1. WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC – updated 3/16
- 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 starting Jan 29 5:00-8:00pm, Room A
2. GRAD STUDENT ART AND PHOTO CONTEST
All week in the GLC
Vote on your favorite grad student art and photography displayed throughout the first floor of the GLC. Pick up voting sheets at the Welcome Desk. All members of the VT community may vote; grad student voters will receive a raffle ticket to win gift certificates to local restaurants and other great prizes.
3. ISLAM AWARENESS WEEK
Monday, Mar 23 – Saturday, Mar 28
Islam Awareness Week is dedicated to educating and enlightening others about the fundamental beliefs and principles of Islam. This year, the MSA and ISA of Virginia Tech will be hosting a series of events throughout the week for both non-Muslims and Muslims of the Blacksburg community. Visit the event FB page for more details: https://www.facebook.com/events/627809830684888/.
4. GEW 2015 COFFEE KICKOFF AT NEWMAN – BREAKFAST TREATS!
Monday, Mar 23, 8:30-10:30am, Newman Library 1st floor Multipurpose Room
Bagels, doughnuts, fresh fruit, and a pretty extensive Yogurt Parfait Bar awaits! Jumpstart Grad Ed Week with coffee and a continental breakfast at Newman and meet, chat, and have coffee with experts at the library who can help you with lit reviews, managing data, assessing scholarly impact, using citation management software, and more. Please sign up at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1425396128971 if you plan to attend.
5. CITIZEN SCHOLAR RECOGNITION CEREMONY
Monday, Mar 23, 4:00-5:30pm, GLC Room F
Graduate students who have put theory to practice for the advancement of a community will present their projects and receive the Citizen Scholar award. This event is open to all; no registration required. Light refreshments will be served.
6. SHORT STATS COURSES FOR GRADS: USING GGPLOT2 FOR ENHANCED GRAPHICS IN R
Monday, Mar 23, 5:30-7:30pm
Tuesday, Mar 24, 4:00-6:00pm
Taught by Paul Sabin, this short course will teach you how to make simple graphics in ggplot2 that are similar to plots made in R using the plot() function, and delve into more complex, layer-based graphics that ggplot2 is known for. The course is designed for researchers who are searching to improve their data visualization skills. Previous experience with R or another programming language is preferable, but not required. Learn how to make graphics such as barplots, histograms, scatterplots, box plots, density plots and also how to customize text and titles in the ggplot2 framework. Visit the LISA website at http://www.lisa.stat.vt.edu/?q=short_courses for more information about these courses and to register.
7. GRAD STUDENT GAME NIGHT
Monday, Mar 23, 7:00-8:30pm, GLC Student Lounge
Join the GLC Fellows and other graduate students for a fun evening of games and snacks. Some games will be provided, but feel free to bring your own favorite game(s) to share.
8. THESIS/DISSERTATION-WRITING SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesdays bi-weekly, Mar 24, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room D
Do you need some support with staying on track with your writing? Share some of your experiences with fellow grad students who are going through the same process and take advantage of a safe place to decompress from the stress of your thesis/dissertation. Join this dissertation support group and see how it may support your progress. Bring your own lunch! Contact Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu for more information.
9. REMOVING THE MYSTERY OF THE ETD REVIEW
Tuesday, Mar 24, 7:00-8:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Learn how to format your electronic thesis/dissertation, use EndNote for citations, and what happens to your ETD after you submit it to the Graduate School. Bring your laptop and a pdf copy of your ETD.
10. GRAD NIGHT AT THE LYRIC: WILD
Tuesday, Mar 24, showings at 7:00 and 9:30pm, The Lyric Theatre
Enjoy a night at the movies, courtesy of the Graduate School and The Lyric. Pick up your free ticket at the GLC Welcome Desk or in 120 GLC, the Graduate School’s student service area.
11. GSA RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM AND EXPO
Wednesday, Mar 25, 10:00am-4:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room and meeting rooms
Attend this annual highlight of Graduate Education Week to review the latest in graduate research at this interactive networking forum and poster session, and sit in on presentations as your time allows. Sponsored by the Graduate Student Assembly.
12. LINKED-IN LAB
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2:00-5:00pm, Graduate School Lobby
Have a free professional headshot photo taken for your LinkedIn profile and learn about how you can use LinkedIn for your job search. Career Services staff will assist you with a review of your profile. Wear appropriate shirt/top for your photo.
