQUESTS NOW OPEN – 2nd posting
The Graduate Student Budget Board Funding Requests are open now. All graduate student organizations with “Graduate” in their title are eligible to apply for funding requests. The funding categories will include Conference/Travel/Online Symposium Funding, Food for Events and Meetings and Outreach events. Please follow this link for more details:
https://gsa.vt.edu/advocacy/gsbb-announcement.html and feel free to contact gsa@vt.edu

11. GRAD 5124: RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – REGISTER NOW! – 2nd posting
Take your research to the next level! Sign up in Hokie SPA for GRAD 5124: Research Skills for Graduate Students, a 1-credit, pass/fail, fully-online course offered by University Libraries in fall 2021. Four discipline-specific sections are offered, so be sure to sign up for the section that relates to your subject area! Contact Lisa at lisab5@vt.edu with questions. 

12. VIRTUAL SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS WORKSHOP OFFERED THIS SUMMER – 2nd posting
The University Libraries will be hosting a virtual Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (SRMA) Deep-Dive this summer. In this session, participants will be given the opportunity to practice skills required for a SRMA through hands-on experiences and guidance from the Evidence Synthesis Services Team and collaborators (e.g., SAIG). If you’ve already started your own SR/MA or have a research question in mind, you’re encouraged to bring it to this session. If not, we’ll have examples prepared for you to practice with. It is expected that participants will come with a basic understanding of SRMA or evidence synthesis methodology. If this event is of interest to you,please fill out a brief interest form by April 9th to help us plan! This event is open to all, regardless of discipline. Send any questions to Cozette (cozette@vt.edu). 

13. VIRTUAL ART EXHIBIT AND PANEL: INTERFAITH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, & ARTS – 2nd posting
Students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to submit artworks that express how their worldviews, religious, spiritual, or secular beliefs inform their perspectives in social justice efforts Art must be submitted by April 10.  The exhibit launch will bring together a panel of three outstanding artists on Wednesday, April 21, 5:30-7pm: Anne Elise Thomas, PhD, Katy Shepard, and Jon Catherwood-Ginn. The panel will be moderated by Mohammed Ba-Aoum, doctoral student and Grad School Diversity Scholar) Visit the website to submit your artwork and register for the panel: https://dos.vt.edu/interfaithart. This is sponsored by the VT Interfaith Council and a Graduate School Diversity Scholar.

14. 2021-2022 GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION – OFFICE OF GLOBAL ENGINEERING, ENGAGEMENT, AND RESEARCH (GEER) – 2nd posting
The GEER Office in the College of Engineering is responsible for supporting and promoting the international activities of the college, including education abroad and exchange programs for students, international research and faculty activities, hosting international visitors, and international alumni relations. The graduate assistant provides support for the activities and initiatives of the GEER office. The focus of this position is the development, implementation and administrative support of the office’s Global Ambassador Program and online learning and campus outreach activities. These support developing global engineering competencies across the College of Engineering. The position includes coordinating special events and supporting the office’s portfolio of Canvas modules and co-curricular activities. A full description of the opportunity and directions to apply can be found here: https://eng.vt.edu/academics/international-programs/student-resources-for-international-programs/graduate-assistant-position.html We will begin to review applications April 1.

15. GRADUATE RESIDENT FELLOW POSITION – HONORS COMMONS 2021-2022 – 3rd posting
The Honors Residential Commons is seeking a full-time graduate student for the 2021-2022 academic year to serve as a graduate resident fellow.  A Graduate Resident Fellow (GRF) is a leader in the Honors Residential Commons that helps support community development through programming, advising, and support of residential college initiatives. GRF must be a full-time graduate student at Virginia Tech and remain in good academic standing. A commitment to fostering strong intellectual and social engagement between undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty and staff are required. Review the GRF application call-out to understand requirements and compensation for the position here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fHc-SKebpH0Gwt4bjMxHh0_UTjJbbry2/view?usp=sharing Candidates should submit a resume, letter of interest, and three professional references to Faculty Principal Dr. Pablo Tarazaga (ptarazag@vt.edu) and Student Life Coordinator Page Fetter (pfetter@vt.edu). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with priority consideration given to those who submit their materials by 5pm on Friday, March 26th, 2021. If you have questions, contact Page Fetter at pfetter@vt.edu.

16. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A SENSORY TECHNIQUES RESEARCH STUDY – 1st posting
The Virginia Cognitive System Engineering Lab at Virginia Tech is seeking students to participate in a Research Study (IRB #19-553) to determine what types of sensory techniques/aides in the VR Whack-a-mole game will deliver the best performance. Participants will be asked to play whack-a-mole in a Virtual Space while guarding themselves from projectiles coming from behind them. You will be wearing an HTC VIVE VR Headset as well as handle two controllers. The study should take no more than one hour per participant. You will receive a compensation of $10/hr in cash for your contribution, you will need to provide your name and signature in order to receive the payment. Please note that you must be 18+ years old and have 20/20 visual acuity (good vision) or better, you cannot wear glasses during the study. If you are interested please contact Gram Hsing (ghsing@vt.edu).

17. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR VIRTUAL REALITY IMPROVISATION STUDY – 1st posting
Our group in the course CS6724 (Collab, Creativity & Comp) is seeking participants for a study involving a Virtual Reality and video conferencing improvisational exercise. The exercise will be run through both VRChat and Zoom. The study will be conducted entirely online. Throughout the experiment you will be answering questions related to your experience. The experiment will take approximately 45mins to finish.  Access to a VR headset of any kind required to participate (standalone headsets such as the Quest are included). Participants must be of age 18 years or older and able to speak English to be part of the study. There is no planned compensation but we would be very grateful for your participation. If you’re interested, please contact Md Tahsin Tausif at tausiftt52@vt.edu

18. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CONSUMER WEB-BASED SURVEY ON EDAMAME – 1st posting
The VT Sensory Evaluation Lab is recruiting volunteers (18+ years old) to participate in a web-based survey study designed to better understand consumer willingness to pay for edamame (vegetable soybean) products (IRB 18-310). The survey can be accessed here: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmG7d7h7o1fDqmx. It contains 25 questions and will take no more than 15 minutes to complete. This knowledge will be used to inform edamame researchers and domestic growers. If you would like additional information or have questions about this study, please contact Renata Carneiro (rcvc@vt.edu).

19. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EDAMAME SENSORY STUDY – 1st posting
The VT Sensory Evaluation Lab is recruiting volunteers (18+ years old) to participate in a new sensory study ofedamame (vegetable soybeans)(IRB-18-310). Participants will be asked to taste edamame samples, describe their impressions, and answer a short survey. If you have allergies to soy products or are pregnant you are asked to refrain from participating. There is no compensation, but all participants are eligible to enjoy a nice snack after completing the test. Study will be on Monday, April 5th- Friday, April 9th, in the VT Sensory Evaluation Lab (HABB1 room 205, 1230 Washington St SW). Parking passes are available upon request. Time commitment is ~20 minutes. We have taken steps to reduce risk related to COVID-19 and will provide you with a summary of those steps prior to beginning the study. Questions or additional information? Please contact Rebekah Miller (rebekahm20@vt.edu).

20. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COVID COMPANIONS PROGRAM – 2nd posting
COVID-19 has had a great effect on the older adult population, where many are isolated in their homes. The Virginia Tech Public Health Program, the Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology, the New River Valley Health Task Force, and the Blacksburg Police Department have coordinated to develop a COVID Companions program that seeks to reduce this social isolation. COVID Companions is a buddy program that connects older adults with a friend within the NRV community. The program includes weekly phone calls, video-calls, or pen pals between the older adult and the companion. The COVID Companions leadership team is looking for student volunteers of any age and background to become companion volunteers. Interested student volunteers should contact Callyn Niesen at calruth@vt.edu 

21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EMOTION REGULATION AND EVALUATIONS OF LEADERS RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
You’re invited to participate in a dissertation study examining the impact of emotion regulation on evaluations of leaders. This is an online Zoom/Qualtrics study that will last about 50 minutes and you’ll receive a $10 Amazon gift card as compensation. During the session, you will watch a Pollock documentary and scenes from the tv show “The Office” and may be asked to regulate your emotions as you watch these videos. This part of the study will be video-recorded on Zoom. Then you will watch more videos of a leader and business managers and answer some surveys related to what you have watched. You need to be 18+ and proficient in English to participate. Male participants especially needed. Contact Elsheba at elsheba@vt.edu if you’re interested! IRB# 20-336

22. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AUGMENTED REALITY RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
The Center for Human-Computer Interaction (CHCI) group is inviting you to participate in a research study with augmented reality (AR) technologies. Our team is investigating the best ways to interact with AR and this study compares various methods of interaction with virtual content to complete collaborative tasks. Study sessions will take place in the CRC (2202 Kraft Dr.). Participants will be asked to complete interaction tasks such as object selection, manipulation in AR. Participants will be asked for their comments about the in-app visual collaborative cues. The entire session will be audio and video recorded. The entire experimental session will take about 90 minutes. After the user study, each participant will be compensated with $12 per hour ($18 for full session). For more information, please contact Nathaniel Llorens at lnathaniel@vt.edu. The project is supervised by Dr. Doug A. Bowman and Dr. Sang Wong Lee in Computer Science. IRB #21-170

23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ECHO LAB AR RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
The Echo Lab at Virginia Tech is looking for voluntary participants for an AR research study. Participants will be introduced to and test a variety of input methods for generating virtual note objects in an augmented reality virtual environment. This experiment will use the Microsoft HoloLens 1. We will be following COVID-19 guidelines for in-person experiments and sanitizing all equipment. We are attempting to evaluate different methods for writing and sketching notes in a virtual environment. We built an algorithm for capturing physical sticky notes in an image and pulling them into the virtual environment with an augmented reality headset. In doing so, we aim to analyze the benefits of utilizing traditional physical tools in augmented reality. Participants must be 18 years or older, have normal vision (20/20) or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses or contact lenses). Participants must be able to complete a user study involving an AR device, pen and paper, and brief survey and post-study interview. Participation is on a first come first serve basis. Your participation is voluntary, will take about 45 minutes, and you will be compensated with a $12 Amazon gift card for completing the experiment. Please contact Tam Phan at tphan25@vt.edu if you have any questions regarding this study.

24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ON-LINE SURVEY ON DRINKING WATER BEHAVIOR – 3rd posting
The Water INTERface IGEP is recruiting volunteers who are Virginia Tech students, faculty or staff and at least 18 years old to participate in an anonymous on-line survey about drinking water behavior (IRB-19-550). Participants will be asked to answer some questions about their drinking water preferences and behaviors, as well as some demographic questions. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to be completed and can be accessed here: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cFIDTJDU3HqLzJc. There is no compensation. Questions or additional information? Please contact Renata Carneiro (rcvc@vt.edu) or Dajun Yu (dajunyu@vt.edu).

Upcoming Events: 

25. MAXIMIZING LINKEDIN
Monday, April 12, 4-5pm, Zoom
Have a LinkedIn profile, but not sure what else there is to LinkedIn? Graduate students attending this workshop will learn how to maximize their LinkedIn profile, search for and connect with alumni, and other LinkedIn networking tools. Register here: https://vt.joinhandshake.com/events/643504/share_preview Contact Alyssa Rametta if you have questions: alyssarametta@vt.edu.

26. REFLECTIONS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION FROM THE VT COMMUNITY
Monday, April 12 – Wednesday, April 14, GLC Lawn (between GLC and Squires)
Come out and record your thoughts anonymously on our chalkboard structure in this community-engaged art project. We aim to collect ideas, messages, and values from the Virginia Tech community regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Chalk, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer will be provided on-site. We hope to gather as many perspectives and voices as possible! For more information, visit https://cutt.ly/jcp1bsZ

27. CRAFTING YOUR PERSONAL SCIENCE STORY
Tuesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 15, 12-1:30pm, Zoom
The Center for Communicating Science has engaged The Story Collider to offer a series of workshopsThis pair of workshops will support you in developing and refining a story. Click here to register for both days: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-your-personal-science-story-tickets-140131536197

28. CHARADES: GAME TIME WITH THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
Tuesday, April 13, 3pm, Zoom
Join the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion for a fun hour of Charades (Act out different phrases through movements and gestures). Register at: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuceGsrzgiHdJU2IJ8dDJpUcyNBNVc1PCRFor questions or additional information, please email the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion at ordi@vt.edu

29. THE FRONTERA PROJECT – REGISTER NOW!
Tuesday, April 13, 3-4:15pm, ZoomPlease join the Community Change Collaborative, an initiative of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance, for an interactive virtual experience with The Frontera Project. The mission of The Frontera Project is to lift up stories of the U.S.-Mexican Border that are too often ignored—stories reflecting the richness and complexity of that region—to create conversation and connection with audiences in the United States. This interactive virtual experience includes a new original short play, music, video, poetry and conversations with guest artists. To attend this event, please register here by April 11th. Attendanceis limited, so register early to ensure your spot. This event is sponsored in part by the Institute for Policy and Governance, Moss Arts Center and The Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. contact Molly Todd mollytodd@vt.edu if you have any questions.

