Deputy Provost September 2020 Newsletter

Deputy Provost
Newsletter for Graduate & Professional Students

September 2020

Announcements from Beth Winkelstein smiling with trees in background
Deputy Provost Beth A. Winkelstein, Ph.D.

As the Fall term is now fully underway I hope you are able to settle into a routine with your courses, academic endeavors, research and connecting with fellow new and returning students. I know we all continue to adjust to the challenges that this pandemic has put before us but I also can’t help but be optimistic given all of the creative and innovative ways our faculty, staff and students are embracing these challenges. It reminds me of all the reasons we all come to Penn!

So, in this month’s newsletter I am particularly highlighting those initiatives and programs that are relevant as the Fall semester is underway, as the semester unfolds and as we collectively look to support our graduate and professional students.

You may have heard that last week Penn’s Research Resumption Plan entered a new phase – the Fall Semester Plan.  There are a few highlights in the plan that are relevant to graduate student researchers and that I want to make sure you are aware of and encourage you to discuss any of these with your academic programs and/or mentors:

  • Trainees must be fully engaged in making reasonable progress in their research, whether on campus or remotely,
  • All activities that can be done remotely should continue to be done remotely,
  • Faculty advisors, graduate group chairs, and graduate thesis committees should actively engage trainees to ensure that the scope and goals of their research plans are appropriate given the evolving circumstances,
  • Trainees should be supported by academic processes withing their departments, graduate groups and schools s they adapt their research plans, if needed,
  • Flexible schedules for research should be encouraged to help accommodate those with children/elder care needs.

As always, but particularly in light of this new phase of research resumption, I wanted to remind you of several programs and supports for our graduate and professional students. Please also know that if you have concerns or feedback about your graduate group you should feel free to utilize the Graduate Group Review Student Feedback Form, which allows you to provide information anonymously if you choose. Please check out the Graduate Student Center and Family Resource Center for updated information about programs and supports. . Below are several reminders and resources that you may find helpful as well.

 

Pass/Fail Grading Options
PhD and research master’s students can choose a pass/fail grade type for each of their courses until October 30, 2020 at 11:59 pm. by using the Grade Type Change Form on the SRFS website. Professional-degree students may use the same form to choose p/f if their programs allow it.

Travel Exception for Doctoral Candidates
PhD students who have advanced to candidacy can petition for travel that is essential to make academic progress towards completion. See the Travel Petition Procedures website for more information.

Penn Transit & Walking Escorts
Students are reminded that Penn Bus West, Penn Bus East, On Demand Shuttles, and Accessible Transit are operating fully. Students must wear a mask, and show a Penn ID as well as a green PennOpen Pass to ride Penn Transit. 24/7 Walking Escorts are also available. See the Transportation Options and the COVID Ridership Requirements websites for more information.

Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
IDPs are useful tools to help you set goals and stay on track while you are doing research and coursework remotely.  IDPs can help you identify, develop, and improve skills oriented toward academic and career goals. Some students at Penn are already required to use IDPs; however, we encourage all students to explore IDP tools. Here are a few to consider:

  • Imagine PhD for students in the humanities and social sciences
  • myIDP for students in the sciences
  • ChemIDP for students in Chemistry

Campus resources -- such as Career Services, Center for Teaching & Learning, Weingarten Learning Resources Center, and Penn Center for Innovation -- as well as your graduate groups and programs can assist you as you move through the IDP process.

Voter Registration & Civic Engagement Opportunities
Celebrate National Voter Registration Day by joining Penn Leads the Vote and Motivote to learn about upcoming elections, register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, and much more. Learn more about voter registration and outreach efforts at Penn at http://www.pennvotes.org. See additional civic engagement and volunteer opportunities at https://gsc.upenn.edu/online#virtual.

 

Highlighted Resources

COVID-19 Information
Get up-to-date information on the Health and Safety of the Penn community during the Fall Semester.

Health & Wellness
Student HealthCampus Health and CAPS staff continue to support students’ physical and mental health needs. They offer both in-person and telehealth services to our students, connecting with students regardless of where they are.

Resources for TAs
Center for Teaching & Learning has a website on remote teaching that TAs may find useful. For TAs who often use chalkboards in teaching, we have created a page with suggestions for teaching recitations or office hours online using virtual whiteboards, as well as information for those running asynchronous discussion boards.
 

Virtual Programs and Activities

Strategies for Success in Graduate Studies
Learn effective ways to manage your time, set goals, and manage your coursework during your graduate experience! Cosponsored by Weingarten Learning Resources & the Graduate Student Center.

  • Reading Effectively in Graduate School: Tuesday, September 22 at 9:00 AM
  • Maximizing Academic Outcomes in STEM Graduate Courses: Wednesday, September 23 at 9:00 AM & Thursday, September 24 at5:00 PM
  • The Hidden Curriculum in Graduate Education: Tuesday, September 29 at 9:00 AM & Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 PM

Dissertation & Copyright at Penn Information Session
Wednesday, September 16, 12:00-1:00 PM (ET)
Join Christine E. Weller, Assistant General Counsel / Copyright Advisor at University of Pennsylvania Libraries, to learn more about the basics of copyright, how and when to ask for permission to use copyrighted materials in your dissertation, and copyrighting your dissertation. Cosponsored by Penn Libraries & the Graduate Student Center.

