January Newsletter
I hope that you found time for rest and rejuvenation with family and friends over the holidays and that your new year is off to a good start!
This month’s newsletter brings a long list of January deadlines for events and activities, especially those that provide opportunities to share your research and creative activity with campus, local and regional audiences. Details are below, but here are a few highlights.
Two deadlines are set for this Friday, January 17. One is the submission deadline for the Grad Digital Expo 2.0, which is an opportunity to explore the social and cultural impacts of technology on March 1 at the Gayle Karch Cook Center for Public Arts and Humanities of IUB. The other January 17 deadline is for the 6th Annual Science Communication Day at the Indiana Statehouse. This is an excellent opportunity to join graduate students from across the state to speak with state lawmakers and their staff about science, policy and your research. If you are studying in a STEM discipline and have an interest in science policy, the INSPECT fellowships provide a great opportunity to see the inner workings of a state agency through a summer internship project. The deadline for applications is January 22, 2025.
Our 9th annual Three Minute Thesiscompetition provides a fun and exciting opportunity to craft the story of your research for a general audience. To prepare you for the January 31 video submission deadline, we will be holding several preparation workshops throughout the month. I encourage you to attend these 3MT Primer Sessions to learn about the 3MT competition, meet fellow participants and help hone your presentation. Finals will be held Friday, February 28 at the Von Lee Theater. And if you are seeking additional opportunities to present your research and meet fellow graduate students in our region, I encourage you to submit a poster or oral presentation for the Graduate Student Regional Research Conference at the University of Louisville. Deadline is January 31, 2025
And finally, I want to highlight recent important and upcoming announcements. As announced last week, the minimum stipend for 10-month, 0.5 FTE Student Academic Appointees will increase to $24,000 starting July 1. We have also welcomed our inaugural graduate ombudsperson, Carissa Ciampaglia, to the office and will share details about her and the services she will provide in upcoming campus newsletters and on the ombuds webpage. Lastly, a call will be sent out shortly for nominations for the May 9 graduate student commencement speaker. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your story and public speaking skills with your fellow graduates.
Winter weather is finally here. Be careful and stay warm!
Warm regards,
Graduating this semester?
Be sure to check these sites for important information about Graduate Deadlines and Commencements :
- Master’s Students: Steps to Degree: Academic Requirements: Graduate School Bloomington: Indiana University Bloomington
- Ph.D. Students: Steps to Degree: Academic Requirements: Graduate School Bloomington: Indiana University Bloomington
Grant-in-Aid Awards
Grant-in-Aid (GIA) awards provide Bloomington M.F.A. students and doctoral candidates funding for unusual expenses incurred in connection with M.F.A. projects or doctoral dissertation research. The deadline for Spring 2024 requests is February 3rd. Please see our website for more information.
Professional Development Events
Grad AI Digital Future Expo 2.0 - register by January 17, 2025
The Arts and Humanities AI + Digital Future Program and the College of Arts and Sciences are calling for statements of interest to participate in a graduate poster/performance/exhibition session. The selected applicants are invited to host a booth at the Gayle Karch Cook Center for Public Arts and Humanities at IUB during a half-day interdisciplinary exchange on Saturday, March 1st, 2025. Submission deadline is January 17th, 2025. Selected individuals and teams will be notified by February 3rd, 2025.
Indiana Science Communication Day – register by January 17, 2025 The Science Policy Initiative at the University of Notre Dame (SPI@ND) and IMPACT at IU School of Medicine are hosting the 6th Annual Indiana Science Communication Day, which will be held in-person at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on March 3rd, 2025 from 9:00am-3:00pm EST. This professional development opportunity allows graduate students from across Indiana to gather at the Capitol Building to communicate their research or relevant scientific knowledge to policymakers and gain experience engaging with a non-scientific audience.
