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First Year Graduate Student Seminar• This is the single biggest source of graduate fellowships in...
Transcript of First Year Graduate Student Seminar• This is the single biggest source of graduate fellowships in...
FirstYearGraduateStudentSeminarAugust29,2018
Today:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships
Nextmeeting:September5:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments
Outline
• GoalsoftheFYGSS• AdditionalSeminars• Gradingandhelpsessionassignments• ApplyingforFellowships• LanguageRequirements• AnnualReview• Feedback• CalendarfortheSemesterThistalkisavailableatthefollowingwebsite:http://www.math.tamu.edu/~phoward/graduate/materials.html
GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,
andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.
• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.
• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.
• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.
• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).
• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.
GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,
andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.
• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.
• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.
• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.
• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).
• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.
FAQs• HowshouldIprepareforthequalifyingexams?• CanIgetsummerfunding?• HowcanIgetafellowship?HowcanIgetsupportedona
grant?• WhataremyresponsibilitiesasaTA?HowshouldIbalance
theseresponsibilitieswithmystudies?• HowdoIgoaboutchoosinganadvisor?• WhatsortsofjobswillbeavailabletomewhenIgraduate,
andhowdoIgoaboutapplyingforthem?• ShouldIparticipateinoutreachactivities?Ifso,whatsorts
ofactivitiesareavailable?• WhatshouldIstartdoingnow togetreadyforthejob
search?• Manymore…
Fall2018FYGSS• Aug.29:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships
• Sept.5:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments
• Sept.12:OlaSobieska-SnyderandAyoAdeniran willtalkaboutoutreachopportunities;I’lltalkaboutotherthingsstudentscanstartdoingnowtoprepareforthejobmarket
• Sept.26:Paneldiscussion:Adjustingtograduateschool• Oct.17:Paneldiscussion:preparingforqualifyingexams• Nov.28:PreparingforSpring2019
Spring2019Topics
• Studentpaneldiscussions:Findinganadvisorandadvicefromgraduatingstudents
• Thecurrentjobmarketformathematicians• Summer2019andfutureyearsintheprogram• TherewillalsobeonesecondyeargraduatestudentseminarforthisgroupinSpring2020
AdditionalSeminars
GSOSeminar• TheGraduateStudentOrganization(GSO)seminarmeetsonThursdays4:00-5:00inBlocker506A.
• “Comeforthecookies,stayforthepizza.”• Thisisagoodchancetomeetyourfellowgraduatestudentsandtolearnabouttheresearchprogramsofprofessorsinthedepartment.
• Formoreinformation:http://gso.math.tamu.edu
IndustrialandAppliedMathSeminar
• Thedepartment’sSIAMStudentChapterco-organizes(withthegraduateprogram)aseminaronapplicationsofmathematicsoutsideofacademia.
• CookiesandFruit,butnopizza.• ThefirsttalkwillbeMonday,Sept.24,4-5,inBlocker220.
MoreSeminars
• Informationaboutallseminarsinthedepartmentisavailableontheseminarswebpage:
http://www.math.tamu.edu/seminars• Studentsshouldsubscribetotheseminarsmailinglist.Theguideforthisishere:
https://www.math.tamu.edu/computing/help/majordomo.html
GradingandHelpSessionAssignments
GradingandHelpSessionAssignments
• DavidManuelwilltalkabouttheseassignmentsinmoredetailinthenextFYGSS.
• Forbothoftheseassignments,theexpectedworkloadis10hoursperweek,butforgradingassignmentsthiscanbeanaverage.
• CommentaboutGANTs.• PickupatextbookforyourassignmentfromCherylWilliamsorSherryFloydinBlocker227.
GradingAssignments
• Studentswithgradingassignmentsshouldalreadyhavecontactedtheprofessorthey’regradingfor.Makesureyouknow:–Whattheschedulewillbeforcollectingandreturninggradedwork
–Whowillkeeptrackofthegrades– Anygradingpreferencestheprofessorhas– Ifyou’llbeaskedtogradeanyexams(includingthefinal)
HelpSessionAssignments• KathrynBollingerwillemailstudentsaboutnametagsandsign-insheets.
• Don’tmakestudentshuntyoudowninthebackoftheroom.Ifyou’renotworkingwithastudent,introduceyourselftostudentsastheycomein.(Iftherearenostudents,youcanworkonhomeworketc.)
• Donottutorstudentsforacoursethat’snotcoveredbyyourhelpsession.Directthemtotheappropriatehelpsession.
• Donot(!!)tutorforpayduringahelpsession.
ApplyingforFellowships
WhyApplyforFellowships?• $$$andreducedornoTAduties.• Prestige(looksgoodonyourCV).• Practice:Mostresearchersinthemathematicalsciencescontinuetoapplyforgrantfundingthroughouttheircareers,andit’sbeneficialtogetaccustomedtothisprocessassoonaspossible.
• Themoreapplicationsandproposalsyouwrite,thebetteryou’llgetatwritingthem.
• Also,writingafellowshipproposalforcesyoutotakeastepbackandthinkmorebroadlyaboutwhatyougenuinelywanttobeworkingon.
• Butmostly$$$andreducedTAduties.
WhatFellowshipsareAvailable?
• TheAmericanMathematicalSociety(AMS)collectsinformationaboutfellowshipopportunitiesinthemathematicalsciencesonitswebsite:http://www.ams.org/programs/students/gradinfo/gradinfo
• Thisisausefulsiteonitsown,butthefellowshipinformationisatthebottomofthepage.
