Announcing Spring 2008 Future Faculty Fellowship Program

The Center for Teaching and Learning would like to announce the Spring 2008 Future Faculty Fellowship Program, to be held May 15-16, 19-22, 2008. For program description, application form, and guidelines for the letter of recommendation please visit http://ctl.unc.edu/fdfffp.html

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Ed Neal at ed_neal@unc.edu or 966-1289.

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

When: Monday, February 4, 10:00-11:00 a.m. OR
Friday, February 7, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Where: Conference room, lower level Bynum Hall, across from the entrance to the Cashier's Office.

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.

[diversity.at.carolina] Conversations with Cookie

We will be discussing " Insensitive Speech in the Classroom: What do we do when it happens?" at 6:00 tomorrow at the Campus Y at our latest "Conversations with Cookie." Faculty, staff and students are welcome!


Dr. Cookie Newsom


http://www.unc.edu/minorityaffairs/events.html

Worio search engine Beta testing

We are a group of students and former students of UBC CS developing a tag-based search engine in need of student Beta users to try out our engine and provide feedback.

o the engine uses machine learning to incorporate tags in the ranking algorithm
o every Web page comes with tags, created by other users and the machine learning algorithm
o you can use these tags to filter results
o you can tag pages yourself, and remove tags when you disagree with them
o the system learns from your tags and uses them to improve your search results

If you are interested in participating in the Beta, please visit us at http://worio.com and register.

Please note that this is a limited closed Beta that will only be sent out to select universities so you will need to use your official university e-mail address (ie, xxxxx@cs.unc.edu) to be granted access.

Jason Chong
Web of Research Marketing Co-op
jaschong@interchange.ubc.ca

New Deadlines for Drafts of MS Writing Requirement Papers

As you know, there is a writing requirement for the MS degree. A paper (there are several possible types) must be read and approved by two faculty members. We call this the Comprehensive Paper. There are alternative ways to satisfy this requirement, but this note applies only to the Comprehensive Paper.

We had some problems last year with graduating MS students who submitted the drafts to the readers very late in the semester, making it difficult to read the papers in time for the students to graduate. Therefore, we are instituting deadlines, effective this semester (spring 2008). The revised form CS-8 lists the deadlines, and has spaces for the two readers to sign to signify on-time receipt.

1. The draft for the primary reader must be submitted on or before 4 weeks prior to the last day of classes. This semester the deadline is March 28.

2. The draft must be submitted to the secondary reader on or before 2 weeks prior to the last day of classes. This semester the deadline is April 11.

I'd suggest that you allow more time than this, especially with the first reader, in order to enable multiple drafts. Also, make sure that you contact potential readers early in the semester to make sure that they schedule time for this.

By the way, a student who wrote a good paper for the PRP can use it to fulfill this requirement by just filing form CS-8. The student would typically just ask the adviser to sign as the primary reader, and one of the examiners to sign as the secondary.

The rules are on page

http://www.cs.unc.edu/Admin/AcademicPrograms/Masters/MastersReqOfficial.html

and the forms on

http://www.cs.unc.edu/Admin/Forms/

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Upcoming Seminar: Advanced Programming in Matlab

On January 24, 2008, Loren Shure from the Mathworks will be in
Chapel Hill to conduct a master class on Advanced Programming
Techniques in Matlab. This event is free and will be held at the
Friday Center. Note that the announcement includes a URL for
registration.

**************************************************

Seminar Title Advanced Programming Techniques in MATLAB(r)

When: Thursday, January 24, 2008 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Where: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill The William and Ida
Friday Center Redbud AB Room Chapel Hill, NC

Register now at www.mathworks.com/seminars/chapelhilljan08

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Presenter Loren Shure, Principal Software Developer The MathWorks

Agenda 2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Registration Sign-in (walk-ins welcome)

2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. This master class will illustrate the usage and
explain the benefits of many of the different function types
available in MATLAB 7. You will learn how using the right function
type can lead to more robust and maintainable code. Demonstrations
will show how to apply these techniques to solve optimization
problems and make it easier to program GUIs in MATLAB. This session
will also provide you with an understanding of how different MATLAB
data types are stored in memory. This is not a hands-on class;
however, if you have Matlab installed on your laptop, you are
welcome to bring it along to try things out.

