GRADNEWS A HIGHER DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE | GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

MAY 201 3 | N O. 2

2013 SACNASCONFERENCE

PROFESSIONALAWARDS

STUDENTSERVICES

CAREERCOACHING

GRADUATE STUDENTINFORMATION SYSTEM

FROM THE DEAN

The conclusion of the spring semester

is a time for celebration and for ex-

pressing gratitude. For those students

completing their graduate degrees,

we celebrate your accomplishments

and wish you well as you enter the

workforce or continue on with your

advanced studies. I encourage you to

thank all of the people in your life who

have sacrificed time and effort to help

you along the way.

I express my own gratitude to all of

the members of the graduate commu-

nity who have helped us experience a

highly productive year. We’ve accom-

plished a lot over the past two semes-

ters and could not have done it without

the support of Graduate Coordinators,

Graduate Advisers, members of the

Graduate Assembly, and the Graduate

Student Assembly, to name only a few.

In particular, I would like to acknowl-

edge the work that has been done to

advance the Graduate Student Infor-

mation System (GSIS), as well as Ca-

reer Services for graduate students.

The GSIS project has involved every

graduate program on the campus, and

is already being used to help us under-

stand and improve graduate education

at UT Austin. You’ll find a more com-

plete update on these areas in the fol-

lowing pages.

In this newsletter we highlight some

of our outstanding faculty, staff and

student award winners, so please join

me in extending a well-deserved con-

gratulations to each of them. Also in

this newsletter, you can read about our

involvement with the SACNAS Confer-

ence in October 2013. The University

has signed on as a major sponsor for

the conference and is making plans

to host undergraduate students, from

around the country, interested in grad-

uate studies in the STEM disciplines.

Congratulations to all of our graduates,

and many thanks to everyone who con-

tributed to their success!

Judith H. Langlois

Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, ad interim

UPDATES: GSIS, CAREER SERVICES, AND AWARDS

Achievements and Awards

CONTENTS

UPDATE: GRADUATE STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

201 3 SACNAS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

CAREER COACHING AND VERSATILE PHD

ASSOCIATE DEAN: TERRY K AHN STUDENT AND DEPARTMENT ADVOCATE

VERSATILE PHD EXPANDS TO STEM

201 3 GRADUATE SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

201 3 GRADUATE SCHOOL STUDENT AWARDS

www.utexas.edu/ogs/

Comments? Email John Dalton, Assistant Dean for External Relations at jdalton@austin.utexas.edu ©2013 The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School.

The information herein is subject to change.

Cover: Sutton Hall’s double-vaulted arcade with colorful ceiling mosaics.

Photo by Wyatt McSpadden, UMCS Images

Sutton Hall was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed Battle Hall, the architecture library on campus. Originally, Sutton Hall housed the College of Engineering, of which the department of architecture was originally part. Today it houses architecture studios, labs, and offices, including graduate admissions for the school.

UPDATE

GSIS: Graduate Student Information System

Since November 2012, when we included a brief introduction to the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS), the Graduate School can report the following updates:

• Fifty percent of all graduate programs have provided the Graduate School with information related to how they distinguish thair master’s and doctoral populations–identifying whether each student admitted was doctoral or master’s at the time of admission.

• All programs are continuing efforts to collect placement information

• The 7-year reports for all of the Spring review groups are available in GSIS.

• The data for the rest of the programs is currently being updated based on the feedback listed above.

The purpose of this project is to track and compile, in one place a variety of data about graduate students, that ranges from recruitment to admissions along with financial support, degrees awarded, graduation rates, and job placement. The resulting portal application enables aggregate reporting as well as individual review of students and programs at the department, college, and institutional level.

In combination with the faculty and undergraduate portal systems, the graduate portal serves to allow administrators, at all levels of the institution to more readily report on key performance indicators, such as graduation rates and time to degree.

The resulting software system will better position the University to respond to the demands of the evolving higher education landscape, and will offer increased transparency and accountability.

