Posted on by lbarron

August 5-11, 2024

To see full descriptions for any item in the summary list please click on the continue reading link below the summary list

0.   Ongoing Services – updated 5/13/24  

This Week’s Events:   

  1. SLaM PRESENTS AUGUST LABOR MOVEMENT UPDATE – Tuesday 
  2. GLC CAFE – Thursday 

 Administrative Announcements: 

    1. SQUIRES STUDENT CENTER CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC TUESDAY AUGUST 6th – 1st posting 
    2. REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 2024 LEADERSHIP COURSES – 1st posting 
    3. FALL 2024 MICROSOFT 365 TRAINING SESSIONS AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
    4. LEADERSHIP GRADUATE CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
    5. TAKE YOUR RESEARCH TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH GRAD 5124! – 1st posting 
    6. GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK AND PLANNERS ARE AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
    7. GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SKILLS WORKSHOP SERIES – 1st posting 
    8. SUBSCRIBE TO UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES RESEARCH SERVICES NEWSLETTER – 2nd posting 
    9. CHANGES COMING TO CREATION OF MICROSOFT 365 SHAREPOINT SITES, TEAMS, GROUPS – 3rd posting APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE FALL 2024 GPSS TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – 3rd posting 

            Jobs: 

            Funding Opportunities: 

            1. FULBRIGHT POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS FOR U.S. CITIZENS – DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 

            Volunteers and research participants sought: 

            1. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A STUDY INVESTIGATING ESSAY WRITING AND CHATGPT – 1st posting 
            2. ADULTS WITH ADHD NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF DANCE AND EXERCISE ON BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR – 1st posting 
            3. USER CENTERED EVALUATION OF SMART THERMOSTATS (IRB #24-553) – 2nd posting 
            4. OLDER ADULT PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY ABOUT COGNITION – 2nd posting 
            5. TOUCH-RELATED PERCEPTION STUDY – 2nd posting 
            6. MEDIA AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS STUDY – 2nd posting 
            7. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR VIRTUAL REALITY USER STUDY – 3rd posting 

            Upcoming Events: 

            1. INTRO TO EXCEL AND OPENREFINE WORKSHOP – August 15 
            2. INTRO TO UNIX AND GIT WORKSHOP – August 16 
            3. INTRO TO R AND RSTUDIO WORKSHOP – August 19 
            4. POPSICLES AND PUPS – August 19 
            5. INTRO TO PYTHON WORKSHOP – August 20 
            6. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME 
            7. SCIENCE ON TAP: GROWING GLADE ROAD GROWING 
            8. CUBE FEST 2024: “IMMERSIVE INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES” 
            9. GPSS WELCOME BACK BBQ PICNIC – FREE FOOD! – August 23 
            10. MEET THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES –  GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SKILLS WORKSHOP SERIES 

                             0. Ongoing Services – updated 08/05  

                            • GRADUATE SCHOOL: Graduate School hours: In-person advising, drop-off or pick-up of documents and materials, and a space to study and take a break! Visit 120 GLC, walk-in hours  Monday – Friday. Phone 540 231-8636 or email grads@vt.edu.  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 ; GLC drop-in hours in GLC 120 will not be held in the summer and  will resume Fall 2024. 
                            • COOK COUNSELING: COOK COUNSELING: Drop-in hours for Summer: Tuesdays 10 am to 12 pm. Location: Room 49 at the GLC. For consultations by Zoom e-mail hkatie19@vt.edu. Students seeking services can schedule a triage appointment by calling 540-231-6557.  
                            • WRITING CENTER SERVICES: Schedule an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com/ 
                            • GRADUATE OMBUDSPERSON: contact for appointment at gradombud@vt.edu, 540-231-9573 

                            0.  Ongoing Services – updated 5/13/24  

                            This Week’s Events 

                            1. SLaM PRESENTS AUGUST LABOR MOVEMENT UPDATE 
                            Tuesday, August 6, 4-5pm, GLC room C 
                            Students for the Labor Movement (SLaM) will be holding a meeting to discuss current events in the labor movement at the local and national levels as well as to plan events for the Fall. All members of the VT community are welcome to participate. Pizza will be served. For questions and/or accommodation, please contact Andrew Gunsch at andrewg20@vt.edu. 

