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September 24, 2019In this issue: Discovering workplace culture event, important deadlines and more.
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Tips for Grads: Personal EffectivenessBy Kirby Livingston, PhD student
In last week’s Tips for Grads, I shared Dr. Fatimah Williams’ suggestions about focusing on priority management rather than time management. This week, we’ll dig deeper into personal strategic planning.
Think about your personal strategic plan as an upside-down triangle. You’ll start at the top, with your vision for the year. Consider how you want to experience graduate school this year, and what your ideal experience might look like. Think about areas for improvement that you would like to prioritize. The goal is to come up with a word or phrase that can serve as a focal point for a successful year. Starting with your vision gives you ownership over your semester and puts you in the driver’s seat of your own experience.
The next step is operationalizing your vision. For your semester plan, think about what semester goals will help you to realize your vision. Consider significant projects and papers and try to anticipate what challenges or barriers to success you may face. Try to consider all types of goals, thinking beyond your academic responsibilities.
In terms of weekly planning, it’s recommended to set a day when you will plan out each week. Many people like to have a “Sunday meeting” to plan priorities and tasks, as well as the people and resources needed to complete tasks.
This edition of Tips for Grads was adapted from Dr. Fatimah William’s Aug. 27, 2019 workshop, Starting Strong and Staying on Track: Strategic Goals and Planning for Productivity.
GradConnections Weekly is looking for fresh perspectives on the graduate student experience.
If you have advice, counsel, or tips for UW grad students, you’re invited to write a guest column for “Tips for Grads.”
If you’re interested, check out our infographic for details and email gspd@grad.wisc.edu to let us know.
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| DiscoverPD is an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. Review the nine facets of professional development, complete a self-assessment, and get a customized report and recommendations.
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| | Upcoming Professional Development Events
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Students have a myriad of factors to consider when looking for employment. However, one common, but ever so important, component is often over-looked: workplace culture. How can students dig deeper and get that sneak peek into a company? This session will dive into possible strategies available via company social media inquiries, Employee Research Groups (ERGs), company diversity policies, and LinkedIn advanced search options. We will also be discussing key, open-ended questions for applicants to ask during their interviews, specifically designed to get a sense of workplace culture. Join us for a presentation by career advisor Andrew Kohls, and an open conversation as we discover these strategies and learn from each other.
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This week's Software Training for Students (STS) courses:
- Photoshop 2: Effects and Filters
- Drop-in Session at DesignLab
- WordPress 1
- Python
- Excel 2: Functions
This week's Social Science Computing Cooperative (SSCC) courses:
- Data Wrangling in R
- Data Wrangling in Strata (Full)
- Introduction to RStudio
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Special Events & Symposia
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Graduate Assistant Payment of Segregated Fees Policy
The fall 2019 segregated fee due date for students with graduate assistantships is Friday, Dec. 6. Visit the Bursar's Office website for more information.
Tuition and Fees Information for non-Graduate AssistantsTuition and fees were due the second Friday of the semester. For students enrolled in BadgerPay, the second installment is due Oct. 11, 2019. The Bursar’s Office lists more tuition due dates.
Enrollment Dates and Deadlines
Upcoming deadlines:
- Friday, Sept. 27: Deadline to drop a fall term course and receive 50% tuition adjustment
- Friday, Nov. 1: Deadline for students to drop a fall term course
(after: need academic dean approval) - Friday, Nov. 1: Deadline for students to add a fall term class with department permission
(after: need academic dean approval) - Friday, Nov. 1: Deadline for Graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options for a fall term course
- Friday, Nov. 1: Deadline for Graduate students to change variable credits
(after: need instructor permission & dean approval) - Monday, Nov. 11: Students begin enrolling for spring term courses according to their appointment times
- Wednesday, Dec. 11: Deadline for Graduate students to withdraw from the fall term
PhD students in biological and physical sciences eligible for science communication awardThe Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy (WISL) Award for Communicating PhD Research to the Public offers awards to doctoral candidates who submit a PhD thesis chapter describing their research to non-science audiences. Starting this year, all PhD students in the biological and physical sciences are eligible for this award. Students work with chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri and a professional editor to refine their thesis chapter to best communicate technical information to non-specialists. Guidelines for the chapter, as well as completed chapters, are posted on the WISL website. Students who would like to participate should email scifun@chem.wisc.edu and include a time frame in which their thesis chapter will be completed. Register for the Illuminating Discovery Science Communication series
The Illuminating Discovery short course is a joint effort of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery Illuminating Discovery Hub and the Morgridge Institue for Research. The course is designed for dissertators doing research in scientific fields, who are interested in developing materials for specific upcoming presentations. Participants will learn to use visualization and presentation skills, with numerous opportunities to present to peers, faculty, and the public. Participants will meet for 3.5 hours each week, for seven weeks (Oct. 10 - Nov. 21). Applications for the 2019-2020 course are due Sept 27.