RECRUITING THE BEST STUDENTS, THROUGH SCIENCE , DIVERSIT Y & TECHNOLOGY

2013 SACNAS National Conference

The Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science National

Conference will be hosted in San Antonio, Texas, during October 3-6, 2013. The University of Texas

at Austin is proud to be a conference sponsor as a university-wide recruitment effort.

As a major sponsor of this year’s SACNAS conference UT Austin will host 100 undergraduate students on our campus who are interested in pursuing careers in the STEM disciplines. The Graduate School has partnered with the Division of Diversity and Community Engage-ment, along with the College of Pharmacy, the Jackson School of Geosciences, the Cockrell School of Engi-

neering and the College of Natural Sciences to host interest sessions for the students and introduce them to our world-class faculty and facilities. For more in-formation, or to get involved with the SACNAS confer-ence, contact John Dalton at jdalton@austin.utexas.edu.

CAREER COACH | In partnership with the Liberal Arts Career Services office, the Graduate School now offers to graduate students in all disciplines:

INDIVIDUAL COACHING Identify your strengths and design a strategic career path

INTERVIEW PREPARATION Learn to effectively present your story to an employer

RESUME CRITIQUES Convert your vita to a resume

SOCIAL MEDIA AND NET WORKING DEVELOPMENT Distinguish your online presence from the competition and boost your network

According to a recent report from the Council of

Graduate Schools (CGS), “Master’s degree holders,

even more so than doctoral recipients, work in a variety

of settings. About one-third of individuals with master’s

degrees work in business and private corporations and slightly

less than one-fourth work in teaching or faculty positions.

Those with master’s degrees also work in other sectors, such

as nonprofit, community/public service, government, and

research organizations.”

Today more than even, career options are changing. Doctoral

students might enter their graduate programs intending to

secure tenure-track faculty positions, but a growing number is

interested in careers outside the academy. Historically, career

services at universities have focused on undergraduates, but

the recent economic downturn has highlighted the need to

offer more career counseling and assistance to our graduate

students. The Graduate School is working with career services

offices accross the campus to meet those student’s needs.

SERVING GRADUATE STUDENTS IN ALL DISCIPLINES

Career Coachingand Versatile PhD

VERSATILE PHD | The Graduate School has subscribed to a new web-based resource to help demystify and uncover non-academic professions and career-paths that draw on the advanced skills developed in graduate school.

Versatile PhD can be used anytime, from any computer, is FREE and confidential, and offers:

A thriving, supportive community and network with PhDs outside the academy

Examples of successful resumes and cover letters

Detail-rich Panel Discussions

www.utexas.edu/ogs/research/career/

Coach AppointmentsCALL OR VISIT | (512) 47 1-7900 | FAC 18

ONLINE | LINKS.UTEXAS.EDU/CRQCOTM

phot

o: U

nive

rsity

Mar

ketin

g an

d Cr

eativ

e Se

rvic

es

Versatile Ph.D. Extends to STEMTHE GRADUATE SCHOOL EXTENDS SUBSCRIPTION TO SERVE

GRADUATE STUDENTS IN STEM AREAS

The Graduate School has extended the Versatile PhD subscription for one more year. A major recent highlight of this service is that now it offers support and networking to members from graduate programs in STEM areas.

One of the main reasons Versatile PhD has expanded its service to STEM areas is related to academic jobs for STEM PhDs being less available. According to the 2012 NSF Science and Engineering Indicators report, interest in non-academic careers for STEM PhDs is rising.

Terry Kahn came to The University of Texas at Austin in 1970 as an assistant professor of architecture in Community & Regional Planning. Since that time Dr. Kahn has served in various administrative roles in the College of Architecture including associate dean and graduate adviser. He also served as chair of the Graduate Assembly, and for the past 11 years has held the position of associate dean for Graduate Studies.

Most students arrive at Dean Kahn’s office only after their home department has exhausted all of their options and are left with little more than a giant question mark. All grievances and petitions outside the areas of grading disputes and institutional equity will funnel through Kahn’s office. Due process is paramount when dealing with such sensitive issues, and the student’s best interest is always at the forefront.

