Graduate School Newsblog

Category: Announcements

Items that are time sensitive and require action

NSF Intellectual Property Program: Spring Term 2011

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Patents and Copyright – Spring Term 2011

This program for STEM graduate students begins on Jan. 19, the required orientation session, and continues for 10 weeks.

This is a semester-long, non-credit program for graduate students, funded by the National Science Foundation.  Students receive a certificate of completion for training on the Intellectual Component of Responsible Conduct of Research.   Participants work in small teams to solve one copyright problem and one patent problem in primarily online learning spaces using Blackboard Learn 9.1 tools.  Students are guided by Jim Baker, TED, and Nora Allred, copyright librarian, in these online learning spaces and in face-to-face discussion meetings.

Using online tools offers two benefits compared to traditional classroom or programmed online instruction such as CITI training. First, these tools allow asynchronous learning, which enables graduate students, particularly those with English as a second language and those with demanding schedules, to participate in a relaxed and reflective manner. Second, these tools support active, collaborative learning, which is useful for understanding complex ethical concepts.

Students can register online to participate in the program.

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Archives Workshop

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Ever wonder how to start a historical research project? Not sure where to find the right documents to answer your question? Unclear how a research archives operates? Join Michigan Tech archivists Julie Blair and Erik Nordberg for an introduction to archival research at 1 p.m., today, in Library 244.

The library now offers weekly workshops all semester on different resources that will give you an academic edge or save you time. Workshops take place on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1 p.m., in Library room 244. Each workshop is offered twice to accommodate class schedules.

See the Tech Today posting for additional workshop details.

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December 9: Seminar on upcoming thesis and dissertation changes

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Students who are scheduling a defense of a thesis or dissertation on or after January 10, 2011 will need to format and submit their document according to the new procedures.

The new procedures do not apply to students submitting a report, or to students who defend before January 10, 2011.

The Graduate School will give a presentation outlining the major changes in formatting and submission procedures on December 9th beginning at 4:05pm.  This seminar at least once more in January, based on demand.

Please register online so we can plan for your attendance.  After registration, you will receive e-mail reminders closer to the date, and the location of the seminar.

Please contact Debra Charlesworth with any questions.

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Nominations for Spring 2011 Finishing Fellowships Now Open

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Nominations for spring Finishing Fellowships are now open.  Applications must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than 4pm on October 20th.

Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Must be a PhD student.
  2. Must expect to finish in spring 2011.
  3. Must have submitted a Petition to Enter Full-Time Research Only Mode. No Finishing Fellowships will be awarded to students who fail to receive approval of their petition.

Previous recipients of a Finishing Fellowship are not eligible.

Please see our application page for details on the application procedure.  Please direct any questions to Dr. Debra Charlesworth.

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Fellow Tips for Writing Fellowship Essays

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Jared’s  top 3 tips for writing your fellowship essays:

1. Keep your research essay focused. It shows a certain amount of scientific maturity to be able to understand that your proposal consists of about 4 years of work (rather than 10-20).

2. Read the program announcement and know every detail. Pay close attention to formatting instructions (1 inch margins) and broader impacts criterion.

3. Have multiple professors read your essays, each faculty member will have a few really helpful tips. Professors will be brutally honest with you because they want to see you succeed–don’t take negative feedback personally. The trick is reconciling very positive reviews with very negative ones.

Find out what other fellows tips this Thursday, September 30th  at 7:00 in Fisher  133.

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Nominations sought for MAGS Thesis Award

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The Executive Committee of the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) is soliciting nominations for the 2011 MAGS Distinguished Master’s Thesis Awards to recognize and reward distinguished scholarship and research at the master’s level.  Michigan Tech may nominate one candidate.

Eligible students will have earned a master of science degree between October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

Please see our web page for complete details on eligibility and application procedures.  Nominations are due no later than 4pm, October 11th to Debra Charlesworth in the Graduate School.