13. TWO ARTIST TALKS WITH ANGELO FILOMENO
Wednesday, Mar 25, 3:00pm, Theater 101 (200 College Ave)
Angelo Filomeno, an Italian-born, New York-based artist creates opulent “paintings” embroidered with luxurious threads on sumptuous, richly colored panels of shantung silk. Portraying a fantastical world of floral patterns, intertwined with exquisitely rendered fragments of plants, peacock feathers, insects, crystals, and skulls, Filomeno’s works are enchanting and seductive while juxtaposing exquisite beauty with undertones of the macabre. Attend this illustrated slide lecture followed by an informal gallery talk at 6:30pm at the Sherman Payne Quillen ‘71 Reception Gallery, Moss Arts Center. This message is posted on behalf of master’s student Sarah Halvorson-Fried.
14. LENTIL UNDERGROUND: BOOK READING AND DISCUSSION
Wednesday, Mar 25, 4:00-6:00pm, Litton-Reaves Hall Student Lounge
Attend this book reading and open discussion by Liz Carlisle, author of Lentil Underground: Renegade Farmers & the Future of Food in America. Speaking are Dr. Liz Carlisle, the author, & David Oien, third-generation Montana farmer & the book’s main character, who successfully led a “lentil uprising.” The discussion will range from biologically diverse cropping systems, to heritage seeds, to business in agrifood today. The book will be on sale at the event, and refreshments will be provided. This event is posted on behalf of doctoral student Lorien MacAuley.
15. LADIES NIGHT IN THE WEIGHT ROOM
Wednesday, Mar 25, 5:00-7:00pm, McComas
VT Rec Sports is hosting Ladies Night in the Weight Room – sign up for a one-on-one 30 minute free personal training session with one of the female VT Fitness trainers, or just go to learn more about lifting form and technique. There will be free tank tops and other prizes too! Grab your girlfriends and go to McComas on Wednesday night. Posted on behalf of Anna Taggart, Grad Assistant of Fitness.
16. LISA 2020: GRADS BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Wednesday, Mar 25, 6:00-7:30pm, GLC Room C
Learn how the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA) can help you in your research and the efforts they are making to create a network of 20 statistical collaboration laboratories in developing countries by 2020. Free pizza! Register at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1425909047496.
17. VT INNOVATION SYSTEMS AND COMMERCIALIZING YOUR RESEARCH
Thursday, Mar 26, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room B
Can your research live beyond VT and maybe even help the world? Attend this session to discuss methods and barriers to commercializing research at Virginia Tech and learn how to determine if your research has commercial viability. This session will be led by three individuals locally involved in commercialization and entrepreneurship: Dr. Jack Lesko, Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies and Co-Founder, PowerHub Systems (www.pwrhub.com); Mr. Mike Abbott, Founder of Cambrian Development; and Ms. Sherry Walker, Director of NuSpark (NuSpark.org). Lunch will be served. Participants in this session will also be invited to tour NuSpark at a later date. Register at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1425932415736.
18. GLC CAFÉ: GEW EDITION WITH A SPECIAL GIFT RAFFLE
Thursday, Mar 26, 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. Participate in a special gift raffle to win coffee/tea-related item(s).
19. INCLUSIVE VT GRADUATE SCHOOL FORUM, TAKE II
Friday, Mar 27, 10:00am-12:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Vice President and Dean Karen P. DePauw and her staff will give updates on the three Graduate School initiatives and ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts. Dean DePauw will discuss progress made regarding the concerns expressed in the first forum in January. Students will participate in an activity to help answer President Sand’s question, "what would InclusiveVT look like if we were successful beyond our wildest dreams?" Register at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1425398020752.
20. BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH PURPOSE: INDUSTRY OR ACADEME? (Part I)
Friday, Mar 27, 12:00-1:15pm, GLC Room C
Meet over lunch with graduate alumna Dr. Martha Gross (PhD/CE, MBA ’11) and learn about her journey through graduate school and into the first couple of years of her highly successful career as a senior consultant at Arup. Through anecdotes, case studies and a Q & A with the audience, explore the decision-making process of transitioning from academe to industry and how to put your advanced degrees to the best use. Free lunch will be served. Part II of the presentation on Monday, Mar 30, will explore how to maintain ties to academia while working in industry. Register at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1425912522456.
21. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TECHNIQUES: THE ART OF JUGGLING
Friday, Mar 27, 1:30-2:30pm, GLC Room D
Ever feel like you have too much to do with not enough time or energy? Is the juggling of priorities, deadlines, and work/life balance stressing you out? Learn about stress, how it impacts you daily, and how to better manage it. Get tips on how to live your life in a more mindful way and relax your body and mind in mere minutes! Register at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1426099748636.