Each of the nearly 4,000 graduate degrees conferred in a given year, pass under his office’s purview. On average, Dean Kahn and his staff handle more than 100 routine grade changes and registration hiccups per week. In an effort to streamline these processes and increase efficiency, Dean Kahn is advocating for a fully electronic grade change system. Other project ideas include a restructuring of embargo policy in order to strike a better balance between protecting student work and publicizing university-funded research as quickly as possible. Dean Kahn is also an advocate for regular training sessions with graduate coordinators as a means to keep everyone up-to-date with current policy.

When Dean Kahn describes his position as associate dean, he smiles and likens it to “somewhere between den mother and ER.” And when nearly 12,000 graduate students rely on him, the analogy isn’t unjustified. C. Villalobos

GRADUATE STUDENT SERVICES: TERRY K AHN, ASSOCIATE DEAN

Student and Department Advocate

Terry Kahn, Graduate School Associate Dean;Professor in Urban Design | photo: UT Architecture

Versatile PhD, offers a supportive network where graduate students can participate and learn about other career and job options outside the academy.

STEM students have difficulty transitioning into non-academic–even industry careers. Industry uses different job titles. making it hard for STEM students and postdocs to identify appropriate positions. Also to consider, STEM students and postdocs have difficulty writing non-academic resumes.

STEM students have been present in the Versatile PhD community from the beginning and their presence is growing.

HONORING ALUMNUS, FACULT Y, AND STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2013 Graduate School Professional Awards

Mary Wakefield: School of NursingOUTSTANDING ALUMNUS AWARD

Alumna Mary Wakefield, has been named the Graduate School’s Outstanding Graduate Alumnus for 2013. Wakefield, who earned both her master’s (1978) and doctoral (1985) degrees from UT Austin’s School of Nursing, has built a distinguished career around the country and the world. She has worked at public and private institutions of higher education, in the political arena, and in governmental agencies.

In 1979, Wakefield began her academic appointment with the University of North Dakota College of Nursing, while expanding her clinical experiences in caring for residents in a rural nursing home setting. From 1987 to 1996 she served as legislative assistant and then chief of staff to North Dakota senators Burdick and Conrad. From 1996 to 2001 she served as director of the Center for Health Policy, Research and Ethics at George Mason University in Virginia, and worked as a consultant to the World Health Organization’s Global Programme on AIDS in Geneva, Switzerland. A fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, Wakefield was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies in 2004, one of the highest honors in medicine and health.

In February 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her as administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services--the first nurse to hold this position. Wakefield oversees the investment of $2.5 billion in health care infrastructure and the training of health-care professionals. This same year, Wakefield was named one of the “Top 25 Women in Health Care.” by Modern Healthcare.

Dr. Alexa Stuifbergen, Dean of the School of Nursing says, “I am proud of how Dr. Wakefield has used the knowledge and preparation she gained as a graduate student at the School of Nursing to effectively provide access to health services for all Americans, including those in largely underserved populations: the elderly, the poor and residents of rural America ...Whether in the examinations room, classroom or boardroom, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to inspire tomorrow’s nurses and health-care professionals and forge partnerships with a broad spectrum of policymakers as a means to providing a more equitable and accessible health-care system for all.”

Mary K. Wakefield, M.S.N. ‘78, Ph.D. ‘85photo: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA

Above: School of Nursing students in class. credit: Brian Birzer

Opposite, top to bottom: Dr. Ann Twinam; Dr. Sheldon Ekland-Olson; Stephanie Crouch; lab test tubes; detail of Garrison Hallcredits: Department of History; Department of Sociology; María Romo de Vivar; Marsha Miller

Stephanie Crouch: College of PharmacyOUTSTANDING GRADUATE COORDINATOR AWARD

For her distinguished service in support of the graduate adviser and other faculty in the administration of the College of Pharmacy graduate program, Stephanie Crouch is presented with the 2013 award. Stephanie has served as graduate coordinator for the College of Pharmacy since 2010. “She is uncanny in her common sense, attention to detail, and her incredible knowledge of student needs ... Stephanie Crouch is a gem.” says Carlton K. Erickson, Graduate Adviser of the College of Pharmacy.

