This Week’s Events:
0. Ongoing Services – updated 6/27/22
1. SOFTWARE CARPENTRY: UNIX GIT AND R/PYTHON
2. GLC CAFÉ
Administrative Announcements:
3. TEAM SCIENCE CLASS, ALCE 5224 – REGISTER NOW – 1st posting
4. APPLICATIONS SOUGHT FOR GRAD HONOR SYSTEM CHAIR POSITION – 2nd posting
5. APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR GPSS TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – UP TO $750 AVAILABLE FOR CONFERENCE EXPENSES – 2nd posting
6. FREE INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP FOR TEACHING WITH DATA – 3rd posting
7. NEW COURSE ON TRANSPARENCY, REPLICATION AND EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS – 3rd posting
Jobs:
8. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POSITION IN THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS – 1st posting
9. BUILDING MANAGER POSITION AT THE GLC – 2nd posting
10. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POSITION IN COMMUNICATING SCIENCE – 2nd posting
Volunteers and research participants sought:
11. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GPSS BBQ – 1st posting
12. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A DATA TRANSFORMATION IN VT RESEARCH STUDY – 1st posting
13. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR DISABILITY AND SEX EDUCATION QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
14. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A STUDY ON LONG-DISTANCE FEMALE RUNNERS – 2nd posting
15. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT GAIN IN FEMALE ATHLETES RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
16. ENDURANCE RUNNERS NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
17. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH STUDY ON SLEEP AND LEARNING – 3rd posting
Upcoming Events:
18. DISRUPTING ACADEMIC BULLYING – August 9
19. GLOBAL DANCE PARTY – August 18
20. UNDERREPRESENTED/MINORITIZED STUDENT LUNCH – August 24
21. DAY FOR DATA CONFERENCE – September 9
0. Ongoing Services – updated 06/27/22
- GRADUATE SCHOOL: In-person advising, drop-off or pick-up of documents and materials, and a space to study and take a break! Visit SHIP (120 GLC), M-F 9:00-4:00pm. If you prefer Zoom advising: request one-on-one assistantship or academic advising by using our online request form to set-up a Zoom session.
- CAREER ADVISING: schedule career advising appointment via https://career.vt.edu/job-search/Handshake.html ; In-person drop-in advising every Wednesday, 1-4pm in the Graduate School (120 GLC). NOTE: there will be no career advising on July 27 in the GLC.
- 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 (Students must pay the summer health fee or daily use fee which can be reimbursed through Aetna. Students must be in Virginia)
- WRITING CENTER SERVICES: Schedule an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com/
- GRADUATE OMBUDSPERSON: contact for appointment at gradstudentombud@vt.edu, 540-231-9573
1. SOFTWARE CARPENTRY: UNIX GIT AND R/PYTHON
August 4-5 (Zoom), August 8-9 (University Mall) or August 11-12 (Online)
Software Carpentry aims to help researchers get their work done in less time and with less pain by teaching them basic research computing skills. This hands-on workshop will cover basic concepts and tools for conducting research with data using the Bash Unix shell, version control with Git, and plotting and programming in R (8/4-5) or Python (8/8-9 or 8/11-12). Learners are expected to attend the full two days. The workshop is open to anyone. You do not need any programming experience to participate but you will need access to a Windows, Mac or Linux computer. For questions, contact Data Education Coordinator Nathaniel Porter (ndporter@vt.edu). Register here: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/?query=carpentry
2. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, August 4, 3:30-5pm, GLC Reading Room
Enjoy snacks, tea, coffee and conversation with graduate students and Graduate School staff. Bring your own mug if you can. The café will only occur on Thursdays during the summer. We will bring back the Wednesday café in the fall.
3. TEAM SCIENCE CLASS, ALCE 5224 – REGISTER NOW – 1st posting
Advance your skills for interdisciplinary teaming! Sign up in Hokie SPA for ALCE 5224: Team Science, Cooperation, and Interdisciplinary Work (CRN 90744). The course is a great complement to any graduate program and can count toward the graduate certificate in collaborative community leadership (https://www.alce.vt.edu/student-info/graduate/commleader.html). For more information, contact Dr. Eric Kaufman, ekaufman@vt.edu. https://www.cals.vt.edu/academic-programs/online/courses/alce5224.html
4. APPLICATIONS SOUGHT FOR GRAD HONOR SYSTEM CHAIR POSITION – 2nd posting
The Graduate Honor System is seeking applications for the chair position. Applicants must be: (1) a graduate student in good standing who has been in residence for a minimum of one semester; (2) able to serve as chair for at least one year while enrolled full-time in the Blacksburg campus. Preferably applicants should have experience as a GHS associate chair, facilitator or panelist. To apply, submit a statement of interest, resume, and one letter of reference to gibsonm@vt.edu by Friday, August 12. The new chair will be selected by a committee and ratified by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Commission on Graduate and Professional Studies and Policies before final appointment by the president. Learn more about the GHS at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/expectations/graduate-honor-system.html, or contact Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu with questions.
5. APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR GPSS TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – UP TO $750 AVAILABLE FOR CONFERENCE EXPENSES – 2nd posting
Graduate students presenting research conducted at Virginia Tech are eligible to apply for the Fall 2022 Travel Fund Program! Grants may cover registration, lodging, meals, abstract fees and other costs of presenting at an in-person or virtual conference with a start date from Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Students from all disciplines are invited to apply, even if your conference abstract has not been officially accepted. Applications due August 22, 2022 at 11:59 PM. Please e-mail cissym@vt.edu with any questions, and visit https://gpss.vt.edu/programs/tfp.html for full details and instructions.
6. FREE INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP FOR TEACHING WITH DATA – 3rd posting
The Carpentries instructor certification workshop is a 2-day online training in best practices for teaching computing and data skills, including guided practice and observation teaching live coding demos. Successful completion of the workshop and checkout process grants badged certification as an instructor for any Carpentries workshop. This is a great opportunity to build teaching skills and contribute back to education at VT. Multiple dates available between now and September 30, but spaces are limited. Learn more here: https://carpentries.org/become-instructor/ Contact Nathaniel Porter at ndporter@vt.edu if you have questions.
7. NEW COURSE ON TRANSPARENCY, REPLICATION AND EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS – 3rd posting
Want to make your research more transparent, analyze multiple existing studies to draw reliable conclusions, and think critically about research methods? Sign up for the brand new Sociology 5984, Evaluating Social Science, this Fall. Open to all VT graduate students, this 3-credit course provides training and hands-on practice conducting open science, conducting replication studies, and implementing structured searches and reviews. Learn more here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LmORf2hynnXWidcE6qERcHI5enPtzhLFXjtbJhawpOI/edit
8. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POSITION IN THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS – 1st posting
The School of Performing Arts has a graduate assistantship available for the 2022-23 academic year. Basic hand and machine sewing skills are required. Requirements and expectations for the Graduate Assistant in the Costume Shop are: assist the Costume Shop Supervisor in the student instruction of tool and technique uses and practices over the course of the semester, and other duties as assigned by the Costume Shop Manager; execute daily tasks that include using basic hand and machine sewing skills and other skills and techniques that you will learn on the job; become acquainted with the processes in the shop and be able to encourage proactive and positive behavior with other graduate students and undergraduate students; help maintain a clean and organized Costume Shop and related facilities. The assistantship is 9-month, 20 hours per week, $19,620 stipend, with tuition waiver. If interested, please email a letter of interest and resume with contact information to Beth Christensen (cbeth@vt.edu) The costume shop Graduate Assistant assists with the construction of costume designs for the Theatre productions. The assistantship in the theatre program’s costume shop is unique compared to other assistantships within the university; work and task expectations occasionally oscillate from busy to less, dependent on each show’s design. The Costume Shop Assistantship is 20 hours per week, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
9. BUILDING MANAGER POSITION AT THE GLC – 2nd posting
Student Engagement and Campus Life (SECL) building managers oversee daily operations of the Graduate Life Center (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 the student center services and their events. GLC building managers are directly responsible for event management bookings, opening & closing of the building, and submitting of facility work orders and daily reports. Building managers must possess strong communication and customer service skills, along with the ability to move event to work at least ten hours a week and have weekend availability. Building managers are paid $13/hr. To apply, please visit Virginia Tech’s Handshake page https://career.vt.edu/job-search/Handshake.html . Search for the “SECL – Graduate Life Center Building Manager” position. If you have any questions, please email Steve Buchner (satlbuch@vt.edu).
10. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POSITION IN COMMUNICATING SCIENCE – 2nd posting
The Center for Communicating Science (in the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment) has a graduate assistantship available for the 2022-23 academic year. Required qualifications include graduate student status at Virginia Tech, visual and verbal communication skills, and organizational skills. This assistantship will be managed by the School of Performing Arts. The assistantship is for 20 hours of effort per week. Work schedule is flexible, with some occasional night/weekend work needed as well as during fall or spring break. Scheduled hours are flexible, for the most part, and may change as needed by the employee upon approval of the supervisor, as long as the 20 hours/week is met. Graduate assistant will support a range of outreach and service activities undertaken by the CCS, including documenting curricular plans, designing materials, managing social media, functioning as coordinator for workshops and events, writing press releases and other news pieces, managing online event information, graphic design, video, photography, digital signage, coordination of surveys and data collection, and other duties as assigned. The assistantship is 9-month, $19,620 stipend, with full tuition waiver. If interested, please email a letter of interest and resume with contact information to Patricia Raun at praun@vt.edu by August 5. Learn more about the Center for Communicating Science here: https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu
11. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GPSS BBQ – 1st posting
The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is looking for 6 volunteers to help set up the Welcome Back BBQ on August 15 on the Graduate School Lawn. Volunteers will be asked to help from 4-8pm and do some lifting and tent set-up. Please do not apply if you would be uncomfortable doing these tasks. If you are interested in volunteering, please email gpss@vt.edu.
12. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A DATA TRANSFORMATION IN VT RESEARCH STUDY – 1st posting
Participants are need for a study to understand whether data transformation can be used in virtual reality using a VR headset (Oculus) and a controller. The research is aimed at the people working in the data science field. So, participants will be asked to analyze and wrangle the given data. Wrangling data required participants to have experience in data science. Thus, a simple and easy quiz will be asked to pass. 5 quizzes will be asked, and 4 quizzes need to be correct. Also, participants must be at least 18 years old, Virginia Tech students or graduate students, and have perfect or corrected vision (i.e., with contacts or glasses). Participants would require a total duration of about 120 minutes at max for the entire study (expect to finish earlier). Participants will receive a $20 Amazon giftcard. Please contact Sungwon In at sungwoni@vt.edu if you are interested.
13. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR DISABILITY AND SEX EDUCATION QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
We want to hear personal stories and experiences of personal health and sexual education from people with disabilities! Up until now, academic research is lacking narratives and lived experiences of sex education from the population directly. Interviews will be approx. 30-90 minutes (depending on your personal story). Eligibility: ages 18-26; has at least one diagnosed disability. Reach out to the lead researcher, Madelyn Toman at maddie99@vt.edu, if interested.
14. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A STUDY ON LONG-DISTANCE FEMALE RUNNERS – 2nd posting
Participants are needed for a study evaluating the effect of jumping exercises on bone health in long-distance female runners (IRB 22-168). As part of this study, you will be asked to consume a reduced-calorie diet that will be provided by the research team, and participate in two phases of supervised treadmill runs and jumping exercises on 5 consecutive days. Study measurements will include body composition, bone density, VO2max, and exercise efficiency. Eligible participants must be a woman in good general health between 18-30 years of age with a BMI between 18.5-25.0 kg/m2, non-smoker, regular menstrual cycle, not on birth control (including oral contraceptives, injections, and IUD), run at least 30 miles/week, run at least 5 days/week, not taking any medications that could affect study results, and not pregnant or lactating. Participants will receive information on body composition, bone density, VO2max, running efficiency, and $100 for your time. If you would like to participate, please contact Trisha Sterringer at VTNEMLab@gmail.com.
15. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT GAIN IN FEMALE ATHLETES RESEARCH STUDY – 2nd posting
Female volunteers needed for a study evaluating the effect of a 10-wk diet and exercise regimen designed to promote healthy weight gain (IRB # 21-561). Eligibility requirements: a female 18-40 years of age; currently engaged in regular exercise training; interested in gaining at least 5 pounds of body weight; willing to participate in a supervised 10-week strength training program; not taking medications or dietary supplements that influence the study results; non-smokers; not pregnant; without any major medical problems (including high blood pressure or coronary heart disease); without any allergies to legumes, peanuts, nuts or tree nuts. Participants will receive $200. If interested, contact the Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism Laboratory at nemlab@vt.edu.
