Travel Funds for Conferences!

• Keystone Conferences – Biomedical Sciences –  international opportunities — Assistant Professors, and Industry scientists
• College Park Conference – Hierarchical Modeling in Observational Studies, Complex Surveys and Big Data: Areas: statistics, biostatistics, survey methodology

BIOMEDICAL: KEYSTONE CONFERENCES

Diversity in Life Science Programs (DLSP) at Keystone Symposia has just been advised that it will receive additional funds to support assistant professors and scientists from industry at an equivalent level who wish to attend Keystone Symposia meetings. The particular meetings available to attend are listed below. These are the only meetings available for this particular funding. The award is a reimbursement award, and will cover registration fees, lodging, airfare and ground transit.

The time frame is very tight and I ask for your help in sharing this information with any assistant professor or scientist from industry at equivalent level in life and biomedical sciences. You can forward this message or advise individuals to contact me directly. Please share on your networks right away. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Applicant must be assistant professor or scientist from industry at equivalent level
• Applicant must be engaged in laboratory research and have a particular research question which they are working to answer
• Applicant’s research must  be applicable to one of the meetings listed in the lower portion of this message
• Applicant must be a member of a federally designated underrepresented population (African American, Hispanic American,  Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander)
• Applicant must be a United States Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States
• Applicant must be in life or biomedical sciences
• We ask that the applicant, if awarded, consider mentoring a student in his/her laboratory for a period of one year

Keystone Symposia meetings available to attend using this funding:

Adult Neurogenesis (E1)

Scientific Organizers: Jonas Frisén and Fred H. Gage

May 12—17, 2014

Clarion Hotel Sign, Stockholm, Sweden

Keystone Symposia E1

Autophagy: Fundamentals to Disease (E2)

Scientific Organizers: Christina H. Eng, Daniel J. Klionsky, Guido Kroemer and Li Yu

May 23—28, 2014

Hyatt Regency Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

Keystone Symposia E2

The Brain: Adaptation and Maladaptation in Chronic Pain (E3)

Scientific Organizers: Frank Porreca, David Borsook and David W. Dodick

June 15—20, 2014

Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colorado, USA

Keystone Symposia E3

The Modes of Action of Vaccine Adjuvants (S1)

Scientific Organizers: Philippa C. Marrack, Steven Reed and Robert A. Seder

October 8—13, 2014

Sheraton Seattle Hotel, Seattle, Washington, USA

Keystone Symposia S1

Cell Death Signaling in Cancer and the Immune System (S2)

Scientific Organizers: Gustavo Amarante-Mendes, Douglas R. Green and Kim Newton

October 28—November 2, 2014

Casa Grande Hotel, Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil

Keystone Symposia S2

If you have any questions, please contact Bridget Stacy at bstacy@keystonesymposia.org.

SOCIAL SCIENCE: CONFERENCE AT COLLEGE PARK

This announcement was shared by Dr. Kim Nickerson, UMCP Assistant Dean for Diversity, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences:

Conference Financial Support for Students and Young Researchers

The Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) is pleased to announce a limited number of awards to assist young researchers who graduated no earlier than 2009 and students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in statistics, biostatistics, survey methodology or a related area in a U.S. university to attend the conference on Frontiers of Hierarchical Modeling in Observational Studies, Complex Surveys and Big Data.  The Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) is the nation’s oldest and largest program offering graduate training in the principles and practices of survey research.  Please visit  http://www.jpsm.umd.edu/ to learn more about JPSM.

This conference  will be held May 29-31, 2014, at the University of Maryland, College Park campus. The conference is hosted by the Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM).  The awards, funded by the National Science Foundation (upon final approval), Westat, and the Washington Statistical Society (WSS), will support about 14 travel awards to cover registration and travel expenses up to a maximum of $800 and, in addition, about 14 registration waivers. Please visit http://www.jointprogram.umd.edu/ghosh/default.aspx for details about the conference and instructions on the application procedure. The conference organizers are especially interested in attracting minority/underrepresented students and junior scientists to this conference.

Applications must be sent to Prof. Yan Li at yli@umd.edu no later than April 15, 2014.