Systematic Review Workshops
Workshop series to introduce the skills needed to conduct high-quality systematic reviews. Cosponsored by Penn Libraries and the Graduate Student Center.

  • Introduction to Systematic Review: Thursday, September 24, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
  • Literature Search for Systematic Review: Thursday, October 1, 3:00-4:30 PM ET
  • Citation Management for Systematic Review: Thursday, October 8, 3:00-4:00 PM ET

Virtual Family Read Aloud with the Family Center
Saturday, September 26 from 10-10:30 AM
Join us for a Live Read-aloud session with Baby Word Play! Please register in advance for the Zoom link.

Maker Mondays with the Family Center
Mondays, 10am, September21, 28, October 5
Follow along with our Family Fun Fellow and make some easy DIY crafts with your children. New maker videos will be posted on Mondays at 10am on social media and can be found on our virtual programming page.

CTL Mini-Courses in College Teaching
Not teaching this semester but thinking about future online teaching? CTL's Online Teaching mini-course is for you! This four-week program enables you to think through the possibilities in a structured cohort experience. Topics include Online Teaching, Inclusive & Equitable Teaching, and more. The next session starts in mid-October.

CTL Graduate Student Workshops
All graduate students are welcome at these upcoming workshops:

Penn Weekly Writing Challenge
Daily writing is one of the best practices you can develop to increase your research productivity, publication record, and success in obtaining external funding. Join other members of the Penn community each week in committing to write at least 30-minutes a day Monday - Friday. Support your writing habit and encourage others by joining the Penn Writing Challenge on MS Teams. Our next challenge starts September 21 -- register now to join!

Peer Accountability Groups
Whether you're working on a long-term project, writing a dissertation, trying to maintain healthy habits, or working towards other goals, joining a peer accountability group is a great way to stay motivated and make progress towards reaching your goals. Register your group or request to be matched with a group that fits your interests and goals. Learn more at gsc.upenn.edu/peer-groups

 

Tips for Success in Graduate & Professional School

How to Be a Successful Grad Student: Insider Advice
Here are some tips for ensuring a successful and personally fulfilling graduate student experience!

 

Grad Students Making News

Neuroscience PhD Student Connor Brennan has been awarded a 2020 Google Fellowship in Computational Neuroscience.

Predoctoral Fellowships for Excellence through Diversity have been awarded to Kiana Murphy (SAS, English) and German Pallares (Weitzman, Architecture).

Ammon Perkes, a PhD student in Biology, appears in the Ballet X video 100 Days with his spouse Chloe, a dancer with the company. The charming video depicts life in quarantine with the couple both trying to work in close quarters.

English PhD student Joseph Earl Thomas won the 2020 Chautauqua Janus Prize for “Reality Marble,” a memoir blended with fantasy and science fiction based on his childhood in Philadelphia.

 

Highlighted Fellowships and Opportunities

Building an Online Presence Mini-Course
Apply by October 4
Building an Online Presence (BOP) is a 10-week program that engages graduate students across disciplines in exploring digital identity and scholarship, engaging with the challenges of both, and learning methods for sharing their research and professional accomplishments to a wide audience. Sessions will begin the week of October 12.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Deadline: October 19 - 23 (varies by field) -- **You must apply in your first or second year!**
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes and supports promising students in NSF-supported STEM and social science disciplines who are pursuing research-based graduate degrees. For information about applying for the NSF GRFP at Penn, visit: www.curf.upenn.edu/content/nsf.

Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships
Deadline: October 28
Supports a year of research and writing to help advanced graduate students in the humanities and related social sciences in the last year of PhD dissertation writing. The program encourages timely completion of the PhD and is open to scholars pursuing humanistic research on topics grounded in any time period, world region, or methodology. Applicants must be prepared to complete their dissertations within the period of their fellowship tenure and no later than August 31, 2022. 

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans 
Deadline: October 29 
Prestigious national fellowship provides up to two years of support for graduate study for new Americans - permanent residents or naturalized citizens if born abroad; otherwise children of naturalized citizen parents - in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program in the US. Learn more about the application process and access the schedule for upcoming information sessions on applying for the fellowship at www.pdsoros.org/apply/information-sessions.

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Fellowships
Graduate & Predoctoral Fellowship Deadlines: November 1
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution (STRI) in Panama allows selected candidates to come to STRI year-round and is an excellent resource to provide support for graduate students and introduce them to tropical research. Although focused primarily on graduate students, awards are occasionally given to postdoctoral candidates. These fellowships enable selected candidates to work in the tropics and explore research possibilities at STRI. Fellowship award amounts vary considerably, from a modest stipend to cover living expenses while at STRI (currently $1000/month) to $40,000 annually.

