1. WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC
– Career Services advising: Wednesdays 2:00-5:00pm, GLC lobby
– Cook Counseling: Thursdays and Fridays 1:00-5:00pm, Green Room
– GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursday, Reading Room
– Statistical consulting by LISA: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 10:00am-12:00pm, Room A
– Writing assistance: Thursdays 5:00-8:00pm, Room A
2. HOKIE HIGH-FIVE CELEBRATION FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS
Tuesday, Apr 28, 12:00-4:00pm, Smith Career Center (corner of Washington Street and West Campus Drive)
It’s a celebration for Hokies! As part of the Alumni Association’s 100 Days ‘til Graduation program, Career Services invites graduating students to celebrate graduation with food, fun, and prizes. Stop by Smith Career Center to talk with advisors, participate in fun activities, and earn tickets for a chance to win: FitBit, Virginia Tech Diploma frame, or a set of luggage. Already accepted an offer? Actively job searching? Need help getting started with your future plans? Visit this celebration to learn about resume and cover letter prep, skills for meeting employers, job search options, or tips for transitioning to the workforce. For more information, see http://www.career.vt.edu/Events/April2015-HokieHighFive.pdf.
3. FREE ANXIETY AND OCD SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, Apr 28, 7:00pm, GLC Meeting Room D
Are you feeling overwhelmed by anxiety? Do you struggle with OCD? A free monthly support group meets the last Tuesday of every month. Please join the group at the Graduate Life Center in Meeting Room D to learn more about anxiety disorders and OCD, hear success stories from those who have worked to overcome their anxiety and OCD, and receive support in an informal setting. Family members and significant others are also welcome. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Psychological Services Center at 231-6914, visit http://www.psyc.vt.edu/outreach/psc, or email Andrew Smith at ajsmith1@vt.edu.
4. SACNAS INTEREST MEETING
Wednesday, Apr 29, 12:00-1:00pm, GLC Room F
You are invited to the interest meeting for The Society for the Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (www.sacnas.org) student chapter. The national conference is in DC this year and it would be great if VT students would present and represent Virginia Tech. Please contact Dannette Beane at Dannette@vt.edu with questions. Snacks provided at the meeting.
5. DISCOVER ISLAM
Wednesday, Apr 29, 12:00-2:00pm, ‘Info Booth A’ in front of ABP in Squires
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world with more than 1.6 billion followers. Muslims come from almost every country in the world and speak almost every language. Learn more about Islam from your Muslim colleagues: stop by, ask questions, get your free copy of Quran interpretation in English, view Islamic art from different countries, get your name in Arabic, and enjoy tasty Arabian dates. Hosted by the Islamic Student Assembly (ISA). Posted on behalf of grad student Haitham Elmarakeby, marakeby@vt.edu.
6. ENGINEERING EDUCATION OPEN HOUSE
Wednesday, Apr 29, 5:00-7:00pm, Goodwin 341.
Interested in learning more about the opportunities in the Engineering Education Ph.D. program? Attend this open house to network with faculty and students and tour the facility. A complimentary taco and burrito bar will be provided. For more information email Linda Hazelwood at lindawh@vt.edu.
7. LIBRARY SUMMON FOCUS GROUPS – FOOD GIFTS AND PRIZES – SIGN-UP NOW!
Thursday, Apr 30, various times, Room 207A, Newman Library
Sign-up and participate in one of the Library’s Summon Focus Groups and enter a drawing to win one of six available prizes: Surface Pro 3, Kindle Fire HD, and four $25 Amazon gift cards. Food and beverages provided. A complimentary gift bag will be given to all attendees. Space is limited to 10 participants per focus group so sign-up early here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qdObfBCjRUVURSPGH9eDdtBVJgLREEvLOtpLCL6sLqE/viewform?c=0&w=1
8. VT BEST MINI-INTERNSHIP: SCIENTIFIC EDITING AND ACADEMIC PUBLISHING
Thursday, Apr 30, 1:00-4:00pm, Roanoke
Virginia Tech’s BEST program offers a variety of professional development opportunities for doctoral students and postdocs in the biomedical and health sciences throughout the year. Register now for one or both of the upcoming “mini-internship” workshops, where PhD’s from a variety of professions give trainees a sense for a day on the job in their profession. Presenter: Dr. Meredith LeMasurier, Chief Editor, Nature Neuroscience. Space is limited so apply now at http://info.vtc.vt.edu/best/scientific-editing-and-academic-publishing/.
9. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, Apr 30, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
The GLC Café is offered throughout the year with free coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of your graduate-student and Grad-School colleagues. Bring your own mug if you can.