22. BIG COOKOUT
Friday, Mar 27, 4:30-6:30pm, Graduate School Lawn and GLC Multipurpose Room
As is our tradition, Graduate Education Week will wrap with the annual favorite big cookout on the lawn. All graduate students and their families are invited to enjoy free food (vegetarian and meat options), music, and games. This year’s specials: caricature artist, balloon twisting, temporary tattoos, pet fortune telling (bring your pet or a photo of him/her), photo booth, and more. Bring a blanket!
23. CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AEL GRAD HONOR SOCIETY – 1st posting
Alpha Epsilon Lambda national graduate honor society at VT is calling for applications for Spring 2015. Faculty, staff and colleagues are encouraged to nominate graduate students who have shown dedication to serving their graduate community. The requirements are: (1) completion of at least 12 grad level credits (2) good academic standing in the department (i.e. GPA (3.3 and above), or a letter by a committee member, or research publication record. Applications are due by April 27th and please visit the AEL website for more information or contact us at mka3@vt.edu.
24. GSA RESEARCH FUNDING CYCLE OPEN – 2nd posting
Do you have an awesome research idea that deserves funding? Apply to the GSA’s Graduate Research Development Program! The GRDP provides monetary support for graduate student research twice each academic year. Applications for the spring cycle are accepted Mar 23-Apr 3, with winners announced in early May. Get more information and apply online through the GSA website: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/graduate-research-development-program/. Email hglane07@vt.edu with "GRDP" in the subject line with any questions.
25. SUBMISSIONS INVITED TO DIVERSITY COMPETITION AND SHOWCASE: BREAKING STEREOTYPES – 2nd posting
The CAUS Diversity Committee invites all university students, faculty, and staff to express their perspective on "Breaking Stereotypes". Entries can comprise any of the following media: essay, music, painting, photography, poster, and video, etc and must be submitted by Mar 25, 5:00pm. Competition rules and an entry form are available at http://caus.vt.edu/diversity/diversity-index.html. Submission can be delivered to: Carolyn Harris, cjharris@vt.edu; CAUS Dean’s Office, 202 Cowgill. Awards: Faculty/staff – 1st place $750; Grad students – 1st $750, 2nd $500, 3rd $250; Ugrad students – 1st $750, 2nd $500, 3rd $250.
26. ASSISTANTSHIP OPENING FOR 2015-16 IN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING – 1st posting
The COE Dean’s Suite IT office has a full GA position from Aug 2015. Required qualifications: Experience in Windows 7/8 operating system and tablet pcs; excellent oral and written communication skills; detail orientation; strong organizational skills, some experience using pen-based technology, experience using the VT wireless network;, proven problem solving skills, and a positive attitude regarding tablet pcs. Candidates should be able to initiate, develop and complete projects independently and be willing to investigate, learn, adopt and promote new technologies. Preferred: experience using DyKnow, Microsoft OneNote, Scholar, Lecture Tools, PDF Annotator, and WebEx. Qualified applicants only should apply by emailing a cover letter and resume to ipitadmin@vt.edu. Send only one file including both your cover letter and resume in .pdf format. Name your file “lastname_firstname.pdf”, and use the subject line for your email “Instructional Technology Graduate Assistant in COE Dean’s Office”. Application review starts Tuesday, Apr 1.
27. ASSISTANTSHIP OPENING IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE INSTITUTE – 1st posting
The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute is looking for a Graduate Assistant in Student Services to begin in August 2015. The GA will work with students in the Intensive English Program and assist with student programming and events. For full position description, or to apply, email Sondra Schreiber at sondra3@vt.edu by Apr 3.
28. GRAD ASSISTANT AND REFERENCE LIBRARY ASSISTANT POSITION OPENINGS – 1st posting
Applications are now being accepted for Graduate Assistant and Reference Library Assistance positions for the 2015-16 academic year. Apply by 5:00pm Friday, Apr 24. Learn about the positions at http://www.lib.vt.edu/libnews/2015/2015-04-24.html.
29. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR INFO SCRAPS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH – 1st posting
Will Ellis, master’s student in Human Computer Interaction in computer science invites you to participate in an IRB-approved research study about “information scraps,” the small pieces of information you take down to help you complete a task or remember something. The study consists of a 10-15 minute online questionnaire regarding your information scrap tools and habits. If you are interested, complete the survey at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cRY8c8P64K3YRsF. At the end of the questionnaire, you may be invited to participate in an optional follow-up study held at a later time. Feel free to forward this survey to your friends. Contact researchers Will Ellis at wiellis@vt.edu or Dr. Manuel A. Pérez-Quiñones at perez@cs.vt.edu with questions.
30. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR NATION-WIDE ETD STUDY – 1st posting
Participate in this survey to help researchers better understand how graduate students create, manage, and share materials that extend beyond the texts of their theses or dissertations. Virginia Tech is part of a nationwide ETDplus (http://educopia.org/etd) project in collaboration with the Educopia Institute and U of North Texas, Purdue University, U of North Carolina, U of Louisville, Carnegie Mellon, UT Knoxville, Oregon State U, Penn State, Morehouse School of Medicine Libraries, and Indiana State U. Your participation is voluntary; all responses are confidential. Although you may not benefit personally from participation in this study, the ETDplus project is creating tools, workshops, and documentation to better prepare universities to manage theses and dissertations and their supplementary materials. The questionnaire will take about 15-20 minutes to complete: Take the survey <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WRZ35H6>. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project, contact Gail McMillan at gailmac@vt.edu or (540) 231-9252.
31. FOOD SAFETY SURVEY PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT – 1st posting
Participants will be asked a few questions regarding their perceptions about food safety, and their thoughts on a health inspection grading system. Must be 18 years or older, and have eaten in at least one restaurant in Montgomery County, VA in the past year. The survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. To take the survey, go to http://tinyurl.com/foodsafety15. For more information, contact Connor Bryant, master’s student in public health, cabryant@vt.edu.
32. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR MUSCLE FATIGUE STUDY – 1st posting
Participants are sought for an IRB-approved dissertation research study about the effects of different physical demands on muscle fatigue. Participants will perform a set of tasks, requiring forceful exertions of the hand, forearm, and/or upper arm. Muscular strength will be measured by voluntary contraction and electrical stimulation of muscles. Other measures will be related to performance and muscle fatigue by monitoring the muscle activity using EMG electrodes. Experiments will be conducted in the Safety Engineering Laboratory in the ISE department of VT. The complete experiment involves up to 7 experimental sessions, each requiring about 4 hours. You will be paid $10/hour for your participation and a $10 bonus after completing all sessions. Your participation is voluntary and confidential. Must be 18-30; male or female; no current or recent history of a physical disorder affecting the hand/arm; exercise on a regular basis (2-3 times/wk). Contact Ehsan Rashedi at rashedi@vt.edu, (540) 629-0297) with any questions or if interested in participating.
Upcoming Events:
SHORT STATS COURSES FOR GRADS – SPRING 2015 SCHEDULE
LISA (Virginia Tech’s Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis) provides a series of evening short courses to help graduate students use statistics in their research. The focus of these two-hour courses is on teaching practical statistical techniques for analyzing or collecting data. Registration is required, but all courses are free. Spring 2015 Schedule:
- Tuesday, Apr 7: T-tests & ANOVA;
- Tuesday, Apr 14: Solutions for Broken Linear Models;
- Tuesday, Apr 21: Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) & Categorical Data Analysis (CDA);
Visit the LISA website at http://www.lisa.stat.vt.edu/?q=short_courses for more information about these courses and to register.
VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR
Wednesday-Thursday, Apr 1-2
SEC & ACC Schools work together to bring you this great opportunity. Meet employers online! More details and registration available at https://www.careereco.com/events/secacc. This message is posted on behalf of VT Career Services.
GSA RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM BANQUET AND KEYNOTE
Thursday, Apr 2, 5:30pm, The Inn Ballroom
The Keynote will feature Dr. Stuart Firestein (https://aaehq.com/people/stuart-firestein <https://aaehq.com/people/stuart-firestein> ). Light hors d’oeuvres will be served on a first come, first served basis. Register for this event at http://goo.gl/forms/gQGhUlQWrL. Questions? Email gsa.symposium.2015@gmail.com.
GSA SPRING WINE AND BEER SOCIAL
Friday, Apr 3, 5:00-9:00pm, University Club
The GSA invites you to its spring wine and beer social for an evening of fun and socializing with fellow students. An assortment of beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Must be 21+ with a valid state ID to consume alcohol. General admission is $10 and delegates will be admitted for $5. Non-drinking guests are welcome for $2. Contact Samantha Erwin at sherwin@vt.edu with questions or if you are interested in volunteering for the event.