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BRC Looking for Applications for Travel Grants

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The Biotechnology Research Center (BRC) announces its fall 2010 travel grants, which provide financial assistance to Michigan Tech’s undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to present their research at scientific meetings.

The grants promote research and achievement in biotechnology. The awards are merit-based and are offered in the spring and fall each year.

To apply, complete the application form available at Biotechnology .

Send the application materials to Mary Tassava, staff assistant in BRC, at mltassav@mtu.edu .

  • The fall application deadline is Friday, Oct. 15,
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Published in Tech Today.

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Thesis and Dissertation Submission Seminar

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Students planning on finishing a thesis or dissertation this semester or next semester are invited a seminar designed to help students understand current procedures, the new procedures, and answer student questions.

Join Debra Charlesworth on September 9th at 4:05pm to learn about the submission process from start to finish.

Faculty and staff who work with students completing a thesis or dissertation are also invited to attend.

Please register online for the event.

Once you register, you will receive a confirmation with the location and a reminder of the date and time. Space is limited, so register early!

If you are unable to join us, a taped version of this seminar is available online from our May 18th presentation.

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AAUW 2011-2012 American Fellowship and Grant Applications

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2011-2012 Academic Year
Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship: $30,000
Dissertation Fellowship: $20,000
Summer/Short-Term Research Publication Grant: $6,000
Applications available: Aug. 1–Nov. 15, 2010
Application deadline*: Nov. 15, 2010
Fellowship year: July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012

* All supporting documents must also be received by this date. If an application deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, supporting documents must be received the next business day.

American Fellowships support women doctoral candidates completing dissertations or scholars seeking funds for postdoctoral research leave from accredited institutions. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of scholarly excellence, the quality and originality of project design, and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.

Candidates may apply for only one of the awards described below. Former recipients of these awards are not eligible to apply for additional American Fellowships or publication grants.

Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowships offer one-year of support for women in tenure-track faculty positions in support of their earning tenure and further promotions. Candidates must have earned a doctoral degree by Nov. 15, 2010. Postdoctoral fellowships are available in the arts and humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Limited additional funds may be available when matched by the fellow’s institution.
Apply now for a Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship »

Dissertation Fellowships are available to women who will complete their dissertation writing between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. Degree conferral must be between April 1 and September 15, 2012. To qualify, applicants must have completed all course work, passed all required preliminary examinations, and received approval for their research proposal or plan by Nov. 15,2010. Students holding any fellowship for writing a dissertation in the year prior to the AAUW fellowship year are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering and math and also researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply.
Apply now for a Dissertation Fellowship »

Summer/Short-Term Research Publication Grants fund women college and university faculty and independent researchers to prepare research for publication. The grants are intended for tenure-track, part-time, or temporary faculty or new or established scholars and researchers at universities. Time must be available for eight consecutive weeks of final writing, editing, and responding to issues raised in critical reviews. Funds cannot be used for undertaking research. Applicants must have received their doctorates by the application deadline. Scholars with strong publishing records should seek other funding.
Apply now for a Summer/Short-Term Research Publication Grant »

Questions about applications must be directed to the Iowa City office. Please do not contact the AAUW office in Washington, D.C., or local branches for application information. Please call 319/337-1716 ext. 60, e-mail aauw@act.org, or write to the customer service center at

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Webinar on Federal Funding Open to Graduate Students

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A webinar to help faculty seek support from federal agencies for research and commercialization will be held from 3 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 1, at the Advanced Technology Development Complex.

The session is hosted by the MTEC SmartZone and sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Twelve federal agencies have $2 billion to allocate to fund research and development for the express purpose of commercialization.

The information is of interest to graduate students, postdocs, principle investigators/university research officers, corporate technology directors/researchers, and academic liaisons/professors.

The last webinar is scheduled for October 6.

For more information, contact Jonathan Leinonen at 487-7004 or at jleinonen@mtecsz.com .

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