October 31 – November 7, 2022

This Week’s Events:       

0. Ongoing Services – updated 8/15/22 
1. HALLOWEEN BLOOD DRIVE – October 31
2. DMV CONNECT AT BLACKSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY – October 31
3. TEACH-IN DAY FALL 2022 – VTGRATE –  November 1
4. QUEER GRADS, PROFESSIONALS, AND ALLIES MEETING – November 1
5. GLC CAFÉ- November 36. FEELS GRAD PEER SUPPORT CIRCLE – November 3
6. FEELS GRAD PEER SUPPORT CIRCLE – November 3
7. KIDS’ NIGHT OUT–FREE CHILDCARE – November 3
8. ATOM-r ZOOM PERFORMANCE WATCH PARTY – November 3

Administrative Announcements:    

9. GRADUATE SCHOOL SEEKING GRADUATE STUDENT TOUR GUIDES – 1st posting
10. PLEDGE TO BE A GREEN GRADUATE! – 1st posting
11. SPECTRA JOURNAL CFP SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED – 1st posting
12. FREE ONE-ON-ONE NUTRITION GUIDANCE – 2nd posting
13. IMPORTANT COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS – 3rd posting
14. WINTER SESSION COURSE: EDHE 5984: ADDRESSING CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION – 3rd posting
15. WINTER 2023 TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – 3rd posting
16. SOLIDARITY WRITING GROUP – 3rd posting
17. RESEARCH NOTEBOOK ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP – 3rd posting

Jobs:   

None at this time

Volunteers and research participants sought:  

18. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS – GAME DAY GREEN TEAM – 1st posting
19. PLEASE HELP VT BETTER UNDERSTAND ITS IMPACT BY ANSWERING THIS SPENDING SURVEY – 1st posting
20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY ON TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM – 1st posting
21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CREATIVE PROGRAMMING STUDY – 1st posting
22. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION VIDEO – 1st posting
23.  PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A DEBUGGING RESEARCH STUDY – 3rd posting
24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR INTERVIEWS AROUND GRADUATE STUDENTS’ NEEDS AND INTERESTS – 3rd posting

Upcoming Events: 

25. IRB SERIES: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) 101 – November 7
26.  APIDA MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP – November 7
27. STARTING YOUR ETD: FORMATTING TIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – November 7
28. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK: KEYNOTE AND GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM – November 10
29. LATEX FOR EDTS WITH OVERLEAF –November 10
30. WGD VIRTUAL DISCUSSION SERIES: THE GENDERING OF CLIMATE CHANGE SCHOLARSHIP IN AFRICA – Nov 10
31. EVALUATING LITERATURE & CRITICALLY APPRAISING RESEARCH – November 10
32. SEAL: A PLAY BY DANTE FUOCO –  November 14
33. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS INFO SESSION November 15
34. ENHANCING A SENSE OF BELONGING – FEATURING GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE USA – November 17

 0. Ongoing Services – updated 08/15/22    

1. HALLOWEEN BLOOD DRIVE Monday, October 31, 9am-2pm,Waterfall Room of the Vet Med Building The Graduate Public Health Association is hosting the Red Cross for a Halloween blood drive. There are 47 total slots, but they may fill up fast. Feel free to come in costume! Register here: Follow the link, enter the zip code and scroll down to the 31st: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive

2.  DMV CONNECT AT BLACKSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY Monday, October 31, 10am-4pm (closed for lunch 12:30-1:30pm), Blacksburg Public Library Can’t get to DMV? DMV is coming to you! DMV Connect offers: REAL ID, drivers licenses, identification cards (adult and child), disabled parking placards, vehicle titles, Virginia vital records, address changes, vehicle registrations, E-Z Pass transponders, compliance summaries, transcripts, hunting and fishing licenses, and knowledge testing. Walk-ins only.

