2013 Graduate Student Appreciation Week Event Details

Get ready for graduate student appreciation week April 1 - 7, 2013. It's no April fool's joke we have some great events planned to recognize all of the hard work performed by graduate students in the lab, library, classroom, and field. Graduate students are a huge part of what makes the University of Minnesota an excellent research and teaching university. This year COGS and GAPSA have teamed up to provide free tickets for graduate student social events around the city. So steal away from your reclusive library cubicle or lab bench and have an evening of relaxation and fun socializing with your peers while taking advantage of all that the Twin Cities has to offer.

This year we have a variety of events planned. For events where tickets are required, please request them starting noon Tuesday March 26th, by emailing cogs@umn.edu with Guthrie, Rollerderby, or Jungle, in the subject.

You may request up to 2 tickets per graduate student, please provide your name, UMN x.500, and campus mailbox. Tickets will be given out first-come first-serve so e-mail without delay!

2013 DETAILS .pdf

2013 DETAILS word version.docx

Graduate Women in Science Travel Awards: Applications due February 8, 2013

Graduate Women in Science of Minneapolis (Xi chapter of Sigma Delta Epsilon) has established several travel awards to defray some of the costs that female graduate students incur while traveling to national or other major scientific meetings where they are presenting the results of their research. Any female graduate student in Minnesota engaged in scientific research is eligible to apply but, other factors being equal, preference will be given to active members of Xi Chapter.

The applicant should have limited other support for attending scientific meetings. The funds may be used for travel expenses and registration fees, not for room and board. The usual award is in the range of $200 to $300. Applications are now being accepted for the Mary Haga Award and are due Feb 8th, 2013. Please see attached announcement flier for details about applying.

SDE announcement flyer 2012-13 .pdf

If any further questions, email RuthAnn R Duda at awards.xi@gwis.org or rrduda@mmm.com

Funding Opportunities for Biomedical Engineering students

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is pleased to inform you of an exciting international funding opportunity for students and post-docs in Biomedical Engineering and related fields, the Whitaker International Program. Whitaker International Programs grants are available for students in all levels of their academic careers and up to 3 years from their graduation date from a degree.

The Whitaker International Program provides funding for biomedical engineers/bioengineers to conduct a field-relevant activity abroad. Applications for the 2013-2014 Whitaker International Program are now open. Full details including the type of awards, level of funding and the online application can be found at www.whitaker.org.

The application deadlines are as follows:

· Fellows and Scholars Program deadline: January 21, 2013

· Summer Program deadline: February 4, 2013

· Undergraduate Fall/Academic Year 2013-14 Term deadline: March 15, 2013 (Application to open in January 2013)

Fellow and Scholar Overview

The Whitaker International Program is a competitive grant that sends emerging leaders in biomedical engineering (or bioengineering) overseas to increase international collaboration in the field. The Whitaker Program was funded by The Whitaker Foundation (now closed), and is administered by the Institute of International Education.

Whitaker International Program grants are awarded based on an activity/project proposal that is relevant to biomedical engineering. We hope to offer at least 50 Fellow and Scholar grants annually; only the highest-quality applicants are awarded. In the last competition cycle, more than 70 grants were awarded, and we encourage all students/junior faculty who are considering a period of study or research abroad to apply.

Awards have included research in heart blood flow, pursuing a Master's in Bioscience Enterprise, a policy project on investment in biomedical devices, improved prosthetic leg design, and development of affordable oral cancer screening tools. Projects can occur worldwide, and have taken place in the UK, Chile, Denmark, India, South Africa, and Singapore among many other venues.

New Programs

The Whitaker International Program has two additional grants available:

· Summer Grants - For currently enrolled Master's or PhD students, or recent Master's recipients. Summer awards are for 8 weeks including a fixed fellowship award and a monthly stipend, along with additional benefits. Up to 20 awards will be available for Summer 2013.

· Undergraduate Grants - For currently enrolled Undergraduate Students with a study abroad program approved by their home university related to Biomedical Engineering. Up to 15 awards will be available for the Spring 2013 term.

Website & Online Application

http://www.whitaker.org/
http://whitaker.usapplications.org/

http://summerapplication.whitaker.org/

The online application is now open. The website listed above has all the information pertaining to the program, including eligibility requirements, potential host institutions, and former grantee profiles.

The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) and the Smithsonian Institution (SI) invite fellowship applications for one-year fellowships to support research in residence at Smithsonian Institution facilities. Fellowships carry a stipend of $30,000. All fields of study that are actively pursued by the museums and research organizations of the Smithsonian Institution are eligible. The application materials must be submitted electronically through https://solaa.si.edu by November 15, 2012 at 5 PM.

For more information GO HERE.

Complete this survey to enter a raffle for an iPad mini or Google Nexus 7 (http://z.umn.edu/gradprofsurvey).

Please join us at Coffman Great Hall on Friday Nov 9, for the first in a series of three workshops meant to teach nonpartisan skills in political organizing, lobbying, and communications! Student Regent Maureen Ramirez is Master of Ceremonies for this event. Graduate, professional and undergraduate students of the University of Minnesota are welcome. RSVP here:http://z.umn.edu/advocacyrsvp.

The day will kickoff at 9am, with a Keynote Address by Paul David Wellstone, known as Dave. He will discuss his new book, Becoming Wellstone, (Hazelden Books) which is a memoir about growing up as the son of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, his personal journey after the death of his parents and sister, fighting for mental health and addiction parity in Washington, and his hopes for our future civic engagement. The first chapter of his book is available online at the Hazelden Bookstore:http://z.umn.edu/becomingwellstone.

