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1/22/2021 - Daily COVID-19 Graduate Division Update 

Dear Graduate Students and Post-Docs,
 
It is the third week of the quarter, and here in the US it was also the week when we transitioned elected officials in both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government following last fall’s elections. No matter what our political views, the peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of American life, and I hope you enjoyed the celebration. For me, I was particularly impressed by the matching masks and outfits as well as the custom earpieces many of the singers wore. These days, I can barely match my socks. 
 
We expect numerous changes in the form of executive orders following this transition that might affect our students as well as additional legislation and pandemic funding packages. We will do our best to keep you informed as things change. The University of California federal and state government relations folks, including those local to the Irvine campus, continue to work with all such authorities to advocate for our students, staff, and faculty. 
 
Notably, 17 executive orders and other initiatives were signed by President Biden in his first few days of office: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/biden-executive-orders.html Many impact our lives here at UCI, including those revoking the recent ban on diversity training for federal agencies, calling on Congress to enact legislation providing permanent status and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, and ending the Muslim Ban. 
 
Watch this space for more updates as they arrive. 
 
Upcoming Funding Opportunities
We know things are tough, but I’m excited to share some good news with you today as you head into the weekend. We have a plethora of internal funding opportunities that are set to be released early next week. Look out for another email from me. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the funding opportunities we have coming out. 
 
Funding opportunities for Academic Year 2021-2022, particularly for those doctoral and MFA students who are past their funding guarantees:

• NRST Support
• Graduate Division Completion Fellowships

 
Summer Support for Summer 2021

• DTEI Graduate Fellows 2021
• UCI Beall Applied Innovation’s Graduate Student Innovation Fellows Program
• Cascade Mentoring Program in Social Sciences and Humanities
• Telematic Bridges 2021 Fellowship
• LGBTQ+ Studies Fellowship 
• Indigenous Studies Fellowship 
• International Covid Response Award 
• Caretaker and Parent Covid Response Award
• Summer Inclusive Excellence Grants

 
These will all have late February deadlines with the hope of getting answers to you by the end of April.
 
UCI Child Care Services is happy to introduce our new Virtual Preschool, serving children ages 3-5 years old. 

• Enjoy fun and educational activities LIVE with a credentialed UCI Child Care Services teacher and friends together via Zoom. 
• These interactive classes meet for 45 minutes, twice per week (Tuesday/Thursday mornings).
• Weekly curriculum kits provide you with all the materials you need to extend the learning at home. 
• For more information, please contact Leslie Bae at 949-824-4755.

 
For International students:
UCI’s International Center is holding an Immigration Workshop Series, which features “Immigration Options Post-OPT in the Biden Era with Bernie Wolfsdorf. 

• Wolfsdorf is an immigration attorney and the former president of the National President of American Immigration Lawyer’s Association. 
• Wednesday, February 3, 2021 from 5 pm - 6:30 pm PT. 
• Register here tinyurl.com/postoptw21. 

 
Fifth Annual UCI Postdoctoral Scholar Research Symposium: Call for Abstracts
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 12, 2021
Submission Form: https://forms.gle/c498NcccjoV1JoQj7
This year’s theme recognizes those collaborative research efforts while also providing the opportunity to foster interdisciplinary collaboration by bringing scholars from different fields together. We encourage applicants from all disciplines, especially those who have conducted research that is any way collaborative or interdisciplinary. That said, all research is welcome!
 
Eligibility: Only postdoctoral scholars (e.g., with title code 3252, 3253, or 3254) are eligible to present at the symposium. Talks will be selected for the symposium based on 

1. interest of the research to a wide audience
2. clarity of the abstract. 

 
Information on the Symposium 
Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2021.
Time: 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Register: https://campusgroups.uci.edu/graddiv/rsvp_boot?id=876077
 
Presentation formats:

• 15-minute presentation with slides
• 2-minute single-slide presentation

 
Awards:
15-minute presentations will be eligible for prizes. These are:

• 1st Place ($300)
• 2nd Place ($200)
• 3rd Place ($100)

 
External Fellowship Opportunities 
Stanford Introductory Studies Fellowship to Diversify Teaching and Learning.
Stanford is now accepting applications for teaching fellowship positions in the new first-year requirement, the Civic, Liberal, and Global Education requirement program (the COLLEGE requirement, replacing the previous Thinking Matters requirement). 

• Interdisciplinary across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. 
• Eligible candidates will have earned a doctorate in a relevant field, conferred no earlier than 2015 and no later than June 2021. 
• Stanford intends to hire between 2 and 3 fellows, for a two-year fellowship (renewable for a third year). 
• This external search for COLLEGE fellows is focusing on candidates whose backgrounds and life experiences bring additional perspectives and dimensions to the University’s teaching mission. 
• Applications are due by Feb 16. 
• Find full details about the teaching expectations and how to apply here: https://apply.interfolio.com/81824. 
• Questions may be directed to collegereq@stanford.edu.