American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) Fellowship 
Deadline: November 1
Fellowships (up to $23,000) and grants (up to $5,000) to individuals to pursue research, study or creative arts projects in one or more Scandinavian country for up to one year.

National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies Research Associateship Program (RAP) 
Deadline: November 1
Graduate and postdoctoral research opportunities in science and technology at sponsoring federal laboratories and affiliated institutions.

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships and Grants 
Deadline: November 1
Supports women scholars who are completing dissertations, planning research leave from accredited institutions, or preparing research for publication. Funds research in a variety of disciplines that helps to improve communities. Eligibility: Women PhD candidates in all fields of study

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowships
Deadline: November 2
1-3 year fellowships awarded to applicants who will pursue a doctoral degree in, or closely related to, an area of DoD interest within one of their fifteen prioritized disciplines in science and engineering. Fellows receive full tuition & fees, a monthly stipend, and up to $1000 for medical insurance.

SSRC International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF)
Deadline: November 4
9-12 months of support to graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who are enrolled in PhD programs in the US and conducting dissertation research on non-US topics.

Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Program   
Deadline: November 9
Fellowships for women from developing and emerging economies to pursue PhD or post-doctoral studies in the physical sciences, engineering and technology.

DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
Deadline: November 12
Support for outstanding U.S. graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory/facility in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral thesis while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories/facilities. Eligibility: PhD candidates in physics, chemistry, material sciences, biology (non-medical), mathematics, engineering, or computer or computational sciences who are at work on the dissertation.

Penn Postdoctoral Fellowships for Academic Diversity 
Deadline: November 15
The Postdoctoral Fellowship for Academic Diversity Program is a competitive program with a goal of increasing the diversity of the community of scholars devoted to academic research at both the University of Pennsylvania and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Both organizations seek to attract promising researchers and educators from different backgrounds, races, ethnic groups, and other diverse populations whose life experience, research experience and employment background will contribute significantly to their academic missions. Fellowships are available for postdoctoral training in all areas of study at either Penn or CHOP. Fellows receive a generous annual stipend, travel and research allowances, relocation allowance, and benefits. Fellows will also receive highly mentored scholarly and research training, as well as courses and workshops to enhance their research success skills.

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Deadline November 16
Fellowships of $25,000 will be awarded for 12 months of full-time dissertation writing to encourage original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences, and particularly to help Ph.D. candidates in these fields complete their dissertation work in a timely manner. Eligibility: PhD candidates are who writing on topics where ethical or religious values are a central concern, and who expect to complete the dissertation between April 1 and August 31, 2020

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program
Deadline: November 17
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institutes provide fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for 7-10 weeks for U.S. citizen undergraduate, Master ’s and Ph.D. students. Countries may include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Russia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, or others where the target languages are spoken. Apply in November for a fellowship the following summer.

Alfa Fellowship Program 
Deadline: December 1
High-level professional development program for American and British citizens at leading Russian organizations in business, economics, journalism, law, and government. The program includes intensive Russian language training, seminar series, and extended professional experience. Fellows receive a monthly stipend, language training, program-related travel costs, housing and insurance.

Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity  
Deadline: December 1 
Supports seniors and graduate students in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, for 2-6 years. Awards include $20,000 stipend; tuition & fees; paid summer government internships & mentoring.    

DOD Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program
Deadline: December 1
The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program is an opportunity for students pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and conducting research relevant to the U.S. Department of Defense. Includes full tuition, annual stipend of up to $38K, and other benefits. Awardees are matched with a DoD research laboratory where he/she will be expected to serve as a summer intern and complete a period of post-graduation employment service as a civilian.

Ford Foundation Graduate Fellowships
Deadlines: December 10 (dissertation & postdoctoral); December 17 (predoctoral)

Predoctoral and dissertation awards to students who plan to pursue careers in teaching and research at the college or university level and demonstrate a commitment to using diversity to enrich the education of all students.

Center for Engaged Scholarship (CES) Dissertation Fellowship
Deadline: December 15
The Center for Engaged Scholarship’s dissertation fellowships are $25,000 awards intended to support PhD students writing dissertations in academic departments and programs in the social sciences and humanities  whose research advances progressive values. Their goal is to generate new ideas and first-rate scholarship that have the power to contribute to progressive change.

To see additional fellowships and award opportunities, visit CURF Resources for Graduate Students and Grad Center Grants and Fellowships webpages.

 

About the Deputy Provost

The Deputy Provost’s Education portfolio oversees the programs and policies that govern teachers and students at Penn. The Education portfolio includes the Graduate Student Center, the Center for Teaching & Learning, the Family Resource Center, the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships, the Office of Student Conduct, the Online Learning Initiative, College Houses & Academic Services, Penn First Plus, New Undergraduate Student Orientation & Academic Initiatives, and Civic House and Civic Scholars Program.

 

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