IU Midwest Crossroads AGEP

New Midwest Crossroads AGEP site

2011-11-30T14:31:00.001-05:00

Please visit our new IU Midwest Crossroads AGEP site at:
http://www.indiana.edu/~agep/ for more up-to-date posts and news.
See you there!

The White House and National Science Foundation Announce New Workplace Flexibility Policies to Support America’s Scientists and Their Families

2011-09-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

Today, White House Council on Women and Girls Executive Director Tina Tchen, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John P. Holdren, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Subra Suresh announced the “NSF Career-Life Balance Initiative,” a 10-year plan to provide greater work-related flexibility to women and men in research careers. Among the best practices that NSF will expand Foundation-wide, are ones that will allow researchers to delay or suspend their grants for up to one year in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child or fulfill other family obligations. — maximizing current policy to facilitate scientists’ reentry into their professions with minimal loss of momentum.

“Jump-starting girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math—the so-called STEM subjects -- and boosting the percentage of women employed in science and engineering is not just the right thing to do but is also the smart thing to do for America’s future and the economy,” said Tina Tchen.

“Too many young women scientists and engineers get sidetracked or drop their promising careers because they find it too difficult to balance the needs of those careers and the needs of their families,” said Subra Suresh. “This new initiative aims to change that, so that the country can benefit from the full range and diversity of its talent.”

Later today, First Lady Michelle Obama will speak at a White House event about the importance of supporting and retaining women and girls in STEM careers. At this East Room event, the NSF will discuss today’s announcement about retaining women in STEM fields. Tune in to www.whitehouse.gov/live to join the event live at 4 pm EDT.

“If we’re going to out-innovate and out-educate the rest of the world, we’ve got to open doors for everyone,” said Mrs. Obama. “We need all hands on deck, and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering and math.”

NSF—which is the leading source of Federal grants for many fields of basic research crucial to US technology development and job creation, including computer science, mathematics, and the social sciences—is also calling upon universities and research institutes to adopt similar policies for their employees and grantees.

Women today currently earn 41% of PhD’s in STEM fields, but make up only 28% of tenure-track faculty in those fields. Reducing the dropout rate of women in STEM careers is especially important in the quest for gender equality because women in STEM jobs earn 33 percent more than those in non-STEM occupations and the wage gap between men and women in STEM jobs is smaller than in other fields.

NSF has launched targeted workplace flexibility efforts in the past, but the new initiative is the first to be applied Foundation-wide to help postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty members more easily care for dependents while continuing their careers. The new initiative will offer a coherent and consistent set of family-friendly policies and practices to help eliminate some of the barriers to women’s advancement and retention in STEM careers. It will:

•Allow postponement of grants for child birth/adoption – Grant recipients can defer their awards for up to one year to care for their newborn or newly adopted children.

•Allow grant suspension for parental leave – Grant recipients who wish to suspend their grants to take parental leave can extend those grants by a comparable duration at no cost.

•Provide supplements to cover research technicians – Principal investigators can apply for stipends to pay research technicians or equivalent staff to maintain labs while PIs are on family leave.

•Publicize the availability of family friendly opportunities – NSF will issue announcements and revise current program solicitations to expressly promote these opportunities to eligible awardees.

•Promote family friendliness for panel reviewers – STEM researchers who review the grant proposals of their peers will have greater opportunities to conduct virtual reviews rather than travel to a central location, increasing flexibility and reducing dependent-care needs.

•Support research and evaluation – NSF will continue to encourage the submission of proposals for research that would asses the effectiveness of policies aimed at keeping women in the STEM pipeline.

•Leverage and Expand Partnerships -- NSF will leverage existing relationships with academic institutions to encourage the extension of the tenure clock and allow for dual hiring opportunities.

The Administration has been highly focused on the goal of increasing the participation of women and girls in STEM fields. The White House has encouraged and celebrated the participation of girls and women in STEM fields through initiatives like Educate to Innovate, which, among other goals, focuses on improving STEM education for underrepresented groups, including girls, and the President’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition, which rewards states that develop strategies to broaden the participation of women and girls and others underrepresented in science and engineering. To achieve this, states applying for these funds receive competitive preference if they demonstrate efforts to address barriers to full participation of women and girls in these fields.

The President has appointed a strong team of women leaders to his Cabinet and White House staff, including several female scientists including EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson (an engineer), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco (a marine scientist), US Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt (a geophysicist), and Director of the Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Regina Dugan (a mechanical engineer).

The White House has also been committed to making the government a model employer in the area of workplace flexibility. In March of 2010, The President’s Council of Economic Advisors issued its first ever report on the economic benefits of workplace flexibility, concluding that it strengthens a company’s bottom line while helping workers meet the needs of their families and stay in the workforce. The President hosted a White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility and the Department of Labor led subsequent efforts around the country to promote workplace flexibility and generate best practices in the private sector. To strengthen the government’s position as a model employer in this area, the President signed the Telework Enhancement Act, which requires Federal agencies to take a number of significant steps to promote the use of telework, including appointing a senior telework managing officer in each Federal agency.

Several independent organizations and academic associations today announced initiatives in coordination with NSF and the White House, adding momentum to a nationwide shift that promises to strengthen the US economy and job security even as it strengthens families across the country. Among them:

•The White House Council on Women and Girls and Office of Science and Technology Policy are launching a “Women in STEM Speakers Bureau.” Designed to spark the interest of girls in grades 6-12 through engagement with women-scientist role models at the top of their fields, the Speakers Bureau will deploy top Administration female STEM specialists to roundtables with students across the country.

•The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity will announce an expansion of its signature initiative, the STEM Equity Pipeline, to provide professional development training for high-school and community college faculty and staff in STEM fields.

•The Association for Women in Science is launching a new initiative that brings together representatives from government, industry, and academia with the goal of improving STEM workplaces to promote gender equality and retention, re-entry, and re-training for women.

•The National Girls Collaborative Project will announce the FabFems Project to promote career development for young female STEM students through an online networking platform that will include female educators and professionals in STEM fields.

•The American Association of University Women will announce the expansion of successful regional programs aimed at engaging girls in STEM subjects to a national level.

•The Association of American Universities and the Association of Public Land-grant Universities will commit to looking for ways that the many institutions they represent can do more to develop, support, and promote more flexible work and learning environments for those in STEM and other disciplines.

2011-09-23T11:08:00.000-04:00

Indiana University Emissaries for Graduate Student Diversity on the Bloomington campus

See their new blog site: http://www.indiana.edu/~gradlife/

AGEP Summer 2011

2011-08-09T11:22:00.000-04:00

What a busy summer we have had! IU AGEP has had many students and faculty participate in events this summer.

Jose, Amy, Jeremy, and Nancy - Graduate Student Panel

July was a full month. We hosted the IUPUI Herbert Summer STEM students at the Bloomington campus, showing them around and hosting panal disscussions and meetings with professors.

AGEP represented IU at the Kappa Alpha Psi Fair in Indianapolis.

Howard PFF Summer Institute

2011-06-28T12:30:00.000-04:00

IU attended Howard PFF Summer Institute Washington, D.C. June 9-11. IU participants include: (1) Christy Erving, Sociology (2) Diedre Redmond, Sociology; and, (3) Verleen McSween, Vision Sciences.

Institute for Broadening Participation

2011-06-17T11:05:00.000-04:00

Dean Yolanda Treviño attends an Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) training session with AGEP colleagues from SUNY, UMBC, and Cornell. Sign up to receive NSF, NIH and NASA information on graduate student research support, as well as post-doc and faculty opportunities at: http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/Form.asp

April 2011 GLASS Conference in Chicago, IL

2011-05-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

The Great Lakes Alliance for Social and Behavioral Sciences (GLASS) held their annual graduate student research conference April 22, 2011. Indiana University had six students selected to present their original research, there students were: Christine Davis, Eric Grollman, Caralee Jones, Chantalle LaFontant, Alexander Lu, and Gabriel Serna (no pictured). This conference is designed to give graduate students in SBES (social and behavioral sciences) an opportunity to present their research and receive feedback from their peers and faculty from the seven universities that comprise the GLASS Alliance.

Christine Davis, Counseling and Educational Psychology, presented on her research titled, "Moderating Effects of temperament on the Relations between Religious Education and Religiosity at Grade Six and Age Fifteen". Her conclusion confirms her hypothesis that there is a moderating role of difficult temperament on the relation between religious education and religiosity.

Eric Grollman, Sociology, presented his research on, "The Effects of Multiple Forms of Perceived Discrimination on Health among Adolescents and Young Adults." He investigates whether the relationship between perceived discrimination and health varies by the number and type of discrimination.

Caralee Jones's, African American and African Diaspora Studies, research is focused on the, "Interpersonal Relationships among Africans, African Americans, and West Indians. She explores the factors that help or hinder the interpersonal relationships among these groups.

Chantalle LaFontant's, Public Affairs, research is tilted, "Path Dependencies: Haiti's Unconsidered Obstacle". She looks at the factors in the "Haiti situation" that seem intractable using path dependency theory.

Alexander Lu, Sociology, explores discrimination and immigrant laws. His research is titled, "Intersections of Discrimination in Immigration Law: Narrating Chinese Women's Experiences during the Chinese Exclusion Era".

Gabriel Serna, Education, looks at the relationship between tax and expenditure limitations and tuition prices. Her research is titled, "Foundations for an Empirical Analysis of TELs and Public University Tuition Prices".

