Thesis and Dissertation Awards – 2013

Posted under Awards by  

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Distinguished Thesis, Distinguished Dissertation, and Distinguished Dissertation “6th Chapter” awards. The awards recognize exceptional scholarship and research from UW graduate students. For details and deadlines, please read the nomination guidelines below.

Dissertation nomination deadline is June 25, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

Thesis nomination deadline is August 5, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

• Thesis nomination guidelines →
• Dissertation nomination guidelines →
• Distinguished Dissertation Award nomination cover sheet (Word document download) →
• See last year’s winners →

The Mentoring Relationship

Posted under Core Programs by Eleanor Lee 

Mentors are essential in guiding and supporting us into becoming the best people we can be—academically, professionally and personally. At the Graduate School, we hear from students that they’re hungry for effective mentoring. It’s a process of discovery and takes effort from both mentor and mentee. We’ve gathered some tips on cultivating effective mentoring relationships, and on being an effective mentor yourself, and will grow these resources over the next year. We welcome input from you on what really works and mentors who have made a difference in your life!

The Mentoring Relationship

• Mentoring relationships develop over time—they’re an investment!
• A mentor is different than an advisor or a personal hero. A mentor is genuinely interested and invested in you.
• Being invested in you, and your long-term professional development and success, means the mentor can guide you towardthe path that makes sense for you (not create a “mini-me”).
• Studies show that graduate students who receive effective mentoring are more set up to succeed and demonstrate greater productivity in the areas of research activity, conference presentations, grant writing and professional success.
• Different mentors may play different roles in your life. They may act as one or all of the following: a guide, counselor, advisor, consultant, tutor, teacher, role model. Gathering together a team of mentors is an effective strategy to getting a variety of your needs met. 
• Every student is different. The more you know about your goals, needs and passions, and the more openly you can share these with your mentor,  the better they can support you. 
• How do you know if you have found a great mentor? A good place to begin is to ask yourself: Are they open, approachable and caring? Do they engage with you in ongoing conversation? Demystify graduate school for you? Provide constructive and supportive feedback? Provide encouragement? Foster networking and seeking out multiple mentors? Look out for your interests? Treat you with respect?  
• Just getting started? Or haven’t found the right fit yet? (See point number one above!) Don’t give up, it’s worth it. Have “informational interviews” with faculty to find out more about their work and their approach to research, teaching and learning. These conversations will create a spark (or not) and you’ll know which relationships to invest more time in.  
• Mentors can come from all directions. Peers can be great mentors for each other, as can some amazing staff here at UW, or family and people in circles outside of academia.  
• You, too, can be a mentor to others. Being able to give in both directions is the best way to learn and grow.  

For further details on the points above, please refer to the following online resources on the Graduate School website:

How to Obtain the Mentoring you Need – A Guide for Graduate Students

Building your Network: Finding Mentors – Mentor Memo

 

2013 Graduate School Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Trainees

And on the subject of effective mentoring… the Graduate School and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs are thrilled to feature this year’s recipients of the Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Trainees. In this first year of the award, we received many compelling nominations from more than 25 departments. The stories we heard reinforced why postdocs are such an essential part of our education and research ecosystem here at UW. Postdocs are the ones who undergraduate and graduate students alike look up to, learn from, confide in, and strive to emulate. The patience postdocs demonstrate in spending time investing in students, even while advancing their own research and careers, is a model of what we would hope to see among mentors. As we heard over and over again in the letters, postdocs serve as mentors who guide, push and inspire students to become their best selves. We are very pleased to announce two award recipients and three postdocs we could not let go without an honorable mention. The two Mentoring Award recipients will receive an honorarium of $2,000 each.

2013 Awardees

Simon Sponberg, Mathematical Biology
Joan Schellinger, Chemistry/Bioengineering

Honorable Mention:

Thomas Portet, Chemistry & Physiology
Celia Payen, Genome Sciences
Lisa Ibenez, Psychology

On behalf of the Graduate School, THANK YOU to all of the postdocs on campus who contribute to our rich learning environment and the future of students.

Digest for April 29-May 10

Posted under Uncategorized by Eleanor Lee 

 

Make a Video, Win Cash

We already know you spend most of your time in the classroom or the lab or the library. But what do you do with the rest of your time?