3. TEACH-IN DAY FALL 2022 – VTGRATE Tuesday, November 1, 1-4pm, GLC Room F and Zoom Teach-In Day is back at Virginia Tech Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence (VTGrATE) Join us on Nov 1, 1-4 pm, GLC room F/ in Zoom. Different speakers will be speaking about topics related to finding your teaching voice, what to expect as GTA’s and other important topics. Registration not required to attend in-person.  Zoom link : https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/87960831481

4. QUEER GRADS, PROFESSIONALS, AND ALLIES MEETING Tuesday, November 1, 6-7:15, Blacksburg Municipal Park and Zoom Come join fellow LGBTQIA+ members of the VT grad, professional community and ally community. We provide a safe, inclusive space to gather and discuss the unique experiences, perspectives, hopes, dreams, and needs of graduate and working professional LGBTQIA+ individuals. We will go over announcements, have some small group and large group discussions, and maybe even play some games. Feel free to bring some games to the meeting. All are welcome! Feel free to reach out to our new member coordinator Kelsey (she/they/any pronouns) at kjennings@vt.edu to get information about the organization and how to join our discord server. Zoom Meeting ID: 868 6198 5858 | Zoom Link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/86861985858?pwd=UnIzZEpjSzhmaFlJQ2ZZMkg1dVR2QT09 | Zoom Passcode: QGPAgroup

5. GLC CAFÉ  Thursday, November 3, 3:30-5pm, GLC Reading Room Enjoy coffee, tea, cookies and conversation with graduate students and Graduate School staff. Bring your own mug if you can! The GLC Café occurs every Thursday and the 2nd and 4th Wednesday.  

6. FEELS GRAD PEER SUPPORT CIRCLE Thursday, November 3, 6-7pm, GLC Wellness Room 63 This is a supportive space led by graduate students, for graduate students. For today, we will talk about some of the different mind traps to look out for when we are reacting in ways that are not serving our healthy goals and go through strategies to help dispute irrational thinking. No need to register or even swipe in. Come whenever you like. For more information visit the FEELS webpage: https://hokiewellness.vt.edu/students/outreach/feels.html

7. KIDS’ NIGHT OUT–FREE CHILDCARE Thursday, November 3, 6:30-8:00pm, VT Women’s Center, 206 Washington Street Please join us for Kids’ Night Out, an evening of fun, free childcare for kids age 2 (potty trained) to 10. We have toys, games, activities, snacks, and sitters with lots of energy. Get some classwork done, meet with friends, or just take some time for yourself! Sign up here to enroll for this week, and join us in the future by signing up each week! Location is at the VT Women’s Center, 206 Washington Street. Park in the back and come up the stairs to enter. KNO is held every Thursday during the semester from 6:30 to 8. Contact jmelts@vt.edu with any questions. https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/elx5VpVe

8. ATOM-r ZOOM PERFORMANCE WATCH PARTY 

Thursday, November 3, 7-8pm, Creativity and Innovation District Community Assembly/Lobby Join us for a Zoom performance and live Q&A with the performance duo ATOM-r on Thursday, November 3rd at 7pm ET in the Community Assembly/Lobby of the Creativity and Innovation District Building (located directly behind the Graduate Life Center). The watch party is free and catered by Our Daily Bread. ATOM-r (Anatomical Theatres of Mixed Reality) is a collective exploring 21st century embodiment through performance, poetics and emerging technologies. The work mixes the live body with ubiquitous computing through an implementation of Augmented Reality (AR) in which virtual content is overlaid onto bodies and spaces. This event is sponsored by the VT Graduate Arts Council and The New River: A Journal of Digital Art & Literature. Optional registration or for more information:  https://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/event/8534345

9. GRADUATE SCHOOL SEEKING GRADUATE STUDENT TOUR GUIDES – 1st posting The Graduate School is seeking graduate students to serve as tour guides to prospective graduate students for the Spring 2023 semester. Applicants must have good communication skills, an eagerness to share VT with others, familiarity with campus location, and be willing to conduct 2-5 tours a semester.  Tours are typically 1.5 hours. Applicants must also have a current valid driver’s license, though walking tours will also be offered. Tour guides will be provided with training and will receive a small stipend at the end of the semester. Please complete the following survey if you are interested in applying for a graduate student tour guide position with the Graduate School. https://forms.gle/fS5X9JsPUV8uSbvf6  Interviews for these positions will take place in late November. Contact grads@vt.edu if you have questions.

10. PLEDGE TO BE A GREEN GRADUATE! – 1st posting Attention students graduating in December! Become a Green Graduate at Virginia Tech by pledging to foster a sustainable world! To honor students who take the pledge, the Office of Sustainability awards all pledge signers with a FREE green cord for graduation. Pledges will be posted on the Green Graduates at Virginia Tech Facebook page https://facebook.com/greengradsvt. Pledge here by Friday, December 9: https://forms.gle/fFEaWd7RUj2FLDfbA  Visit the Green Graduates at Virginia Tech website for more info http://tinyurl.com/greengrads and email giaha@vt.edu if you have questions.