Frontiers of Hierarchical Modeling in Observational Studies, Complex Surveys and Big Data

Date:  May 29-31, 2014

Location:  College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center

University of Maryland, University College

Hotel Accommodations:  College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center

Conference Support Amount:  Maximum of $800 travel support, plus the waiver of conference registration fees

How to Apply:  Please visit http://www.jointprogram.umd.edu/ghosh/default.aspx for details about the conference and instructions on the application procedure.  Applications must be sent to Prof. Yan Li at yli@umd.edu no later than April 15, 2014.  The conference organizers are especially interested in attracting minority/underrepresented students and junior scientists to this conference.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014, we will welcome new PROMISE Mentor, Dr. Michael Penn, Vice President of Strategy at Gladstone Institutes (and author of “Finding Your North,” a book that we featured at a past SSI), and Dr. Jaime Bonilla, Dean of the School of Engineering at  Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico.

Dr. Penn (in-person) and Dr. Bonilla (via Skype) are among leaders from 15 organizations who are coming to talk to graduate students about job opportunities. Dr. Penn is interested in finding talented biomedical researchers who are ready for postdoctoral positions. He is coming to Maryland so that he can go beyond just having people apply for positions on a website. He is coming from California to meet you in person! You never know what opportunities might transpire, so if you do research in any of the areas that Gladstone covers, e.g., HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders, virology and immunology, bioinformatics, cardiovascular disease, and more. Read more about the research at Gladstone Institutes, a partner of the University of California, San Francisco: http://gladstoneinstitutes.org/

After connecting with Dr. Jaime Bonilla at the International conference of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) in Atlanta in 2013, and again at the 2013 World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF) in Cartagena, Colombia, we learned that Dr. Bonilla had developed a unique “Visiting Professors” program that is available to engineering Ph.D.s around the world. In an effort to expose his students at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico with a global perspective, he wants to bring in new faculty from around the world, to teach technical courses in English. These short assignments would give you, participants in PROMISE, an opportunity to have an international short-term visiting professorship. An example of the kinds of  positions that are on the table can be found here: http://www.higheredjobs.com/m/details.cfm?JobCode=175866267&Title=Visiting%20Professor%20-%20Engineering. Come and talk to Dr. Bonilla, a member of the Global Engineering Deans Council, to find out more about this opportunity, including opportunities that have not been discussed here.

The event is the Career Pathways for Graduate Students Dinner Seminar, which includes a concurrent panel discussion on global careers. Both graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to this event.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

UMBC’s Campus

A.O.K. Library, 7th Floor

RSVP:

• UMBC’s graduate students and postdocs: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/19713
• Graduate students and postdocs from other schools within the University System of Maryland: Please RSVP by writing a message in the comment section below with your name and department. Alternatively, you may send email to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject “Career Pathways 2014.”

Other guests include representatives from:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• Creative Staffing International
• Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  
• Kelly Government Solutions
• National Security Agency
• Soft Tech Consulting
• The Canton Group
• The Hilltop Institute, UMBC
• U. S. Census Bureau
• UMBC, Research Administration
• Urban Teacher Center
• Viggorr Innovative Systems and Solutions Company
• The Fulbright Program
• The U. S. Department of State

About Dr. Penn:

Dr. Michael L. Penn, Jr, is VP for Strategy at the Gladstone Institutes and Chief Executive Officer of the Gladstone Foundation. Dr. Penn oversees the Communications Department and the the core laboratories and provides leadership for the conception, analysis and implementation of Gladstone’s strategic initiatives. Prior to joining Gladstone in 2012 he worked for more than 8 years at Genentech Inc., where he helped advance innovations in drug development. In 2001, Dr. Penn co-founded Building Diversity in Science, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in science. From 2002 to 2004, he served as Commissioner for San Francisco’s Health Commission, the policy-making board of the Department of Public Health. Dr. Penn earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Morehouse College and an MD and PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of California, San Francisco.

About Dr. Bonilla:

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014, we will welcome new PROMISE Mentor, Dr. Michael Penn, Vice President of Strategy at Gladstone Institutes (and author of “Finding Your North,” a book that we featured at a past SSI), and Dr. Jaime Bonilla, Dean of the School of Engineering at  Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico.

Dr. Penn (in-person) and Dr. Bonilla (via Skype) are among leaders from 15 organizations who are coming to talk to graduate students about job opportunities. Dr. Penn is interested in finding talented biomedical researchers who are ready for postdoctoral positions. He is coming to Maryland so that he can go beyond just having people apply for positions on a website. He is coming from California to meet you in person! You never know what opportunities might transpire, so if you do research in any of the areas that Gladstone covers, e.g., HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders, virology and immunology, bioinformatics, cardiovascular disease, and more. Read more about the research at Gladstone Institutes, a partner of the University of California, San Francisco: http://gladstoneinstitutes.org/

