Week of February 2, 2016

PhD Comic

Tips for Grads

Grad students with children benefit from the fact that nearly all Dane County public school districts offer free 4-year old kindergarten (4K) to county residents. Participation in the 4K programs is optional, and the programs offered at public schools are half-day (either am or pm). ‘Wrap-around’ care (daycare before or after school) is not usually available for 4-year olds through these programs. In Madison, however, there are several options that are likely to suit your busy and possibly unpredictable grad school schedule:

  • Several early education centers on both the East and West side of Madison offer a free 4-K program with optional wrap-around care, both standard weekly and with individualized schedules, for an additional fee.

  • At some centers (such as the Head Start Program, Goodman Center, and Red Caboose), graduate students may qualify for a sliding fee scale, which will help make wrap-around care more affordable.

  • Most centers accept CCTAP funding to help you pay for wrap-around care – and centers affiliated with the UW often prioritize placement for the children of UW students.

  • Many parochial schools in Madison offer discounted 4K programs with wrap-around care. These are often close to home (which means less commuting for you and your 4 year-old!) and can also accept CCTAP funding (so long as they are licensed by the City of Madison). 
You must register with the school district before applying for 4K at an early childhood center. In some cases, it is necessary for you to indicate on your MMSD registration that you are requesting a space at one of these centers in lieu of a space at the class at your local elementary school.

Online registration for the 2016 – 2017 school year is now open, and spots at early childhood centers that offer wrap-around care fill up fast! To learn more, visit the Madison Metropolitan School District’s 4K webpage

Professional Development
Improv to Improve Teaching and Communication 
Wednesday, February 10  |  4:30 - 6:30pm
Union South, Check TITU 


Participants will build confidence, teamwork, leadership, listening, and decision-making skills through the storytelling and character-development techniques of theatrical improvisation. Participants will be able to better think on their feet, manage a constructivist classroom, and communicate their work more effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences. This session will be hands-on, active, and most importantly, insanely fun.
Creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Wednesday, February 17  |  4:30 - 6:00pm
159 Wisconsin Idea Room, Education Building 

Creating an individual development plan (IDP) encourages you to think about what you need to do next - and over the next year few years - so that you achieve your goals. We will discuss how to define achievable goals, identify resources, and develop strategies for implementing and sustaining your plans. Participants will begin to create a personalized plan that takes into account career interests and addresses the development of knowledge and skills for professional growth.

This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Professional Development and Delta.

Find more Graduate School Professional Development events here

Careers & Financial 

On the Academic Job Market: Writing Statements of Teaching Philosophy
Thursday, February 4  |  3:30 - 5:00pm
6171 Helen C. White

International Careers: Making Global Connections
Thursday, February 4  |  3:30pm
Union South, Check TITU 

Careers in Industry: The Different Roles Scientists and Engineers Can Play in a Company
Monday, February 8  |  12:00 - 1:00pm, Q&A Session for Postdocs to follow
1111 Genetics-Biotechnology Center Building

Minority-Owned Buisness and Networking Fair
Tuesday, February 9  |  7:00 - 9:00pm
Symphony Room, Gordon Dining and Event Center

On the Academic Job Market: Writing Statements of Current and Future Research
Wednesday, February 10  |  12:00 - 1:30pm
6171 Helen C. White 

Distinguished Entrepreneurs Lunch: Michael Ferdman, Firstborn
Wednesday, February 10  |  12:15 - 1:15pm
5110 Grainger Hall 

Advertising and Communications Career Fair
Wednesday, February 10  |  4:00 - 7:00pm
Varsity Hall, Union South

Spring Career and Internship Fair
Thursday, February 11  |  4:00 - 8:00pm
Kohl Center 

Writing & Research

A Writer's Retreat
Friday, February 5  |  1:00 - 5:00pm
6191 Helen C. White
Registration is limited

Writing Graduate Research Proposals
Tuesday, February 9  |  1:00 - 2:30pm
6171 Helen C. White 