                            2. GLC CAFE  
                            Thursday, August 8, 3:30-5pm. GLC Reading Room  
                            GLC Café will be held on Thursdays only during the summer. Casual drop-in social hour for graduate students to take a break! Enjoy coffee, tea, cookies and conversation with graduate students and Graduate School staff. Bring your own mug if you can.  

                            Administrative Announcements 

                            3. SQUIRES STUDENT CENTER CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC TUESDAY AUGUST 6th – 1st posting 
                            Squires Student Center will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Aug. 6 as the Virginia Tech Police Department (VTPD) along with Squires Student Center staff will be hosting a training exercise within the building. VTPD’s Emergency Response Team, other teams from state universities, surrounding jurisdictions and Squires Student Center staff will collaborate to develop and train in critical response skills.  Please be advised that there will be an increased police presence in the area due to this training.   

                            4. REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 2024 LEADERSHIP COURSES – 1st posting 
                            Graduate students—Enroll now in Leadership courses for Fall 2024: LDRS 5464 (CRN 86981) in-person: Leadership in a Global Society Identification and development of the personal and professional competencies required for effective leadership in an increasingly global, diverse and multicultural society. LDRS 5534 (CRN 86982) virtual: Cognition, Problem Solving, Pref for Change Theoretical perspectives, processes and techniques utilized in problem solving, both adaptively and innovatively. Individual cognitive preference for working to effect change in institutional structures. LDRS 5544 (CRN 86983) virtual: Leading Teams through Change Theory and techniques for leading tactical, creative, and problem-solving teams through change. Improving leadership within small groups or teams. Questions? Contact Dr Jerald Walz at jhwalz@vt.edu.  

                            5. FALL 2024 MICROSOFT 365 TRAINING SESSIONS AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
                            The Division of Information Technology is offering a series of online courses designed to introduce users to the Microsoft 365 tools available at Virginia Tech. These are available to graduate students through the TLOS Professional Development Network (PDN). Each course will provide a brief introduction of the tool, explore its features and benefits, and demonstrate its various uses for collaboration within research groups, classes, and projects. Options include: Transition to Microsoft Outlook, Modern Work, A Microsoft Paradigm Shift, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Copilot. Register through the TLOS PDN. A schedule and registration links available on the following page: https://news.vt.edu/notices/2024/07/it-ccs-microsoft365-training-pdn.html 

                            6. LEADERSHIP GRADUATE CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
                            Start today to increase your Leadership capabilities! Collaborative Community Leadership and Problem Solving for Leading Change are two certificates in leadership available to all graduate students. Demonstrated competency in leadership is in high demand from prospective employers. By completing a certificate in leadership, you can increase your employability in a wide array of positions. Options for in-person and on-line completion for these certificates exist. For more information see additional links on https://www.alce.vt.edu/student-info/graduate.html. Or contact Dr. Jerald Walz, jhwalz@vt.edu.  

                            7. TAKE YOUR RESEARCH TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH GRAD 5124! – 1st posting 
                            Take your research to the next level! GRAD 5124 (Research Skills for Graduate Students) is an asynchronous, one-credit, fully-online course offered by the University Libraries in Fall 2024. Students will develop skills that will prepare them for research in graduate school and beyond. Three 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 Russell at lisab5@vt.edu.  
                             

                            8. GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK AND PLANNERS ARE AVAILABLE – 1st posting 
                            Come pick up your 2024/2025 Graduate Student Handbook and planner in GLC 120. GLC 120 is open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. 

                            9. GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SKILLS WORKSHOP SERIES – 1st posting 
                            Series of individual workshops which will run Aug. 28 – Oct. 9. All graduate student researchers will benefit from refreshers on literature reviews, research data management, citation management with EndNote, Mendeley, and Zotero, and the ins and outs of academic publishing. Learn more and register for the individual workshops here: https://guides.lib.vt.edu/gradworkshops 

                            10. SUBSCRIBE TO UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES RESEARCH SERVICES NEWSLETTER – 2nd posting 
                            Beyond traditional collections, today’s University Libraries at Virginia Tech provides in-depth services that directly support successful grant applications, research, and scholarship. This fall, University Libraries is launching a monthly research services newsletter that informs Virginia Tech researchers about library resources, workshops, and expertise in research-related services. Topics include data management and curation, publishing, scholarly repositories, evidence synthesis, and research impact and intelligence. Graduate student and faculty researchers across the university are encouraged to subscribe to the University Libraries research services newsletter to stay connected and informed about all the resources, services, and expertise available for their success. Subscribe to the University Libraries research services newsletter: https://t.send.vt.edu/lp/ulrs-subscribe  