IU Graduate Student Recieves The City's Commission on the Status of Black Males 2011 Outstanding Black Male Leader of Tomorrow Award

2011-03-02T13:42:00.000-05:00

Former Emissary for Graduate Student Diversity and Indiana University graduate student in microbiology Adrian Land received the city’s Commission on the Status of Black Males 2011 Outstanding Black Males Leader of Tomorrow Award. Land said he simply wants to be a person who does his part to build bridges and open doors for other people, as so many have done for him.

As a member of the commission, Land has served as a co-facilitator of workshops for the IU Men and Women of Color Conference.
He is a member of the Midwest Crossroads Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, an emissary for graduate student diversity through the IU Graduate School, an ambassador for the Office of Diversity Education, and was a participant in the 2009 Compact for Faculty Diversity.

Land also serves as a house parent for Stepping Stones and is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

NSF Emerging Researchers Conference, Washington D.C.

2011-03-02T13:33:00.000-05:00

The Indiana University Graduate School and Midwest Crossroads Alliance were represented at the Emerging Researchers Conference by Lesa Huber, Applied Health Science, HPER, Constance Brown, Atmospheric Science/Geography, Garfield Warren, Physics, and Assistant Dean Yolanda Treviño, University Graduate School in Washington, D.C. February 24th-27th. The Emerging Researchers Conference was hosted by the National Science Foundation. This was a great opportunity to recruite students in the STEM disicplines and network with other professionals.

Post Doctoral Position Listings:

2011-02-24T07:48:00.000-05:00

IBP has been working on keeping post doctoral openings posted on a new web portal: http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/Postdocs_portal.asp. We share this information through outreach with AGEP students. Please encourage students who are interested in seeking a post doctoral position to check the listings on this page and to consider posting their profiles here. If you find profiles on this page or on www.agep.us or on www.pathwaystoscience.org that need updating please take a minute and let us know! Also, feel free to share this link with other colleagues who are seeking candidates for post doctoral openings.

You can send information to me directly by email or you can utilize the link below to suggest changes or other program information--whatever is most convenient for you.

Post Doctoral Opening Posting Link:

http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/programform.asp

GEO Science Internships Avaliable:

2011-02-01T09:19:00.002-05:00

The Geological Society of America's (GSA) GeoCorps America internship program is now seeking applicants for exciting geoscience internships during in the summer of 2011. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHAT IS GEOCORPS?

●More than ninety different twelve-week geoscience internships are available in America's amazing public lands

●GeoCorps now features six additional “GeoCorps Diversity Internships” and two additional “GeoCorps American Indian Internships”.

●Projects involve field and laboratory research focused on the earth and environmental sciences.

●Participants may develop and lead educational and interpretive programs for staff, volunteers, and the public.

●Research topics include geology, hydrology, water quality, paleontology, mapping, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), minerals, soils, glaciology, geo-hazards, cave/karst science, and more.

●Mentorship is provided by federal employees in GSA's three partner agencies: the National Park Service (NPS), United States Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

WHERE DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Internships are hosted on public lands throughout the United States: National Parks, National Forests, and BLM areas.

●Sites include Grand Canyon National Park (AZ), Glacier National Park (MT), Badlands National Park (SD), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), the NPS Denver office, the BLM Washington, DC office, and dozens more.

●Opportunities are available in distant, remote areas, and closer to home.

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO GEOCORPS?

●Eligibility is open to students, graduates, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, retirees, and others.

●Candidates with backgrounds in geoscience, other STEM areas, or in STEM education are invited to apply.

●Members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE PARTICIPATE IN GEOCORPS?

●A stipend payment ($2,750 minimum) and free housing (or full housing funds) are provided.

●The program provides valuable work experience with the federal government.

●Scientific skills are learned and utilized in a “real world” setting.

●Participants get to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas in the world.

WHEN DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Applications for summer positions are due by Feb. 1, 2011, and positions take place from May 2011-Sep. 2011.

●Applications for fall/winter positions, which occur from Sep. 2011-May 2012, can be submitted from May 2-Jul. 1, 2011.

HOW CAN SOMEONE APPLY?

●Applications should be submitted through the GeoCorps website.

●Everyone can apply to three GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps Diversity Internships may apply to all six, plus three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps American Indian Internships may apply for those, plus all six GeoCorps Diversity Internships, and three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Contact Matt Dawson, GeoCorps Program Officer, for information/assistance: mdawson@geosociety.org; 303-357-1025.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT GEOCORPS

●Main GeoCorps website: www.geosociety.org/geocorps

●GeoCorps Diversity Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsDiversityInternships.htm

●GeoCorps American Indian Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsAmericanIndianInternships

TRUST-REU 2011Summer Research Experience-Apply by March 1, 2011

2011-02-01T09:16:00.001-05:00

An eight-week summer research experience for undergraduates in cybersecurity and trustworthy systems. TRUST is addressing technical operational, privacy, and policy challenges with interdisciplinary projects that combine fundamental science and applied research to deliver breakthrough advances in trustworthy systems in three "grand challenge" areas:

Financial Infastructures
Health Infrastructures
Physical Infrastructures

REU students work in small groups on TRUST research projects with faculty and graduate mentors.

Research Program Locations:

UC Berkeley, CA
Carnegie Mellon University, PA
Cornell University, NY
Stanford University, CA
Vanderbilt University, TN

Apply by March 1, 2011 at www.truststc.org/reu.

For further information Contact:
Dr. Kristen Gates
TRUST REU Program Office
University of California
337 Cory Hall Berkley, CA 94720

510-642-3737

kgates@eeecs.berkley.edu

Job Opportunities

2011-01-12T15:13:00.000-05:00

The Geological Society of America's (GSA) GeoCorps America internship program is now seeking applicants for exciting geoscience internships during in the summer of 2011. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHAT IS GEOCORPS?

●More than ninety different twelve-week geoscience internships are available in America's amazing public lands

●GeoCorps now features six additional “GeoCorps Diversity Internships” and two additional “GeoCorps American Indian Internships”.

●Projects involve field and laboratory research focused on the earth and environmental sciences.

●Participants may develop and lead educational and interpretive programs for staff, volunteers, and the public.

●Research topics include geology, hydrology, water quality, paleontology, mapping, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), minerals, soils, glaciology, geo-hazards, cave/karst science, and more.

●Mentorship is provided by federal employees in GSA's three partner agencies: the National Park Service (NPS), United States Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

WHERE DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Internships are hosted on public lands throughout the United States: National Parks, National Forests, and BLM areas.

●Sites include Grand Canyon National Park (AZ), Glacier National Park (MT), Badlands National Park (SD), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), the NPS Denver office, the BLM Washington, DC office, and dozens more.

●Opportunities are available in distant, remote areas, and closer to home.

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO GEOCORPS?

●Eligibility is open to students, graduates, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, retirees, and others.

●Candidates with backgrounds in geoscience, other STEM areas, or in STEM education are invited to apply.

●Members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE PARTICIPATE IN GEOCORPS?

●A stipend payment ($2,750 minimum) and free housing (or full housing funds) are provided.

●The program provides valuable work experience with the federal government.

●Scientific skills are learned and utilized in a “real world” setting.

●Participants get to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas in the world.

WHEN DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Applications for summer positions are due by Feb. 1, 2011, and positions take place from May 2011-Sep. 2011.

●Applications for fall/winter positions, which occur from Sep. 2011-May 2012, can be submitted from May 2-Jul. 1, 2011.

HOW CAN SOMEONE APPLY?

●Applications should be submitted through the GeoCorps website.

●Everyone can apply to three GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps Diversity Internships may apply to all six, plus three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps American Indian Internships may apply for those, plus all six GeoCorps Diversity Internships, and three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Contact Matt Dawson, GeoCorps Program Officer, for information/assistance: mdawson@geosociety.org; 303-357-1025.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT GEOCORPS

●Main GeoCorps website: http://www.geosociety.org/geocorps

●GeoCorps Diversity Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsDiversityInternships.htm

●GeoCorps American Indian Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsAmericanIndianInternships

"Getting You Into IU" 2010 Event:

2010-12-03T11:05:00.001-05:00

GU2IU is a pre-application campus visit for underrepresented minority students, underwritten by the President’s Diversity Initiative and coordinated by The University Graduate School. Using the IU AGEP recruitment model, funded by the National Science Foundation, the University Graduate School identifies programs that prepare underrepresented students for doctoral studies. Prospective applicants are invited to apply to the pre-application, fully-funded, early fall campus visit. This year's event took place October 10th-12th, and hosted 21 students.

Here are some comments from this year’s visiting participants:

“The faculty and staff were great. Everyone was prepared to talk with me, was eager to share their part of IU and truly loved what they were doing. Their enthusiasm was infectious! After visiting it is hard to imagine going anywhere else!”

“Networking with a wide variety was faculty members were not only informative, but fun. It was good to learn about their diverse backgrounds and research interests.”

“Certain participants at the university met with us more than once, which highlighted everyone's commitment to welcoming us during the visit and in the future.”

“I was impressed with the beauty of the campus and the willingness the faculty members had to meet with me despite their busy schedules.”

Professor Roel Snieder, Colorado School of Mines, "The Global Energy Challenge":

2010-11-12T10:50:00.000-05:00

Part of the “Grand Energy Challenge” lecture series

Abstract. A stable and sustainable energy supply is one of the major issues of this Century. World-energy demand is expected to increase by about 70% in the coming 20 years, while the production of petroleum — our main source of energy — is likely to peak in this period. The combination of rising demand and declining production of conventional oil raises the question: “What is the plan?” In the absence of a plan for a sustainable energy supply, coal and non-conven-tional oil are likely to become the main source of energy. These energy sources lead to much higher CO2 emissions per unit energy than the sources currently used. Combined with the expected increase in energy use, this aggravates global warming. We face the challenge to develop a strategy to develop a sustainable energy system with acceptable environmental impact. In my presentation I give examples what one can do as a teacher, student, consumer, businessman and as a citizen to make progress towards a more sustainable energy system.

