Important update! We still have spaces for Lightning Round and Poster Presentations.

USM PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation is pleased to invite you to attend and participate in the 2018 University System of Maryland PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference on February 16, 2018. This conference replaces the former PROMISE Research Symposium and adds a professional development component that will prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for faculty positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM, which includes social sciences) disciplines. This year, PROMISE also invites undergraduate students to come to hear graduate students’ presentations, and to participate in workshops that will prepare them to be graduate students with an eye on becoming future faculty members.

This conference seeks to provide a venue that will allow students to present their work at any stage, receive feedback in preparation for presenting at larger venues, and provide training that will prepare participants for faculty careers.The event is free and meals are provided. Please apply to present at the conference using the rules in the “Call for Presentations” section below and save the date.

Event:  2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium & Professional Development Conference

Location: University of Maryland College Park

Adele H. Stamp Student Union – Center for Campus Life

3972 Campus Dr

Colony Ballroom

College Park, MD 20742

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Attire: Business Casual

Transportation:

There will be free transportation from UMBC to UMD. Please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com by Feb. 9, 2018, with the subject title, “2018 Research Symposium Bus,” with your name, school, and cell phone number. The bus departs from the UMBC Administration Circle at 7:20 AM. This location is in front of the administration building. The bus will depart from UMD at 4:15 PM and arrive at UMBC around 5:15 PM.

Parking:

If you choose to drive on your own, you may pay to park in the Union Lane Garage – located between the Adele H. Stamp Student Union Center for Campus Life and Cole Field House. Hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily. In this garage, you park in a numbered spot, remember your number, and walk out toward the entrance to enter it into the machine, where you will pre-pay for a certain number of hours. Other parking lot information can be found here: http://cvs.umd.edu/visitors/parking.html.

• Presentation slots are limited to graduate students within the University System of Maryland.
• A custom webpage will be designed for each presenter. The presenter’s website will include a photo, bio, abstract, synopsis of research, and list of other relevant publications or presentations as applicable. Students who participated in 2015, 2016, and 2017 can update their current pages.
• Postdocs from universities and organizations outside of the University System of Maryland can participate as mentors and judges for poster sessions.
• All graduate students and postdocs are invited to participate as audience members and attend the professional development workshops.
• Undergraduate students are invited to attend to learn from the presentations and to participate in special workshops dedicated to preparing for graduate school, with a focus on thinking about becoming a professor in the future.
• Faculty from within the USM are invited to serve as judges to provide constructive feedback.

Join us! Registration is free. 

Register here:

Types of Presentations

This conference will feature STEM-based oral presentations, posters, and professional development seminars. Participants are invited to submit abstracts to participate in three oral categories and one poster category.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

[7 minutes presentation, 3 minutes critique, 2 minutes of questions, traditional PowerPoint presentation]

Oral Category 2: TED-Styled Talks

[5-minute talks + 5 minutes for critique/questions, PowerPoint presentation with images only – no text]

Oral Category 3: Lightning Round Talks

[2-minute talks with timer on the screen, no PowerPoints, no critique.]

Call for Presentations

If you are interested in presenting, please follow the schedule below:

Deadline extended: December 15th. We still have spaces for Lightning Round and Poster Presentations.

December 1, 2017: “Letter of Intent” to present. This very short email should include name, school, department, choice of oral category (1, 2, 3) or poster, and potential title of your presentation. Email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the title, “2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium – Intent to Present.”

“TED-Styled” and “Lightning Round” titles must be tailored to appeal to a general audience.

Everyone who expressed an “Intent to Present” as of Dec. 1, 2017, will be in line with the presentation style of their choice. Those who did not specify a category will be given a space for a poster.

December 31, 2017: Abstracts and the information below is required for all presentations types. Email all materials from all four categories below to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject: “2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium Presenter Information.”

1. Formal Abstract (250 words or less). Biographical Sketch (250 words or less)
   • Font: 12 Point, Times New Roman
   • Heading, Left-justified:
     • Title (Bold)
     • Name (Italicized)
     • Department (No abbreviations)
     • University (No abbreviations)
2. General Summary of Graduate Research (250 words or less)
3. High-Quality Photograph
4. Numbered List of up to 5 publications and or/presentations. Please give precedence to publications and conference proceedings as applicable.