                            11. CHANGES COMING TO CREATION OF MICROSOFT 365 SHAREPOINT SITES, TEAMS, GROUPS – 3rd posting 
                            In response to Microsoft’s license model changes, Virginia Tech will be modifying procedures regarding the creation of collaborative spaces within Microsoft 365. Beginning Aug. 16, only employees will be able to request and create new SharePoint Sites, Teams, or groups. Students will no longer be able to create new Microsoft365 collaborative spaces but may be added to these spaces by an employee. Existing SharePoint sites, Teams, and groups are not affected at this time and may continue to be used. Please contact 4Help at 4help.vt.edu or by phone at 540-231-4357 with questions. https://news.vt.edu/notices/2024/07/it-ccs-microsoft-collaborative-spaces-require-approval.html   

                            12. APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE FALL 2024 GPSS TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – 3rd posting 
                            Graduate students presenting research conducted at Virginia Tech are eligible to apply for the Fall 2024 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. Be sure to carefully read the instructions. Applications are due August 19th at 11:59 PM. Please e-mail Julia Shapiro at juliams22@vt.edu with any questions and visit https://gpss.vt.edu/programs/tfp.html for full details and instructions.  

                            Jobs 

                            Funding Opportunities 
                            Funding opportunities sponsored by the graduate school can be found here: 
                            https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html 
                            All external funding opportunities that we are aware of can be found here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/scholarships-and-fellowships.html. 

                            13. FULBRIGHT POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS FOR U.S. CITIZENS – DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 
                            Fellowships are open to researchers in all academic disciplines and support research programs in Israel for up to 20 months (two academic years). These are the primary benefits of the fellowship: $95,000 scholarship ($47,500 per academic year).  Basic health insurance for the grant, Reimbursement of up to $1,700 for airfare expenses for Fulbright fellows (and spouses), Partial reimbursement of education expenses for children.  Visit the program page: https://fulbright.org.il/USPostdoc. For further information or inquiries, please contact: Noa Turgeman, USprograms@fulbright.org.il. 

                            Volunteers and Research Participants Sought 

                            14. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A STUDY INVESTIGATING ESSAY WRITING AND CHATGPT – 1st posting 
                            We are looking for participants who will be asked to write a paper with the assistance of ChatGPT. Participants will also answer a pre- and post-study survey. The findings from these surveys will be used to better understand the query process behind using ChatGPT in the context of essay writing. The study was reviewed and accepted by the IRB (# 24-325) and is being conducted under the supervision of Dr. Sang Won Lee (sangwonlee@vt.edu). Participants must be 1) 18 years or older. If you are interested in participating, please start the study at the following link: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/GPTWritingPreSurvey If you have any questions, please contact Andrew Jelson at jelson9854@vt.edu. The research team will enter the essays into a random drawing and compensation will be given to approximately twenty percent of participants as a $10 gift card. Odds of being selected will be maintained as 1 in 5. The participants will be contacted separately. 

                            15. ADULTS WITH ADHD NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF DANCE AND EXERCISE ON BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR – 1st posting 
                            The study (VT IRB 23-811) aims to examine the acute impact dance has on young adults with ADHD assessed through brain activity, psychological tests, heart rate, and motor tasks. Study participation will involve two visits lasting 4 to 4.5 hours total. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three 30-minute interventions: dance exergaming (e.g. Just Dance on the Nintendo Switch), stationary biking while listening to music, or sedentary music listening. They will be asked to answer a series of questions, complete psychological tests on a computer, complete a series of balance tests while standing, and have their brain activity and heart rate measured. Participant qualifications: Adults ages 18-24 with a formal diagnosis of any presentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Hyperactive-Impulsive, Inattentive, or Combined) and physical activity readiness are eligible. Participants will be compensated up to $125 for their time.Link to complete the screening questionaire  https://redcap.link/ebl_adhd_vt 