What inspires you? How has the UW changed you? What have you discovered about yourself, Seattle and the world?

Make a video that tells your story. Then enter it in the My Husky Story video contest to win up to $1,500, $1,000 or $500. A panel of judges will award $1,500 to the first place winner and $1,000 to the runner up. The student video with the most likes on Facebook will win $500.

Videos must be submitted by May 14. The semi-finalists will be posted by May 21. And the winners will be announced on May 28. Details are at facebook.com/MyHuskyStory

Winning and selected videos will appear on UW websites and UWTV to promote student life at the UW. The contest, sponsored by the UW Provost’s Office, is open to UW undergrads and grad students from all three campuses.

 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Power Hour: The Power of Mentoring – Kelly Edwards & Gino Aisenberg
Tuesday, April 30, noon–1:30 p.m., HUB 332
Getting the mentoring you need, and becoming the mentor you want to be is the focus of this interactive presentation. Whether you will be working in an academic position in your future, in industry, or in community-based work, we all become mentors and thrive within healthy mentoring relationships. Mentoring is what helps us become the best people we can be, academically, professionally and personally. Register now →

Workshop Your Presentation
Tuesday, April 30, noon–1 p.m., Research Commons
We’ve heard from graduate students who are looking for opportunities to present informally and get feedback on their presentation design, style and content. Are you preparing for a conference or an interview? Do you need feedback on your final presentation? Our drop-in presentation support will be your chance to practice and workshop your presentation, at any stage.

Podcasts? Screencasts? SlideShares? Oh my! A Walkthrough of Options for Presenting Online
Wednesday, May 8  11:30–12:30 p.m., Research Commons
Do you need to give a presentation virtually? Or make your presentation content available online? In this session, we will discuss techniques and tools for presenting online and consider options for content delivery to help you make informed and effective decisions about presenting online.

 

RESEARCH/WRITING

Tips, Tricks, and Tools for Successful Project Management
Monday, April 29, 12:30–1:30 p.m., Research Commons
This one-hour workshop will discuss tips and tricks for effective and successful project management— whether you’re working with a team to complete a class project or managing your research. You’ll also learn about a few free, web-based project management tools that will save you time and headaches in managing your projects.

Showing (Off) Your Research: Data Visualization Tools
Wednesday, May 1, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Research Commons
How can you use data to tell a compelling visual story? What tools exist for graduate students to present research data in a way that intrigues and inspires an audience? Whether you are just curious about data visualization or are currently tackling a visualization challenge in your work, this presentation will provide a helpful overview of products and tips to make your data talk.

BE More: A Symposium on Interdisciplinarity + the Built Environment
Friday, May 3, 9 a.m.–noon, Gould Hall Court
A series of panels with students and faculty from across the College of Built Environments will explore issues of interdisciplinary thinking, creativity and collaboration—both within CBE and beyond. For more information, email jamest27@uw.edu.

12 Annual Symposium of Native & Indigenous Scholarship at the UW
Friday, May 3, Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room
Indigenous scholars will present work relating to the theme of “Reminds Me of Home: The Cultural Shaping of Our Senses.”

Social Media and Branding Your Research
Tuesday, May 7, 4–5 p.m., Research Commons
This workshop will look at the most commonly used social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc) and will review the best practices for using social media for branding your research. You’ll be able to make a plan for social media and asses its relevancy for your research goals.

 

TEACHING

Finding Opportunities to Teach and Practice Teaching
Friday, May 3, 12:30–1:30 p.m. in Gerberding Hall Suite 100
Are you interested in teaching? Come discover how you can find opportunities to get teaching experience during graduate school. We will explore opportunities on and off campus with a multi-disciplinary panel of graduate students who will share their experiences and campus resources.

 

FUNDING

Funding Webinar for New UW Graduate Students
Thursday, May 9, 11:00–11:40 a.m.
What types of graduate funding are available outside the UW and how do you find these opportunities? Join us for this 40-minute webinar in which the Graduate Funding Information Manager will give you an overview of resources and simple search strategies. Q&A to follow. Please check the website for webinar login details.