11. SPECTRA JOURNAL CFP SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED – 1st posting The editors of SPECTRA: The ASPECT Journal have extended the call for papers for the Spring 2023 issue to January 6, 2023. SPECTRA is an online, peer-reviewed scholarly journal established as part of the ASPECT program at VT. SPECTRA welcomes submissions for publication by way of scholarly refereed articles, book reviews, essays, and other works that operate within a problem-centered, theory-driven framework. Submissions may speak to individual social science fields or apply an interdisciplinary lens to contemporary theoretical, critical, and empirical subjects. Recent articles have centered on biopolitics, affect, and interdisciplinary methodologies, among other topics in contemporary social and humanistic thought. Full submissions are due by January 6, 2023. Email questions and submissions to journalSPECTRA@gmail.com. For more information and submission guidelines, visit SPECTRAjournal.org SPECTRA Editorial Team: Leah Ramnath, editor Samuel Beckenhauer, editor

12. FREE ONE-ON-ONE NUTRITION GUIDANCE – 2nd posting Seeking nutrition guidance? Are you interested in learning how to make food choices that support a healthy lifestyle? Maybe you need help with skills for shopping and cooking to help you reach your wellness goals. If you have any of these concerns or others, upper-level nutrition students are here to help. The Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise Department at Virginia Tech provides FREE one-on-one nutrition counseling services (In-person or Zoom) to any interested students, faculty, or staff. Just go to https://www.hnfe.vt.edu/nutrition_counseling.html and sign up today!

13. IMPORTANT COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS3rd posting Effective fall 2022, doctoral students who want to participate in the Graduate School commencement ceremony must have their final examination card showing satisfactorily passing of the examination submitted to and finalized by the Graduate School seven days prior to the commencement ceremony in order to participate. All doctoral diplomas will be mailed directly to students from the diploma company; no diplomas will be distributed on stage. For fall 2022 doctoral graduates, the final examination card must be submitted to and finalized by the Graduate School by Friday, December 9, 2022.

14. WINTER SESSION COURSE: EDHE 5984: ADDRESSING CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION – 3rd posting Addressing critical problems in higher education is an exploration of contemporary issues for all educators with application to those working in P-12 and higher education, as well as teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators. The purpose of the class is to engage in conversations about the various roles and responsibilities of educators, and how all educators contribute to shaping the future of higher education. Students will engage with a range of topics such as impact of college choice, student activism, influence of institutional type (e.g., for profit), and marginalized populations. This is an asynchronous online course open to students in any graduate program. For more information contact Chase Catalano ccatalano@vt.edu  

15. WINTER 2023 TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – 3rd posting Graduate students presenting research conducted at Virginia Tech are eligible to apply for the Winter 2023 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 Jan. 1-March 31. Students from all disciplines are invited to apply, even if your conference abstract has not been officially accepted. Applications due November 15, 2022 at 11:59 PM. Please e-mail cissym@vt.edu  with any questions, and visit: gpss.vt.edu/programs/tfp   for full details and information.

16. SOLIDARITY WRITING GROUP – 3rd posting Calling all Black women graduate students and Black women faculty/staff to join the Solidarity Writing Group! Writing sessions are held Mondays (virtually) and Wednesdays (in-person and virtually) from     9am to 1pm in Norris Hall. Please contact Zuleka Woods, rdauda@vt.edu for more information.

17. RESEARCH NOTEBOOK ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP – 3rd posting Maintaining good journal habits and sticking to organization systems can be challenging in graduate school. However, as researchers, it’s important that we have such systems to help keep us on the path to success. Join the VT grad student Research Journal Accountability Group! We meet Mondays, 5:30PM ROB 112 and Thursdays, 5:00PM ROB 116 First cohort runs from Oct 17th – Nov 16th! Sign Up Here! https://forms.gle/3GSwy7Fm4TPVCKKW7

18. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS – GAME DAY GREEN TEAM – 1st posting Are you passionate about Hokie football and sustainability? We need YOU to join the Game Day Green Team for the game against Georgia Tech on Saturday, November 5 from 9:30-10:30am! Come help tailgaters build awareness around sustainability, recycling, and waste reduction and get a free t-shirt! You’ll have enough time to meet up with friends and family before the game to cheer on the Hokies! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/QCptGywu6srdMqKj7. If you have questions, visit the Game Day Green Team website (https://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/sustainability-programs/game-day-green-team.html) or email giaha@vt.edu.