10. THE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY – FORUM FEATURING PRESIDENT SANDS
Friday, May 1,7:00-9:00pm, Quillen Auditorium in Goodwin Hall
The VT chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) sponsors this forum featuring Pres. Timothy Sands on "The Public University in the 21st Century." In addition, this campus-wide discussion of challenges and opportunities facing public universities will also include panelists Dr. W. Wat Hopkins (Professor of Communication, on academic freedom), Dr. Carol A. Mullen (Professor of Educational Leadership, on public university leadership), and Dr. Marc. S. Edwards (Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, on public scholarship). The panel will be moderated by Dr. Janell Watson, Professor of French and VT-AAUP executive board member. Q&A and discussion will follow the panelists’ 10-minute presentations. This message is posted on behalf of grad student April Stapp.
11. VT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES ON-CAMPUS OFFICE HOURS – 3rd posting
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. (VTIP) is hosting on-campus office hours to help anyone with innovative ideas get advice on how to develop and protect intellectual property, navigate the technology transfer process, refine your business strategy for rapid growth, tap into other entrepreneurial resources and build and finance a startup company. Office hours will begin April 15 and will follow this schedule: Wednesdays & Thursdays, 1:00 – 5:00 PM in Port: Digital Research Commons, Room 3320 Torgersen Hall and Fridays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at VTIP’s CRC office, 2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1050. Walk-ins are welcome, or schedule an appointment at http://vtip.appointy.com/ to guarantee your time slot.
12. GRAD ASSISTANTSHIP OPENING IN LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGN IN TLOS – 1st posting
Learning Experience Design (LED), a unit of Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) is seeking a Graduate Assistant to help design and develop media-rich, high quality courses that incorporate active learning through technology. The GA will serve as part of a team of instructional designers, instructional support specialists, graphic and media designers, etc. who work with faculty to design and develop content, learning activities and assessments for online, hybrid, flipped, traditional and multi-modal classrooms both on campus and for distance learning. Must have a strong background in instructional design, educational media or related field and have experience working with faculty to complete projects. Experience teaching in higher education is not required but is preferred. If interested, email Dr. Lujean Baab at laab@vt.edu to respond with an indication of why you would like to join the LED team, the skills and experience you could contribute, etc. and attach a current resume/CV.
13. GA OPENING IN UNIVERSITY ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – 1st posting
Full assistantship (20 hrs/wk) for current master’s or doctoral student in I/O Psychology, Management, Organizational Development, or related field to support research and administrative needs underlying organizational assessment and consulting services for university clients. The graduate assistant is responsible for supporting a variety of OD projects designed to address the organizational effectiveness of the Virginia Tech community. Responsibilities include providing support for survey research and research projects of UOPD faculty; assisting with the review, administration, and analysis of data for organizational and individual assessments (e.g., organizational climate, 360-degree feedback, personality traits, etc.). The GA will also perform other supporting research functions, as deemed necessary to support effective OD service delivery. Interested candidates should have strong analytical and problem solving skills, experience analyzing data with Qualtrics, SPSS, SAS, MS Excel and/or other statistical applications, excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively. Interested graduate students can send their information to UOPD (uopd@vt.edu) by May 1, 2015.
14. GRA OPENING FOR GIS WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPER FOR 2015-16 – 1st posting
The Enterprise GIS and Blacksburg Electronic Village units of VT’s central IT seek a highly-motivated graduate student with programming, GIS and web design skills to develop GIS-related web applications as assigned in a technical team environment, using an evolving set of best-practice tools, libraries and techniques. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing web mapping applications that interface with IT’s GIS server infrastructure, performing mapping and analysis tasks and supporting high-visibility mapping initiatives. Required experience: Web application programming: HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Other relevant experience in descending order of preference: Working in a distributed team environment; Tools and APIs related to the ESRI ArcGIS platform; REST/SOAP Services-Oriented Architecture; JavaScript libraries, especially Dojo; Bootstrap and mobile-first design principles; Revision control, especially git; ESRI GIS software, including ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Online; Python; Open-source GIS server tools (e.g., GeoServer, PostGIS, Geoportal Server); Security, safety and/or facilities management application domains; SQL ( MySQL/ PostgreSQL /Oracle); PHP. Candidates with a subset of the preferred skill set that can demonstrate web application development proficiency and a willingness to learn the geospatial aspects of the work are encouraged to apply. This is a full-time, 12-m GRA (20 hr/wk) Aug 2015-Aug 2016. Renewal beyond that is contingent on funding availability, continued interest of the student, and the supervisors’ assessment of student’s performance. If interested, submit a current resume and cover letter explaining interest in and qualification for the position as soon as possible to egisjobs@bev.net. Position will remain open until filled.