 

LECTURES

Dolores Hayden, Professor of Architecture and Urbanism and American Studies, Yale University
Tuesday, May 7, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Kane Hall, 120
Professor Hayden will speak about “Green Fields and Growth Machines: Building American Suburbs, 1820-2000.” Free, registration required →

 

STUDENT LIFE

GO-MAP’s Staying Connected
Friday, May 3, 5–7 p.m., Hotel Deca
Join GO-MAP every first Friday of the month for a night of relaxed conversation, music, networking, and fun with fellow UW students from all disciplines interested in fostering a diverse campus.

UW Graduate Student Apartments
Need an apartment? Like the convenience of campus living? Apply now for the fall quarter! Single student apartments starting at $812 per person.

 

 

Refresh and Reset for Spring!

Posted under Core Programs by Eleanor Lee 

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.”
–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Congratulations on getting through finals week and winter quarter! As we enter the first days of spring, we at Core Programs are thinking about renewal. Spring can be a joyous time of year filled with more daylight, warmer temperatures and blooming flora. It’s also an important time to recharge and rejuvenate. For some, this means outdoor pursuits or time with friends and family; for others, quieter, more contemplative practices. We encourage you to be intentional about releasing some of the stress and pressure that may have built up during the quarter and refuel, reminding yourself why you’re here and what’s at stake for you in pursuing your work. Your contributions, creativity and passion matter. Breathe in, relax, have fun, restore, and we look forward to seeing you spring quarter.

A few campus resources that can help:

“Staying Motivated in Graduate School,” a Mentor Memo by Alexes Harris

“Finding and Acting on Your Unique Strengths,” a Mentor Memo by Patrick Chidsey

Stress Management from UW Human Resources

UW Student Life Wellness Wheel

And, finally, we encourage you to use the relative openness of Spring Break to think creatively about how your research might fit with our Spring Scholars’ Studio on the Pacific Northwest! Proposals are due the first day back, April 1.

Celebrate the Pacific Northwest: Submit your contribution to Spring Scholars’ Studio!

Posted under Core Programs by Eleanor Lee 

We had another highly engaging Scholars’ Studio this quarter on the intriguing theme of “Disaster.” The afternoon was filled with diverse perspectives on this topic, including computer infrastructure, community communication strategies, new materials to withstand nuclear meltdown, library preservation programs and gorgeous poetry created in the fallout of disaster. All involved—including the 75 faculty, staff, and fellow students present—learned something new. Check out photos from the event!

We share this report from winter to inspire you to join us for our spring Scholars’ Studio with the theme of “Pacific Northwest.” Many of you can connect your research to this theme—give it a try! It’s a fun way to find out who else on campus is working on issues you care about.

Spring Scholars’ Studio will align with Husky Fest, April 19, 4-5:30 p.m. in the Research Commons. The call for spring proposals is open now, and the due date is coming up fast: April 1! Hurry and submit your proposal now →

Scholars’ Studio is a collaboration between the UW Libraries Research Commons and the UW Graduate School.

Digest for 3/4-15

Posted under Uncategorized by Eleanor Lee 

RESEARCH/WRITING

Free Videoconferencing for Student Use
Appointments available 24/7, Kane Hall 035
Do you need to collaborate with colleagues at other institutions? Interview for an internship or job in another city? Just talk with farway family or friends? Classroom Support Services offers a videoconferencing service for student use.  For more information →

Graduate Student Writing Drop-In Consultations
Mondays & Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-noon, Allen Library South, Research Commons
The Odegaard Writing and Research Center offers consultations for grad students in the Research Commons. Tutors staffing these consulting hours are experienced in supporting graduate level research and writing at all stages for a wide range of academic and professional purposes (e.g., conference proposals, seminar papers, articles for publication, thesis or dissertation work). Unlike traditional OWRC sessions, these consultations may last up to 1.5 hours to better accommodate larger projects.

Certificate in Public Scholarship Program
Info sessions Thursday, March 7, 3 p.m. and Wednesday, March 13, 4 p.m., CMU 206
The Certificate in Public Scholarship brings together a crossdisciplinary cohort of UW graduate students and faculty interested in public scholarship that engages in cultural practice and inquiry and digital and multimedia publication. Graduate students of good standing in any program are eligible to apply. Upon admission, students become Simpson Center Public Scholarship Fellows. Register for an info session →

DIVERSITY

Prospective Student Days Reception*
Thursday, March 7, 6-8 p.m., HUB 334
Prospective graduate students visiting the UW campus will attend this special reception for an opportunity to meet and network with current graduate students of color and graduate students interested in promoting diversity in graduate education. Please help us welcome these students to the UW campus and demonstrate the community of support that awaits if they choose the UW. RSVP now →

*While many of GO-MAP’s events are geared toward minority and underrepresented students, they are open to all UW graduate students, faculty and staff, especially those interested in maintaining and increasing a racially diverse graduate student population and wishing to network with graduate students of color.