Presidential Graduate Opportunities for Leadership Development (GOLD) Fellowship from UC Center Sacramento

• Doctoral-level graduate students in any academic discipline can spend a quarter, semester, or summer term in resident or virtually in Sacramento for the purpose of conducting public policy research.   
• Further information is available at http://bit.ly/uccsgold or on the UCCS website (uccs.ucdavis.edu).
• Applications will be accepted until midnight PT on Monday, February 1, 2021.

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society Funding Opportunity

• Funding opportunity available for undergraduate and graduate students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. 
• Sigma Xi is a multidisciplinary community of science and engineering professionals and students 
• Its signature program, Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR): https://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/grants-in-aid, awards grants of up to $1,000 to students in most research disciplines. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences provide grants of up to $2,500 and $5,000 for vision-related and astronomy research, respectively. 
• Deadline to submit applications for the spring 2021 grant cycle is March 15, 2021 at 11:59 pm PT: https://sigmaxi.fluidreview.com/
• Students may apply for funding from the program twice each year.
• Questions? Email giar@sigmaxi.org.

February’s Graduate Division Town Hall
Date: February 12, 2021 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Topic: Support for Research and Academic Restart
Description: We will discuss summer programs, financial and housing options for those who experienced substantial disruption due to adverse events of 2020.
Register: https://uci.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zzvWRsnGQmWHj9wM-exSAQ 

Panel:
Gillian Hayes, Vice Provost & Dean of Graduate Education
Celina Mojica, Director of Academic Initiatives, Graduate Division
Tim Trevan, Exec. Director of Student Housing
Matt Hanson, New Ventures, UCI Beall Applied Innovation
Danny Mann, Director of Graduate Student & Postdoc Instructional Development, Division of Teaching and Learning/ Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
Jaymi Smith, Associate Dean of Student Success, Graduate Division
 
UCI Grad Alums Talk | Master Class With Bri McWhorter
Date: January 28, 2021 | Noon – 1:00pm
Description: New year, clean slate, fresh start! The UCI Graduate Alums Talk webinar series returns this month with the launch of the Master Class track featuring UCI graduate alumna Bri McWhorter, MFA '14. A uniquely skilled communicator, Bri will walk you through her top tips on how to connect with others and share your story. Whether you are envisioning a fresh start and want to prepare for a new job, are wanting to seize opportunities at work by giving more presentations, or simply want to articulate your personal goals for a successful year, this webinar will get you started.
Register: https://uci.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zv6bBD1uTYGRft9ADIA1BA 
 
 
Office Hours:
We will again this week have the option for office hours with me as well as our Associate Deans in Grad Division. Also, I think you all are starting to hurt my Associate Deans’ feelings. You never come to see them. As my mother says, “you don’t call, you don’t write, how do I know if you are okay?” Go say hi. For reals. They want to help you. 

• Monday January 25, 2021 - 5PM Dean Hayes - https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477057
• Tuesday January 26, 2021 - 5PM Dean Hayes - https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477057
• Wednesday January 27, 2021 - 1PM, Assoc Dean Rodrigo Lazo - https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477057
• Thursday January 28, 2021 - 12:30PM, Assoc Dean Jaymi Smith - https://uci.zoom.us/j/4520706918
• Friday January 29, 2021- 9:30AM Dean Hayes - https://uci.zoom.us/j/7277477057

 
In Closing:
Your patience and strength continues to be admirable as is your sense of community. You have hopefully seen the announcement from President Drake that we plan to be in-person in the Fall. This has raised a lot of questions… what happens between now and then? Will I have a vaccine? Will my classmates and professors have the vaccine? What will the job market look like? What will cleaning schedules look like? What will life look like? Sadly, I don’t know the answers to any of these questions. I ask for your patience again in waiting and watching with all of us. We are making Plans A, B, and C and will keep adjusting as the context keeps changing. I admire your strength, either in graduating soon into an uncertain world or staying with us into the next year. And I am grateful for your sense of community as we prioritize those in most need of vaccines, of extra quarters of funding, of emergency supplies, of everything. You are so giving and supportive of one another and so respectful of the need to spread whatever resources we have  to those most in need. For all of those reasons and more, I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to serve you. So many in Grad Division (and other parts of campus) have been working hard on the big announcement for next week regarding funding and other supports. We can’t wait to share them with you!
 
Take whatever good news you can into the weekend. Practice self-care. Make progress on your academics, on your professional and personal lives, and on your own health. Let us know how we can help.
 
On behalf of all of Graduate Division,
 

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