First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of...

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First Year Graduate Student Seminar August 30, 2017 Today: Goals of the FYGSS; program information; applying for fellowships Next meeting: September 6: David Manuel will talk about grading and help session assignments

Transcript of First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of...

Page 1: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

FirstYearGraduateStudentSeminarAugust30,2017

Today:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships

Nextmeeting:September6:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments

Page 2: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

Outline

• GoalsoftheFYGSS• AdditionalSeminars• Gradingandhelpsessionassignments• ApplyingforFellowships• LanguageRequirements• AnnualReview• Feedback• CalendarfortheSemesterThistalkisavailableatthefollowingwebsite:http://www.math.tamu.edu/~phoward/graduate/materials.html

Page 3: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

Updates

• Thedrop/adddeadlinehasbeenmovedtoTuesday,Sept.5.

• TheNationalSecurityAgencywilltalktostudentsaboutsummerinternships,Thursday,Sept.21,1-2inBlocker220.

• StudentsmustcompletePart1oftheHAVENOnlineSexualHarassmentandSexualviolenceeducationmodulebyFriday,Sept.22,andPart2byFriday,Nov.17.

Page 4: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,

andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.

• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.

• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.

• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.

• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).

• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.

Page 5: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,

andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.

• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.

• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.

• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.

• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).

• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.

Page 6: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

FAQs• HowshouldIprepareforthequalifyingexams?• CanIgetsummerfunding?• HowcanIgetafellowship?HowcanIgetsupportedona

grant?• WhataremyresponsibilitiesasaTA?HowshouldIbalance

theseresponsibilitieswithmystudies?• HowdoIgoaboutchoosinganadvisor?• WhatsortsofjobswillbeavailabletomewhenIgraduate,

andhowdoIgoaboutapplyingforthem?• WhatshouldIstartdoingnow togetreadyforthejob

search?• ShouldIjoinmathematicalsocietiesandorganizations?• Manymore…

Page 7: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

Fall2017FYGSS• Aug.30:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships

• Sept.6:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments

• Sept.13:OlaSobieska andAyoAdeniran willtalkaboutoutreachopportunities;I’lltalkaboutotherthingsstudentscanstartdoingnowtoprepareforthejobmarket

• Sept.30:Paneldiscussion:Adjustingtograduateschool• Oct.25:Paneldiscussion:preparingforqualifyingexams• Nov.29:PreparingforSpring2018

Page 8: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

Spring2018Topics

• Studentpaneldiscussions:Findinganadvisorandadvicefromgraduatingstudents

• Thecurrentjobmarketformathematicians• Summer2018andfutureyearsintheprogram

Page 9: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

AdditionalSeminars

Page 10: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GSOSeminar• TheGraduateStudentOrganization(GSO)seminarmeetsonThursdays4:00-5:00inBlocker506A.

• “Comeforthecookies,stayforthepizza.”• Thisisagoodchancetomeetyourfellowgraduatestudentsandtolearnabouttheresearchprogramsofprofessorsinthedepartment.

• Formoreinformation:http://gso.math.tamu.edu

Page 11: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

IndustrialandAppliedMathSeminar

• Thedepartment’sSIAMStudentChapterco-organizes(withthegraduateprogram)aseminaronapplicationsofmathematicsoutsideofacademia.

• CookiesandFruit,butnopizza.

Page 12: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

MoreSeminars

• Informationaboutallseminarsinthedepartmentisavailableontheseminarswebpage:

http://www.math.tamu.edu/seminars• Studentsshouldsubscribetotheseminarsmailinglist.Theguideforthisishere:

https://www.math.tamu.edu/computing/help/majordomo.html

Page 13: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GradingandHelpSessionAssignments

Page 14: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GradingandHelpSessionAssignments

• DavidManuelwilltalkabouttheseassignmentsinmoredetailinthenextFYGSS.

• Forbothoftheseassignments,theexpectedworkloadis10hoursperweek,butforgradingassignmentsthiscanbeanaverage.

• CommentaboutGANTs.• PickupatextbookforyourassignmentfromJudyMuzny inBlocker227.