19. PLEASE HELP VT BETTER UNDERSTAND ITS IMPACT BY ANSWERING THIS SPENDING SURVEY – 1st posting The VT Center for Economic and Community Engagement, in partnership with the Virginia Tech Foundation, is conducting a comprehensive study of the university’s contributions to the region and its economy. This study will help to better understand the economic effects of university activity on the Town of Blacksburg, Montgomery County, and the surrounding region. Findings from this study will be shared with partners in and outside of the university, providing a more transparent story of how the university influences the regional economy annually. As part of this study, the research team is asking for your participation in the student spending survey, which will examine spending habits on goods and services in the region. Must be a part-time or full-time student attending classes during Fall 2022 at the Blacksburg, VA campus. Take the survey here: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/VTStudentSpending2022 . Thank you for your time and consideration!

20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY ON TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM – 1st posting We are conducting an in-person research study, and participants are needed. The study aims to evaluate the usability of telepresence and teleoperation systems which makes people communicate from local and remote environments. Participants need to be 8 years of age or older. If you are interested in this study, please contact Juwon Park by email using juwon8@vt.edu or by phone at (540)449-2185.

21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CREATIVE PROGRAMMING STUDY – 1st posting We are seeking participants for a study on creative programming for 3D environments. In this study, participants will perform basic programming creative tasks such as creating a forest and a solar system. Participants will use a visual programming language and any level of programming skill is welcome. This research study will be held in the Newman Library 122 and will take approximately one hour. We are seeking participants that: are 18 years or older, can follow instructions in English, have perfect or corrected vision (lenses or glasses), have basic knowledge of programming, understand concepts such as variables, if-statement, loop. For more information, please contact nannie@vt.edu.

22. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION VIDEO – 1st posting Have you had a positive experience using alternative transportation at Virginia Tech? We are looking for undergraduate or graduate students who would be willing to share a candid response about how alternative transportation has helped their physical or mental health! Responses would be filmed during October 31-Nov 4 and will be used for a new transportation education program. If you are interested or know someone who would be please email me at domenique@vt.edu.

23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A DEBUGGING RESEARCH STUDY –3rd posting The Code World, No Blanket lab invites you to participate in a debugger study designed to develop a greater understanding of investigator knowledge and beliefs regarding the programmer’s usage of debuggers. Eligible participants will complete an online survey, which takes 10-15 minutes to complete. We are seeking participants that are 18 years and older, current Virginia Tech student.  Link to survey: https://go.gmu.edu/debug

24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR INTERVIEWS AROUND GRADUATE STUDENTS’ NEEDS AND INTERESTS – 3rd posting Calling participants to do a 30-45 minute interview involving graduate students’ needs and interests at VT. If you wish not to be interviewed, questions can be sent via email for participants to respond to. Deadline, November 17. Please reach out to jenayaa@vt.edu if you have any questions or concerns.

25. IRB SERIES: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) 101 Monday, November 7, 2-3pm, Zoom This is the first of four presentations of the Graduate Student Services IRB Series. If you are new to IRB or just need a refresher course on what IRB is all about, join us as we get the opportunity to learn from the Virginia Tech IRB professionals themselves. We are starting with the essentials of the IRB in this IRB 101 presentation, including: a brief overview of the IRB, the IRB’s crucial role to conducting research at Virginia Tech, and how to get started working with the IRB. Take a moment to fill out the form below, if you are willing to join. https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=fsdDyt0z9B0ECHrPeIW9eQ%3D%3D

26. APIDA MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP Monday, November 7, 4-5pm, Squires 140 and Zoom Join us at the ACEC for our monthly APIDA Mental Health Support Group meet and this time our theme will be ‘Gratitude’ which would also include a note-card writing activity. Join us in person for some light refreshments. Register here: https://bit.ly/3ePlY9k