LECTURES

Findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2010
Monday, March 11, 4 p.m., Health Sciences, Hogness Auditorium, Rm A-420
This study, led by the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is the largest epidemiological analysis of levels and trends in health ever conducted. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of IHME, will talk through some of the study’s major findings. Q&A and reception to follow. RSVP now →

 

Computing for Social Justice and Sustainability by Ron Eglash, cyberneticist
Wednesday, March 6, 6:30 p.m., Kane Hall 120
Computers are more powerful than ever, and technology is improving every day. Ron Eglash acknowledges that their power is used to serve the military and industry, but what if it was used more often to advance the visions of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.? Register now →

 

STUDENT LIFE

Mercer Court Pre-Leasing Available Now
Mercer Court, UW apartments specifically designed for graduate students, will open Autumn 2013. Hurry and apply now! You can get one-month free rentwhen you pre-lease an apartment at Mercer Court. Apply before March 21 and you can choose your own room!

 

Scholars’ Studio: Disaster Research @the Commons

Posted under Core Programs by Eleanor Lee 

Today is our winter quarter Scholars’ Studio, a chance to hear nine graduate students present lightning-fast talks on their emerging research. The theme? Disaster, of course! Join us this afternoon for a fun, informal, interdisciplinary event. Coffee, tea and light snacks will be served. The event is co-hosted by the UW Graduate School Core Programs and the UW Libraries.

Scholars’ Studio: Disaster Research @the Commons – TODAY!

Thursday, Feb. 21, 4– 5:30 p.m.
Allen Library South, Ground Floor 

Disaster: Technology, Communication and Language

• Journalists as Community-Sourcerers: Responding to Crisis by Reporting with a Crowd. Dharma Dailey, Human Centered Design and Engineering
• Troubling Silence: The Poetry of Disaster. Jane Wong, English
• Disaster recovery for Online services. Abhi Rathinavelu, Foster School of Business
• Libraries as Information First Responders. Beth Patin, The Information School

Disaster: History, Labor and Environment

• Disaster City: New York in the 1975 Fiscal Crisis. Michael Reagan, History
• Nuclear Power: Fallout or Fall In? Shelly Arreguin, Materials Science & Engineering
• Factory Accidents in South India. Lily Shapiro, Socio-cultural Anthropology
• Mechanism of Democracy: the correlation of the filibuster and disaster. Brandon De Bruhl, Economics/Public Policy
• Climate change in rural Alaska: Is it as disastrous as it seems? Rachel Aronson, School of Marine and Environmental Affairs

Q&A and Reception and Conversation

 

UW doctoral student wins GRAMMY

Posted under GO-MAP, Graduate School general, Students by  

Martha Gonzalez, a UW doctoral student in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, won a GRAMMY Award this past Sunday for best Latin rock, urban or alternative album for “Imaginaries,” which she recorded with her band Quetzal. Founded by former UW employee (and Gonzalez’ spouse) Quetzal Flores, the band is based in Los Angeles. Their music is strongly influenced by Gonzalez’ research on Chicana feminist theory as it weaves together funk, rock and regional Mexican folk-music varietals such as son jarocho.

Gonzalez has been awarded several fellowships throughout her academic career at the UW, including the Graduate Opportunities & Minority Achievement Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship and the Ford Dissertation Fellowship.