                            16.  USER CENTERED EVALUATION OF SMART THERMOSTATS (IRB #24-553) – 2nd posting 
                            Our research team at Myers-Lawson School of Construction is collaborating with Carleton University to conduct two consecutive eye-tracking studies to improve the user interface of internet-connected residential thermostats. Please consider participating in one or both of the following studies. 1. Must be at least 18 years old. 2. Do not require corrective eyeglasses for using digital devices (e.g., digital thermostats and laptops) or have significant visual impairments that could affect eye movement. Compensation: A $15 gift card (for the first study lasting 45-60 minutes) + $15 cash (for the second study lasting 25-40 minutes). To participate, please contact: Simin Kianpourrad  siminkianpour@vt.edu 

                            17. OLDER ADULT PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A RESEARCH STUDY ABOUT COGNITION – 2nd posting 
                            The MEM lab (Williams Hall) is recruiting participants for a 2-session study of older adult cognition. Eligible participants should be able to quickly read visually presented English words and are between the ages of 60 to 80. Participants will be compensated $10 for the first session (30-45 min) and $25 for the second session (1 hour). Please contact vtmemorylab@gmail.com or call and leave your name and number at (540) 231 – 9538 to learn more. Biomedical Research Alliance of New York Institutional Review Board (BRANY) Protocol #VT18-1077-568. For more information email Erica Shafer at vtmemorylab@gmail.com.  

                            18. TOUCH-RELATED PERCEPTION STUDY – 2nd posting 
                            The Virginia Tech Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics is conducting a research study investigating how we feel about objects with which we interact. Participants will be asked if they can detect when a non-painful electrical pulse is delivered to their fingertip and elbow. Participants will be compensated for their time and may have their transportation costs covered. Participant qualifications: Ages 65+; Right Hand Dominant; No History of Chemotherapy, No Musculoskeletal or Neurological Disorders, No Diagnosis of Diabetes, No Major Injury or Pain in Either Arm, No Implanted Electrical Devices (i.e., Cardiac Pacemaker). Compensation: $20/hr. For more information, please contact Emily Tirrell at emilytirrell@vt.edu. 

                            19. MEDIA AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS STUDY – 2nd posting 
                            We are looking for children ages 3 to 5 years who speak English and their parents to participate in a Virginia Tech Media and Executive Functions Study (IRB #23-666). Study participation involves two 30-minute visits to either your home or our lab on the Blacksburg campus of Virginia Tech. Participants will be compensated with a $20 USD electronic gift card upon completion of both the visit and the online survey. Details are below. Fill out this interest form to learn more: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AVJAmZ1hAI  

                            20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR VIRTUAL REALITY USER STUDY – 3rd posting 
                            The 3D Interaction Group is looking for eligible participants for a research study with virtual reality (VR) technologies. Our team is investigating the influence of interactivity in guided tours in immersive virtual environments. The study will make use of VR technologies. Participants need to be proficient in reading and writing in English, at least 18 years old, able to walk and stand for extended periods, and have normal or corrected vision. Fill out the screening questionnaire here: https://forms.gle/aiMTZoQDPkFDAkqHA.     

                            Upcoming Events 

                            21. INTRO TO EXCEL AND OPENREFINE WORKSHOP 
                            Thursday, August 15, 9am-5pm, University Mall 2104 or Zoom 
                            Clean up messy real-world data in Excel spreadsheets and level up your skills with the power of OpenRefine. This free hands-on workshop covers cleaning, standardizing, and combining spreadsheets in Excel and OpenRefine, plus tools to improve initial Excel data entry quality and APIs to enhance data with external sources in OpenRefine. You do not need any experience with the software to participate but you will need access to a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for in-person participants. Instructions for accessing course material and installing software will be sent in advance. For questions, contact Data Education Coordinator Nathaniel Porter (ndporter@vt.edu). Register here: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/lib167-081524  

                            22. INTRO TO UNIX AND GIT WORKSHOP 
                            Friday, August 16, 9am-5pm, University Mall 2104 or Zoom  
                            Learn how to automate repetitive research tasks by working at the Unix command line and track your personal and collaborative work with Git. This hands-on workshop is open to anyone and based on lessons from Software Carpentry. You do not need any experience with the software to participate but you will need access to a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for in-person participants. Instructions for accessing course material and installing software will be sent in advance. For questions, contact Data Education Coordinator Nathaniel Porter (ndporter@vt.edu). Register here: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/lib166-081624. 

