Graduate Division Dean's Update: 11/25/25

Dear Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars,

Happy Thanksgiving week. I want to begin by saying how deeply thankful I am for this community. When I first interviewed to teach at UC Irvine 19 years ago, I had no idea how life-changing that decision would be. I did not yet understand the incredible community of people who would become part of the fabric of my world, or how this institution would reshape my life and my focus in terms of who and what I chose to fight for, which is you.

 

As this week marks the start of the winter holiday season, I want to offer a gentle reminder. No matter your religion, place of origin, or whether you celebrate the upcoming holidays, this time of year is filled with messages about families gathering. It is a lovely sentiment, and I have no desire to diminish it, but I also know that for many on our campus, being with family is simply not possible.

Our international students may not be able to leave the country. Many have not seen their families in years. Some have loved ones in war-torn places where communication disappears without warning, and they carry the weight of fearing for their family’s safety.

We also have many students for whom family distance is emotional rather than geographic. Some come from homes where identity or life choices were not accepted. Others are navigating painful estrangement, conflict, or long-standing patterns that make contact during the holidays feel unsafe or impossible. For these students, the season can stir grief or isolation even when they live only a few miles away from where they grew up.

 

This always hits me personally. I spend most holidays on my own. My ex-wife takes our daughter to visit family in other parts of the country, and my relationship with my own family does not lend itself to visits or even a phone call on the holidays. It is easy for me to fall into a quiet spiral at this time of year. But then I remember my chosen family, the people who have always embraced me, the ones who set a place for me at their Thanksgiving table.

As we enter this season, as you gather with friends or family, I invite you to think about who may be left out. Who cannot go home? Who is relying on a chosen family? Who has not been here long enough to find one? A simple question about someone’s plans, a warm hug, or an invitation to share a meal can go further than you might imagine. A phone call to a classmate on Christmas morning or a walk with a lab mate during Hanukkah can be a real gift. Understanding cultural differences also helps build connection. Asking about Pancha Ganapati, supporting Islamic cultural activities during the break, or lending a hand in a community kitchen can open doors for belonging where it is most needed.

I give thanks for all of you, for the richness, curiosity, joy, and sense of belonging you bring to this community. I hope you find moments of rest and connection in whatever this week holds for you.

Upcoming office hours for the next two weeks are listed below. They are first come, first serve:  https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477

Wednesday, November 26 – 1 pm PT


Now on to the rest of this week’s events and opportunities:

Apply to Grad Slam Today!
Application Deadline is January 11th at Midnight
Click Here to Apply
Grad Slam is UC Irvine’s annual, systemwide competition where graduate students deliver compelling three-minute presentations about their research—accessible to any audience. It’s a chance to build communication skills, gain visibility, and compete for cash prizes, including $6,500 for the campus champion. All finalists receive at least $500 and coaching support from Activate to Captivate. Click above to apply to compete in UC Irvine’s Grad Slam semifinals competition on February 6th, 2025.

Have questions? Contact Raslyn Rendon (rrendon@uci.edu) or visit our website for full details and the competition schedule.

Virtual: Deciding Between Academic and Non-Academic Careers
December 8 – 11th, 2025 | 9 am – 10 am PT

Register: https://app.joinhandshake.com/events/1817011/
PhDs work wherever smart people are needed. In today’s creative economy, a faculty career isn’t the only option for PhDs who are seeking engaging and rewarding work. PhDs work in every part of the economy – industry, nonprofits, higher education, and government. But what career pathway will be right for YOU? This special workshop series is designed to walk doctoral students, PhDs and postdocs through a series of exercises to help them evaluate career options and identify next steps in building their career either as faculty or beyond the professoriate.

 

  • December 8, 9-10am – Introduction to Optimal Career Pathway/How to decide
  • December 9, 9-10am – How to identify your values
  • December 10, 9-10am – How to identify your most marketable skills
  • December 11, 9-10am – How to build your network using on campus resources 

 

This series is uniquely designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:

  • What other career options are available to PhDs in my discipline?
    ● How to identify career pathways that are right for me?
  • What can I do with my PhD?
  • How do I build a community to help me navigate my job search

 

New Resource: Nature Masterclasses On-Demand
 UC Irvine Graduate Division, in partnership with GPS-STEM, the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, and the School of Medicine, now offers graduate students and postdocs free access to Nature Masterclasses On-Demand. These online courses, designed by Springer Nature experts, will help you sharpen your research, writing, and publishing skills.

💡 Courses cover topics such as choosing the right journal, persuasive grant writing, research integrity, and more. Certificates are available upon completion.