About the presenter Loren Shure is a Principal MATLAB Developer and
has worked at The MathWorks for more than 20 years. She has
co-authored several MathWorks products in addition to adding core
functionality to MATLAB. Loren currently works on the design of the
MATLAB language. She graduated from MIT with a B.S. in Physics, and
from the University of California, San Diego, Scripps Institution
of Oceanography with a Ph.D. in Marine Geophysics. Loren writes
about MATLAB on her blog: http://blogs.mathworks.com/loren/.

Boka Hadzija Student Award - call for nominations

The Boka W. Hadzija Award for

Distinguished University Service by a Graduate or Professional Student

2008

The Award

In honor of her students, Dr. Boka Hadzija, Professor in the School of Pharmacy, established The Boka Hadzija award in 2000. This award recognizes a graduate or professional student who has been judged the most outstanding in character, scholarship, leadership, and service to the University. The recipient will be recognized with a cash award and plaque at the Graduate School’s Student Recognition Ceremony April 3, 2008. This award is also one of the few graduate awards to be recognized at the Chancellor’s Award Ceremony on April 16, 2008.

Eligibility

Eligibility is extended to any graduate or professional degree-seeking student who is enrolled during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Nominations

The Graduate School is now accepting nominations for the Boka Hadzija award. Nominations are welcomed from any faculty, staff, or student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To nominate a student, simply use the Chancellor’s Awards nomination form (http://chancellorsawards.unc.edu/info.html) and indicate you are nominating the student for the Boka W. Hadzija Award. Nominations are due by 5:00 pm February 5, 2008.

Selection Committee

The selection committee for this award is comprised of graduate and professional students, faculty, and an administrator. The decision by the selection committee is final.

Dr. Boka W. Hadzija

Dr. Boka Hadzija is known and admired throughout campus as an award-winning teacher and mentor, having earned the 2005 C. Knox Massey Distinguished award and no less than 33 awards for excellence in teaching over the past 30+ years. She has exemplified excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service to Carolina. In recognition of her numerous contributions that have advanced the University, she has been inducted into the Order of the Grail-Valkyries, Order of the Golden Fleece, and Order of the Old Well. She is recognized by students and peers as an inspirational mentor, a generous donor in support of students, and as an outstanding leader. Dr. Hadzija has always demonstrated tremendous strength of character and a deep commitment to serving her students. Dr. Hadzija established this award in 2000 to express her deep appreciation for the outstanding graduate and professional students with whom she has worked and to demonstrate her strong commitment to graduate and professional education.

For more information please contact Dr. Leslie Lerea

(919) 962-6329

lerea@unc.edu

NASA/NC Space Grant - Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities Available - Applications Due 2/15/08

In 2008-09, NC Space Grant will provide over $150,000 in fellowship and
scholarship support for graduate and undergraduate students. Awards are
for summer or academic support ranging from $1000 to $7500. Please
visit http://www.ncspacegrant.org for various
program opportunities. Applications are due 2/15/08.

The *NC Space Grant* is a consortium of 11 academic institutions that
have gathered together to promote, develop, and support aeronautics and
space-related science, engineering, and technology education and
training in North Carolina. Partnering with NASA, industry, non-profit
organizations, and state government agencies, NC Space Grant conducts
programs that are designed to equip the current and future aero/space
workforce in North Carolina.