30. VIRGINIA TECH GRADUATE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE INFORMATION SESSION
Wednesday, April 14, 12pm, Zoom
We would like to invite you to join us for an information session about graduate certificates, the application process, and benefits of its pursuit. Register at https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S2Bav7DBSp-0bbXmKCvgzQ For questions or additional information, please email the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion at ordi@vt.edu.

31. HOW THE TEACHINGS OF RUMI CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALING AND PERFECTION OF OUR HUMANITY
Thursday, April 15, 5:30-6:45pm, Zoom
Rumi, a 13th Century Sufi, is one of the most loved spiritual voices of our time. His poetry inspires people from all backgrounds, pointing to the possibility of transformation through consciousness and love. In this event, Kabir Helminski will elaborate on how the teachings of Rumi can contribute to the healing and perfection of our Humanity. Kabir is a translator of Rumi and a Shaikh of the Mevlevi Order (which traces back to Jalaluddin Rumi). His books on spirituality, Living Presence, The Knowing Heart, Holistic Islam, In the House of Remembering, have been published in at least nine languages. This event is hosted by Synergy: interfaith collective at VT. Event will be on Zoom, please RSVP at:  https://tinyurl.com/8xbj29kk

32. FIWGSA’S DEI COMMITTEE MOVIE CLUB (APRIL) – FREEDOM RIDERS
Friday, April 16, 4pm est – Zoom Registration Link Here
“The story behind a courageous band of civil rights activists called Freedom Riders who in 1961 challenged segregation in the American South.” Watch the chosen movie before the DEI Movie Club Discussion – Freedom Riders – PBS American Experience (S23, E11) – Watch the documentary on PBS’s site here

33. KITE FLYING ON THE DRILLFIELD – REGISTER NOW!
Monday, April 19, 4-5pm, Drillfield 
Would you like to make a custom kite and fly it on the Drillfield? You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy campus in the springtime and build connections with other graduate students. If you want to make a kite, please register by April 13th using this link. You will pick up the customizable kite from the Graduate School, make/decorate it on your own, and then bring to the event on April 19. Families are welcome to come, but we are limiting the number of kites to one per family. If you want to bring your own kites, we are looking forward to seeing them! Rain date will be April 20, 4-5pm on the Drillfield. Please contact Hunter at hhmd1997@vt.edu with any questions.

34. CRAFTING A STORY OF YOUR RESEARCH
Tuesday, April 20 and Thursday, April 22, 12-1:30pm, Zoom
The Center for Communicating Science has engaged The Story Collider to offer a series of workshops. This is a two-session sequence that will support you in developing and refining the story of your research. Click here to register for both sessions: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crafting-a-story-of-your-research-tickets-140231513231

35. OLD TO NEW: CONNECT WITH YOU!  – VIRTUAL NETWORKING EVENT
Wednesday, April 21, 8:30am EST and 4pm EST, Zoom
The Graduate School invites you to connect with recently accepted students who plan to attend VT! We can’t think of a better group to share insight and tips with incoming students. We have two opportunities for you to participate, and are grateful for your willingness to give an hour of your time for this outreach effort. Sign up for the 8:30 AM Session: https://slate.to/5mTmLHfP 
and/or 4:00 PM Session: https://slate.to/tMENXFbV. Questions, email us at ordi@vt.edu

36. FINAL GRADUATE STUDENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING FOR ACADEMIC YEAR
Thursday, April 22, 5:30-7:00pm, Online via Zoom.
As a graduate student enrolled at Virginia Tech, you’re automatically a member of GSA, and are welcome to attend 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. Guests, please PM the GA (Dryden) via the chat window upon arriving at the meeting to indicate your attendance. Reps, please use the appropriate sign-in survey. More information about the organization can be found online at http://bit.ly/GSA_Gen_Assembly.   

37. “SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DISASTER RESILIENCE” – SEMINAR BY ZAHRAA SAIYED
Friday, April 30, 12-1pm, Zoom
How does your background and training help you address some of the world’s most complex problems of disaster risk management and reduction? Where do your interests lie and how can you expand your understanding of disasters while working collaboratively with others on these ‘wicked’ problems? Zahraa Saiyed of Scyma Consulting will explore these and other questions during this exciting seminar hosted by the VT Earthquake Engineering Research Institute student chapter. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wCwsPv5Zf_7DpkFkwbkYerzc1RbcvyyoNN-ovDwIN-A/viewform?edit_requested=true and direct questions to Kaleigh Yost at kmyost@vt.edu.