All presenters must register.

Tentative Agenda

Colony Ballroom, Adele Stamp Student Union, University of Maryland College Park

2018 PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium & Professional Development Conference

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Arrival, Breakfast Refreshments, Registration, Poster Set-Up

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Opening Remarks, Traditional Oral Research Presentations

Welcome:

1. Host’s Opening and Welcome: Christopher Perez, Associate Director, Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion, and Coordinator for PROMISE at College Park.
2. Co-PI Remarks:
3. USM PROMISE AGEP Welcome: Dr. Renetta Tull, UMBC Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Development and Postdoctoral Affairs, and PROMISE AGEP Director for the University System of Maryland.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

1. Mary Yaa Sedegah Masterson, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Program, University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB). “Role of Vaccine-Induced IgG in Protection against Bordetella Pertussis.”
2. Marilyn Allen, Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Engineering immune cells via lipid-tailed biomolecules.”
3. Amanda Labuza, Physiology Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). “NOVA: Providing Graduate Students with Outreach Opportunities to Baltimore.”
4. BreAsia Deal, Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Modeling The Effect of Glucose Intake on a System With Simple Oscillatory Conditions.”

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Networking Break

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM: “TED-Style” Talks

1. Maraki Negesse, Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “The development of the forebrain in vertebrate embryos.”
2. Ashley Wayne Thomas, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). [title to be determined]
3. Omolola Taiwo, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland College Park (UMD). “Creating a world where we are all active bystanders: Reducing sexual violence on campus.”

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM: Lightning Round Talks

12:00 PM – Buffet Lunch

12:45 PM – 1:30 PM: Poster Session and Dessert Reception

1. Mahdad Talebpour, Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
2. Elizabeth Noelia Williams, Nutrition and Food Science (NFSC) Department, University of Maryland College Park (UMD). “Use of Risk Assessment Modeling Techniques to Develop Quantitative Risk-Based Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (RB-HACCP) Plans.”
3. Jackline Joy Martín Lasola, Department of Microbiology and Immunology (School of Medicine), University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).
   “Immunomodulation of the Tumor Microenvironment with Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases (IRAKs).”
4. [pending confirmation]
5. [pending confirmation]
6. [pending confirmation]
7. [pending confirmation]
8. [pending confirmation]

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Professional Development Workshops (graduate students and undergraduates)

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Closing Reception and Awards Ceremony

We are pleased to announce the 5th Annual Academic Research and Leadership Network Symposium (ARLS).  This year’s symposium will be held in conjunction with the NSBE National Convention http://convention.nsbe.org/ from March 21-25th, 2018 in Pittsburg, PA. ARLS events will occur on March 23-24 and consist of a research symposium on March 23rd followed by a faculty/career development symposium on March 24th at the NSBE Convention site (Omni William Penn Hotel). We have a limited amount of funds available to provide $2000 ASSITS travel awards for graduate students, post-docs, and junior faculty (pre-tenure) participants. Detailed instructions for participants are below; we hope to see you in Pittsburgh in 2018!

Speakers (Confirmed to date)

Josephine Allen, University of Florida

Shawn Blanton, Carnegie Melon University

Audrey Bowden, Stanford University

Todd Coleman, University of California, San Diego

Lesia Crumpton-Young, Tennessee State University

Ralph Etienne-Cummings, John Hopkins University

Sam Graham, Georgia Institute of Technology

Monique Head, Morgan State University

Asegun Henry, Georgia Institute of Technology

Stephanie Luster-Teasley, North Carolina A&T State University

Chinedum Osuji, Yale University

Sam Senyo, Case Western Reserve University

Adrienne Stiff-Roberts, Duke University

Rosalind Wynne, Villanova University

Travel Award Application and Registration Instructions (for 40 Eligible Participants)

1.)  Join NSBE! Become a NSBE member. Link: http://www.nsbe.org/membership.aspx#.VoKbl_HKSZx

2.)  Apply for the ASSITS Travel Grant by December 31, 2017. Link:

https://leveragefaculty.org/event-detail/nsbe-arls-2018

3.) Apply for 2018 ARLS. Applications should include title and abstract for poster presentations and are due by January 5, 2018. Link: https://www.arlnetwork.org/participate/

General Registration Instructions

Follow the procedures described in 1 and 3 above. If you are not already a member, please also consider joining the ARL Network.  The accepted ARLS attendees will be registered for the NSBE Convention ($200) and will be assigned a hotel room at the Omni William Penn Hotel ($100-$200/night).