Roel Snieder holds the Keck Foundation Endowed Chair of Basic Exploration Science at the Colorado School of Mines. He received in 1984 a Masters degree in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics from Princeton University, and in 1987 a Ph.D. in seismology from Utrecht University. In 1993 he was appointed as professor of seismology at Utrecht University, where from 1997-2000 he was appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences. In 1997 he was a visiting professor at the Center for Wave Phenomena. Roel served on the editorial boards of Geophysical Journal International, Inverse Problems, Reviews of Geophysics, and the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. In 2000 he was elected as Fellow of the American Geophysical Union for important contributions to geophysical inverse theory, seismic tomography, and the theory of surface waves. He is author of the textbooks "A Guided Tour of Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences" and "The Art of Being a Scientist" that are published by Cambridge University Press. Roel is a foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Since 2000 he is a firefighter in Genesee Fire Rescue.

Geology 143
Monday, November 15, 2010 4:00 PM
Refreshments in the Geology Lobby, beginning at 3:30 PM

Sponsored by:
IU Department of Geological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences Themester

You are Invited to attend: Sustainable Energy Talk and Reception...

2010-10-19T08:34:00.011-04:00

You are invited to attend a talk on sustainable energy hosted by the Women in Science Program of Indiana University’s Office for Women’s Affairs (OWA). The talk is co-sponsored by the National Society for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). A reception will follow.

Dr. Sossina Haile is an internationally recognized expert on fuel cell technologies. She observes that more energy from sunlight strikes the earth in one hour than all of the energy consumed on the planet in one year. Therefore, the challenge as a society is not to identify a sustainable energy source, but rather to capitalize on solar energy. Laboratories around the world are exploring this problem and Dr. Haile and her colleagues at the California Institute of Technology have developed a unique approach for converting water and carbon dioxide to storable fuels using the heat of the sun.

“Fuels from Sunlight, Water and Carbon Dioxide:
A Thermochemical Approach”
A talk given by Dr. Sossina M. Haile, Caltech
Thursday, October 21, 2010
3:00—4:00pm Whittenberger Auditorium, Indiana Memorial Union
4:00pm Reception, Solarium, Indiana Memorial Union
Free and open to the public

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing our planet is sustainable energy. Remarkably, more energy from sunlight strikes the earth in one hour than all of the energy consumed on the planet in one year. Thus, the challenge modern society faces is not one of identifying a sustainable energy source, but rather one of capitalizing on the vast, yet intermittent, solar resource base. Laboratories around the world are pursuing a variety of promising storage methods for converting solar energy into a reliable energy source for on-demand utilization. Dr. Haile and her colleagues at Caltech have developed a unique thermochemical approach for converting water and carbon dioxide to storable fuels using the heat of the sun. In her talk, she will describe the state-of-the-art in this approach and the outstanding challenges.

Telling the Stories of the BPC Alliances:

2010-09-29T13:55:00.002-04:00

How one NSF program is changing the face of Computing, click on link to read further:

http://php.aaas.org/programs/centers/capacity/documents/BPC%20Stories.pdf

National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students - 2011 Application Now Open:

2010-09-29T13:53:00.002-04:00

The National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) is a flagship international fellowship program for developing the next generation of globally engaged U.S. scientists and engineers knowledgeable about the Asian and Pacific regions. The Summer Institutes are hosted by foreign counterparts committed to increasing opportunities for young U.S. researchers to work in research facilities and with host mentors abroad. Fellows are supported to participate in eight-week research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan (10 weeks), Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan from June to August. The program provides a $5,000 summer stipend, round-trip airfare to the host location, living expenses abroad, and an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research environment of the host location.

The 2011 application is now open and will close at 5:00 pm local time on November 10, 2010. Application instructions are available online at www.nsfsi.org. For further information concerning benefits, eligibility, and tips on applying, applicants are encouraged to visit www.nsf.gov/eapsi or http://www.nsfsi.org/.

NSF recognizes the importance of enabling U.S. researchers and educators to advance their work through international collaborations and the value of ensuring that future generations of U.S. scientists and engineers gain professional experience beyond this nation's borders early in their careers. The program is intended for U.S. graduate students pursuing studies in fields supported by the National Science Foundation. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for the EAPSI. Applicants must be enrolled in a research-oriented master's or PhD program and be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents by the application deadline date. Students in combined bachelor/master degree programs must have matriculated from the undergraduate degree program by the application deadline date.

The first Summer Institutes began in Japan in 1990, and to date over 2,000 U.S. graduate students have participated in the program.

Should you have any questions, please contact the EAPSI Help Desk by email at eapsi@nsfsi.org or by phone at 1-866-501-2922.

Burroughs Wellcome Funds Collaborative Research Travel Grants:

2010-09-29T13:50:00.001-04:00

This award supports Ph.D. candidates, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty researchers traveling to laboratories domestically or internationally to acquire new research techniques, facilitate or begin collaborations, or attend courses. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or are studying for a Ph.D. in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, statistics, or engineering and are interested in investigating research opportunities in the biological sciences. The award provides up to $15,000 in travel costs. Application Deadline: 12/1/2010. For more information, visit: http://www.bwfund.org/pages/487/CRTG-Program-Application-%28Pre-Award%29/

Looking for students with a passion to improve global health through a research career in allergy, immunology, and infectious diseases:

2010-09-29T13:46:00.004-04:00

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the second largest Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking applicants for its Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities (INRO) program, which provides an invaluable opportunity for students with strong academic standing who are from populations underrepresented in biomedical research.

Candidates who are a college-level senior, medical school student, or doctoral candidate, and from a population underrepresented in the biomedical sciences are eligible.

During the 4-day program, students will hear lectures from world-renowned scientists and interview for potential research training positions at the Institute's Maryland and Montana laboratories. The program takes place in Bethesda, MD, on the NIH campus, February 7–10, 2011. Students' expenses for travel, hotel accommodations, and meals will be paid.

Applications will be accepted from August 15 through October 15, 2010. Interested students can apply online through the program's Web site: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/labsandresources/labs/training/inro/Pages/default.aspx

AGEP 2010-11 Academic Year Information Session:

2010-09-17T14:28:00.001-04:00

IUB AGEP's 2010-11 academic year information session took place Thursday, September 16th from 6-8pm. During this meeting AGEP faculty and students were provided with information on AGEP's goals, successes, opportunities, upcoming events, and the next steps for our grant program. Particpants were also given a chance to network and share ideas about how to advance under represented miniority participation in STEM graduate programs, while enjoying light refreshments. The information and events calendar provided at the meeting can be obtained by emailing agep@indiana.edu.

Graduate Student Reflection of OSU AGEP Summer Workshop:

2010-09-15T16:22:00.000-04:00

Crystal M.

Department of Criminal Justice

I recently attended the “Surviving Your First Years as an Assistant Professor” workshop hosted at The Ohio State University in July 2010. This session was by far, if not, the most informative workshop that I have attended as a doctoral student at IU. During this workshop, we were provided with a great deal of resources and tools that help doctoral students successfully transition to a junior faculty position. This workshop addressed the different degrees of faculty roles and responsibilities, criteria for promotion and tenure process, and research and funding while in a tenure track position. In other words, this workshop stressed the importance of career planning, publishing, and the academic job market. Most importantly, the workshop provided us with strategies that can help us fulfill research, teaching, and service expectations when confronted with a series of obstacles while doing so in a way that allows one to maintain their integrity, emotional and physical health, and intimate and workplace relationships. However, the most important aspect of the workshop for me was the career planning session.

During the career planning session, we examined four main points: (1) a story--how others see your work; (2) reputation--how others see you; (3) plans--getting there; and (4) who to ask and about what. First, the importance of a story is to make certain that people understand and can easily evaluate what you are doing. Your story should create a sense of your career unfolding over an extended period of time. This can be done in a variety of ways by creating titles that easily connect conference papers to grants and publications. A story should also pinpoint your goals or contributions to a project and you should be able to explain your research in a way that other people will understand it. In other words, one should have an elevator pitch approach (i.e., similar to explaining one’s research to their mother), book flap/abstract approach (i.e., a summary of one’s research and major findings), and job talk and/or department colloquium approach. In addition, one should be known for their own work, thereby being mindful not to walk in one’s dissertation advisor’s shadow. Second, one should develop a reputation as being fair, invested, respectful, and respected. This means one should strive to be fair to students and colleagues, invested in the department and university’s success, respectful of differences, and seek to be respected by others. In addition, one should also demonstrate that he/she can multitask well. Third, one should take charge of their career by choosing opportunities that will help one’s professional growth and development. This means one should create a time management plan and avoid the syndrome of being a perfectionist. One should create a timeline for tenure and have projects at different stages. Finally, one should have several people to turn to for advice and support. In other words, one should cultivate mentoring relationships and have more than one advisor. One should seek many opinions and then develop his/her own. Most importantly, should not be afraid of making mistakes. Instead, one should grow, learn, and recover from mistakes made.