Nominations for Campus-Wide TA Awards due November 11
UW–Madison employs teaching assistants across a wide range of disciplines, and their contributions in the classroom, lab, studio, and field are essential to the University's educational mission. In order to recognize excellence on the part of campus TAs, the Graduate School, with administrative and financial assistance from the College of Letters & Science, sponsors four categories of awards for teaching assistants across the UW–Madison campus. These awards are open to all UW–Madison TAs. Department may nominate up to three TAs per year. Contact your DGS or graduate program coordinator if you are interested in being nominated. Read more about the TA awards.
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Mental Health Resources for Grad StudentsLet’s Talk. If you’re on-campus, Let’s Talk provides free, informal, and confidential consultations at locations across campus. Drop in to talk to a counselor about any topic – stress, sadness, relationships, academic performance, financial struggles, and family problems are common topics. Counselors can help you explore solutions from their perspective, or, if you’re interested, introduce you to what it’s like to talk to a counselor more regularly.
Individual Counseling. University Health Services (UHS) offers individual counseling in a confidential, caring space. Individual sessions are typically 45-50 minutes, and most students attend anywhere from one to four sessions to address their concerns. Counseling topics can be any issue that causes distress – emotional, psychological, interpersonal, or academic, for instance. UHS also has a bilingual mental health provider for students who are more comfortable speaking in Mandarin.
Group Counseling for Graduate Students. UHS offers support/theme groups for graduate students, including groups for all graduate students, groups for dissertators, groups for graduate women, and groups for graduate students of color. This supportive environment is a great way to share experiences around the challenges of grad school with other grad students.
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The Dean of Students Office provides resources to students struggling with a variety of issues, and can be your go-to spot for assistance as a graduate student. To contact the Dean of Students Office's Graduate Student Assistance Specialist Elaine Goetz-Berman directly, email egoetz2@wisc.edu.
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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.
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McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research is now accepting applications for a $1,500 travel award which was established through the generosity of Elegbede family in honor of the late Dr. J. Abiodum Elegbede. Current graduate students who will be traveling to present cancer-related research (e.g., paper, poster) at a conference (domestically or internationally) between 01/01/2020-12/31/2020 are eligible to apply.
The Data Incubator is a Cornell-funded data science training organization that runs a free, advanced eight-week fellowship (think data science bootcamp) for PhDs looking to enter industry. A variety of innovative companies partner with The DataIncubator for their hiring and training needs, including LinkedIn, Genentech, Capital One, Pfizer, and many others. The program is free for admitted Fellows. Fellows have the option to participate in the program either in person in New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Washington DC, or online. The next program period is Jan. 13 through March 6. Current graduate students who want to join the private sector and intend to do so within a few months of completing the program are encouraged to apply.
The Scientific Teaching Fellows Program is a year-long program for graduate students to learn about and develop innovative and effective ways to teach biology. Teaching Fellows learn about research-based teaching approaches in a course on college science teaching, work with faculty mentors and other partners to develop instructional materials that engage students in active learning, and then team teach a course for first-year students. Throughout the program teaching fellows gain in-depth preparation and first-hand teaching experience for their first faculty position, all with the support of a community of other science educators. For more information and to apply, please visit the program website. Email Cara Theisen ( connect@wiscience.wisc.edu), Teaching Fellows Program Director, with any questions.
The Public Service Fellows Program is a three-semester professional development sequence for graduate students in the STEM disciplines who care about the social impact of their work. Participants will gain foundational knowledge and skills in community and civic engagement, and gain in-depth, hands-on experience through a practicum with a community partner. Public Service Fellows also specialize in a particular pathway of public service, community-engaged teaching, direct service/outreach, public policy, or social entrepreneurship. For more information and to apply, please visit the program website. Please email Anna Courtier ( anna.courtier@wisc.edu), Public Service Fellows Program Director, with any questions. The David and Edith Sinaiko Frank Graduate Fellowship for a Woman in the Arts is designed to support and encourage women graduate students in the visual and performing arts by providing an opportunity to present their work in public. One award, granting $1,500, will be given to a female graduate student based on excellence in creativity as exhibited in portfolios, audio/visual performance tapes, etc. Application requirements and other information can be found on this call for applications document.
The Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) offers nine to twelve months of support to graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who are enrolled in PhD programs in the United States and conducting dissertation research on non-US topics. Fellowship amounts vary depending on the research plan, with a per-fellowship average of $23,000. The fellowship includes participation in an SSRC-funded interdisciplinary workshop upon the completion of IDRF-funded research. The program is open to graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences—regardless of citizenship—enrolled in PhD programs in the United States. Applicants to the 2020 IDRF competition must complete all PhD requirements except on-site research by the time the fellowship begins or by December 2020, whichever comes first. Visit the website and FAQ section for more information.
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