• Simpson Center for the Humanities story on Gonzalez’s nomination >
• Coverage in the Los Angeles Times >
• Smithsonian video on Quetzal >

Digest for 2/18-3/1

Posted under Graduate School general by Eleanor Lee 

RESEARCH/WRITING

UW Thesis/Dissertation Webinar
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
This webinar will present information pertinent to publishing your Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD). Participants will have an opportunity to submit questions to panelists. Register now →

Scholars’ Studio: “Disaster” Research @the Commons
Thursday, Feb. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., Allen South, Research Commons – Presentation Place
Scholars’ Studio is a fun, informal event that features 10 rapid-fire ignite-style presentations on the topic of disaster. Talks will be followed by a Q&A with presenters, reception and conversation. This event is open to all UW students, faculty and staff, family and friends, so please encourage others to attend! For the list of presenters and more information →

Certificate in Public Scholarship Program 
Info session Tuesday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m., CMU 206
The Certificate in Public Scholarship brings together a crossdisciplinary cohort of UW graduate students and faculty interested in public scholarship that engages in cultural practice and inquiry and digital and multimedia publication. Graduate students of good standing in any program are eligible to apply. Upon admission, students become Simpson Center Public Scholarship Fellows. Register for an info session →

Dissertating: From Prospectus to Prepping Your Defense
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Allen South, Research Commons

DIVERSITY

Power Hour: Grant Writing – Renee Bourque*
Wednesday, Feb. 20, noon-1:30 p.m., HUB 214
This talk will cover how to identify appropriate grantor organizations for your project, good practices for crafting your proposal and the differences between different types of funders and grant proposals. Register now →

Staying Connected*
Friday, March 1, 5-7 p.m., Hotel Deca
Join GO-MAP every first Friday of the month for a night of relaxed conversation, music, networking, and fun with fellow UW students from all disciplines.

*While many of GO-MAP’s events are geared toward minority and underrepresented students, they are open to all UW graduate students, faculty and staff, especially those interested in maintaining and increasing a racially diverse graduate student population and wishing to network with graduate students of color.

LECTURES

Now You See It: Why the Future of Higher Education Demands a Paradigm Shift
Thursday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m., Kane 210
Colloquim follows on Friday, Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m., CMU 202
Katz Lecturer Cathy Davidson will demonstrate how we are on the threshold of a monumental transformation in higher education, aimed at the needs and expectations of the next generation of connected, self-paced, global learners.

Confessions of a Mecian American Hoarder by William Nericcio
Public Lecture: Thursday, Feb. 28, 4 p.m., CMU 200
Coffee Hour with Grad Students: Friday, March 1, 10-11 a.m., CMU 202
Part of the Simpson Center for the Humanities‘ John E. Sawyer Seminar on the Comparative Study of Cultures: “B/ordering Violence: Boundaries, Indigeneity and Gender in the Americas.”

Liberation Mythologies by Raquel Z. Rivera, ethnomusicologist
Thursday, Feb. 28, 6:30 p.m., Kane Hall 120
“Liberation mythologies” is Dr. Rivera’s term to explore the intersections between artistic practice, spiritual belief and grassroots activism. She will look at the “Quests for Roots, Spirit and Justice in Afro-Puerto Rican, Afro-Domincan and Mexica Music and Dance.” Register now →

STUDENT LIFE

Mercer Court Pre-Leasing Available Now
Mercer Court, UW apartments specifically designed for graduate students, will open Autumn 2013. Hurry and apply now! You can get one-month free rentwhen you pre-lease an apartment at Mercer Court. Apply before March 21 and you can choose your own room!

ALUMNI PROFILE

Yaw Anokwa (Computer Science, Ph.D. ’12) talks to Geekwire about starting the theOpen Data Kit project, running his own startup, what he learned by volunteering in Rwanda and why he uses the iPhone in his personal life but would never use one for work.Read the transcript →

 

 

Disaster! Networking! (Not necessarily related)

Posted under Core Programs by Eleanor Lee 

• Before any networking event, you should practice a personal introduction (aka the personal script, spiel, infomercial, and elevator speech) so you can comfortably and professionally introduce yourself to others. Your introduction will obviously vary based on the type of event you’re attending, the level of familiarity you have with others at the event, and your career goals.
• You also need to be prepared to talk about your research at different levels of detail. You should prepare three versions of your research interests: a 10-second description, 60-second description, and 5-minute description.

• Have an ample supply of business cards with you.
• If you don’t have business cards, you can order some from the UW.
• You can also just buy business card sheets at an office supply store and create your own.
• Use two easily accessible pockets (or two business card holders) for business cards – one for your own cards and one for the cards given to you by others.
• Ask for the other person’s card before offering yours.
• When receiving a card, jot down a note to remind you what the follow-up action should be.

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