Student's Reflection of AGEP GLASS Workshop:

2010-08-25T08:48:00.001-04:00

Nikole D. Miller-
Dept. of Linguistics

Attending the “Surviving your first years as an assistant professor” Workshop, held at Ohio State, was a memorable experience for me. I was able to get a better idea of what responsibilities, duties, and challenges lay ahead for the assistant professor on the tenure-track. The three most important pieces of information that I took away from this workshop are: (1) the difference between quick starters and typical new faculty is about behavior, not ability (2) the importance of having a mentor and a sponsor, and (3) everything is negotiable for your academic position.
1. The difference between quick starters and typical new faculty is about behavior, not ability.
What I learned from one of the sessions is that the only difference between those that seem to excel in their profession and those that seem to struggle is behavior. Quick starters tend to prioritize their time so that they’re able to devote more time to research and scholarly writing and less time on teaching. Quick starters also regularly talk to mentors and colleagues about their research and teaching in order to get advice and feedback on their projects.
2. The importance of having a mentor and a sponsor.
This was a message that was repeated in at least three of the five sessions at the workshop. Every speaker stressed the need for seeking some guidance to make it through the process. Most importantly, each speaker advised to not wait for there to be a problem to seek help. For a mentor, you should look for someone that you can talk to about your needs and concerns and they will advise you on what steps might be best for your situation. A sponsor is someone who is willing to use their influence behind closed doors to help you.
3. Everything is negotiable for your academic position.
One of the speakers advised to negotiate about everything in terms of your position. This means considering what your needs will be during your time at the university. Some of the things mentioned for negotiating included asking if you would have to teach during the summers, if you could have course reductions during your first year or two, if you can get a start-up research package in order to bring up and maintain your lab for the first few years, and if the university will cover moving and travel costs.

Student's Reflection of Post Doc. Boot Camp:

2010-08-18T11:08:00.000-04:00

Antiño R. Allen, Ph.D.-

I attended the UCSF-AGEP Post doc Boot Camp in September 2008. The information I received during the two day event was very helpful. We discussed issues ranging from the different types of postdocs that exist to negotiating a post doc salary. The most informative section for me focused on communicating clearly with potential mentors and how to evaluate a potential postdoctoral position. Some of the postdocs in the discussion groups placed paramount importance on the prestige of the principal investigator while others emphasized mentoring ability. I had a wonderful experience interacting the faculty and program director. In addition, I was extremely impressed with the training provided for the postdoctoral scholars UCSF. I am currently a ISIS postdoctoral scholar working under mentor Dr. John Fike at UCSF’s Brain and Spinal Injury Center (Department of Neurological Surgery). My research focuses on evaluating the effects of combined irradiation and traumatic brain injury Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function. In addition, I am examining whether the adverse effects of radiation combined injury can be reduced using an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis.

Surviving Your first Years as an Assistant Professor Workshop:

2010-08-05T22:17:00.000-04:00

Nikole M. and Crystal M., two advanced IUB doctoral students, were invited to join other PhD students at the summer workshop organized by Ohio State University for the Great Lakes Alliance for SbeS (GLASS) AGEP. The workshop hosted was in collaboration with the Crime and Justice Summer Research Institute: Broadening Perspectives and Participation conducted by the Criminal Justice Research Center at OSU with core support from NSF, July 25-27, 2010. They met other PhD students from The Ohio State University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Penn State University and Temple University.

The workshop included sessions on career planning; and, managing revise and resubmits and other publishing skills; as well as presentations on the academic job market 101. A panel of CJSRI participants and local underrepresented faculty shared their lived experiences and offered advice on life as a new assistant professor. Keynote speaker and workshop session was Dr. Kerry Ann Rockquemore. She walked the participants thru the session, “How to win tenure without losing your soul”.

IU Physicist Modifies Einstein’s Theory:

2010-08-05T14:16:00.001-04:00

Could we be living inside a black hole?

An IU astronomer and physicist has published a theory stating that our universe might be inside a black hole and that black holes in our own universe might contain universes of their own.

To read the rest of this story click here: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=76333

(Image From: http://thesamerowdycrowd.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/black-hole.jpg)

IU Connections Receive Award to Link Scientists Across Countries:

2010-08-05T14:14:00.001-04:00

The National Science Foundation awarded $9.2 million to IU for two high-speed international network services, half to continue the TransPAC3 network connection to Asia and half for a new connection to Europe named America Connects to Europe.

To view the rest of the story click here:
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=76334

(Image From: http://www.xtelcommunications.co.uk/products/worldnetwork.png)

Doctoral Students Needed to Participate in Dissertation Research:

2010-08-02T11:39:00.002-04:00

We are conducting a study on the experiences of African American female doctoral students enrolled in predominately White institutions (PWIs). This qualitative study aims to shed light on the doctoral students’ experiences and African American female doctoral students use to while enrolled in their programs at PWIs through semi-structured, audio-recorded telephone interviews. These interviews will last between 45 to 60 minutes. The questions seek to understand the experiences of African American females in doctoral programs.

To be selected, you must be a female doctoral student in a PWI in the United States, and you must identify as African American or Black. If selected for participation in the study, you will receive a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card for completing the interview and the member checking of aggregate themes. If you withdraw from the study before completing the interview and/or member checking you will receive a 10.00 gift card.

Confidentiality will be protected per IRB and ethical guidelines, and you will have the right to withdraw from participation at any time without penalty.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Marjorie C. Adams privately at adams.633@buckeyemail.osu.edu. You will then receive a screening document and a detailed information sheet. By expressing interest in this study, you are not committing to participate.

AGEP Resource Manual for STEM Departments

2010-07-28T13:30:00.003-04:00

The attached manual was created by IUB Midwest Crossroads AGEP program, as a guide for the use of faculty members working with underrepresented minority students in the areas of recruitment, retention, mentoring, and funding.

http://www.indiana.edu/~grdschl/agep/AGEP%20Resource%20Manual%20for%20STEM%20Disciplines%202010.pdf

Meet Dr. Carolina Peñalva-Arana: IUB Post-Doctoral Scholar and Researcher

2010-07-14T11:36:00.002-04:00

Indiana University Bloomington Post-doctoral scholar/researcher, Dr. Carolina Peñalva- Arana wants to know how animals detect chemicals cues in aquatic systems (in other words - taste and smell things under water). She conducts her daily laboratory research in aquatic chemo reception using tiny aquatic organisms called Daphnia.

“Its amazing how complex these small animals behaviors are, even though they are only about the size of a grain of rice. I want to understand through my research how they survive predation, find mates, know what to eat, etc…” in their environment she said.

Peñalva-Arana also hopes to better understand the health of an environment by focusing on the interaction between environment and survival/behavior of these organisms.

Peñalva-Arana was born in El Salvador and moved to California at the age of thirteen. Prior to beginning her research at IU in September 2007, Dr. Peñalva-Arana took a chance and applied to her “dream” school, Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH). To her surprise, she was accepted and graduated with a doubled major in Biology and Spanish Literacy. She then pursued her graduate degree in Biology studying olfactory guided behaviors of Daphnia at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, and was also an honorary research fellow at UW-Madison.

After finishing graduate school, Peñalva-Arana received a National Institute of Health Fellowship - the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm) which currently funds her research investigating the evolution of chemoreceptor genes across two Daphnia species, and uncover genes that are specific to females, males and embryos. This research will help elucidate how the sexes differ and males find females, plus also help guide our understanding of how Daphnia are able to respond to predator chemical cues during their lifetime, including critical periods when they are still developing inside their mothers.

After the completion of her postdoctoral fellowship her next step will be one of the following two research avenues. The first avenue she would like to pursue is continuing in academia as a faculty member and teaching animal behavior and environmental ecology. Her second avenue of interest lies in intergrating her research with application through an environmental organization, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The application of her research is focused on using the environment and behaviors of these organisms to indicate the health of the environment.

Outside of the laboratory, Peñalva-Arana is one of the initial faculty advisors and founders of the Indiana University Bloomington SACNAS chapter (http://www.sacnas.org/sacnaschapters/public/index.cfm?id=52), an organization focused on advancing Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in science. She also spends her time mentoring undergraduate students.

Her advice for incoming graduate students?

“Make sure that you rotate through the labs and get a good feel for the different faculty, always apply for your own funding, and don’t be afraid to take chances.”

House Passes $84 Billion Science Bill

2010-06-11T10:45:00.000-04:00

Click on link to read the story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/01/house-science-bill_n_595751.html

2010-11 Emissary Profiles

2010-05-14T14:26:00.004-04:00

Meet the new Emissaries for Graduate Student Diveristy for the 2010-11 academic year:

Brian - Higher Education & Student Affairs
Gillian - Ethnomusicology and Anthropology
Heather - Ancient History and Ancient Greek
Ishani - Social Psychology
Jose - Informatics
Michael - Curriculum & Instruction
Omar - Law and Public Health
Sekou - Public & Environmental Affairs
Tomkia - Higher Education & Student Affairs
Viridiana - Developmental Psychology

Follow the link to read about each Emissary: http://graduate.indiana.edu/upcoming-emissaries.php

IUB AGEP Student Profiles on National Website

2010-05-14T11:58:00.009-04:00

Six Indiana University Bloomington AGEP students are being highlighted on the:

National AGEP website: http://www.agep.us/profiles.asp
and the Midwest Crossroads AGEP website: http://www.indiana.edu/~grdschl/agep/profiles.php.

These students represent diverse academic interests and personal backgrounds. Highlighted students in the STEM disciplines are: Adrian Land, Biology, Windsor Tanner, Physics, and Verleen McSween, Vision and Science, and students in the SBES disciplines are: Chantalle LaFontant, Public Affairs, Melissa Quintela, Sociology, and Erikka Vaughan, Psychology.

Click on the links provided to read about each student’s background and academic research.