After Dave's talk, we will have a series of workshops, before and after lunch, hosted by UMN alumni and faculty from Humphrey, the Masters of Advocacy and Political Leadership (MAPL at UMD) and more. Click here to see the full workshop descriptions for the morning and evening sessions: http://z.umn.edu/advocacyworkshops.

We will have a lunch networking event (by RSVP, see above) hosted by Minnesota Rising, with food by Common Roots.

Student Political Advocacy Workshop Agenda

Keynote Speaker Dave Wellstone: Becoming Wellstone
9-10 am

Book signing, Coffee / Tea, Meet & Greet
10-10:25 am

Intro to Advocacy with UMN Government Relations
10:30-10:55 am

AM Workshops
11 am- Noon

Lunch / Group Work (RSVP required, provided by GAPSA/MSA, hosted by MN Rising)
Noon-1:30 pm

PM Workshops
1:45 - 2:45 pm

Closing Information - Online Resources; Join the Minnesota Student Legislative Coalition http://supporttheu.umn.edu/advocacy/mslc.html
2:50 - 3:30 pm

A Community Dialogue at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Campus

Location: Presidents Room, Coffman Memorial Union

Date & Time: October 9, 2:30-4:30 PM

Register here! http://umndialogue.eventbrite.com/

Minnesota Campus Compact is organizing a series of dialogues inviting campus and community members to consider different perspectives on the public purposes of higher education--advancing economic competitiveness, offering individual opportunity, and preparing people to work together to solve problems--and to identify common ground and priorities for action locally. Our goals are not only to foster new kinds of civil civic dialogue and build capacity to facilitate dialogues, but also to increase public awareness and support for campuses' civic work. Partners in this initiative include the American Commonwealth Partnership, the Blandin Foundation, the Kettering Foundation/National Issues Forums Institute, Public Agenda, and the Travelers Foundation.

What to Expect

During the first hour, participants will discuss the three perspectives provided in the National Issue Forums guide (available, with other background materials and an introductory video, at http://www.nifi.org/issue_books/detail.aspx?catID=10&itemID=21640). After a short break, participants will identify common ground for action and discuss local priorities for collaboration. Participants may share information about current activities related to the priorities that emerge, and brainstorm ways they might build on existing strengths.

On his first official state visit to Minnesota, the Political Leader of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, will be speaking on campus in a guest lecture on US-China relations, Tibet, and human rights in the region, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

A Harvard Law School graduate, Dr. Sangay is the first democratically elected Tibetan Prime Minister after His Holiness the Dalai Lama devolved political power to him in 2011. He was a Senior Fellow at the East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School after he obtained his LL.M. He is an expert on international law, democratic constitutions, and contemporary China. In 2007, he was selected as one of the twenty-four Young Leaders of Asia by the Asia Society and a delegate to the World Justice Forum in Vienna, Austria, where top legal experts and judges from around the world congregate.

The event will take place next Friday, October 12, 2012 at Walter Mondale Hall in Room 25. Doors open at 3:30pm and the event will begin at 4:00.

You can rsvp on the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/492483977428396/

Please feel free to contact Tenzin Pelkyi at palky001@umn.edu with any questions about the event.

Graduate Women in Science Travel Awards: Applications due Oct 26, 2012

Graduate Women in Science of Minneapolis (Xi chapter of Sigma Delta Epsilon) has established several travel awards to defray some of the costs that female graduate students incur while traveling to national or other major scientific meetings where they are presenting the results of their research. Any female graduate student in Minnesota engaged in scientific research is eligible to apply but, other factors being equal; preference will be given to active members of Xi Chapter. The applicant should have limited other support for attending scientific meetings. The funds may be used for travel expenses and registration fees, not for room and board. The usual award is in the range of $200 to $300. Applications are now being accepted for the Agnes Hansen Award and are due Oct 26th, 2012.

Please see attached announcement flier for details about applying. If any further questions, email RuthAnn R Duda at awards.xi@gwis.org or rrduda@mmm.com

SDE announcement flyer 2012-13 .doc

Welcome to the Fall 2012 Semester

We have a series of announcements that are of interest:

• Travel Grants
• Free Library Workshops
• Scholarly Excellence in Equity and Diversity Awards
• 2012 Government and Nonprofit Career Fair

This year COGS is excited to host a resource fair and information panel to help incoming graduate students learn about the U and have any questions that they have answered.

The event will be on Monday August 27th in 401 and 402 Walter Library

The resource fair will consist of various groups from the University hosting tables to chat with new students and provide important information. Confirmed participants so far are:

Aurora Center
Boynton Health Services
Center for Teaching and Learning
Center for Writing
Graduate Student Employment and Graduate Assistant Services
University Libraries
Office of Information Technology
Parking and Transportation
University Counseling and Consulting Services

Refreshments will be served during the information fair.

At 11am in Walter 402 there will be a grad information panel - this has been a popular event in recent years. The format is a question and answer session between incoming graduate students and current graduate students. New students can ask any questions they have - from "where's the best place for coffee" to "what do I do if I don't get along with my adviser".

This event is intended for incoming graduate students, but if any current students would like to attend they are welcome to.

Registration is preferred. To register please fill out this form.

Welcome to the U!