We are providing a resource that lists opportunities in STEM fields. The following link provides 30+ graduate fellowships:

Graduate Student Fellowships

The following link provides 170+ postdoctoral positions:

Postdoc Positions

Sponsor for this information: Institute for Broadening Participation.

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Pathways-to-Science-120825625433/

Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Cordially Invites You to a Workshop on

Women of Color in STEM

November 10, 2017
8:15 am – 1:30 pm

(Breakfast available starting at 7:30 am)

The Keck Center
500 Fifth St NW
Washington, DC, 20001

Panelists Include:

• Akua Asa-Awuku, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Gilda Barabino, Dean of Engineering at City College of New York
• Sandra Begay, Principal Member of Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories
• Sarita Brown, President, Excelencia in Education
• Shawndra Hill, Senior Researcher in the Computational Social Science Group at Microsoft Research NYC
• Shirley Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs at American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Yolanda Moses, Professor of Anthropology, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Excellence, and Executive Director for Conflict Resolution at the University of California, Riverside; former president of CUNY/The City College
• Maria (Mia) Ong, Senior Research Scientist, and Evaluator at the Technical Education Research Centers, Inc. (TERC)
• Joan Reede, Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership, and Professor the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Harvard University

Register Here to Attend in Person

Register Here for the Webcast.

Breakfast and Lunch will be provided.

The School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Arizona State University seeks applications for a full-time, tenure-eligible Assistant or Associate Professor in Statistics with any focus area.

General information: 

 The School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (https://newcollege.asu.edu/mathematical-natural-sciences-degree-programs) at Arizona State University, is an interdisciplinary mathematical and natural sciences unit that encompasses statistics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, computing, forensics, and physics; it prides itself in interdisciplinary collaborations among these research areas. Successful candidates are expected to establish a vigorous, externally-funded program of research; to deliver quality undergraduate and graduate instruction in statistics, and to contribute service to the university and the profession. Faculty can participate in university-wide graduate programs.  The School is committed to recruiting and retaining students and faculty from groups that have historically been underrepresented in the sciences.

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Statistics or a related field, by the time of appointment; evidence of an on-going research program in Statistics and a record of publication and commitment to securing external grant funding consistent with candidate’s experience; commitment and ability to work with a diverse student population.

Desired Qualifications:

Evidence of successful college/university teaching and course development experience; interest in establishing interdisciplinary research programs; practice guiding undergraduates in research and student mentorship; established collaborations with industry partners.

Instructions to Apply

Email application to mns@asu.edu. Application deadline is November 20, 2017, and every Friday thereafter until the search is closed.  Complete applications must include 1) letter of application, 2) a statement describing teaching philosophy and experience, 3) statement describing current and future research plans, 4) statement describing commitment to diversity, 5) unofficial transcripts, and 6) curriculum vitae with your contact information, including telephone number and e-mail address, and 7) contact information (name, address, email, telephone number) for three professional references.   The requested material should be in one PDF document. Only electronic applications are accepted for this position.  Please reference Job# 12131 when applying for the position.

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications.

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy, and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 80,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation’s fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. ASU’s full non-discrimination statement (ACD 401) and Title IX policy are located athttps://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX.

Thursday, November 2, from 9:00 – 12:30pm

621 W. Lombard Street, SMC Campus Center, Room 349

This half-day workshop is designed as an introduction to grant writing for investigators with little or no experience writing an NIH or other peer-reviewed grant application.  The workshop material is based on the NIH grant application, as it is the basis for the majority of peer-reviewed grant applications; however, most of the information covered is relevant to the majority of other grant funding agencies.  This workshop will cover the following subjects: how to determine the most appropriate funding mechanism; developing a fundable research question; how to write the research plan for an NIH grant application, including the new requirements are: Rigor & Reproducibility; and the NIH System of Peer Review. NOTE: A light breakfast will be provided.