Stephanie has collaborated in developing a database that follows the graduate students’ progress, while making pieces of this information available to others in the college according to their need. Once introduced, this project should lead to more student satisfaction and maybe shorter time to graduation in some cases.

Ann Twinam: Department of HistoryOUTSTANDING GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Ann Twinam, in the Department of History, is being recognized with the 2013 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award. Dr. Twinam teaches key foundation graduate courses in Latin-American history. Her contributions to the training of young historians are exemplary; she is a “...tough but deeply caring teacher, and an innovative mentor...” says Graduate Adviser, Jacqueline Jones. A prize-winning scholar, Dr. Twinam has written books and scholarly essays that enrich our understanding of the Latin America past.

Dr. Twinam’s work has earned her the position as one of the foremost colonial Latin-American specialists today; she serves as an inspiration and model for graduate students.

Sheldon Ekland-Olson: SociologyOUTSTANDING GRADUATE ADVISER AWARD

Sheldon Ekland-Olson has served as the Graduate Adviser in the Department of Sociology since 2007, and now is recognized with the 2013 Outstanding Graduate Adviser Award. Dr. Ekland-Olson also serves as the Director of the School of Human Ecology and Department of Textiles and Apparel and consults with many programs across campus.

Dr. Ekland-Olson has put policies into place to identify graduate students who are struggling, and quickly recognizing those who are achieving at a high level. “He is a master at program administration and development; graduate student mentoring; recruiting and retaining top graduate students; and building a community of integrity and goodwill.” says Christine Williams, Chair in the Department of Sociology.

Josh Russell: Cell and Molcular BiologyOUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD

Joshua Russell, a College of Natural Sciences doctoral candidate, has won the $6,000 Michael H. Granof Outstanding Graduate Student Award at the Graduate School/University Co-op Awards for Excellence in Graduate Education. Josh Russell, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010-2013), is completing his dissertation which main research is determining the neuromolecular basis for atmospheric humidity sensation in the roundworm C elegans. He works under the supervision of Dr. Jonathan Pierce-Shimomura in the Section of Neurobiology. www.utexas.edu/ogs/awards/

HONORING GRADUATE STUDENTS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2013 Graduate School Student Awards

OUTSTANDING

DISSERTATION AWARD Nicholas Bacuez – French. Dissertation supervisor: Jean-Pierre Montreuil.

Nicholas Myklebust – English. Dissertation supervisor: Thomas Cable.Jack Poulson – Computational and Applied Mathematics. Dissertation supervisor: Lexing Ying.

OUTSTANDING

THESIS/REPORT AWARD

Russell Bush – Radio-Television-Film. Thesis supervisor: Paul J. Raval.Mark Allen Coddington – Journalism. Thesis supervisor: Stephen Reese

EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE

RESEARCH AWARD

Meghan Andrews – English. Supervising professor: Douglas Bruster.Rodney Kincaid – Cell and Molecular Biology. Supervising professor: Christopher Sullivan.David Scheinfeld – Educational Psychology - Counseling. Supervising professor: Aaron Rochlen.

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE

STUDENT ACADEMIC

EMPLOYEE AWARD

Carolyn Yaschur – Assistant Instructor, Journalism. Supervising faculty: Renita Coleman.Farya Phillips – Teaching Assistant, Social Work. Supervising faculty: Barbara Jones and Mary Velasquez.Abiola Oladapo – Graduate Research Assistant, Pharmacy. Supervising faculty: Jamie Barner and Marv Shepherd.

FIRST CLASS MAIL

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

AUSTIN, TEXAS

PERMIT #391

110 INNER CAMPUS DRIVE, STOP G0400

MAIN BLDG., ROOM 101

AUSTIN, TEXAS 78712

phot

o: M

arsh

a M

iller

, UT

Aust

in