IU Ranked One of the Best Sciences Graduate Schools

2010-05-03T13:25:00.001-04:00

Follow the links below to read further:

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools

http://iugradschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/iu-graduate-schools-and-programs-are.html

Welcome 2010-11 Emissaries for Graduate Student Diversity

2010-05-03T13:21:00.001-04:00

The Indiana University Graduate School and Midwest Crossroads AGEP would like to welcome the new 2010-2011 Emissaries for Graduate Student Diversity. The new students represent a well-rounded, diverse group of outstanding IU graduate students from a variety of disciplines. The following students will participate in a year-long program to offer guidance and support to prospective IU graduate students. The new Emissaries are: Ishani Banerji, Viridiana Benitez, Tomika Ferguson, Sekou Kante, Omar Martinez, Jose Lugo Martinez, Brian McGowan, Michael Ndemanu, Gillian Richards-Greaves, and Heather Roberts.

For more information on the Emissary Program-
Please visit the Emissary website: http://graduate.indiana.edu/emissaries.php
And the Emissary Blogsite: http://grademissaries.blogspot.com/

SACNAS: "A Walk in the Woods"

2010-04-20T11:03:00.002-04:00

Last Friday I.U. SACNAS hosted "A Walk in the Woods: Sustainability at Indiana University". Six graduate students alongside Assistant Dean Yolanda Trevino took an afternoon break to visit the University Lake and the I.U. Preserve. After taking a tour of the new facilities for geological and environmental research, students participated in a hike and an outdoor lunch by the lake.

I.U. Discoveries

2010-04-20T10:49:00.002-04:00

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/issue/page/normal/248.html

(Nolan Kane Photograph 2010)

Publishing Opportunity

2010-04-15T14:49:00.002-04:00

This past Monday, five campuses (IUB, IUPUI, Purdue, Northwestern Evanston, and Northwestern Chicago) of our AGEP alliance participated in our first video-conference to discuss: (1) a collaborative book project – What it takes to get a PhD; and, (2) case studies and video vignettes that may accompany the book when published. Possible chapter topics were generated.

Below are a few examples:
• First semester transitions

• You aren't the only one struggling
• Success after Challenge
• Study Groups: Making them work for You
• Getting involved can also mean getting funded
• Networking Family and Friends: Staying in touch
• Focusing on the prize: Seeing the light at the end of the PhD tunnel

Graduate students will have the opportunity to write a chapter in collaboration with one to two other graduate students from our AGEP alliance. A total of 10-15 chapters are anticipated. First drafts have a November 2010 deadline when we meet again for our alliance research conference next fall. The goal is to have the book ready for publication in the spring 2011.

In addition, students at each campus can present a multicultural issue enacted through a 30 second video; posing a reflection or discussion question at the end of the video. A solution manual will be created at the November conference.

If you are interested in participating in one or both of these opportunities, email agep@indiana.edu by May 1.

SACNAS April Brown Bag Event RSVP NOW!!!

2010-04-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

“A WALK IN THE WOODS, SUSTAINABILITY AT I.U.”

Hosted by Jenna Morrison (SPEA PhD Student) and Charlie Brooks
(Preserve Manager and Masters Student in Outdoor Education)

Friday, April 16th, 2010
From 11:30am-1:00pm
Meet at 11:30 at Wells Library Lobby to car pool.

Join your graduate peers for a hike around Griffey Lake and IU Preserve. Please bring your own brown bag lunch for a picnic outdoors!

RSVP to agep@indiana.edu by Wednesday, April 14th.

Resources & Events

2010-04-08T09:57:00.000-04:00

Wanting to meet people in your discipline or area of expertise? Check these out:

GLOBAL: EPERNICUS: where science meets (http://www.epernicus.com/)

NATIONAL: JUSTGARCIAHILL: a virtual community for minorities in science (http://www.justgarciahill.org/)

REGIONAL: MIDWEST CROSSROADS AGEP: graduate student video conference - Monday, April 12, 1 – 3pm; Radio/Television Room 180, IUB (http://www.iuagep.blogspot.com/)

CAMPUS:

• SACNAS – Griffey Lake Hike and brown bag lunch, Friday, April 16 at noon.

• NOBCChE - http://www.indiana.edu/~nobcche/why.html

Graduate Student Video Conference

2010-03-22T15:24:00.000-04:00

"Creating Case Studies for the STEM Disciplines"

Monday, April 12th from 1:00-3:00pm

Share your graduate experiences with students from IUB, IUPUI, Purdue & Northwestern to create collaborative case studies!!
IUB: Radio Television Building, Room 180

Please RSVP to agep@indiana.edu by Thursday, April 8th.

"Charting the Course to Funding"

2010-03-16T14:55:00.003-04:00

Funding Session:
FRIDAY, APRIL 2nd FROM 12-1pm
At La Casa (715 E. 7th St.)
HOSTING: Dr. Carolina Penalva-Arana & Christy Erving

WHAT TO BRING:
Your Laptop (If applicable); Come prepared with 3 Grant possibilities each with a different deadline: (1 spring, 1 summer, & 1 fall)

Websites Resources:
Grad Grants Center http://www.indiana.edu/~gradgrnt/
Community of Science http://research.iupui.edu/funding/cos.

RSVP to agep@indiana.edu by April 1st!

IU "Scientists at Work"

2010-03-16T11:35:00.003-04:00

Profiles of today's groundbreaking researchers
and the impact of their
scientific work are available at:

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/4487.html

IU Discoveries: Research from the Lab and Field

2010-03-16T11:29:00.002-04:00

Keep up with the work if IU researchers through Discoveries. This semimonthly newsletter looks at IU's best research in both lab and field and includes articles abuot recent papers, ongiong projects, and sketches of the professional lives of scientists, medical researchers, and others who are making a difference.

Link: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/issue/page/normal/240.html

Cogntive Science Undergraduate Research Fellowship

2010-03-01T15:05:00.000-05:00

Cognitive Science Visiting Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Indiana University
The Cognitive Science Program at Indiana University, Bloomington invites upper-level undergraduate students and students who are graduating from college to apply to the Cognitive Science Visiting Undergraduate Program.

The program is designed to give students interested in Cognitive Science an opportunity to design and conduct their own research while working closely with a faculty mentor, at the top Cognitive Science Program in the country, for a full academic year.

Students selected for the program may enroll in up to 17 credits per semester, but will be expected to devote a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester to research approved by the Cognitive Science Program. Students will also have the option to enroll in our outstanding undergraduate courses. The Cognitive Science Undergraduate Program stresses skills acquisition, and aims to foster the abilities that make students into scientists.

The application deadline is April 19, 2010. Those who are accepted will be notified by early May.

For further information, please see http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/academic/visit.html

ScientificBlogging Science Writing Competition

2010-03-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

ScientificBlogging has just announced its Spring 2010 University Science Writing Competition.
Currently enrolled graduate students are invited to participate by submitting an original article on a scientific topic of their choosing. It is our hope to discover those exceptional students that not only know their science, but can also apply it and effectively communicate it to the scientific community – as well as the general public. Finalists will be chosen by an internal panel of ScientificBlogging staff, featured writers, and specialists in the various fields of science. The final winners will then be selected from among these finalists by on-line voting by ScientificBlogging readers.
The author of the article receiving the most overall votes will be awarded a $1,000 cash Grand Prize, as well as a 3-month paid writing internship at ScientificBlogging.com. In addition, the authors that receive the second and third most votes for their articles will receive cash prizes of $500 and $250 respectively. This is also an opportunity for all participants to have their work published and featured on a premier science site receiving over a million readers per month, and to be read and reviewed by some of the most respected minds and writers in the science community.
The competition runs from February 15, 2010 - March 15, 2010. The article on our website that provides the details about the competition, rules, and submission guidelines can be found at: http://www.scientificblogging.com/community_connections/announcing_return_university_science_writing_competion

March SACNAS Brown Bag Event: "Pros and Cons of Your Own Funding

2010-02-26T15:27:00.002-05:00

TOPIC: “PROS & CONS OF YOUR OWN FUNDING”
HOSTED BY: Dr. Carolina Peñalva-Arana & Christy Erving

WHEN: Tuesday March 2nd, 2010, From 12:00pm-1:00pm
WHERE: La Casa (715 E. 7th St.)

Please bring your lunch and enjoy the session!

RSVP to agep@indiana.edu

SACNAS Spring Brown Bag Series

2010-02-19T10:18:00.003-05:00

Mark your calendars...

SACNAS SPRING BROWN BAG SERIES:

February Event

Date: Wednesday, February 24th

Topic: "How to Cope with All That You Need to Do"

Speaker: Dr. Maxine Watson, Dept. of Biology

Location/Time: La Casa (715 E. 7th St.) 12-1pm

March Event

Date: Tuesday, March 2nd

Topic: "Pros & Cons of Your Own Funding"

Speakers: Dr. Carolina Penalva-Arana & Christy Erving

Location/Time: La Casa (715 E. 7th St.) 12-1pm

April Event

Date: Friday, April 16th

Topic: "A Walk in the Woods, Sustainability at IU"

Speakers: Jenna Morrison, SPEA PhD Student & Charlie Brooks, Perserve Manager

Location/Time: Griffey Lake (Meet at Wells Library Lobby11:30am & Return at 1pm)

RSVP to agep@indiana.edu

15th Annual Preparing Future Faculty Graduate Student Conference

2010-02-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Join us for the 2010 Preparing Future Faculty Graduate Student Conference on Friday, February 19th. There will be panelists from a wide variety of disciplines speaking on a range of topics, including building your research record, being a good teacher without letting it consume you, navigating the academic job market, and everything in between!