After connecting with Dr. Jaime Bonilla at the International conference of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) in Atlanta in 2013, and again at the 2013 World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF) in Cartagena, Colombia, we learned that Dr. Bonilla had developed a unique “Visiting Professors” program that is available to engineering Ph.D.s around the world. In an effort to expose his students at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico with a global perspective, he wants to bring in new faculty from around the world, to teach technical courses in English. These short assignments would give you, participants in PROMISE, an opportunity to have an international short-term visiting professorship. An example of the kinds of  positions that are on the table can be found here: http://www.higheredjobs.com/m/details.cfm?JobCode=175866267&Title=Visiting%20Professor%20-%20Engineering. Come and talk to Dr. Bonilla, a member of the Global Engineering Deans Council, to find out more about this opportunity, including opportunities that have not been discussed here.

The event is the Career Pathways for Graduate Students Dinner Seminar, which includes a concurrent panel discussion on global careers. Both graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to this event.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

UMBC’s Campus

A.O.K. Library, 7th Floor

RSVP:

• UMBC’s graduate students and postdocs: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/19713
• Graduate students and postdocs from other schools within the University System of Maryland: Please RSVP by writing a message in the comment section below with your name and department. Alternatively, you may send email to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject “Career Pathways 2014.”

Other guests include representatives from:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• Creative Staffing International
• Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  
• Kelly Government Solutions
• National Security Agency
• Soft Tech Consulting
• The Canton Group
• The Hilltop Institute, UMBC
• U. S. Census Bureau
• UMBC, Research Administration
• Urban Teacher Center
• Viggorr Innovative Systems and Solutions Company
• The Fulbright Program
• The U. S. Department of State

About Dr. Penn:

Dr. Michael L. Penn, Jr, is VP for Strategy at the Gladstone Institutes and Chief Executive Officer of the Gladstone Foundation. Dr. Penn oversees the Communications Department and the the core laboratories and provides leadership for the conception, analysis and implementation of Gladstone’s strategic initiatives. Prior to joining Gladstone in 2012 he worked for more than 8 years at Genentech Inc., where he helped advance innovations in drug development. In 2001, Dr. Penn co-founded Building Diversity in Science, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in science. From 2002 to 2004, he served as Commissioner for San Francisco’s Health Commission, the policy-making board of the Department of Public Health. Dr. Penn earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Morehouse College and an MD and PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of California, San Francisco.

About Dr. Bonilla:

Through our PROMISE AGEP collaborations with the World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF), and the Student Platform for Engineering Education Development (World SPEED), you are being invited to apply for  MIT’s “Education DesignShop”  the sponsored by MIT’s Office of Digital Learning. The program is slated to employ “design thinking” and “user-centered design” to address three distinct topics:

1) Curriculum Re-Design for STE(A)M – Science, Technology, Engineering, (Arts), and Mathematics

2) Motivational Structures In & Out of the Classroom

3) Resources and Support Structures for Retention & Diversity

Slots are limited. This program is free. The leader of the program has asked that we encourage you to apply. They learned about PROMISE at the 2013 WEEF Conference in Cartagena, Colombia, and through meetings of the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies.

This is a unique opportunity to “think outside of the box” and have some, new, and different experiences. Please apply:

http://edudesignshop.mit.edu/apply.html.

_________________________________

Related: 

About WEEF 2014: http://weef2014.org/

Through our PROMISE AGEP collaborations with the World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF), and the Student Platform for Engineering Education Development (World SPEED), you are being invited to apply for  MIT’s “Education DesignShop”  the sponsored by MIT’s Office of Digital Learning. The program is slated to employ “design thinking” and “user-centered design” to address three distinct topics:

1) Curriculum Re-Design for STE(A)M – Science, Technology, Engineering, (Arts), and Mathematics

2) Motivational Structures In & Out of the Classroom

3) Resources and Support Structures for Retention & Diversity

Slots are limited. This program is free. The leader of the program has asked that we encourage you to apply. They learned about PROMISE at the 2013 WEEF Conference in Cartagena, Colombia, and through meetings of the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies.

This is a unique opportunity to “think outside of the box” and have some, new, and different experiences. Please apply:

http://edudesignshop.mit.edu/apply.html.