NSFGraduateFellowships• Thisisthesinglebiggestsourceofgraduatefellowshipsin
thecountry(2,000/yr acrossalldisciplines).• In2016,17,000studentsappliedforafellowship.59were
awardedinmath.• In2017,13,000studentsappliedforafellowship.67were
awardedinmath.• In2018,12,000studentsappliedforafellowship.81were
awardedinmath.• For2017,11fellowshipswereawardedtostudentsfrom
TexasA&M.• For2018,12fellowshipswereawardedtostudentsfrom
TexasA&M.• Noneinmath.• Eitheryear.
NSFGraduateFellowships• 2018Awardsinmathbyarea:[2017](2016)– Algebra,numbertheory,andcombinatorics:30[22](14)– Analysis:3[3](8)– Appliedmath:17[11](20)– Computationalmath:6[2](2)– Datascience:3[0](0)– Geometricanalysis:4[3](2)– Logic&foundations:3[1](0)– Mathbiology:7[12](6)– Other:2[0](0)– Probability:2[5](0)– Topology:4[8](4)
NSFGraduateFellowships• Unfortunately,therearerestrictionsonwhocanreceivethesefellowships:(1)applicantsmustbeUScitizens,nationals,orpermanentresidents,and(2)studentsmustapplynolaterthanfallsemesteroftheirsecondyearofgraduateschool.(StudentswithMSdegreescannotapply.)
• TheduedateisOct.23.• Themathdepartmentawardsa$250book/travelallotmenttostudentswhoapplyandreceivehonorablemention.
• Moreinformation:http://www.nsfgrfp.org
LanguageRequirements
EnglishLanguageRequirement
• InternationalstudentsmusthaveEnglishProficiencyCertificationtoserveasteachingassistants,andthedepartmentexpectsstudentstoachievethisduringtheirfirstyear.
• Certificationcanbeobtainedinthreeways:– CompletionofanundergraduatedegreeatanaccreditedU.S.collegeoruniversity(Master’sdegreeisnotsufficient).
– Achievingasufficientlyhighscoreonanappropriatestandardizedtest.
– Scoringatleast80ontheEnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE)oralexam.
ForeignLanguageRequirement
• Hasbeeneliminated.
AnnualReview
GoodStanding
• Manydepartmentpoliciesspecifythatastudentmustbeingoodstanding,soit’sworthreviewingwhatthatmeans.InordertobeingoodstandingPhDstudentsshould:– Maintaina3.0orbettercumulativeGPAeverysemester– AdequatelyperformtheirTAdutieseverysemester– PassallbreadthrequirementcourseswithaBorbetterduring
theirfirsttwoyears– Passtwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyears– (Internationalstudents)ObtainEnglishProficiencyCertification
duringtheirfirstyear– Receivepositiveprogressreportsfromtheiradvisoreveryyear
afterfilingadegreeplan– Notviolatetheethicscodeoftheuniversity
ReviewProcedure
• Thegraduatecommitteecarriesoutafullprogressevaluationforeachstudentduringthesummer.Thisincludesareportfromthestudent’sadvisor(oncethestudenthasanadvisor),andafullreviewofthestudent’sfile.
• Inadditionthegraduatecommitteereviewsthestandingofeachgraduatestudentattheendofeachsemester.
GeneralPunitiveAction
• Ifitisjudgedthatastudentisnolongeringoodstanding,thestudentwillbeplacedonprobationforthenextsemester.
• Inpractice,thereisnopenaltyassociatedwithprobation(nolossoffunding).
• Attheendoftheprobationsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnotpaythestudent’stuitionforthenextsemester.Generally,thestudentwillstillbesupportedonanassistantshipduringthissemester.
• Attheendofthissecondsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnolongersupportthestudentwitheithertuitionorastipend.
ExampleCase
• Studentsshouldpasstwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyearsintheprogram.
• ForastudentwhobeginstheprogramFall2018thelastchancetocompletethisrequirementisAugust2020.
• IfastudentwhostartsFall2018doesnotpasstwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2020he/shewillbeputonprobationforFall2020.
• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyJanuary2021his/hertuitionwillnotbepaidSpring2021.Thestudentwillgenerallystillhaveanassistantship.
• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2021alldepartmentsupportwillbedropped.
TuitionPolicy
• Theupperadministrationoftheuniversity(i.e.,theprovost’soffice)paystuitionasfollows:– 5yearsforstudentsenteringwithonlyabaccalaureatedegree– 4 yearsforstudentsenteringwithamaster’sdegree
• Forstudentsbeyondthismandate,butstillingoodstandingwiththedepartment,tuitionispaidfromalternativesources,dependingontheavailabilityoffunds.Sofar,wehavebeenabletopaytuitioninallsuchcases.
• Thistuitionscheduledoesnotaffectassistantships.Studentsbeyond4or5yearswhoarestillingoodstandingwiththeprogramwillcontinuetobesupportedonassistantships.
Feedback
Feedback
• Thursday,Aug.23:InternationalStudentConference(ISC).
• Friday,Aug.17,orFriday,Aug.24:Universitylevelgraduatestudentorientation.
• August18,25:EnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE).
• Anythingelse?
CalendarfortheSemester
DatestoKeepinMind
• Friday,Aug.31islastdayfordrop/addwithnopenalty
• Friday,Nov.16isthelastdayforQ-drop• Sunday,Nov.18isBonfire1999RemembranceDay
• Thursday,Nov.8throughWednesdayNov.28springregistrationisopen
• Wednesday,Dec.5:Lastdayofclasses