Event: 15th Annual Preparing Future Faculty Graduate Student Conference

Date: Friday, February 19, 2010

Time: 8:30am – 4:30pm

Location: IMU Solarium

The conference is free and open to all. There is a *free* lunch from 12:30-2pm, however seating is limited to 200 guests. To reserve your space, send an e-mail with your name, e-mail address, and department by Tuesday, February 16 to: iupffc@gmail.com. Dr. Sonya Stephens will be the keynote speaker.

Did we mention the lunch was *FREE*?!? We hope to see you there!
- PFF Conference Planning Committee

GLASS AGEP Professional Development Conference in Chicago

2010-02-12T10:39:00.004-05:00

This past weekend (February 4th-7th) Dr. Yolanda Trevino with IU and IUPUI AGEP took 6 graduate students to Chicago for 3 days to participate in the Great Lakes Alliance for the Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences (GLASS) Professional Development conference. This conference hosted students from IU, IUPUI, Purdue, Northwestern, Ohio State University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, and Temple University; with over 100 students in attendance. The topic for the weekend was "Tools of the Trade", with a purpose of helping graduate students learn the tools they need to succeed in graduate school and academia. Overall this opportunity was a fun and resourceful networking and development experience for the students.

In this picture are 5 of the 6 representatives from IU and IUPUI at the conference.

Women's Institute in Summer Enrichment (WISE 2010): June 21st-24th at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

2010-02-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

Women’s Institute in Summer Enrichment (WISE 2010)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 31, 2010
PROGRAM DATE: June 21-24, 2010
LOCATION: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
CONTACT: Dr. Kristen Gates
Office: (510) 642-3737
Email: kgates@eecs.berkeley.edu
ONLINE APPLICATION: http://www.truststc.org/wise/
PDF: Available at program website

The Team for Ubiquitous Secure Technology (TRUST) is proud to announce the fifth annual Women’s Institute in Summer Enrichment (WISE 2010) held at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Please help me distribute this flier to women graduate students, post docs and junior faculty studying and working in the field.

Tuition for WISE 2010 is $2,500; however, NSF-TRUST fellowships are available to US professors, post-doctoral fellows, and Ph.D. Candidates studying at US universities. There is a maximum of 20 fellowships for Ph.D. candidates, post-doctoral fellows, and professors of all levels for the Institute.

This summer, the seminar will be held the week of June 20 at the Vanderbilt University campus and we expect to have 30 participants. The program is a one-week seminar with a multiple speaker/panel format.

Summer 2010, the program topic may include but are not limited to:
-- Large-Scale Sensing Systems
-- Secure Sensor Networking
-- Sensor Information Processing
-- Engineering, Maintenance, and Security of Critical Infrastructure
-- Public Surveillance, Privacy, and the 4th Amendment
-- Rights and responsibilities of data, data owners and data users

WISE will be an exciting program— a partial list of WISE 2010 speakers are:
-- Annie Anton: Computer Science, North Carolina State University
-- Ruzena Bajcsy: TRUST, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley
-- Rebecca Bace: Infidel, Inc.
-- Brad Malin: TRUST, Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University
-- Dorothy Glancy: Santa Clara University
-- Chris Hoofnagle : TRUST, Berkeley Center for Law and Technology, UC Berkeley
-- Lisa Weavind: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
-- Julie Earp: Computer Science, North Carolina State University
-- Yuan Xue: TRUST, Electrical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

IU SBES Professor Elinor Ostrom Nobel Prize Recipient: Lecture Tuesday February 16th

2010-02-09T12:05:00.003-05:00

IU Professor of Economics Elinor Ostrom's receipt of the 2009 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel brought a great deal of excitement to the Bloomington campus. In December, Professor Ostrom travelled to Stockholm, Sweden to accept the award. There, she and the other Nobel Prize recipients delivered lectures as part of the week of activities leading up to the Nobel ceremony.

On Tuesday, February 16, Professor Ostrom will present her Nobel Prize lecture at the Indiana University Auditorium at 4 p.m. I invite you to attend.

The lecture, which is open to the public, will be much the same as the informal lecture Professor Ostrom delivered in Stockholm. In it, she will give an overview of the research she has done during her extraordinary career.

The lecture is an opportunity for members of the campus community to learn more about her work and to celebrate her accomplishment.

SACNAS Spring Brown Bag Series: February 24th 12-1pm @ La Casa

2010-02-05T12:03:00.004-05:00

SACNAS--IUB CHAPTER PRESENTS:

Spring 2010 Brown Bag Series

FEBRUARY TOPIC:

“HOW TO COPE WITH ALL THAT YOU NEED TO DO”

Hosted by Dr. Maxine Watson,

Dept. of Biology

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

From 12:00pm-1:00pm
At La Casa: 715 E. 7th St.

Please bring your lunch and enjoy the session!

RSVP to agep@indiana.edu

NSF Summer REU Program at IU Bloomington Dept. of Mathematics

2010-01-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

This is an eight-week summer program, where students work one-on-one or in pairs with a faculty member from the Mathematics department.

Distinguishing features of this program include:

--its long tradition (it has been successfully run off and on, since 1966),

--the mathematical significance of the projects, and

--the breadth of topics (this year, ranging from logic to biology)

--very generous stipends.

The program runs roughly summer session 2 (June 21-August 14, 2010).

Basic information and our online application form can be found at:

http://www.math.indiana.edu/programs/reu/

Italy Summer 2010 Field School - Historic Preservation & Restoration

2010-01-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

Attention Students-

I would like to inform you about the summer 2010 field school in Italy, the San Gemini Preservation Studies Program, now in its 11th year, which is dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage.

This year the program focuses on the study of architectural survey and restoration, elements of art restoration and conservation of archaeological ceramics. The field projects involve the survey and restoration of medieval churches, archeological excavation in the ancient Roman city of Carsulae, and work on local archival material.

The program is a collaboration between scholars from various universities and local preservation groups, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to historic preservation. It is now a part of the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies. All academic activities are held in English.

Application deadline is March 15th.

Courses offered:

Introduction to Art and Architectural Restoration in Italy
Surveying and Analyzing Historic Buildings
NEW - Introduction to Conservation of Archaeological Ceramics
NEW - Workshop on Ceramics and Ceramics Conservation
Fieldtrip to Sienna, Florence and Rome

Field Projects:

Survey and Restoration of the 12th Century San Giovanni Battista Church complex
Survey and Restoration of the Church of Santo Gemine
Archaeological survey and excavation of the public baths in Carsulae

To find out more about our program please visit our website http://www.sangeministudies.org/

If you know any students, scholars or others interested in this type of study, please inform them about our program. We would appreciate it if you could list our program on your organization's website as an available educational resource. Also, attached is a flyer that you may wish to post on your department notice board or forward to interested parties.

Noted geophysicist and member of Nobel Prize-winning panel

2010-01-21T12:26:00.000-05:00

Professor Brian J. Soden
University of Miami
Lead author of the 2007 Nobel Prize-winning report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Wednesday, January 20th:

"Extreme Makeover: Planet Earth Edition"
4 pm in Geology S-201 (Patton Room)

"The Reality of Global Warming: Cold Facts on a Hot Topic"
7-8:30 pm at the IU Maurer School of Law, Room 122 (211 S. Indiana Ave.)

Both lectures are free and open to the public and media.

From heat waves to droughts, downpours and hurricanes, Earth’s weather events can be both extreme and costly. And as our climate changes, these extreme events may be becoming more common. North America has experienced longer and more intense heat waves, more

frequent heavy downpours, increasing droughts, and intensified hurricanes. Are these changes linked to global warming? If so, what will the future bring?

These lectures will examine the scientific evidence behind global warming, explore its potential links to extreme weather events, and discuss the changes that society will have to face in the coming decades. The first lecture will be more academically focused while the second will be targeted toward the broader community.
____

Soden served as the lead author of the 2007 Nobel Prize-winning report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He is a professor of meteorology and physical oceanography at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science. Over the last 15 years, Soden has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers on a variety of topics, most related to the response of the climate system to global warming. He specializes in the use of satellite observations to test and improve computer model simulations of climate change.

"Not a Retreat But a Foward" 2010 Effective Communication Workshop

2010-01-19T12:50:00.001-05:00

Saturday's event was an excellent opportunity for students from IUPUI and IU Bloomington to learn and practice some valuable communication skills from experts in the field. The morning began with a session on "What is Effective Communication?" presented by Dr. Carolyn Calloway-Thomas, Department of Communication and Culture, IUB. The next two sessions were lead by Dr. Carolyn Wiethoff, Department of Management/Kelly School of Business, IUB. She focused on "The Process of Persuasion" and "Negotiation: Technique, Training and Tips." The final session of the day was lead by Dr. Nancy Goldfarb, Philanthropic Studies, IUPUI, and was a chance for students to take provided scenarios and put into practice the techniques that they had learned throughout the day.

The day was a fun as well as an informative event, and enabled students to gain new skills and network with one another. Students described the conference as, "A fabulous experience, both enjoyable and informative learning experience" they also said, "It was very informative and beneficial to me in my professional development. I look forward to other workshops!"

National voices on local, sustainable foods visit IU for free lectures next week!

2010-01-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

Two of the nation's most passionate voices for sustainable, local food systems will visit Indiana University for free, public speaking appearances next week that are tied to IU's Jan. 22-24 "Bloomington Eats Green" conference.