27. STARTING YOUR ETD: FORMATTING TIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS Monday, November 7, 7pm, Zoom We’ll discuss how to format and structure your Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) so that you can submit it after your defense and best meet Graduate School formatting guidelines. This presentation is aimed at students in the early stages of writing their thesis or dissertation but is relevant to students at any stage of the process. https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/81734365548

28. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK: KEYNOTE AND GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM Thursday, November 10, 8am, various locations Virginia Tech will celebrate International Education Week November 10-14, 2022, with a series of engaging events open to the entire Virginia Tech community. International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that highlights the benefits of international education and mobility worldwide. Please join us for the diversity of events celebrating international education including Keynote address, Global symposium, Intercultural learning workshop, International Student Perspectives Panel and many more. To learn more, please visit IEW website: https://international.vt.edu/IEW.html

29. LATEX FOR EDTS WITH OVERLEAF Thursday, November, 10, 10am-12pm, Zoom Dr. Sarah Over from Virginia Tech University Libraries will be presenting LaTeX for ETDs with Overleaf via Zoom on November 10 at 10am. Registration is required. This popular coding tool is helpful for writing articles, ETDs, and more! All are welcome to attend no matter your field or LaTeX experience level! To get the most out of this workshop, make sure to have your citation manager installed with references available to use in this workshop. Although we will be using Overleaf, you are welcome to use your preferred LaTeX distribution. Register here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcuyuqTIqHt2Di8h79Q5h3G19-VqYYdo_

30. WGD VIRTUAL DISCUSSION SERIES: THE GENDERING OF CLIMATE CHANGE SHOLARSHIP IN AFRICA Thursday, November 10, 12:30-1:20pm, Zoom Women and Gender in International Development (WGD) at Virginia Tech is hosting their final event of the Virtual Discussion Series for Fall 2022, featuring Dr. Siera Vercillo on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 12:30-1:30 pm (EDT). Dr. Vercillo is an Adjunct Professor and Postdoctoral Fellow at the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development, University of Waterloo. The title of her talk is “The gendering of climate change scholarship in Africa.” The discussion series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs. Please check the link below to know more about the discussion series: https://bit.ly/3n189Gy. Registration Link: https://bit.ly/3fMoLAt

31. EVALUATING LITERATURE & CRITICALLY APPRAISING RESEARCH Thursday, November 10, 2-3:30pm, Newman 207A or online Critical appraisal is a universally useful skill for any literature review method. In this 2 hour session, we’ll discuss the importance and value of evaluating literature and critical appraising research. Participants will be introduced to several critical appraisal tools that can help researchers to evaluate the risk of bias in studies and reviews. We’ll also discuss how you may consider approaching critical appraisal in your own review. If this session is of interest to you, check out our other “evidence synthesis” workshops this fall! For more information or to register for either in-person or online:  https://calendar.lib.vt.edu/event/9539635 If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please email: library-event-accessibility-g@vt.edu at least 10 business days prior to the event.

32. SEAL: A PLAY BY DANTE FUOCO Monday, November 14 – Wednesday, November 16, 7:30pm, The Cube at the Moss Arts Center In this autobiographical solo show, writer-performer Dante Fuoco excavates fifteen years of family home video—not only the sweet early years, curated by Dad, but also the tortured tween years, filmed by son. When Dante’s repressed queer desires are suddenly exposed, he must reckon with telling the truth after decades of lies. SEAL was first staged Off-Off Broadway in 2019 at Dixon Place, directed by Clara Wiest, who is returning to direct this iteration of the project. Produced by the Graduate Arts Council in collaboration with ICAT and the Creativity and Innovation District. FREE; reservation requested. tinyurl.com/SealSoloPlay

33. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS INFO SESSION Tuesday, November 15, 2-3pm, Zoom Do you want to know more about the Diversity Scholars program and about the application process? Get the details at this virtual info session. Register at: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwodu2rqDMiGt2FoXq79BtjH60xSxE8u-Z8. For questions or additional information, please email the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion at ordi@vt.edu.

34. ENHANCING A SENSE OF BELONGING – FEATURING GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE USA Thursday, November 17, 12-1pm, GLC Room B Join us in a panel discussion to enhance graduate students’ sense of belonging by listening to academic and social experiences, challenges, and success hints from experienced students from their cultures and ethnic backgrounds. FREE lunch provided. Please register at: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/BelongingUSA.  Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend! If you have any questions, please contact sbooker1@vt.edu.