Graduate Division Dean's Update: 4/5/24

Dear Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars,

For those of you on quarters, welcome back from Spring Break and to the Spring quarter. And for those of you on semesters, let the countdown to the end begin! Congratulations to all of our LEAD Awards winners: https://inclusion.uci.edu/education-events/mentoring/latino-excellence-and-achievement-award/ Our very own Raslyn Rendon, who runs alumni affairs for Graduate Division was the co-chair of the event, which was a huge success. I hope those of you who were able to attend had a wonderful time. 

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the tragic earthquake that happened earlier this week in Taiwan. Our Japanese and Taiwanese students have already heard from Dr. Phong Luong, our Director of Wellness and Inclusion and Aimee Jiang, our International Student Support Officer, but I’d like to remind all of you that if you or a classmate needs support, please contact us at 949-824-6457/www.counseling.uci.edu.

Additional academic and emotional support is also available through Graduate Division:  

  • Dr. Phong Luong (pbluong@uci.edu), Director of Wellness and Inclusion
  • Amelle Beauvil (abeauvil@uci.edu), DECADE Coordinator
  • Aimee Jiang (jiangam@uci.edu), International Student Support Officer

Office Hours 

As a reminder, the best way to get time with the Graduate Division leadership is to come to office hours. This is that time of year when some of you are deciding between multiple jobs, negotiating offers, and figuring out next steps. If we can help you think through that or anything else, come on over. They are always first come first serve and are 30 minutes each time and at https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477057 

Tuesday April 9, 1PM
Wednesday April 10, 2:30PM
Thursday April 11, 11AM
Wednesday April 17, 12:30PM

Attend Beyond ChemUNITY: Career Exploration Series
April 11 | 2:30 – 4 pm PT

Natural Sciences II, Room 1201

Click here to register: https://forms.gle/ML7TnR1pLpFhaHgT8 

ChemUNITY invites you to expand your mentorship network beyond the campus community! Supported by A2i and DECADE, we hope to connect you with professionals in various fields and sectors that chemists work in. For our second event, we present you with a panel of four recent alumni from the Department of Chemistry to chat with you about their career journey.

 

Panelists

Dr. Claudia Ramirez, Scientist at Behr Paint Company

Dr. Krista Fruehauf, Program Manager at Laguna Ocean Foundation

Prof. Sierra Williams, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Claremont McKenna College

Dr. Cynthia Wong, Air Pollution Specialist at the California Air Resources Board

Call for Participation: International PhD Summer School 2024

July 25 -26 at TU Dortmund University 

Click here for more information
TU Dortmund University is hosting a PhD Summer School in July for doctoral candidates conducting research in interdisciplinary contexts at the interfaces of social and technical sciences. Please send applications (in English) to Marion Nölle (wt.fk17@tu-dortmund.de)

 

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. 

 

Apply Now for DTEI’s Summer Teaching Apprenticeship Program
If you are a graduate student or postdoc scheduled to teach as an Instructor of Record during Summer Session OR a faculty member interested in mentoring a small team of instructors, we invite you to apply to the Summer Teaching Apprenticeship Program (STAP)! Offered by the Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation (DTEI) and Summer Session, this program offers a unique opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to receive teaching training, practice, and mentorship prior to and while teaching a summer course as Instructor of Record. 

 

Graduate Student Therapy Group

  • Every Tuesday | 9:30 AM – 11 AM PT
    A process-oriented therapy group for graduate students who would like to receive/provide support, learn about self and others, share their experiences, and discuss possible ways to cope with struggles. 
  • The focus of the group will be determined by the members; possible topics may include academic distress, personal growth, relationships, and work-life balance.
  • Pre-group screening required. Contact the Counseling Center at 949.824.6457 to schedule.

 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 

 

Doc 2A NRST Support

This funding is available for students who have entered Doc 2A status (anyone enrolled for more than 9 quarters past their advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D.) and need assistance paying the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. The support will be distributed in phases based on need.  