Page 15: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GradingAssignments

• Studentswithgradingassignmentsshouldalreadyhavecontactedtheprofessorthey’regradingfor.Makesureyouknow:–Whattheschedulewillbeforcollectingandreturninggradedwork

–Whowillkeeptrackofthegrades– Anygradingpreferencestheprofessorhas– Ifyou’llbeaskedtogradeanyexams(includingthefinal)

Page 16: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

HelpSessionAssignments• PickupanametaginBlocker227,andwearitduringeveryhelpsession.Also,pickupsign-insheets.

• Don’tmakestudentshuntyoudowninthebackoftheroom.Ifyou’renotworkingwithastudent,introduceyourselftostudentsastheycomein.(Iftherearenostudents,youcanworkonhomeworketc.)

• Donottutorstudentsforacoursethat’snotcoveredbyyourhelpsession.Directthemtotheappropriatehelpsession.

• Donot(!!)tutorforpayduringahelpsession.

Page 17: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

ApplyingforFellowships

Page 18: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

WhyApplyforFellowships?• $$$andreducedornoTAduties.• Prestige(looksgoodonyourCV).• Practice:Mostresearchersinthemathematicalsciencescontinuetoapplyforgrantfundingthroughouttheircareers,andit’sbeneficialtogetaccustomedtothisprocessassoonaspossible.

• Themoreapplicationsandproposalsyouwrite,thebetteryou’llgetatwritingthem.

• Also,writingafellowshipproposalforcesyoutotakeastepbackandthinkmorebroadlyaboutwhatyougenuinelywanttobeworkingon.

• Butmostly$$$andreducedTAduties.

Page 19: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

WhatFellowshipsareAvailable?

• TheAmericanMathematicalSociety(AMS)collectsinformationaboutfellowshipopportunitiesinthemathematicalsciencesonitswebsite:http://www.ams.org/programs/students/gradinfo/gradinfo

• Thisisausefulsiteonitsown,butthefellowshipinformationisatthebottomofthepage.

Page 20: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

NSFGraduateFellowships

• Thisisthesinglebiggestsourceofmathgraduatefellowshipsinthecountry.

• In2016,59fellowshipswereawardedinmath,outof2,000totalawards.

• In2017,67fellowshipswereawardedinmath,of2,069totalawards.

• For2017,therewereabout13,000applications(about17,000in2016).

• For2017,11fellowshipswereawardedtostudentsfromTexasA&M.

• Noneinmath.

Page 21: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

NSFGraduateFellowships• 2017Awardsinmathbyarea:(2016inparentheses)– Algebra,numbertheory,andcombinatorics:22(14)– Analysis:3(8)– Appliedmath:11(20)– Computationalmath:2(2)– Geometricanalysis:3(2)– Logic&foundations1(0)– Mathbiology:12(6)– Probability:5(0)– Topology:8(4)

• MoreinformationaboutAwards:http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp

Page 22: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

NSFGraduateFellowships• Unfortunately,therearerestrictionsonwhocanreceivethesefellowships:(1)applicantsmustbeUScitizens,nationals,orpermanentresidents,and(2)studentsmustapplynolaterthanfallsemesteroftheirsecondyearofgraduateschool.(StudentswithMSdegreescannotapply.)

• TheduedateisOct.27.• Themathdepartmentawardsa$250book/travelallotmenttostudentswhoapplyandreceivehonorablemention.

• Moreinformation:http://www.nsfgrfp.org/

Page 23: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

LanguageRequirements

Page 24: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

EnglishLanguageRequirement

• InternationalstudentsmusthaveEnglishProficiencyCertificationtoserveasteachingassistants,andthedepartmentexpectsstudentstoachievethisduringtheirfirstyear.

• Certificationcanbeobtainedinthreeways:– CompletionofanundergraduatedegreeatanaccreditedU.S.collegeoruniversity(Master’sdegreeisnotsufficient).

– Achievingasufficientlyhighscoreonanappropriatestandardizedtest.

– Scoringatleast80ontheEnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE)oralexam.

Page 25: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

ForeignLanguageRequirement

• Hasbeeneliminated.

