November 3, 2020 Events and Deadlines
This newsletter is distributed to department heads, graduate program directors, graduate program contact staff, and graduate faculty.
Graduate School Commencement Update and Deadline to Participate
The Graduate school Commencement is scheduled for two ceremonies on Friday, November 20th.
Graduates from the following colleges will be participating at the 8:30 a.m. ceremony in Bramlage: Agriculture; Architecture, Planning and Design; Arts and Sciences; and Engineering. Graduates from the College of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, K-State Olathe, and K-State Polytechnic will participate in the 4:00 p.m. ceremony.
Only faculty who are hooding terminal degree candidates and marshals will be allowed to participate in the ceremonies due to social distancing guidelines and to allow graduates to invite two guest to the ceremony.
The deadlines to officially graduate in December remain the same as published on the Graduate School Commencement and Graduation Calendar.
Graduate Faculty
Graduate Faculty Orientation Canvas Course
This fall, the Graduate School developed a Graduate Faculty Orientation course in Canvas. Those who became new graduate faculty members since April 2020 have been enrolled in the course and were invited to participate in one of two informational Zoom sessions with Dean Shanklin and Associate Dean Dissanayake. The course is also publicly available, and we expect it to be a useful resource for any graduate faculty members to utilize during their time at K-State. Others who have not been enrolled in the course but wish to view the course may access the course here. If you wish to enroll in the course so that it will appear in your Canvas dashboard, click on the "Join this Course" button on the right side of the course homepage.
Graduate Students
ATTENTION: Graduate Students Appointed as Graduate Assistant (GTA, GRA, or GA) for spring semester
The Registrar's Office has established November 20th for graduate students on a minimum of 0.4 graduate assistantship (GTA, GRA, GA or combination) to enroll for spring semester. This will allow the Registrar's Office time to process the waiver so graduate assistants tuition is assessed at the resident rate or GTA tuition is paid for hours specified in the Graduate Handbook.
Below is the information that the Registrar shared with departmental HCS liaison regarding tuition waivers and the requirements for graduate students to enroll by November 20th.
"Tuition calculation for the spring 2021 semester is currently scheduled for December 4th, 2020. Please ensure that your students who are on continuing appointments are enrolled in 6+ credit hours and waivers are submitted by November 20th, 2020. Waiver requests for students in less than 6 hours will be rejected. Enrollment for graduate students begins on November 2nd, allowing almost 3 weeks for them to be enrolled and the waivers to be submitted prior to the deadline. Please communicate the importance of enrolling to your students, as the waiver requests cannot be submitted until they have satisfied this requirement. By working proactively, we can ensure that correct tuition and fees are assessed to students prior to semester start. "
Please review the Graduate Handbook Chapter 1: G3 for enrollment requirement and information about last semester enrollment policy and procedures.
Participate in Science Communication Week
The Kansas Science Communication Initiative, or KSCI, is organizing the fourth Science Communication Week at K-State, with virtual events Nov. 9-16. KSCI seeks to engage communities in understanding, enthusiastically promoting and actively participating in science and research. The annual Science Communication Week helps to raise awareness about the need and value of science communication and provides practitioners — scientists and communicators at all levels of education alike — with opportunities to broaden their horizons and sharpen their skills. This year, Science Communication Week will feature a variety of timely events that intersect with the global pandemic and social justice issues. Detailed information on all events is available on the KSCI website.
GSC Professional Development Seminar – Science Communication in Social Media
November 9, 1:00-2:00pm
This session is being hosted by the Kansas Science Communication Initiative as part of Science Communication Week. K-State graduate students and post-docs who participate can earn credit toward the GSC Professional Development Certificate. The session will be presented by Sarah Winnicki, a PhD student at the in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Program for Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology. Winnicki is an evolutionary ecologist investigating how birds grow and develop. Winnicki has an extensive track record in science communication, bringing research to the general public through outreach at schools, libraries, and zoo, as well as through social media campaigns and was recognized for work in public outreach with a Science Communication Award by the Kansas Science Communication Initiative in 2019. This session will provide an overview of how to use social media to communicate science and engage members of the broader public. Winnicki will discuss how effective science communication depends on communicators understanding of their audience's level of interest, preferred communication style, and previous knowledge. Winnicki will use examples from years of research communication to offer perspective on the most effective ways to communicate science on social media platforms. Advance registration for this session is requested by 5:00pm on November 8th.
2021 Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Small Grant Program for K-State Graduate Students - application process opens
The KSU Graduate School is pleased to announce the seventh year of funding for the Small Grant Program, to support research expenses for Master's and Ph.D. students in their final year. Grants up to $1,000 will support direct research costs such as travel to an archive, data collection, or exhibition and performance expenses for graduate students doing original research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. A panel of faculty in these disciplines will review applications in late 2020. Funds will be available after January 15, 2021.