Read the full article:
http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/13140.html

"Not A Retreat But A Forward": AGEP Effective Communication Workshop

2009-12-11T12:02:00.007-05:00

The 2009-2010 AGEP "Not a Retreat But a Forward" workshop will be held on Saturday, January 16th from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) in the Oak Room. This year's topic focuses on Effective Communication. We invite all STEM and SBES graduate students from both IU Bloomington and IUPUI to attend this workshop. This is a great opportunity to learn how to not only improve your communication skills for daily life, but also for improving your negotiation and persuasion techniques used when presenting your research. Transportation from IUPUI to Bloomington will be provided. Lunch will be on your own at the many eateries within the IMU. Please RSVP through the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7YH9DM Thank you for taking advantage of the many wonderful oppotunities that are offered to you through AGEP and IU. We look forward to your participation!

Environmental Affairs Graduate Fellowhships

2009-08-25T11:59:00.001-04:00

Solicitation: EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study - due October 22 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is offering Graduate Fellowships for master's and doctoral level students in environmental fields of study. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 120 new fellowships by June 30, 2010. Master's level students may receive support for a maximum of two years. Doctoral students may be supported for a maximum of three years, usable over a period of four years. The fellowship program provides up to $37,000 per year of support per fellowship. There's good news for green building/infrastructure from this year's EPA Graduate Fellowship program. Although it doesn't match NSF's $67M, 1700 Fellowship program, EPA's $4.5M is up to 120 Fellowships, compared with 32 in 2008 and 20 last year There's a major Science and Technology for Sustainability makeover, with separate categories for Green Engineering/Building/Chemistry/Materials; Energy; and Environmental Behavior and Decision Making. See http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2009/2009_star_gradfellow.html for the solicitation. Note that the deadline for application is October 22 .

"Professoriate Prep"...

2009-06-18T14:55:00.002-04:00

...is the working title of the AGEP Fall 2009 professional development event for doctoral students. Develop your teaching skills at a day of workshops and seminars offered by faculty mentors including two recent IUB PhD alumni now in faculty positions. Save the date: Saturday, September 12, 2009, on the Bloomington campus. To register early, e-mail agep@indiana.edu.

Summer Astronomy Film Series

2009-06-08T13:08:00.002-04:00

Join the IUB Department of Astronomy for the International Year of Astronomy Summer Film Series! In celebration of IYA, the Department of Astronomy is hosting a summer film series every Wednesday night June 3rd through August 12th. These films will be shown prior to the start of each Kirkwood Observatory Public Open House which run 10-11:30 PM. Showings will range from classic feature films to recent, fun documentaries covering a variety of astronomy and space themes! No charge for admission, and free popcorn will be provided! Location and Time: Films will be screened in Room 119 of Swain Hall West on the Bloomington campus (727 E. 3rd St). Each film will start at 7:30 PM and end no later than 9:30 PM. Running times vary from approximately 1 to 2 hours. Consult the schedule to see the approximate running times for each feature.

Getting You Into IU

2009-04-07T13:34:00.003-04:00

The IU Graduate School will be hosting the "Getting You Into IU" recruitment program for underrepresented minority prospective PhD program applicants on October 8-10, 2009. Click here to find out more about this all-expenses-paid campus visit.

GEM in the news

2009-04-01T13:09:00.001-04:00

Check out coverage of IU's membership in the National GEM Consortium at the IU News Room!

Even more AGEP student profiles!

2009-03-26T15:41:00.003-04:00

Graduate students Paul Carey (Chemistry), Jeremy Felton (Chemistry), Pere Jackson (Math) and Rashid Williams-Garcia (Physics) have been added to our AGEP student profiles. Check them out here and here!

Upcoming presentation

2009-03-05T13:50:00.003-05:00

“The role of pedagogy courses in graduate students’ socialization as future faculty in STEM disciplines”

Friday, March 27, 2009
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Ballantine 006

Presented by:
Valerie O’Loughlin, Associate Professor, Medical Sciences
Katie Kearns, Assistant Director, Campus Instructional Consulting

Sponsored by the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

For more information, e-mail agep@indiana.edu

Teaching orientation programs, pedagogy courses, teaching certificate programs, and preparing future faculty (PFF) programs provide positive outcomes for the graduate student participants beyond improved teaching effectiveness and self-efficacy. Such programs also support smooth transitions throughout graduate school and socialize graduate students to the numerous roles they will encounter in their future careers. However, many graduate students may not be aware of or be encouraged to participate in these programs, putting them at a disadvantage.

Valerie O’Loughlin and Katie Kearns will share recent research about graduate student development, summarize mentoring strategies presented at the 2008 CIRTL conference on preparing STEM graduate students for faculty careers, and describe results of their investigation into the role of a health sciences pedagogy course on graduate student development. Faculty participants will receive concrete mentoring strategies for helping graduate students successfully navigate research, teaching, and service responsibilities and will be provided with information about campus resources for graduate students.

New student profile up!

2009-02-27T16:24:00.006-05:00

Check out our profile of Byron Gipson, first-year Neuroscience graduate student, at the IU AGEP website, and look for him on agep.us as well.

AGEP student profiles!

2009-02-11T14:04:00.005-05:00

Check out our latest IU AGEP student profile of first-year Chemistry doctoral student Nancy Ortiz. IU AGEP student profiles are posted on the national AGEP website and our own home page.

New Breaking Grounds Initiatives

2009-02-05T15:18:00.005-05:00

AGEP has awarded funds for two Spring 2009 “Breaking Grounds Initiatives” - faculty-initiated projects aiming to recruit or retain underrepresented minority graduate students in the STEM disciplines.

"Attracting More Diverse Students to Research in Psychology, Cognitive Science and Neuroscience through a Partnership with IU Northwest" is a project of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. The project’s goal is to build a strong connection between its doctoral programs and undergraduate students at IU’s Northwest campus in Gary, Indiana, where the 80% of the students are from minorities underrepresented in the STEM disciplines. The project leaders wish to accomplish three goals: 1. Increase the number of underrepresented minority undergraduates who want to do research; 2. Increase their skills and connection to research; and, 3. Increase their familiarity with IU Bloomington’s graduate programs, faculty and broader community. In order to make these three things happen with IU Northwest undergraduates, the awarded funds will support the following activities:
• IUB faculty visits to IU Northwest for research seminars and interaction with students
• IU Northwest faculty visits to Bloomington for research meetings, seminars and potential laboratory collaborations to strengthen the connection between the two campuses
• IU Northwest student visits to the IUB campus so they can be introduced to the doctoral programs in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience and the Department Psychological and Brain Sciences
• Paid summer research internships at IUB for highly promising IU Northwest underrepresented minority students

The Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior (CISAB) proposed "Increasing Student Diversity in Animal Behavior at IU" in order to increase diversity in their graduate program at IUB. They will achieve this in two ways: first, by sponsoring the attendance of promising underrepresented minority students at their annual conference in Bloomington, where the students will be exposed to CISAB’s research. There, students will have the opportunity to experience one-on-one interactions with researchers who are among the world’s leaders in their respective fields. Secondly, CISAB will send their highly successful graduate students to other institutions to serve as ambassadors for the academic program. The goal of the ambassador visits will be to recruit new doctoral students and summer research program participants from underrepresented minority groups.

Breaking Grounds

2009-01-21T15:06:00.006-05:00

One major AGEP program at IU-Bloomington is the funding of “Breaking Grounds Initiatives”: faculty-initiated projects aiming to recruit and retain underrepresented minority graduate students in the STEM disciplines. AGEP will soon award the third round of funds for these initiatives since AGEP began at IU in 2004.

Past awards have supported the following initiatives:

- AY 2006-07, and 2007-08: "Bring IT On!", a three-day workshop held by the School of Informatics for historically black college and university (HBCU) computer science students on developing K-12 outreach programs for their schools. The workshop was repeated during the second year of funding for undergraduate students from IU's campuses around the state. The School of Informatics has also sponsored a reunion event for participants to encourage the development of their outreach programs!

- AY 2007-08: The establishment of a chapter of NOBCChE, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, at the IUB Department of Chemistry

- AY 2006-07, and 2007-08: "Training for Research and Academic Careers in Communication Sciences" (TRACCS), a Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences summer research training program for underrepresented minority undergraduate students studying communication sciences and disorders

- AY 2007-08: Development of a one-week astronomy immersion program at the Kitt Peak National Observatory for Native American undergraduate students facilitated by the IU Department of Astronomy graduate program

- AY 2007-08: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences efforts to generate community within its underrepresented minority graduate students through one-on-one informal mentoring sessions

- AY 2006-07: Enhancement of underrepresented minority (URM) graduate student recruitment within the Department of Geography by funding conference travel, print material production and networking with LSAMP affiliates

The National GEM Consortium

2009-01-16T16:39:00.011-05:00

Indiana University was recently inducted into the National GEM Consortium, a collaboration of universities and corporations with the mission of increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in the science and engineering fields. The University Graduate School and Chemistry/Environmental Science Professor Michael Edwards began the process of joining GEM early in the summer of 2008. With IU as a member of the GEM Consortium, GEM fellows (who are selected from underrepresented minorities in the STEM disciplines) can use their GEM funding to fund their first year as a graduate student here. GEM fellows are also guaranteed an internship opportunity at a sponsoring corporation (which provides the fellowship funding). IU was officially welcomed into GEM at the September 2008 national conference in Washington D.C. We were presented with the certificate shown below, which now hangs in the Graduate School office. Look for a profile of an IU GEM fellow on this blog at a later date!

Not a Retreat But a Forward 2009: Grant Writing in Tighter Times

2009-01-12T12:43:00.029-05:00

About 40 graduate students and faculty turned out for "Not a Retreat But a Forward: Grant Writing in Tighter Times" at IUPUI on January 10. This annual AGEP-sponsored workshop instructs participants about obtaining grant funding for research. The following pictures illustrate the day's events:

Participants get a hands-on lesson in searching for funding sources

A writing exercise gives particpants some grant writing practice

Lunch discussion with IUPUI Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Kathryn J. Wilson (center left) and IUB Graduate School Assistant Dean Yolanda Treviño (center right)

Participants break for discussion during a presentation

Comments from participants included:
"Very informative"
"I really enjoyed this workshop. I learned a lot about grant writing and that there is a way to continue studying what you are passionate about."
"Thanks for this valuable and enjoyable workshop!"