15. SUMMER GA OPENING IN ADVANCED RESEARCH COMPUTING – 2nd posting
Advanced Research Computing ( www.arc.vt.edu ) has an open graduate research assistant position for user support / help desk in support of High Performance Computing resources. The position begins Summer 2015. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to participate in research projects undertaken within ARC. The GRA is responsible for holding weekly office hours for user support and questions regarding HPc resources, handling and resolving trouble tickets via the ARC website, and building and optimizing software modules on ARC’s clusters. More information can be found at http://graduateschool.vt.edu/sites/default/files/u12/GA-ARC.pdf . If interested, please send a resume to Brian Marshall at mimarsh2@vt.edu.
16. GA OPENING FOR THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: WEB CONTENT/DESIGN ASSISTANT – 2nd posting
Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is looking for a dynamic, self-motivated individual with experience and skills in web content management, writing and editing for the web, graphic design and site management for the 2015-2016 academic year. The web content/design assistant will provide support for maintaining the CIE’s digital presence. In addition to copywriting, editing, and proofreading site content, this person will also work closely with staff and communications team to maintain site standards, craft site promotions, email newsletters, and online outreach campaigns. Tasks require a strong attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines. Deadline is June 1, 2015. More details and contact info can be found at http://graduateschool.vt.edu/sites/default/files/u12/GA_Center_for_Innovation_Entrepreneurship.pdf
17. GA OPENING FOR THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: GRANT WRITER– 2nd posting
Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has a GA opening for a grant writer for the 2015-2016 academic year. Under general direction, the GA will facilitate research, development, review, and edit departmental and/or institutional grant proposals; conduct basic research for potential funding sources and maintain databases and support faculty and administration in developing proposals. Deadline is June 1, 2015. More details and contact info can be found at http://graduateschool.vt.edu/sites/default/files/u12/GA%20Description-%20GrantWriter.pdf.
18. GA OPENING FOR THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: INNOVATE LLC– 2nd posting
The Graduate Assistant for the Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship position maintains, monitors, and assists with programming for the Innovate Living Learning Community (LLC). The Innovate LLC has been established to provide distinctive settings where student academic success is supported through residential experiences and programs. Innovate brings academics into the residence halls through on-site classes, advising and referral services, mentors, tutors, and special opportunities to work with faculty. The Innovate living-learning community brings together a diverse group of committed and driven students into a high-energy learning environment. Innovate will provide an opportunity for students to gain insights into the entrepreneurial process, interact with successful entrepreneurs, and learn from Virginia Tech faculty and community partners with expertise in areas related to developing an entrepreneurial mindset. The Living-Learning Communities range from first-year experiences and academic disciplines to a second, third and fourth year experience. The individual(s) in this position report directly to the Executive Director of the Apex Center while maintaining a strong working relationship with the Residence Life Coordinator of the residence hall in which the individual is assigned. Deadline is May 7, 2015. More details and contact information can be found at: http://graduateschool.vt.edu/sites/default/files/u12/GA%20Description-%20Innovate%20LLC.pdf
19. SURVEY PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR ETD-PLUS PROJECT – 1st posting
VT grad students are invited to participate in the nationwide ETDplus (http://educopia.org/etd) project in collaboration with the Educopia Institute and University of North Texas, Purdue, Univ of North Carolina, Univ of Louisville, Carnegie Mellon Univ, UT Knoxville, Oregon State Univ, Penn State, Morehouse School of Medicine Libraries, and Indiana State Univ. Participation is voluntary; all responses will be confidential. Aggregated results will only be shared with parties in a manner that will not personally identify you or Virginia Tech. All participants must be at least 18 years old. The ETDplus project is creating tools, workshops, and documentation to better prepare universities to manage theses and dissertations and their supplementary materials. The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete. Take the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WRZ35H6. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Gail McMillan at gailmac@vt.edu or (540) 231-9252, or Nick Krabbenhoeft at nick@educopia.org or (917) 409-7907.
20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR MAP-COLORING STUDY – 1st posting
Want to help developing more intuitive map coloring? Participants are sought for a study that evaluates color use in map reading, which will be used to choose the best locations farmers can plant their crops. In each trial you will be presented with a colored map, all of which show soil types but differ in how they show the amount of available water. Each map has two candidate areas of land; you will be asked to choose which area has more water and therefore is more suitable for planting. If you are 18 years or older and interested in participating, take the survey using your personal computer: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3PMWmeJXM08Vh3v. The session will last approximately 30 minutes. Upon submitting a complete survey, your email will be entered in a random drawing for five $20 VT gift cards. For more information, contact Ayat Mohammed at maaayat@vt.edu.
21. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR WINE CONSUMER PREFERENCE TEST – 2nd posting
Participants 21 and over are invited to participate in a consumer preference test of Cabernet franc and Petit verdot wines as part of a Ph.D. project. The testing will be on Tuesday, May 5 (Cabernet franc) and Wednesday, May 6 (Petit Verdot), anytime between 9am and 5pm at the Human Agricultural Biosciences Building, room 205 HABB1. Each test will take approximately 15-20 minutes and participants are asked to attend both days. Please bring identification to verify age. Participants must not have any known allergies to alcohol, sulfites, or any other compound in wine and it is required that you are a consumer of red wine at least once a week. Please contact Cain Hickey at can1@vt.edu to rsvp or if you have questions.
22. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR INFO SCRAPS DIARY STUDY – 3rd posting
“Information scraps” are the small pieces of information you take down to help you complete a task or remember something. This is a 2-week long study during which we will document some of your information scrap activity. Here’s how it works: 1. Schedule a 20 to 40-minute interview on-campus with one of our researchers this week at https://doodle.com/heu2r9smnq5h56cq 2. Come to the interview, and bring your smartphone. We’ll ask you questions about the information scraps on your smartphone as well as your information scrap habits.3. Fill out an online questionnaire every couple days. About once every 2 days, we’ll send you a link to a short online questionnaire. Fill it out (about 5 minutes) and submit it. That’s it! Contact researchers Will Ellis at wiellis@vt.edu or Dr. Manuel A. Pérez-Quiñones at perez@cs.vt.edu with questions.
23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CAMPUS REPORTING SURVEY – 2nd posting
Jonathan Waldron, M.S., and Susan White, PhD, of the Department of Psychology and Amie Schry, Ph.D., of the Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center are recruiting participants for the “Campus Reporting Survey.” All Virginia Tech faculty and staff members, including administrative staff and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), are invited to complete an on-line survey asking about thoughts on hypothetical situations related to reporting sexual harassment incidents to university administrators. Graduate students who are not currently teaching classes are not eligible for the study. The survey will be open until May 6th, the last day of classes. The survey is estimated to take 10-15 minutes to complete, and all data will be anonymous. This study has been approved by the VT IRB (Protocol #: 13-078). To complete the survey, please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CampusReporting_Faculty. If you have any questions, please contact Jonathan Waldron at jwaldron22@vt.edu.
24. GRAD STUDENTS SOUGHT FOR ONLINE SURVEY ON OPEN ACCESS – 3rd posting
How do you feel about Open Access? Graduate students from all disciplines are sought to complete an anonymous, 10 min. online survey about their awareness and attitudes toward Open Access Journals. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Results from the survey will be used by Communication grad students for a research project. Please complete the survey through the following link: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_agfCpicR2mrUKuF. For more information, contact Kayla Hastrup, khastrup@vt.edu, or Maureen Lawrence-Kuether, mlawre04@vt.edu.
25. UPCOMING EVENTS:
PIZZA AND MOVIE: LOVE IS A VERB
Tuesday, May 5, 5:30pm, Brush Mountain A in Squires Student Center
The Intercultural Understanding Club (ICUC) invites you to watch this award-winning film by Terry Spencer Hesser. It is a 55-minutes documentary about Sufi-inspired social movement (Hizmet) that began in Turkey. This is a great oppportunity to clear your mind and socialize before the finals. Arrive early to enjoy free pizza, first-come first served. More info about the event: http://www.icuc.org.vt.edu/pizza-movie-love-is-a-verb/. Contact ICUC for any question: icuc.vt@gmail.com.
INCLUSIVE-VT STUDENT FORUM
Wednesday, May 6, 5:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
President Timothy D. Sands would like to hear from you! What should the President’s Inclusion and Diversity Executive Council be considering for new InclusiveVT initiatives? What’s already working well? What will success look like? Learn more about this event at http://www.inclusive.vt.edu/. Please register at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8f9qR8NAxNETZ1X if you plan to attend, so organizers can plan appropriately. If you have questions, email to inclusivevt@vt.edu.
HISPANIC-LATINO ACHIEVEMENT CEREMONY – register now!
Thursday, May 14, 4:30pm, Recital Salon in Squires
The 11th annual VT Hispanic-Latino Achievement Ceremony for students graduating in Spring 2015 will be held on Thursday, May 14 at 4:30pm in the Recital Salon of Squires Student Center, immediately followed by a dinner reception in the Old Dominion Ballroom. If you are a Hispanic/Latino 2015 graduate and would like to participate, please sign up by April 24 at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1427209132170. Contact Veronica Montes at vmontes@vt.edu with questions.