This event is free to STEM graduate students conducting original research at Indiana University Bloomington and if you are interested, register by January 17th, 2025. Further detailed information can be found in this announcement, FAQ document or by contacting Emma Thrift-Cahall of SCI@ND at scipolnd@nd.edu.
INSPECT Fellowships in Indiana Science Policy – internal deadline: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Hosted by the Indiana Academy of Science and supported by Indiana State Agencies and the University Graduate School, INSPECT fellowships bring together the scientific community and state government, enabling emerging scientists to be effective participants in public policy. Fellows serve as nonpartisan, science-policy staff in select state agencies and receive a stipend for the 10-week summer program (June – August 2025). Fellows address conduct topical research, perform data analysis, develop policy, participate in scientific outreach, and collaborate with the Indiana Legislative Services Agency. INSPECT fellows applications are due Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
Preparing Future Faculty Conference – Friday, January 24, IMU
The annual PFF conference is sponsored by the Department of Sociology and supported by the Graduate School. The conference provides a day-long agenda of panels, workshops and keynote speakers focused on career information, professional skills and networking opportunities for those interested in an academic career. In addition to a keynote from Prof. Brian Powell, a long-time supporter of the PFF program, the conference includes a guest speaker, Leonard Cassuto, columnist, author and an expert in graduate education.
Reminder: 2025 Three Minute Thesis - First round submissions due January 31st!
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a research communication event that challenges graduate students to present a compelling oration on their thesis or dissertation research in just three minutes. Application forms and Kaltura recordings are due January 31st, 2025, at 5pm. 8 Finalists will be selected from these recordings to present at the LIVE Final Event on February 28th, 2025. Please see the 3MT website for more details.
3MT Primer Sessions will be held:
- Tuesday, January 21, 10am to noon, IMU Hoosier Room, Register in Handshake
- Monday, January 27, 10am to noon, IMU Hoosier Room, Register in Handshake
- Tuesday, January 28, 1pm to 3pm, IMU Hoosier Room, Register in Handshake
Participants will receive feedback in the low pressure setting of a small, informal group. Join one or all three practice sessions!
Graduate Student Regional Research Symposium – registration deadline January 31, 2025
The Graduate Student Council of the University of Louisville holds an annual research conference to which all graduate students in the region are invited. Contributions from all fields of study and forms of research and creative activity are welcome, for oral presentations, poster or artistic works. The conference will also include a keynote speaker, a professional development workshop and dedicated social events. The theme of this year’s conference is “Crossing Divides: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Today’s Issues”.
The conference will be held on the Belknap campus of the University of Louisville, March 28th and 29th. Registration is currently open and closes on January 31st. Please visit the conference website for more information and updates. You may also access the registration form directly or contact Kyle Cook of the conference organizing committee.
Professional Development Resources
Did you know that IU and the Graduate School provide access to several free online career and professional development resources? They can be found on our website and this month we are highlighting Nature Masterclasses and the benefits of our membership in the CIRTL consortium.
Nature Masterclasses
Nature Masterclasses has been developed by Nature Portfolio to provide professional development training to researchers. Nature Portfolio's flagship publication is Nature, a weekly multidisciplinary journal first published in 1869. Nature Masterclasses began as a provider of scientific writing and publishing training and now offers on-demand training in scientific storytelling, data management, research collaboration, and scientific writing and publishing. Most courses are structured as several bite-sized (10-20 minute) lessons. Through the IU School of Medicine, all IU graduate students and postdocs have access through our institutional login. The coursework spans a range of essential skill development for research aspects of scientific careers.
The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning - Spring Programming
IU Bloomington is a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL), which was founded in 2003 by 43 universities in the USA and Canada. The CIRTL Network provides programming for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars facilitated by member institutions, including courses, workshops, events, and communities. Graduate students and postdocs who participate in CIRTL to develop teaching skills and receive professional benefits in preparation for academic jobs. Please check out the CIRTL website for Spring programming, particularly the spring courses that require pre-registration. See also our CIRTL@IUB website to learn more.