Jobi B. Cook

Associate Director, NC Space Grant
Box 7515, NC State University

1009 Capability Drive, Suite 210
Raleigh, NC 27695
919-515-5933
919-515-5934 (Fax)
jobi_cook@ncsu.edu

www.ncspacegrant.org

PITAP GRAD courses for Spring 2008

As you know, the Preparing International Teaching Assistants Program (PITAP), sponsored by the Graduate School, continues to support the training and development of international teaching assistants and scholars here at UNC. This semester, we are offering two courses, GRAD 810, Communicating in the American Classroom and GRAD 811 Advanced Communicating in the American Classroom. These courses are open to all current graduate and professional students as 2 credit courses, at no additional charge to the enrolled student. The courses specifically focus on language skills, cross-cultural communication, interactions with undergraduate students, and pedagogical skills. Please encourage international students in your department to enroll in the courses.

I am excited to announce a new development in the PITAP program. Liv Thorstensson Davila, a graduate student in the School of Education/Culture, Curriculum & Change program, is now a teaching assistant with PITAP. She brings expertise in teaching learners of English as a Second Language and will be working with students enrolled in PITAP courses in class and on a one-to-one basis. She will also be developing and implementing new lessons targeted to improve students’ oral language skills. Liv is a great resource and will enhance the development of ITAs at UNC.

Feel free to contact me with questions about the PITAP courses. I also welcome comments and suggestions in how to best support the international students in your department.

Classes will begin meeting on Monday January 14, 2008.

Brian

__________________________________

Brian Rybarczyk, Ph.D.

Director, Graduate Student Academic & Professional Development

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Graduate Student Center

211A West Cameron Avenue

CB# 5492

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5492

Office: (919) 962-2505

Fax: (919) 962-5134

Email: brybar@unc.edu

Google Workshop for Women Engineers

The 2008 Google Workshop for Women Engineers

As part of Google's ongoing commitment to encouraging women to excel in computing and technology, we are pleased to host the 2008 Google Workshop for Women Engineers to recognize and reward deserving women students in computer science, and inspire them to become active participants and leaders in creating technology.

Up to 150 female computer scientists will be selected to attend a 3 day all-expenses paid workshop at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California February 21-23, 2008. This special workshop will include technical talks and career workshops, and a unique occasion to build and strengthen networks of women in technology. Students will also enjoy tours of the Googleplex, have the opportunity to meet with Google engineers in their fields, and have fun exploring the San Francisco bay area.

Visit our website for more information
www.google.com/jobs/students/workshopforwomen

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• be female computer science students currently enrolled in a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD program at a university in the United States. Undergraduate and graduate students in any year of study are encouraged to apply
• demonstrate academic excellence and leadership in the computing field
• maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.3 on a 5.0 scale or equivalent in their current program

Students pursuing degrees in related technical fields are also encouraged to apply

Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Visit our website for more information about the application process
www.google.com/jobs/students/workshopforwomen

Please note that recommendation letters are not required for this application process. All recipients selected to attend the retreat will be asked to submit unofficial or official transcripts prior to attending the event to verify reported GPA.

Effective Presentations - GRAD 704

Refine Presentation Skills in GRAD 704

Effective Presentations

(offered through the Graduate School's Professional

Development Program and graded Pass/Fail)

Why Should Graduate Students Take GRAD 704?

No matter the discipline, Carolina graduate students need to be more than just proficient in presenting themselves and their research to a wide variety of audiences. GRAD 704 can help graduate students refine their presentation skills for a wide variety of academic purposes. This course offers opportunities for participants to hone presentation planning, presenting, and performance assessment skills. Topics include the following: audience analysis, delivery techniques, question-and-answer strategies, anxiety management, message organization, and visuals design.

When Does the Course Meet?

GRAD 704 meets on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in #3600 of the McColl Building. Parking is free in the bschool parking deck after 4:30 p.m. The first class meeting date is Tuesday, Jan. 15. Email Judy Jones Tisdale, Ph.D. with any questions: Judy_Tisdale@unc.edu.

How Do Students Register?

In order to provide as much customized coaching and feedback as possible, the course is strictly limited to 20 students. Students sign up for GRAD 704 just as they would register for any other course.

Announcements Blog

A place for announcements of interest to CS grad students.