Page 26: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

AnnualReview

Page 27: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GoodStanding

• Manydepartmentpoliciesspecifythatastudentmustbeingoodstanding,soit’sworthreviewingwhatthatmeans.InordertobeingoodstandingPhDstudentsshould:– Maintaina3.0orbettercumulativeGPAeverysemester– AdequatelyperformtheirTAdutieseverysemester– PassallbreadthrequirementcourseswithaBorbetterduring

theirfirsttwoyears– Passtwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyears– (Internationalstudents)ObtainEnglishProficiencyCertification

duringtheirfirstyear– Receivepositiveprogressreportsfromtheiradvisoreveryyear

afterfilingadegreeplan– Notviolatetheethicscodeoftheuniversity

Page 28: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

ReviewProcedure

• Thegraduatecommitteecarriesoutafullprogressevaluationforeachstudentduringthesummer.Thisincludesareportfromthestudent’sadvisor(oncethestudenthasanadvisor),andafullreviewofthestudent’sfile.

• Inadditionthegraduatecommitteereviewsthestandingofeachgraduatestudentattheendofeachsemester.

Page 29: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

GeneralPunitiveAction

• Ifitisjudgedthatastudentisnolongeringoodstanding,thestudentwillbeplacedonprobationforthenextsemester.

• Inpractice,thereisnopenaltyassociatedwithprobation(nolossoffunding).

• Attheendoftheprobationsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnotpaythestudent’stuitionforthenextsemester.Generally,thestudentwillstillbesupportedonanassistantshipduringthissemester.

• Attheendofthissecondsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnolongersupportthestudentwitheithertuitionorastipend.

Page 30: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

ExampleCase

• Studentsshouldpasstwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyearsintheprogram.

• ForastudentwhobeginstheprogramFall2017thelastchancetocompletethisrequirementisAugust2019.

• IfastudentwhostartsFall2017doesnotpasstwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2019he/shewillbeputonprobationforFall2019.

• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyJanuary2020his/hertuitionwillnotbepaidSpring2020.Thestudentwillgenerallystillhaveanassistantship.

• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2020alldepartmentsupportwillbedropped.

Page 31: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

TuitionPolicy

• Theupperadministrationoftheuniversity(i.e.,theprovost’soffice)paystuitionasfollows:– 5yearsforstudentsenteringwithonlyabaccalaureatedegree– 4 yearsforstudentsenteringwithamaster’sdegree

• Forstudentsbeyondthismandate,butstillingoodstandingwiththedepartment,tuitionispaidfromalternativesources,dependingontheavailabilityoffunds.Sofar,wehavebeenabletopaytuitioninallsuchcases.

• Thistuitionscheduledoesnotaffectassistantships.Studentsbeyond4or5yearswhoarestillingoodstandingwiththeprogramwillcontinuetobesupportedonassistantships.

Page 32: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

Feedback

Page 33: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

FeedbackStudentsenteringtheprogramgothroughanenormousamountofstuffveryfast,andithelpsifweunderstandwhatworks(isuseful,efficient,etc.)andwhatdoesn’t.Inchronologicalorder:• Aug.14,15,21,23:Internationalstudentcheck-inwithISS.

• Thursday,Aug.24:InternationalStudentConference(ISC).

• Friday,Aug.18,orFriday,Aug.25:Universitylevelgraduatestudentorientation.

• August12,19,27:EnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE).

• Anythingelse?

Page 34: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

CalendarfortheSemester

Page 35: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

DatestoKeepinMind

• Tuesday,Sept.5isthelastdaytoaddordropaclasswithnorecord

• Friday,Nov.17isthelastdayforQ-drop• Saturday,Nov.18isBonfire1999RemembranceDay

• WehaveathreedayThanksgivingbreak,Nov.22-23.

• Wednesday,Dec.6:Lastdayofclasses

Page 36: First Year Graduate Student SeminarNSF Graduate Fellowships •This is the single biggest source of math graduate fellowships in the country. •In 2016, 59 fellowships were awarded

ThingstoWatchFor

• RoughlymidwaythroughthesemesterMoniquewillaskstudentstosignupforJanuaryqualifyingexams.

• TowardtheendofthesemesterstudentswillregisterforSpring2017classes.