Speaker: Wendy Sanders, MA, Associate Dean for Research Career Development, Office for Research Career Development, UMSOM

Registration required online at http://registrationrcdp.eventbrite.com

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for multiple tenure-track faculty positions at all ranks, with one position specifically in circuits, architecture, or related areas. We seek to attract, develop, and retain excellent faculty members with strong records and future promise. The Department is especially interested in candidates who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the University’s academic community through their research, teaching, and service.

The Department offers the Ph.D. degree and undergraduate Computer Science and Computer Engineering degrees. Faculty are expected to excel in classroom teaching and to lead highly-visible research projects that attract substantial external funding. More information about the department can be found at http://cse.nd.edu/.

Applicants must submit a CV, a teaching statement, a research statement, and contact information for three professional references at http://apply.interfolio.com/41330. To guarantee full consideration, applications must be received by December 1, 2017, however, review of applications will continue until the positions have been filled.

The University is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer; we strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, individuals with a disability and those candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.

Yale Ciencia Academy is an NIH-funded (1R25GM114000) initiative that connects Ph.D., MD/Ph.D. or PsyD students across the U.S. who are conducting biological, biomedical, or behavioral sciences research with a network of diverse peers and role models, and with professional development opportunities to help students navigate graduate school, identify their academic and professional goals, and gain the confidence to achieve them. Students from other fields are encouraged to apply if their work might be of NIH interest.

Key features of the program include:

• Virtual chats with diverse role models and mentors who will discuss topics such as careers within and outside of academia, getting funded, securing a postdoc, getting published, time and project management, and work-life balance, among others.
• Supportive discussions with peers, moderated by experts, on inter-personal issues (mentoring challenges, impostor syndrome, the importance of community, etc)
• Online and in-person workshops for the development of non-research skills such as effective scientific and professional communication, professional goal setting & networking, mentoring, and scientific teaching.
• Attendance to an annual YCA meeting (all expenses paid) to take place during the AAAS Annual Meeting to extend opportunities for networking and professional development.
• Participants will have the opportunity to impact their communities and put in place leadership and communication skills through science outreach activities like the publication of popular science articles, podcasts, or visits to local schools.
• Additional advice on their IDP

YCA leverages CienciaPR, a large and diverse Latino/Hispanic scientific network.

The deadline to apply is Friday, November 10 and the program runs from January to December 2018. Application requirements, selection criteria, FAQs, and the application form can be accessed via this link: http://www.cienciapr.org/yca

Questions can be directed to Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, PI, Yale Ciencia Academy (Giovanna.guerrero-medina@yale.edu) or at yca@cienciapr.org

Understanding professors’ expectations shouldn’t be a mystery. However, sometimes, there are disconnects between what a faculty member wants a student to produce for a project, and how the student interprets the instructions. In many cases, the expectations of faculty are clearly articulated, either in written or oral format. However, in other cases, there are situations where a faculty member’s feedback or outcomes from discussions regarding progress may not be as clear because they involve aspects of non-verbal communication such as eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, the tone of voice, and eye contact.

Addressing the Needs of Graduate Students

We draw particular attention to the needs of graduate students for our “When Faculty Say X” success seminar series. Graduate students have several forms of faculty interaction that have their own sets of nuances. For graduate students, the faculty member is a teacher, a mentor, an advisor, and a future colleague. There are several phases through which one must pass to navigate the transitions. During coursework, there is the phase where one follows the syllabus, turns in the homework, and takes the exam. During the qualifying exam and proposal stages, it can be difficult for a student to determine what they are supposed to know on the journey toward building expertise in a discipline or particular area of research. In addition to becoming a contributor to the field, a professor may have a methodology that must be employed by all in her lab or a set of theories which need to be used set the foundation for all work that comes out of the research group. There may be bibliographies that one must reference, techniques that must be mastered, and simple “unwritten rules” that must be followed. Some of the rules may include attending every group meeting and each departmental colloquium. Other rules may extend to writing, i.e., explicit use of a citation style, paragraph structure, or drafting process.  In the past, we have had in-person seminars and panels where students have a chance to post questions online, and faculty answer them in-person during a dinner seminar.

Launching #WhenFacultySayX 2017

In order to accommodate schedules of faculty guests who will join our seminar this year, and in an attempt involve all of the students in our PROMISE AGEP network and beyond, we are launching an interactive, online version of the seminar that will allow all to participate.

Here’s how it will work.