Teaching

Using Calibrated Peer-Reviewed Writing in the STEM Classroom
Wednesday, February 3  |  12:00 - 1:00pm
CIRTLCast Online Webinar

Assignment Design Workshop

Thursday, February 4  |  10:00 - 11:30am
Union South, Check TITU

Active Teaching Lab: Using Canvas to Teach an Online Course
Friday, February 5  |  8:30 - 9:30am
120 Middleton Building


Designing Writing Assignments that Motivate Deep Reading
Friday, February 5  |  11:30am - 1:00pm
6176 Helen C. White

How People Learn
Tuesday, February 9  |  1:00 - 2:00pm
CIRTL Journal Club Online Discussion 

Remediating Students' Prior Knowledge Gaps
Tuesday, February 9  |  1:30 - 2:30pm
120 Middleton Building

Strategies for Responding to and Evaluating Student Writing
Tuesday, February 9  |  3:00 - 4:30pm
6171 Helen C. White 

Teaching with Archives, Manuscripts, and Early Printed Books
Tuesday, February 9  |  4:00 - 5:30pm
Department of Special Collections, 976 Memorial Library 

Working with First-Year STEM Students
Wednesday, February 10  |  12:00 - 1:00pm
CIRTLCast Online Webinar

Delta Roundtable: Cultivating STEM Momentum: What It Takes for Transfer Students to Succeed in STEM
Thursday, February 11  |  6:00 - 7:30pm (Dinner included)
Varsity Hall, Union South
Registration is required

Technology

Excel 2: Data Visualization
Thursday, February 4  |  6:00 - 8:00pm
B203 Computer Sciences and Statistics 

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Friday, February 5  |  4:00 - 6:00pm
380 Science Hall
Registration is limited 
For more technology courses from Software Training for Students (STS) click here.

Special Events & Conferences

Humanities Without Boundaries Lecture Series: Junot Diaz 
Monday, February 8  |  7:30pm
Shannon Hall, Wisconsin Union Theater 

Wisconsin Entrepreneurial Bootcamp
June 13 - 18  |  Madison, WI 
Applications are due by Thursday, March 10. The WEB allows UW graduate students and post-docs in STEM and other fields to learn substantial theory and tools about technology entrepreneurship through an total immersion experience. 

February is Black History Month
Throughout the month of February there will be events across campus celebrating Black History Month, and encouraging dialogue on questions and issues of race and diversity. 
Graduate Student Peer Mentor Awards Nominations Now Open
Do you know a graduate student who is an excellent mentor? Tell them to self-nominate for the Graduate Student Peer Mentor Awards!
The Graduate Student Peer Mentor Awards recognize graduate students who exhibit stellar mentorship qualities. These graduate students are selected based on their ability to mentor undergraduate and/or graduate students, on or off campus. The self-nomination cycle opens online on Monday, February 1st and closes on March 4th at noon. For more information, please visit our website.
Spring Primary Elections are Tuesday, February 16
The spring primary election will be Tuesday, February 16. Candiates for State Supreme Court Justice will be on the ballot. If you're already registered in Madison, or are hoping to vote in the city for this election, make sure you're prepared:
Volunteer with Centro Hispano of Dane County

Centro Hispano is seeking qualified volunteer mentors to work with middle and high school youth at school sites around Madison. Work-study is available for eligible UW-Madison students. Find out more about the volunteering opportunities here

Please note: Some graduate students may be ineligible to hold graduate assistantship appointments. Be sure to check with your graduate program coordinator about your eligibility before applying.

Employment

Fellowships & Grants

The challenge is a campus-wide competition that awards money to students from any discipline (individual or group of up to three) for an arts event, exhibition, series, commercial venture or other artistic project.

2016 Wisconsin State Water Science-Policy Fellowships
Applications due March 11
These one-year fellowships provide an opportunity for recent graduates to work within state agencies to advance science and support policy decisions. Fellows will also receive valuable career development and mentorship opportunities.
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