Graduate student enrollment at Georgia Tech reached 26,398 this semester, a new record for Tech and a 14% increase from last year. Nearly 8,000 of those students are new to the university this year, with 4,344 being domestic students and 3,639 being international students.
“We are thrilled to welcome all of our new and current students,” said Bonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “Know that our office is here to support you in whatever way we can, so don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions.”
Here are a few fast facts about this year’s class of graduate students:
Marla Bruner, director of Graduate Studies, wants to remind students that her office has many resources available as they settle in on campus, from social engagement and student life to crisis counseling and mental health resources.
“Engage where you can, meet new people, and take advantage of self-improvement and professional opportunities,” Bruner said. “We are excited to see everyone back on campus and are committed to serving our graduate community.”
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Whether the issue is being credited in a study or disagreeing over grade policies, Kyla Ross knows academic issues are best solved by people familiar with academia. That’s one of the reasons why she applied to be the assistant vice provost for Advocacy and Conflict Resolution.
“Since I’ve held faculty positions at multiple institutions and was previously a postdoctoral fellow and graduate student myself, I can approach each conflict I’m working through with empathy,” Ross said. “I find it motivating to not only help faculty, postdocs, and students with their current challenges, but also to equip them with helpful strategies for future conflicts they may experience. I welcome the opportunity to consult with them so that more in our community learn how to leverage the positives while limiting the negatives of conflict.”
Ross completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University in 2006. Next, she served as a postdoctoral fellow in the National Institutes of Health-funded Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) Program. In 2008, Ross joined the faculty at Georgia State University, and then returned to Tech in 2016 as the director of graduate training in Biomedical Engineering.
“My diverse experiences have helped me gain perspective as an administrator, teacher, and coach," Ross said. "I've helped students and faculty navigate advisor/advisee relationships. And over time, I've developed an appreciation for the ways that people communicate. I wanted to teach others how to connect even in difficult situations, so when I saw this job ad, it felt like it was written for me.”
We asked Ross about how she helps students, postdocs, and faculty, and how people can work through conflict in their own lives. Here’s what she said.
Who do you work with on campus, and what are some of the most common inquiries you receive?
I serve faculty, postdocs, and graduate and undergraduate students. When it comes to students, a lot of grievances that I receive are about course concerns like grading or class policies.
Common concerns reported by graduate students and postdocs include communication challenges with their advisors and disputes regarding authorship and publication. For example, graduate students and postdocs might need to clarify authorship order when working on a research project.
In addition, faculty often come to me requesting strategies for how to maintain positive work relationships with their advisees and colleagues.
What is the process for a student to submit an academic grievance?
Students may file an academic grievance through an online form. Once submitted, I investigate and seek resolution on the case. The first step is to get curious about the perspective of each individual involved and talk with them. I often also connect and consult with campus units, like the Office of Disability Services or the Dean of Students, to investigate further and to ensure that the solution adheres to campus policy.
Describe what your day-to-day job entails.
Most of my days involve some combination of consulting, coaching, interviewing, and writing. Even if an individual doesn’t want to file a formal complaint, people can email me about any concerns. I host sessions on how people can navigate challenging conversations and manage conflict, as well as consultations to teach communication and conflict resolution skills. When people do choose to file a complaint, I’m available to investigate the concerns and mediate when needed.
What is the most satisfying part of your job?
I like knowing that I can help the people who come to me. Sometimes, the conflicts I’m dealing with are quite challenging and individuals are entrenched in their own positions. When that happens, it’s very satisfying to detangle the problem and help everyone involved find closure.
What is the most challenging part of your job, and how do you deal with it?
At times, it can be challenging for all parties to achieve closure. For example, we might have found a resolution that all have agreed to, and then one party shares information that changes the best way forward. To avoid getting frustrated myself, I try not to get attached to one party’s needs, so that it's easier to determine what will help everyone involved. I also remain focused on my own emotions, particularly when it's clear that others’ emotions are running strong. Even if the solution we come up with doesn’t totally solve things for all parties, I seek the best possible outcome for all involved.
Can you provide a couple of strategies for handling conflict?
First, check out the resources we have to offer, which include workshops on active listening and effective communication. These can help you manage conflict if and when it arises. Students can reach out to me by email to ask about attending these workshops.
When it comes to working through conflicts, maintaining open communication with people goes a long way. It’s healthy to disagree but being mindful of how you’re coming across will help you to avoid confrontation. This mostly comes down to being self-aware. It's important to remember that the only person that you can control is you.
For more information, visit provost.gatech.edu.
Three minutes isn’t a lot of time — especially when you have to distill years of research into a single presentation. But on April 9, that’s exactly what 11 graduate students did during the final round of Georgia Tech’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition.
Saad Javaid, a doctoral student in Materials Science and Engineering, won first place and a research travel grant of $2,000 for his presentation, UltraVision and Time Manipulation: Technology Inspired Superpowers for Studying Cracks.
Additional awards were given to the following students:
Ph.D. Runner-up: Muhammad Saad Zia, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mitigating Beam Alignment Errors in Millimeter-Wave Communications to Go Beyond 5G
Ph.D. Third Place: Megan McSweeney, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
AptaTrigger: A Novel Biosensor Platform for Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Master’s Winner: Clara Glassman, Medical Physics
Creating the Google Maps of Brain-Behavior Relationships: A New Look at Post Stroke MRIs
People’s Choice Award: Megan McSweeney, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
AptaTrigger: A Novel Biosensor Platform for Point-of-Care Diagnostics
A complete recording of the final round can be found here, and more information about the annual competition is available at grad.gatech.edu/3mt.
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