Between Friday, October 20 and Tuesday, October 31, 2017, we invite graduate students to post questions to faculty below in the comment section (you do not need a WordPress account to participate, we encourage anonymous posts.) We will encourage questions from graduate students broadly, and answers from faculty colleagues from any school.

Faculty: Faculty colleagues from around the world are welcome to share things that they want students to clearly understand, using the hashtag #WhenFacultySayX. You are also welcome to join the conversation below and reply to the comments. 

Students: This program was developed for you. It was developed to remove the barriers and fear regarding asking any and all questions related to your success. You may post anonymously.  Do you have a question that you want a faculty member to answer?

Post your questions in the comment section of this post at the bottom of this page. You may post anonymously. Our panel of experts will answer each question in the comments as well.

Our featured faculty panel of experts will answer questions that are posted on this website, below. 

PROMISE Director, Dr. Renetta Tull (@Renetta_Tull), Dr. Sarah Chard, Dr. L. Michael Hayden, Dr. Christopher Murphy, and Dr. J. Alan Yeakley.

Featured faculty:

1. Dr. Sarah Chard, Associate Professor of Anthropology at UMBC, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy.
2. Dr. L. Michael Hayden, Chair, and Professor of Physics at UMBC, Department of Physics.
3. Dr. Christopher Murphy, Chair, and Professor of Psychology at UMBC, Department of Psychology.
4. Dr. J. Alan Yeakley, Chair, and Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems at UMBC, Department of Geography and Environmental Systems.
5. Dr. Renetta Tull – Online Moderator. Dr. RenettaTull will moderate the discussion and will add commentary based on her experience as a former faculty member at University of Wisconsin-Madison, adjunct at College Park (http://hesp.umd.edu/facultyprofile/Tull/Renetta), and member of the program faculty groups for MSRP at MIT, and QoLT at Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh.
   Tull is the University System of Maryland (12 Institutions) Director of Graduate and Professional Pipeline Development, and Special Assistant to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/; at UMBC she is the Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives, Professor of the Practice, College of Engineering & IT.

____________________________________________________________

Historical Perspective

____________________________________________________________

The “When Faculty Say X” seminar began as a PROMISE seminar in 2003, initially titled, “Understanding Faculty Expectations” as part of the PROMISE SUCCESS 2003, a precursor to the PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI). During an orientation session for new graduate students at UMBC circa 2004, UMBC Psychology Professor Dr. Susan Sonnenschein posted a chart with two columns. The left column noted “What Faculty Say,” and the right column noted, “What They Mean.” PROMISE adopted this method and started the “Faculty X|Y – When Faculty Say X, They Really Mean Y” seminar to allow students to anonymously ask questions, and have a faculty panel answer the questions (grouped by topic area) in person. This seminar has drawn crowds of more than 100 graduate students. The “they really mean y” portion of the title was dropped over time.  This 2017 #WhenFacultySayX virtual seminar is the online evolution of those early panels and workshops.

Some of the programs and questions from past years can be found in these links:

When Faculty say “X” … Understanding Faculty Expectations, Unwritten Rules. Dinner Seminar, Fri. Oct. 10, 2014

“When Faculty Say ‘X’ …” Do you understand what faculty say and mean? Dinner seminar, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013

Other videos that answer questions from past years can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_uKXMv-Mty_sRI31EzJm0E0cJTX20mve

Sponsored by NASPA’s Center for Women, the Alice Manicur Symposium is an engaging and supportive environment for you to learn and reflect on your personal goals and aspirations. Join us January 21-24 in San Diego for the 2018 NASPA Alice Manicur Symposium to gain the tools to continue shattering the glass ceiling of institutional leadership—and the savvy to know if the vice president role is a destination you seek.

This application-based, biennial symposium facilitates in-depth discussions of critical topics impacting student affairs, as well as small, facilitated mentoring groups to enable participants to build the personal and professional connections that will serve to support them throughout their career journey. Benefit from the opportunity to meet one-on-one with experienced VPSA faculty members, as well as explore topics such as including strategic thinking, leading change, planning for career advancement, and work/life balance—all crafted for women, by women. All seasoned women working in higher education are invited to apply, the deadline has been extended to Friday, October 20, 2017. Applicants will be notified by October 27, 2017, regarding status, for this transformational event.

Read NASPA’s reflection on the incredible contribution of the late Alice Manicur.