16. ENDURANCE RUNNERS NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
Endurance athletes and ultra-endurance athletes are needed for a study examining the relationship between physical activity and total number of calories expended each day. This study will require 1 virtual meeting and 2 visits to the lab, and a time commitment of approximately 6 hours. The study involvement includes providing a fasting blood sample, a pregnancy test if female, undergoing measurements of body fat, physical activity and fitness level as well as collecting your urine for 14 days after drinking a stable isotope or different form of water to measure how many calories you expend in an average day. To assess your physical activity, you will wear an activity tracker around your waist (except while showering, swimming, or always sleeping ) or on your thigh for 2 weeks while you go about your usual daily activities. You will receive information on your body composition, aerobic capacity, and other health information. Participants must be: 18-60 years of age, vaccinated for Covid-19 (both doses for Moderna or Pfizer, single dose for J&J), stable body weight over the past year (±5 lb), free of cardiovascular (e.g., heart disease), lung, metabolic (e.g., diabetes or thyroid), kidney disease or cancer, endurance athlete who has competed in marathons or ultra-marathons in the past year, sustained a high level of training for the past 6 months, and no recent injuries or other reasons that have changed your training volume. Participants will be entered in a drawing to compensate you for your time and effort with a 1 in 5 chance of being selected to receive $25 in the form of cash. If you have questions, email vtultrahipl@gmail.com.
17. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH STUDY ON SLEEP AND LEARNING – 3rd posting
The goal of the Neural Dynamics and Neural Engineering lab is to uncover what events occur in the brain during sleep that help facilitate the learning of a new task. To meet this goal, we utilize a number of physiological recordings in the lab, such as EEG (see image for reference), EMG, and EOG recordings. Our studies include completing computerized tasks. We are currently recruiting subjects for a BCI task, where you control a moving ball on a computer screen with your thoughts (IRB # 17-860). Participants must be aged 18-65. Exclusion criteria include: history of head trauma(s), diagnosis of a sleep disorder, taking any medications (prescription or over the counter) that affect sleep, and no diagnosis of a psychiatric condition. Participants will receive $30 total for our overnight study. For more information, please visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xe3INOksTGyv0subkgs2IFlr9SVcDWCR3QE5CszcHDQ/edit?usp=sharing. Contact Andrew Kvavilashvili at ndnestudies@gmail.com with questions.
18. DISRUPTING ACADEMIC BULLYING
Tuesday, August 9, 11am-12pm, GLC Room F and Zoom (Hybrid)
There are multiple dynamics within higher education institutions that make academic bullying a complex issue to tackle. This interactive session facilitated by the Graduate Student Ombudsperson, Bryan Hanson, has the goal of developing a shared understanding of the definitions and attributes associated with academic bullying. This shared understanding of this complex issue will provide a common language that makes it easier to have the difficult conversations necessary to disrupt and prevent academic bullying. Following this session, you will be prepared to identify and disrupt academic bullying, recognize the appropriate resources and support structures that can help in this effort, and envision the incremental steps that will be helpful toward creating an environment to prevent academic bullying in the first place. Register here: https://forms.gle/iWs1ZXdh9Coh3dhf8. Contact Chris Smith at christsmith@vt.edu if you have questions.
19. GLOBAL DANCE PARTY
Thursday, August 18, 9-11pm, Squires Commonwealth Ballroom
Cranwell International Center presents Global Dance Party, a celebration of cultural diversity on the VT campus with DJ’d music from around the world. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Iuliia Hoban at iuliaah@vt.edu if you have questions.
20. UNDERREPRESENTED/MINORITIZED STUDENT LUNCH
Wednesday, August 24, 12-1pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
The Graduate School’s Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion, invites all underrepresented and/or minoritized students for a lunch to connect racial/ethnic minorities, sexual/gender minorities, and others who identify as a minority in graduate education. The event is FREE and ALL are invited to attend. Registration is required: https://applyto.graduateschool.vt.edu/register/URMLunch22. Questions? Please contact Shernita Lee, PhD at ordi@vt.edu.
21. DAY FOR DATA CONFERENCE
Friday, September, 9, 8:30am – 3pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Join us for Day for Data: Analytics in Action, a brand-new conference at Virginia Tech that will connect students and industry professionals in a practical exploration of the modern applications of big data and data analytics in the corporate setting! Featuring keynote speakers, networking opportunities, panel discussions, and the opportunity to connect with recruiters from industry-leading companies. Learn more and register today at http://pampl.in/dayfordata.