👉 Explore Nature Masterclasses by clicking here

 

Become a Mentor with UC Irvine’s Next Gen Pathways Program
Want to support incoming grad students while building your own leadership skills? The Next Gen Pathways mentoring initiative is now recruiting mentors for the 2025–26 academic year.

This peer mentorship program connects experienced UC Irvine graduate students with new students navigating the transition into grad school—especially those who are first-gen, international, parenting, or facing hidden challenges. Mentors help with everything from research and time management to navigating campus life and offering encouragement.

✅ Flexible time commitment
✅ Matching based on shared experiences
✅ Self-paced training (~60 min)
✅ Mentorship experience for your CV

🔹 Register to mentor: uci.mentorcollective.org/register/uci-grad/mentor
🔹 Learn more: grad.uci.edu/next-gen-pathways

Your experience can make a real difference.

Division of Career Pathways Resources
Not sure what life after your Master’s degree or PhD looks like or have questions about your next career steps?

Book a 45-minute 1:1 session with the Division of Career Pathways team for personalized support—including career exploration, job or internship search strategies, resume/CV reviews, mock interviews, and more. Whether you’re considering further education, an academic path, or jumping into industry, we’re here to help you navigate your journey.

 

About our team: Dr. Jill Wells, Associate Director of Career Education, has over 25 years of experience in teaching and leadership, working with students of all ages. Before UCI, she supported graduate students and postdocs at Caltech and advised business students at USC, where she earned a dual doctorate in education and an MBA. She is eager to support graduate students at every stage of their academic and professional development. Maks Giljen, a 4th-year PhD student in clinical psychology, is a Graduate Student Peer Career Educator and passionate about guiding fellow grad students in their career planning.

Let’s connect and get you on the right track! Appointments can be booked here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/appointments

 

Take Advantage of Division of Career Pathways’ Professional Photo Booth

The Division of Career Pathways (DCP) is pleased to introduce our all-new Professional Photo Booth, a complimentary, walk-in service at the Division of Career Pathways offering FREE professional headshots for UCI students, staff, and faculty. These professional headshots are perfect for your LinkedIn/ Handshake/ Zoom profile, department website, and also works for UCI Digital ID photo requirements. 

Wellness and Inclusion Services

We know that getting through graduate school takes a lot of effort, so we provide support to our students along the way. Many of Graduate Division’s services can help you maintain your work/life balance. At UCI, we believe that healthy Anteaters are productive Anteaters, which is why UCI Graduate Division has our counselors available for any student or postdoc who feels they need to talk with someone.

Services Offered: Academic support; Equity and inclusion support; Time management strategies; Tools to master effective communication skills; Strategies for navigating professional and academic expectations in graduate school; Referrals to campus services

Please reach out to Dr. Phong Luong (pbluong@uci.edu) directly to schedule an appointment.

 Helpful Resources Provided by UC Irvine Libraries

Here are a few helpful links below provided by the UC Irvine Libraries. UC Irvine Libraries developed a guide to help new scholars navigate the realm of scholarship.

Graduate Student Research Support Guide

Digital Scholarship Services (DSS) Main Site

  • https://www.lib.uci.edu/dss
  • This site provides an overview of UC Irvine Libraries’ digital scholarship services with contact information, workshop details, and other tools and resources

DSS Programming Workshops

LibGuide on Software for Data Analysis (by Danielle Kane, Computational Research Librarian):  https://guides.lib.uci.edu/dataanalysis
Links to her other Libguides (GIS, Data Visualization):  https://guides.lib.uci.edu/prf.php?id=5952d46c-7cdb-11ed-9922-0ad758b798c3

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 

Dean’s Recent Alumni Fellowship
This fellowship aims at easing the transition from graduate school into full-time careers either in academia or other industries. While the fellowship is unpaid, a recipient of this fellowship will receive access to resources that will pay immense dividends going forward and was developed in consultation with young professionals and alumni to provide resources they wished they had access to while in graduate school. Click above for more information and to apply.

  • Deadline: Rolling

More information is located on the Current Fellowships page and 2023-24 Funding Timeline.  Additionally, please reach out to Turner Dahl (tdahl@uci.edu) with any questions you may have.

In Closing
“A found family is every bit as beautiful as a born family. Even more so, perhaps. Stories are about choices, after all, and to choose to be family is as wonderful a story as can be told.”
― Dan Gemeinhart, The Midnight Children

 

“When you get homesick, it’s not something missing, it’s something present, a visit. People and places from far away arrive and keep you company for a while.”
― Erri De Luca, God’s Mountain