Google Code Jam

Are you ready to test your coding skills? Join Google Code Jam, a competition where programmers and students solve complex coding challenges in a limited amount of time. Winners get cash prizes and a trip to a local Google office. Last year, one competitor even went on to intern at Google and helped to create a new version of Google Sky.

We began offering the Google Code Jam in 2003 as a great way for Google to support competitive programming around the world. Those earlier contests were powered by TopCoder, but we have been developing a platform to support coding competitions -- and now we are excited to produce our own Google Code Jam.

The new competition is planned for the end of Summer 2008, and we hope you'll join us and your fellow computer science students in this challenge. If you're interested, sign up for future announcements and updates about the contest at: http://groups.google.com/group/codejam-announce.

If you know someone else who would be interested, feel free to forward this email to them, too.

We're excited about Google Code Jam 2008, and we hope to see you at the finals!

Sincerely,

Google's Code Jam Team

Google 2008 International Model Your Campus Competition

Dear students,

The 2008 International Model Your Campus Competition has launched! We're back with another opportunity for you to show off your modeling skills -- and this time we welcome submissions from colleges and universities from all over the world.

This Spring, you and your friends can honor your home turf and hone your 3D skills by entering Google SketchUp's 2008 International Model Your Campus Competition. Simply model your school's campus buildings in Google SketchUp, geo-reference them in Google Earth and submit them by uploading to the Google 3D Warehouse to earn lasting online glory and, for the winners, an Apple iPod Touch, a Nintendo Wii Console, and a Google t-shirt and hat.


You may enter the competition if you are a higher education student. Team up with other students, or take the project on yourself. Please read the official rules before registering. The deadline for competition entries is June 1, 2008.

We can't wait to see what you create. Join our Google Competition Group to discuss issues, ideas, and solutions for modeling. Good luck and happy modeling!

Academic Presentation Skills Workshops

The Graduate School is co-sponsoring two upcoming workshops for graduate and professional students.

Presentation Skills Workshop
This will be an interactive 2 hour seminar that addresses the core issues of a good research presentation. This introductory course focuses on the structure and preparation of a talk to ensure it is clear and engaging for any audience. Topics will include identifying the focus and theme, how to create effective visual aids, and how to begin and end a talk. Refreshments served.
Tuesday April 22, 2008
12:00pm-2:00pm, Medical Biomolecular Research Building, Room 202
Register: http://cfx.research.unc.edu/res_classreg/browse_single.cfm?New=1&event_id=21522

Presentation Skills Workshop for INTERNATIONAL Students
This workshop is specifically designed for those who speak English as a second language. Topics covered will include how to effectively talk about your research in formal and informal settings, how to overcome nervousness when speaking English, skills with circumlocution (what to do when you don't know a specific word in English), and building confidence with communication. Refreshments served.
Tuesday April 22, 2008
3:00pm-5:00pm, Graduate Student Center, 211A West Cameron Ave
Register: http://cfx.research.unc.edu/res_classreg/browse_single.cfm?New=1&event_id=21513

Identifying Funding Sources Workshop: How to search for funding opportunities for graduate research and study

When: Tuesday, April 1, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. OR
Friday, April 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Where: Conference room, lower level Bynum Hall

The GrantSource Library invites interested graduate and professional students from all disciplines to a workshop on finding funding for graduate research and study. The instructor will provide time-saving tips for conducting a funding search and an overview of resources available through the library

You will learn how to:

• Make the most effective use of the COS and Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN) multidisciplinary funding opportunity databases (how to search, important features, pros and cons)
• Set up a customized funding alert in COS and other mailing lists about funding
• Search for funding using special resources for graduate students
• Identify UNC internal funding opportunities
• Find online and print proposal writing guides

Advance registration is not required. For more information, see http://research.unc.edu/grantsource/workshops_help.php#workshops, or email gs@unc.edu or phone 962-3463.

Google Summer of Code 2008

Google is excited to announce Google Summer of Code^TM 2008! Google Summer of Code is a program designed to encourage student participation in open source development and offers these developers stipends to write code for various open source projects. Google will be working with several open source, free software and technology-related groups to identify and fund several projects over a three month period.

Historically, the program has brought together over 1,500 students around the globe with over 130 open source projects, to create millions of lines of code. We are contacting you to invite your students and encourage them to apply and participate!

Here at Google, we want to inspire young developers to begin participating in open source development. Google Summer of Code provides opportunities for students in Computer Science and related fields to work on projects related to their academic pursuits. We will be accepting student applications from March 24 - March 31, 2008.

For more information on Google Summer of Code 2008 and how to apply, please visit: http://code.google.com/soc/

For those with further questions, email: google-summer-of-code-discuss@googlegroups.com

Future Faculty Fellowship Program applications due

Update: deadline extended to Monday March 24

Applications are solicited for the Spring 2008 Future Faculty Fellowship Program, to be held May 15-16, 19-22, 2008. The program description, application form, and guidelines for the letter of recommendation can be found at http://ctl.unc.edu/fdfffp.html

From the program description:

The Future Faculty Fellowship Program has three goals: to improve the educational experience of UNC students in courses taught by graduate students, to prepare graduate students for their first experience as independent instructors, and to help them understand the roles and responsibilities they will share as faculty members in higher education. The instructional program consists of an intensive, six-day seminar designed as a “capstone experience” for graduate students nearing the end of their degree programs. To recognize the value of the commitment to professional development that participation represents, each Fellow will receive a certificate and a $500 honorarium upon completion of the seminar. Participants will also receive a set of books on college teaching to use as texts in the seminar and as reference material for their teaching in the future.

Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring. This award was established to recognize extraordinary performance and achievement in the mentoring of doctoral students. We will present the award at the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May, 10, 2008 in Memorial Hall.

All graduate students who receive their doctoral degree in 2007/2008 are invited to nominate faculty for this special honor. This includes students who received their degrees in August and December 2007, and those who will receive their degrees in May 2008. Regular members of the Graduate Faculty at UNC Chapel Hill who have successfully guided at least one student through the completion of their doctoral training are eligible. The deadline for nominations is April 4, 2008. A call for nominations, outlining the criteria and eligibility for the award, and the nomination form can be found on the Graduate School web site at http://gradschool.unc.edu/awards.html.