Save the Date!

2008-11-17T15:03:00.002-05:00

AGEP will offer the 3rd annual "Not a Retreat but a Forward" grant-writing workshop for graduate students on Saturday, January 10, 2009 on the IUPUI campus. Read about last year's version of this event here.

Joint Research Conference

2008-10-24T14:56:00.002-04:00

The annual Midwest Crossroads AGEP/Indiana LSAMP joint research conference will be held at Purdue University November 7-8, 2008. More information can be found here. Let us know if you'd like to join us by sending an e-mail to agep@indiana.edu.

You're invited...

2008-08-26T13:16:00.005-04:00

IU AGEP Kicks Off 2008-2009!

What: IU Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Kick-Off meeting When: Tuesday, September 9, at 4:00 pm Where: Indiana Memorial Union Faculty Club (upstairs) Why: The University Graduate School is committed to recruiting, supporting and encouraging diverse students pursuing graduate degrees in the STEM disciplines. This is an opportunity for graduate students, faculty, and program staff to welcome our new graduate students and meet fellow scholars and researchers from across the campus. A short presentation will begin at 4:30 pm where you will have a chance to:

learn more about IU AGEP, a National Science Foundation funded grant program
explore opportunities to collaborate on a variety of research projects
hear about this year's programs and eventsoffer ideas as to how IU AGEP can help you have a more successful year

Kindly RSVP your plans to attend by registering at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=J2ihU88A4a6i30szbhmjOA_3d_3d no later than Friday, September 5

Do you know IUB?

2008-07-14T14:59:00.004-04:00

A scavenger hunt is being created to give students an opportunity to learn about IU in a interactive and fun way. Look out for it in Fall 2008!

News & Events Now Available for IU AGEP

2008-03-27T14:01:00.003-04:00

The IU AGEP Program announces our new events and news listings! Visit our Web Site anytime at http://graduate.indiana.edu/agep or check our our latest updates here at blogspot.

Mega Midwest AGEP Conference: Elements for Success

2008-02-10T15:36:00.018-05:00

The first annual Mega Midwest AGEP Conference at the Hilton Suites in Chicago on February 7-9. 16 Students from the Indiana University Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses came together for 3 days of professional development and networking. A recruiting fair was also available for students to be presented with opportunities for postdoctoral and faculty positions.

Workshops included:

Getting the Most from Mentoring
Grant Funding
First and Lasting Impressions: Organizing for the Job Interview
Is an Academic Career for you?
Preparing a Research Proposal
Setting Expectations and Resolving Conflicts in Graduate Education
Writing Papers and Getting Published: STEM
From Submission to Publication: Social Sciences
Bargaining & Negotiating for Academic Jobs
Creating a Business Plan for your Graduate Studies
Juggling Multiple Roles: Graduate Student, Parent, Partner, Future Faculty Member
PhD's in the Industry: Representatives from Dow and Shell Companies
How Departments Hire: Social Sciences
Controlling Graduate School Stress before it Controls You
Presenting your Research
Diversity Matters in the Classroom
Words of Wisdom: How to Thrive in Graduate School - STEM
Words of Wisdom: How to Thrive in Graduate School - SBES
How Departments Hire: STEM
How Departments Hire: Social Sciences

Dr. Calvin Mackie talk and reception on Martin Luther King Jr. day

2008-01-28T17:18:00.003-05:00

Speaker, Author, Inventor, Former Professor and Entrepreneur. Dr. Calvin Mackie is an award winning mentor, an internationally renowned motivational speaker, and a successful entrepreneur. His message as a mentor, speaker, and entrepreneur continues to transcend race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and time.

Jan. 20, 5 p.m., the IMU Whittenberger Auditorium, Bloomington – Indiana University celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a speech by Dr. Calvin Mackie. Nearly 70 students, faculty, staff and community members attended the event. Mackie discussed topics such as education, politics, and history. He believes students “have a moral obligation to be intelligent”, reminding students that he began college in remedial reading due to poor SAT scores. According to Mackie, “your education must take you around the world”. “College isn’t about the way you come in, Mackie says, it’s about the way you leave”.

For further information about Dr. Calvin Mackie visit http://www.channelzro.com/speakinginfo/aboutcalvinmackie.html

Not a Retreat but a Forward: Grant Writing in Tight Times

2008-01-26T17:13:00.004-05:00

The second annual AGEP “Not a Retreat but a Forward” was held on Saturday January 26, 2008 at the Kelley School of Business. The workshop combined 17 students from both the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. This year’s theme, "Grant Writing in Tight Times", included topics ranging from “The Proposal Development Process” to “Funding: Types and Tools”. One workshop, “Creating your Profile”, informed students on how to effectively navigate through the Community of Science 24,000 records worth over $33 billion in grants.

Students additionally enjoyed rock climbing at Hoosier Heights and Hibachi-style dinner at DOMO Sushi restaurant.

One student commented: "Grant Proposal Development Process by Dr. Kathryn Wilson (Executive Director Center for Research & Learning, IUPUI) was definitely the best presentation…in terms of thinking about my own dissertation proposal. Despite the technical difficulties, creating my personalized funding alerts with Ms. Alicia Gahimer (Research Development Specialist, IUPUI) was also very useful."

Changing the Face of STEM: LSAMP/AGEP research conference

2007-11-10T16:12:00.002-05:00

The 3^rd Annual LSAMP/AGEP Joint Research Conference was held on Nov. 9 - 10, 2007 at the Indiana University Memorial Union-Bloomington. This year's conference theme, "Changing the Face of STEM", provided a forum where undergraduate and graduate students could present their research to faculty and peers. Administrators and program staff disseminated best practices and strategies to help in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority students. Last semester's conference had a record setting attendance of 114 students and 72 faculty and administrators.

Workshops included

Grad School Unplugged: What to expect (Michael Thompson, Indiana University, Mariah Veit, Purdue, and Melvin Daniels, Northwestern University)
Balancing life and Academia (Dean Carol McCord)
Cultural Competency (Dr. Monica Medina, Indiana University Purdue University)
Funding Opportunities for Grad School (Dr. Pamella Shaw, AGEP/LSAMP director, Indiana University Purdue University)
Diversity Matters in the Classroom (Dr. Cheryl Judice, Northwestern University)
Life as a Postdoc
Writing Personal Statements and CVs
Pros of Academia and Industry Careers

One student commented: "I really enjoyed the diversity session with Dr. Cheryl Judice, [Northwestern University AGEP Director]. The group had a very engaging discussion and the session revealed many challenges that a person of color can face in the classroom, either as a teacher or student."

Compact for Faculty Diversity

2007-10-29T17:27:00.008-04:00

The Institute on Teaching and Mentoring: Compact for Faculty Diversity was held on Oct. 25-28, 2007 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Topics discussed included “Writing the Dissertation” to “Balancing Academic Substance with a Polished Presentation”. Conferences are hosted by the institute to further establish their goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities earning a doctoral degree and successfully becoming faculty. Four students from Indiana University-Bloomington campus, G. Leah Davis, Yasmiyn Irizarry, Melissa Quintela, and Rose Wilkerson, attended the conference. Their experiences are highlighted below:

For more information on the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring: Compact for Faculty Diversity visit http://www.instituteonteachingandmentoring.org/index.html

It was very empowering to be in the company of over 1,000 minority academics that had either earned a Ph.D. or was pursuing one….The struggles that I have experienced as an African American woman pursuing a Ph.D. at a predominately white university were validated, and I left the Institute feeling empowered.”

G. Leah Davis, IU graduate student

As is common for a first generation, graduate student of color at a “good school” in the Midwest, I had always felt a little isolated in my department and on my campus…... I never knew there were so many students of color pursuing their Ph.D.s. I was able to look out onto a sea of faces that looked like mine and finally feel confident that there IS a place for me when I graduate.”

Melissa Quintela, IU graduate student

The program laid out three days of networking, socializing, and learning that catered to students at all levels of their graduate careers. … Sessions covered topics ranging from strategies for dealing with exams and dissertation writing, to networking and life in the professoriate as a person of color...It was overwhelming to realize that there were so many students of color working towards careers in the professoriate. And while the conference offered an almost overwhelming amount of opportunities, knowing I was not alone in my trek towards a PhD was the most important thing I learned that weekend.”

Yasmiyn Irizarry, IU graduate student

“All in all, the 14th Annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring was a very powerful experience on many levels both personally and professionally. It provided me with fuel and fire to continue on my journey so that I can be of real service in my field. If you have not had a chance to attend this conference, I highly recommend it.”

“Do not miss this opportunity next year.”

Rose Wilkerson, IU graduate student

Getting You into IU

2007-10-17T16:40:00.005-04:00

The Indiana University Graduate School hosted a campus visit program: “Getting You into IU” on Sunday evening, October 14 thru Tuesday, October 16, 2007 on its Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses for promising minority students to learn more about our STEM graduate programs. Invited students participated in a number of activities designed to provide insight into life as a graduate student and allow them to make an informed decision about pursuing their graduate degree at IU.

Workshop topics such as “Elements of a Competitive Application” (Dr. Simon Rhodes, School of Medicine) mapped the application process from writing the application to completing the interview. 45% of the students who attended the program applied to IU.