 

If you became or will become Doc 2A from Fall 20243 through Spring 2025 and are fully out of funding, you may apply for up to three-quarters of NRST support. This funding is NOT guaranteed.

  • Applicants must supply a statement of how their research was delayed.
  • A letter of support and any matching funds available from the department is required from the applicant’s advisor or school.
  • Applicants must submit a timeline for completion of Ph.D.
  • Deadline: Apply ASAP, could roll through July 1
  • Apply here:  https://cglink.me/2eo/s82473

 

The UC-National Laboratory in-Residence Graduate Fellowship
The University of California, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have a close, long-standing and strategically important collaborative relationship that offers graduate students unique research, training, and career development opportunities. The UC National Laboratory Fees Research Program is leveraging that relationship by offering a competitive Fellowship award that provides up to three years of support for Ph.D. candidates who wish to conduct thesis research on-site at LANL or LLNL.

Graduate Division Completion Fellowship
The past few years have had a significant impact on everyone’s lives. Many of you have faced extreme health and research-related challenges that have considerably affected your academic progress. If these issues have delayed your progress, you may apply for a Completion Fellowship to receive one-quarter of funding. This quarter must be in the 2024-2025 academic year (excluding the summer), and cannot be combined with other UCI stipends or appointments. The fellowship aims to provide a final quarter of funding to help you finish your dissertation. Priority will be given to those who are receiving an additional quarter of support from their school – if more than one quarter is needed. Additionally, students can plan to combine the fellowship quarter with an additional quarter, during which they can go on filing-fee status, for up to three-quarters of work leading to the completion of their degree. If you need an additional quarter of NRST funding, it will be included with the Completion Fellowship.

 

Call for Applications: Teaching Fellowships
Sciences Po welcomes applications from post-doctoral and doctoral students who are in the final phases of their PhD for one-year teaching positions on one of three English-speaking undergraduate campuses in France: Le Havre, Menton or Reims. Each campus provides the core undergraduate curriculum of Science Po in addition to a geographic specialization in international relations study, culminating in a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences and Humanities. Coursework in Economics, History, Law, Political Science, Political Theory, Sociology and Quantitative Methods applied to Social Sciences is taught in English. The area of expertise of successful applicants will be relevant to the disciplines taught at Sciences Po and to the regional focus of each campus. Given the international nature of the Teaching Fellowship, applications from Sciences Po university partners are strongly encouraged.



 

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:

We are nearing the end of the year. This often creates a sense of urgency and panic in people. I was up late last night frantically reading the dissertation draft of one of my students who is looking to graduate this quarter. The pressure is real! But no matter how much pressure you are under, remember that people are here to help you. 

 

I had a friend tell me once, when describing this instinct we all sometimes have to run full force into every problem, “You don’t have to kick down doors that are already open to you.” Some of you have had to kick down a lot of doors to get where you are, and as a graduate student, you may feel a sense of urgency to achieve your goals and make progress in your career. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to do everything on your own, and that there are often people and opportunities available to help you achieve your goals. Take advantage of your existing resources and networks (both within and outside of UCI). Ask questions (nicely please) of the staff and supporters around you before assuming challenges are insurmountable. Be open to collaboration and partnerships, particularly those of you transitioning away from UCI and looking for new opportunities out in the world. And finally, recognize the value of patience and persistence. You have the capacity for both if you made it this far. Sometimes, opportunities may not be immediately apparent or may require time and effort to develop. 

 

Stay focused on your goals and keep pursuing your dreams. The idea that you don’t need to kick down doors that people are already opening for you reminds us that there are often resources and opportunities available to help us achieve our goals (even when we don’t feel like it). When you feel stressed, step back and take a look around. Let the people and support around you help. We are here for you.

 

On behalf of the Graduate Division,
 
Gillian Hayes
Kleist Professor of Informatics
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Dean of the Graduate Division