Graduate students interested in this opportunity can find complete information on Small Grant Program Funding Guidelines, Requirements, and application portal at http://www.k-state.edu/grad/financing/ahss/index.html.
If there are any questions please contact Associate Dean in the Graduate School, Dr. Sunanda Dissanayake at sunanda@ksu.edu.
The application deadline is November 10, 2020.
Grad Chat: Healthy Eating and Lifestyle During Times of High Expectations and Demands
Trying to maximize our time to get things done often undermines even the best intentions to nourish ourselves with healthy food. Juggling the demands of graduate school can increase triggers for mindless and emotional eating – further sabotaging efforts to fuel bodies and brains for resilience during stressful times. Graduate students are invited to join former K-State graduate student Dianna Schalles, Lafene's Coordinator of Nutrition Counseling, as she shares strategies that have helped her patients 'fuel better to feel better'-- and in turn, support student success and well-being. Self-care should not have to wait! Graduate students are invited to join either of the following sessions on November 12.
- 1:00 - 2:30pm - Registration
- 7:00 - 8:30pm - Registration
GSC Professional Development Seminar – Navigating Virtual Presentations
November 13, 1:00-2:00pm
Theresa Merrick, assistant director of the K-State Writing Center, will share information on how to effectively present your research with a special focus on how to navigate the challenges of virtual presentation formats. Attendees will learn how to present written, graphic, and oral content that can be easily understood and has an impact on diverse audiences. This session may be especially useful for graduate students who plan to give their first presentation this academic year, but more experienced graduate students may also learn new strategies for improving their presentation skills. This session is being hosted by the Graduate Student Council as part of Science Communication Week. Advance registration is required to receive Zoom meeting information.
Postdoctoral opportunity at the University of New Hampshire
This 2-year postdoctoral appointment will provide opportunities to hone your scholarship in preparation for the professoriate through mentoring, professional development, development funds, a minimum salary of $50,000 (dependent on discipline), and benefits. The appointment includes a range of professional development opportunities and the opportunity to apply for a tenure track faculty opening in the 2nd year. There are nine postdoctoral opening across four colleges. Application deadline is November 16, 2020.
SPEAK Testing for International GTA Candidates
The English Language Program is offering individual SPEAK testing on Zoom for international graduate students on the following dates and times:
- November 19-20
- December 3-17
- January 19-21
To register for a test date, please contact the English Language Program at elp@ksu.edu. Testing will be available for both current students and newly admitted students for Spring of 2021.
*Please note that since each candidate must meet with an ELP instructor before testing, a minimum of one week is required between the time you register for the test and the actual test date.
Fall OPT Workshops for International Students
Due to limited operations, no OPT workshops will be held in person this semester.
ISSS will offer a virtual OPT session via Zoom on October 26 and November 23 at 3:30pm. Login details for the workshop can be found on the ISSS website.
Register now for NIJ's Research Assistantship Program (RAP), Academic Year 2021-2022
NIJ's Research Assistantship Program (RAP) offers highly qualified doctoral students practical and applied research experience in the criminal justice field. They provide funds to participating universities to pay salaries and other costs associated with research assistants who work on NIJ research activities. The deadline for applications is December 23, 2020.
A webinar will be held Thursday, November 12, 3:00-4:00 pm EST. Register to attend or receive email notice when the transcript is available.
The webinar will provide an overview of eligibility requirements, application materials, and the candidate review process for the 2021-2022 academic year application cycle. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists, who include the RAP Manager and current Research Assistants.
IBUILD Graduate Research Fellowship
The Innovation in Buildings (IBUILD) Graduate Research Fellowship is now accepting applications. Selected fellows will advance their graduate research by receiving research and educational support to conduct innovative research at their home institution in an area with demonstrated relevance to building energy efficiency. Fellows will also gain professional development, mentoring, networking, and support for internship opportunities. Fellows receive a stipend of $35,000, an allowance to offset the costs of health insurance up to $16,000, research travel and materials up to $12,000, and limited tuition allowance up to $25,000. Fellowship will be awarded in 12-month increments based on an annual review of research progress and sustained alignment with designated BTO research areas. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident and be enrolled or intend to enroll as a full-time doctoral or master's graduate student at a qualified program requiring a research thesis/dissertation at an accredited U.S. college or university by September 1, 2021 with a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale. Application Deadline: December 1, 2020, 5:00 PM EST.
Graduate Fellowship Opportunity at Kansas State University
The Rural Resources Resiliency NSF Research Traineeship Program is now recruiting current K-State graduate students in Agricultural Economics, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sociology, and closely related fields. The program prepares future leaders to solve the grand challenges of creating sustainable food, energy, and water systems in rural communities in semi-arid regions. We investigate engineering and socioeconomic innovations to conserve water, create renewable energy and help sustain rural communities. NSF sponsored training includes a generous stipend and paid tuition for up to two years for eligible trainees. Application deadline is Jan. 8, 2021.