_________________________________

Related: 

About WEEF 2014: http://weef2014.org/

Our PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (PROMISE: AGEP-T) project invites you to save the dates for two big events coming this spring and summer:

Saturday, May 3, 2014: PROMISE AGEP Family and Friends Celebration of Graduates Cookout

PROMISE Cookout and Celebration of Graduates 2013

Register for the PROMISE Friends and Family Cookout and Celebration of Graduates:

Centennial Park – Pavilion D

Main/South Entrance

10000 Route 108

Columbia, MD 21042

Directions:
Main/South
PDF | Google Maps

Boat rentals will be available for an additional charge (See rates for paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, etc. so that you can plan accordingly. http://countyofhowardmd.us/Departments.aspx?id=6442456361.)

_____________________________________

Saturday, August 16, 2014: PROMISE AGEP Summer Success Institute (SSI)

SSI 2013, Top to bottom: 1) Session on planning for the professoriate with Dr. Christine Grant, 2) Webinar with Coursera’s Co-founder Dr. Andrew Ng, 3) Postdoctoral opportunities with NIH’s Dr. Jaron Lockett.

See information about these annual activities from past events:

• Cookout 2013: http://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/save-these-springsummer-dates-may-4-cookout-july-9-12-dissertation-house-august-16-17-ssi/
• Cookout 2012: http://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/promise-friends-family-celebration-of-graduates-cookout-sat-may-5-2012/
• SSI 2013 (Agenda & Information): http://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/promise-summer-success-institute-ssi-10th-anniversary-celebration-august-16-17-2013-in-baltimore/
• SSI: 2012 (Agenda & Information): http://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/2012-summer-success-institute-august-17-18-2012-umbc-the-hotel-at-arundel-preserve/

Our PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (PROMISE: AGEP-T) project invites you to save the dates for two big events coming this spring and summer:

Saturday, May 3, 2014: PROMISE AGEP Family and Friends Celebration of Graduates Cookout

PROMISE Cookout and Celebration of Graduates 2013

Register for the PROMISE Friends and Family Cookout and Celebration of Graduates:

Centennial Park – Pavilion D

Main/South Entrance

10000 Route 108

Columbia, MD 21042

Directions:
Main/South
PDF | Google Maps

Boat rentals will be available for an additional charge (See rates for paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, etc. so that you can plan accordingly. http://countyofhowardmd.us/Departments.aspx?id=6442456361.)

_____________________________________

Saturday, August 16, 2014: PROMISE AGEP Summer Success Institute (SSI)

SSI 2013, Top to bottom: 1) Session on planning for the professoriate with Dr. Christine Grant, 2) Webinar with Coursera’s Co-founder Dr. Andrew Ng, 3) Postdoctoral opportunities with NIH’s Dr. Jaron Lockett.

See information about these annual activities from past events:

• Cookout 2013: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/save-these-springsummer-dates-may-4-cookout-july-9-12-dissertation-house-august-16-17-ssi/
• Cookout 2012: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/promise-friends-family-celebration-of-graduates-cookout-sat-may-5-2012/
• SSI 2013 (Agenda & Information): https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/promise-summer-success-institute-ssi-10th-anniversary-celebration-august-16-17-2013-in-baltimore/
• SSI: 2012 (Agenda & Information): https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/2012-summer-success-institute-august-17-18-2012-umbc-the-hotel-at-arundel-preserve/

Dear University Community,

We invite you to join us for an address from UMBC’s President, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, next Wednesday.

• Wednesday, March 12, 2014
• AOK Library (http://www.umbc.edu/aok/main/index.html)
• Gallery (1st Floor, next to the Circulation Desk)

In addition to his role as UMBC’s president, Dr. Hrabowski chairs the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/26/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts

More about President Hrabowski: http://president.umbc.edu/

• UMBC Graduate Community: RSVP on http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/19707
• University System of Maryland Graduate Students (outside of UMBC): RSVP by replying to this post in the comments with your name, department, and university.

————–

This event is shared with the University System of Maryland as part of the National Science Foundation’s PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (PROMISE: AGEP-T) project.  

We encourage graduate students to take many opportunities to present their work and to become comfortable with presenting STEM content.

__________________________________________________________________
PROMISE will be participating in the Regional Research Symposium at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on April 17, 2014. Please see the information below regarding the April conference at UMES:
__________________________________________________________________

PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (An AGEP-T Project) invites graduate students from universities within the University System of Maryland (USM: http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/) to participate in the Fifth Annual Regional Research Symposium, sponsored by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

SYMPOSIUM 2014

UMES REGIONAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Student Services Center
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

http://wwwcf.umes.edu/CampusMap/index.cfm?ID=Building&BuildingID=ssc

Directions: http://www.umes.edu/About/Default.aspx?id=245

Graduate students are invited to participate in one or both of the following ways:
1) Present research within the “Graduate Student” category
2) Serve as moderators within the “Undergraduate Student” category

Please visit UMES’ website for details: http://www.umes.edu/Symposium2014/Default.aspx?id=45811.

SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT:

Based on such great participation in the PROMISE Research Symposium at College Park on February 28, 2014, graduate students from the universities in Maryland have been given a short extension. 

Please submit your abstract by Friday, March 7, 2014. This is the final deadline. Here is the link: http://www.umes.edu/Symposium2014/Form.aspx?ekfrm=45816

All attendees must register online.

If you are interested in being a moderator as part of your professional development, please contact Dr. Andrea Johnson, akjohnson@umes.edu, with the subject “PROMISE AGEP: Moderator for UMES 2014 Symposium” and cc: promisestaff@gmail.com.

Transportation:

A bus will leave UMBC’s campus to travel to the Eastern Shore in the morning of April 17, 2014 and will return the same evening.

• DEPARTURE: Leave UMBC at 5:00 AM (arrive at UMES between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. The program begins at 8:00 AM)
• RETURN: Leave UMES by 5:00 PM (arrive at UMBC between 7:30 and 8:00 PM).

If you are interested in bus transportation, please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject “Bus for UMES 2014.”

Last year at UMES:

Read the story of our PROMISE visit to UMES in 2013: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/promise-students-celebrate-new-umes-president-dr-juliette-bell-on-umes-campus/

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Participation in this event is part of the PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transportation (PROMISE AGEP-T) project.  Our PROMISE AGEP-T promotes connections between universities in Maryland, professional development, and preparation for the professoriate. 

The following message was posted as part of the Dissertation House’s blog within the “Winter 2014 Challenge” thread.  It is repeated here so that those who read the general blog, will receive the message as well. At the time of the original post, there were 112 messages. Now, there are 134. Good job “DHers!”

The Winter 2014 Challenge thread is here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2014/. Feel free to join. The thread will be active until the end of June 2014.

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January 23, 2014

Buenos tardes a todos!!/Good afternoon to everyone!!

Estoy en Ecuador y estoy muy feliz porque hay 112 mesajes aqui!/I am in Ecuador and am very happy because there are 112 messages here!

Congratulations to all of you on your persistence! What does your persistence mean? If you blogged in during the snow storm, you have already proven that you have what it takes. You have drive and determination. That is a large part of the battle. The Dissertation House exists to assist you with navigating the process and adding “knowledge of the process” to your enthusiasm.

My message for you today is simple:

1) Don’t stop until you’re done!
Dr. Carter-Veale, Dr. Cortes, and some of you have seen people in the DH who felt frustrated, tired, and upset, BUT … they finished. They defended, handed in their dissertations, and walked across the stage with the big robe and the thick bars on their arms. That will be you … soon.

2) Pay close attention to the tips that you will receive in the DH.
These are tried and tested methods. With a pure heart, I ask you to “just do it.”

3) As much as possible, stay in close contact with your advisor.
Your advisor needs to know that you are working.You also want to be sure that you are on the right page and that the expectations are in sync.

4) Utilize the community that is being established in the DH. It helps!
Working on the dissertation does not have to be a lonely, isolated process. You are now surrounded by a community of scholars with like minds and goals. There’s energy there. Feed on it. Use it. Bask in it!

5) Embrace the process.
This is the hard one. The process is difficult, but there are parts of the process that are worth the frustration. The dissertation process teaches you how to deal with long-term projects, how to deal with contrasting personalities (e.g., your committee), how to deal with rejection, and how to handle your own emotions. This is a maturation process. You may not know all of the answers, but you learn how to investigate solutions, and you learn to think through options. You may not like all of the people with whom you’re working, but you learn how to negotiate for what you need, and you learn to appreciate the strengths that people bring to the table, regardless of whether or not you care for them personally. You can still learn from “Painful People.” You can still learn from people, even when they aren’t providing information or assistance in a way that is amiable or projecting a feeling of giving. Take what they provide and find its worth. Above all, learn to appreciate the process of becoming more adept in your field.

Overall, I’m sorry that I’m not there in person for this session, but feel free to make an appointment with me to talk when I return to UMBC in February. Good luck to all of you! Congratulations on your hard work and keep it up. Those letters … “P,” “h,” and “D,” are dangling, hanging around, waiting for you to finish so that they can accompany your name!

Best regards,
Renetta Tull

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The Dissertation House is a program of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale is the “Head Coach” for the Dissertation House.