                            23. INTRO TO R AND RSTUDIO WORKSHOP  
                            Monday, August 19, 9am-5pm, University Mall 2104 (Blacksburg) or Zoom 
                            Learn how to work with data hands on in R and RStudio, whether or not you have any experience with coding or data analysis. You do not need any experience with the software to participate but you will need access to a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for in-person participants. Instructions for accessing course material and installing software will be sent in advance. For questions, contact Data Education Coordinator Nathaniel Porter (ndporter@vt.edu). Register here:  

                            https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/lib165-081924

                            24. POPSICLES AND PUPS 
                            Monday, August 19, 3-5pm, GLC Lawn Welcome new and returning graduate students who have children!  Bring your children to the GLC Lawn to meet other families with children and the VT Therapy dogs. We will serve popsicles and ice cream treats and have games on the lawn. Event will move to the GLC Multipurpose room in the event of rain.  +Please register here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hGiVYK0Q-kCGPU8yweOjepevaFUBOatNi_cyklXTkCBUNlZFNkFITlJCWEdSQ0lCRjVSODZEQlRaUy4u 

                            25. INTRO TO PYTHON WORKSHOP 
                            Tuesday, August 20, 9am-5pm, University Mall 2104 (Blacksburg) or Zoom 
                            Learn the basics of Python hands-on using the JupyterLab interface, including coding and working with data. You do not need any experience with the software to participate but you will need access to a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for in-person participants. Instructions for accessing course material and installing software will be sent in advance. For questions, contact Data Education Coordinator Nathaniel Porter (ndporter@vt.edu). Register here: https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/browse/researchdiscovery/courses/lib164-082024. 

                            26. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME  
                            Thursday, August 22, 4:30-6pm, GLC Multipurpose Room 
                            Connect with new and returning students, Graduate School staff, and resources that can help you settle in and succeed in Blacksburg. Free refreshments for all. Prizes will be given out to help you decorate or make your new home more comfortable and welcoming.  This event replaces the weekly GLC café just this one time. The café will return to the regular schedule next week. Register here for Make Yourself at Home: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hGiVYK0Q-kCGPU8yweOjepevaFUBOatNi_cyklXTkCBUNjlVVlFJR0E0QTYwOTI0VTAzRkI3NlQ1Mi4u 

                            27. SCIENCE ON TAP: GROWING GLADE ROAD GROWING 
                            Thursday, August 22, 5:30-7pm, Rising Silo Brewery  
                            Join us to hear from Sally Walker and Jason Pall, the owners of Glade Road Growing, as they guide us through their journey of building a farm and beloved pillar of the New River Valley community. As a newly married couple 14 years ago, they knew they wanted to be outdoors, and starting with little agricultural experience they developed the knowledge and skills to grow a farm and a business. Come learn about how they turned some rolling pastureland into a productive farm – and taste some of their delicious vegetables! Science on Tap is presented by Virginia Tech’s Center for Communicating Science and the Virginia Tech chapter of Sigma Xi. All events are open to the public without charge. 

                            28. CUBE FEST 2024: “IMMERSIVE INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES” 
                            Friday, August 23, 3:00 – Sunday August 25, Moss Arts Center 
                            Indigenous artists forge new creative paths with technology and tradition. For more information: https://artscenter.vt.edu/performances/cube-fest-2024.html 

                            29. GPSS WELCOME BACK BBQ PICNIC – FREE FOOD!  
                            Friday, August 23, 5-7pm, GLC Lawn 
                            Welcome and Welcome Back, Y’all! The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) of Virginia Tech will be hosting our 2024 annual Welcome Back BBQ Picnic on August 23, from 5-7pm on the GLC Lawn. All VT graduate and professional students are invited! Enjoy free catered BBQ dinner from On-Site Culinary and lawn games++ with your fellow graduate students. Come hang out, make new friends, catch up with old ones, and have a blast before the semester begins! Kindly be aware that food will be served on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Submit your RSVP today at https://forms.office.com/r/sYczKEk2QB. Please email gpss@vt.edu  if you have any accessibility needs. We look forward to seeing you at the event! 

                            30. MEET THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES – GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SKILLS WORKSHOP SERIES 
                            Wednesday, August 28, 2:30-3:15pm, Zoom  
                            This is the first of the Research Tools for Graduate Students workshop series. Who can help me at the library? How many books can I check out? What support do you offer for data management? What kind of technology is available? How can I get something the library doesn’t own? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this virtual information session Register here for this workshop or any in the series:  https://guides.lib.vt.edu/gradworkshops.