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Workshop III Invitation for Future Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Programs (IGEPs) – March 22, 2012

The Graduate School is hosting workshop III for faculty considering Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP) submissions in the future.  IGEPs are supported by the Graduate School and are intended to promote and sustain interdisciplinary graduate research and education at Virginia Tech.  Each IGEP addresses a major fundamental problem or complex societal issue requiring an interdisciplinary team of scholars.

In its first year, 17 IGEP proposals were submitted with participation from 183 faculty, 7 colleges, and 56 departments.  In its second year, nineteen IGEP proposals were submitted with participation from 227 faculty, 8 colleges, and 58 departments.  Next year, three additional IGEPs will be funded.  The 3rd call for IGEP proposals (for Fall 2013) will be announced in April 2012 following workshop III with a deadline for November 12, 2012 to allow for more time for the development phase. 

Workshop III for future IGEP proposals will focus on the components of a successful proposal from the perspective of both IGEP proposal reviewers and faculty with currently funded IGEPs.  Workshop III will be held on March 22, 2012 from 10:30 am-12:00 pm in Squires, Brush Mountain A room.  Please join us!

For more information about the IGEPs please visit our interdisciplinary graduate education website:
https://interdisciplinary.graduateschool.vt.edu/

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Dean Diversity Assistantship Nominations Due Thursday

Dean’s Diversity Assistantships

Dean’s Diversity Assistantships are funding opportunities targeted at recruiting underrepresented minorities. Departments are asked to nominate prospective students for these funds.

Students are paid the regular departmental assistantship rate and in-state tuition; the out-of-state fee is waived. Students are responsible for paying their comprehensive fees.

Master’s and doctoral level students are eligible for this award. The number of awards varies from year to year.

A maximum of three nominations per department. Preference is given to students who are not at Virginia Tech as undergraduates.

To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents entering their first year of graduate study.

NOMINATIONS must be made from a faculty and are due by March 1, 2012. For more information, please contact Dannette Gomez Beane at 540/231-6529.

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Letter of Completion Request Now in HokieSpa

The Letter of Completion Request has now moved from a paper-based form to an online system in HokieSpa. Any current graduate student or alumni with an awarded graduate degree from Virginia Tech can login to HokieSpa and under their Degree Menu request the Letter of Completion.

A Letter of Completion will only be available for an awarded degree, not one that is pending for the current term or being pursued (no change from the paper form). The student will be able to select from a list of awarded degrees if they have earned more than one graduate degree from VT (MS & PhD or MS and Certificate, etc). The system will generate the Letter of Completion in the browser window as well as give them the option to display a PDF for printing or saving to the user’s desktop. This new online request system for the Letter of Completion allows a student to make the request at any time of day and have an immediate letter without having to submit a form and wait for processing in the Graduate School.

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Spring 2012 Graduate Student Orientation

The Graduate School invites new graduate students to a pizza lunch (12:00-1:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room) and short orientation program (1:30-3:00pm, GLC Room F). The lunch and orientation provide opportunities for new students to learn more about the Graduate School and the Graduate Life Center, hear from leaders of the Graduate Honor System and the Graduate Student Assembly, and meet current graduate students.

The orientation program will conclude with a special edition of the GLC Cafe in the Reading Room. Stop by for some free coffee, tea and cookies.

For an online orientation, browse the New Student Guide.

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Call for Nominations for Graduate Student Awards

The Graduate School invites nominations for the following student awards:

  • Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000
  • Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- $1000
  • Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000
  • Graduate Man and Woman of the Year– $500
  • Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500
  • Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student selected per college, $500

Winners will be recognized during the Graduate Education Week awards banquet on March 29 as well as receive a plaque/certificate and monetary award. More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination can be found on our web page.

The deadline for the first five awards listed above is February 3, 2012 at 5 pm, while notifications to the Graduate School about each college’s selection of the outstanding master’s and doctoral students are due by  February 17 at 5 pm.

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Preview Weekend Call for Nominations

Graduate Preview Weekend
The Graduate School hosts a Preview Weekend each year in February. This recruitment event is aimed at increasing the number of talented and diverse domestic students in graduate education at Virginia Tech. Faculty are asked to nominate students for this event.

The primary objectives of Preview Weekend are to:

  • Familiarize prospective graduate students with Virginia Tech graduate programs, the campus, the Blacksburg community, and resources for student support and financial support.
  • Provide prospective students the opportunity to interact with Virginia Tech faculty, administrators, and graduate students.
  • Provide information to help prospective students make an informed decision about graduate education at Virginia Tech.

View the event schedule.

Eligible participants must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents residing in the U.S. who have applied for admission and have been accepted to Virginia Tech.

Student must be from an underrepresented population.

The Graduate School will provide housing, food, and funds to support students’ travel. If a student is chosen, the host department is expected to work in collaboration with the Graduate School to provide a high quality programs including opportunities to meet with faculty and students in the department.

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New short course in Spring, GRAD 5984, Communicating Science

Spring short course in Communicating Science

For graduate students in science and technology fields


GRAD 5984: Special Study: Communicating Science

CRN: 18756, 1 cr

Tuesday evenings, 6 pm – 9 pm, 3/13/12 – 4/24/12 

This participatory course will be taught by Professor Patricia Raun (praun@vt.edu), and was inspired by her work with the Center for Communicating Science Institute at Stony Brook University (www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/) and the belief that "scientists have a responsibility to share the meaning and implications of their work, and that an engaged public encourages sound public decision-making. In addition, the ability to communicate directly and vividly can enhance scientists’ career prospects, helping them secure funding, collaborate across disciplines, compete for positions, and serve as effective teachers."

The course is intended to promote understanding of science by training the next generation of scientists, engineers, and health professionals to communicate effectively about their work in a variety of contexts. Participation in the course will lessen the discomfort of spontaneous interaction. Areas of emphasis will include imagination, relaxation, observation, and concentration through improvisation. Some attention will be focused on the tools required for distilling one’s message in writing. A greater awareness of the everyday tools of human interaction (voice and body) will be gained through handouts, discussions, exercises, and improvisation. The students will develop their communicative abilities through careful observation, active class contribution, and committed participation. One of the benefits of this study is a deeper understanding of what it means to be fully expressive.

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Graduate Diversity Scholars Program

The Office of Graduate Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives welcomes nominations for its Diversity Scholars Program

The Diversity Scholars Program encourages scholarship and faculty-student mentorship through diversity initiatives. Click here to learn more about becoming a Diversity Scholar and here to (self)nominate a Diversity Scholar.

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Call for Nominations for Graduate Student Awards

The Graduate School would like to encourage nominations for the following student awards:

 
  • Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000
  • Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- $1000
  • Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000
  • Graduate Man and Woman of the Year– $500
  • Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500
  • Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student per      college, $500
 
 All students will be recognized during the Graduate Education Week banquet in March as well as receive a plaque/certificate and monetary award. More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination can be found on our web page at:
 
 

The deadline for the first five awards listed above is February 3, 2012 at 5 pm while the last one is due by February 17 at 5 pm.