Prior to accepting this position at Georgia Tech, Olabisi served as an associate professor of management at the Saunders College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she was also appointed director of the M.S. and B.S. in Global Supply Chain Management and the B.S. in Global Business programs. While at RIT, Olabisi taught courses in organizational behavior, high-performance teams, and negotiations.
During her time at RIT, Olabisi served on several college and institute-wide committees as an active participant in developing and implementing policies for faculty and students, including serving as a faculty senator, African American Latin American and Native American faculty advisory council member, as well as on the Women of Color advisory board.
Olabisi’s research interests focus on organizational learning, knowledge management, and community-oriented entrepreneurship within emerging markets, with an emphasis on embeddedness and networks.
Olabisi is an Honor Roll for Responsible Research in Business and Management award recipient as well as a member of the Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network, where she received a grant to study post-pandemic immigrant entrepreneurial activity. She is passionate about mentoring and empowering students to access educational and workforce opportunities, and in her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
A fellow Tech alumnus, Olabisi received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech. She then earned her Master of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, where she later earned her Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering.
"I am thrilled to return to Georgia Tech in this role and to contribute to advancing the missions of both the university and the Office of Graduate Education," said Olabisi. "I look forward to collaborating with the OGE team and engaging with students, faculty, and other community members to build connections that not only improve the processes of graduate admissions and enrollment but also support graduate students throughout their academic endeavors."
The Office of Graduate Education is focused on continuing to enhance the graduate education experience while promoting inclusion, access, support, and success for all students. Olabisi’s proven track record of administrative leadership skills, combined with her commitment to student success, diversity, and inclusion, make her a fine addition to the Office of Graduate Education and the Tech community at large.
]]>Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
]]>We are seeking judges for both competitions. Judging will require approximately one hour of your time.
If you are interested and available, please use this form to submit your preferences and availability: CRIDC 2024 Judge Registration. For additional information about CRIDC, visit https://grad.gatech.edu/cridc , or email grad.prodev@sga.gatech.edu.
]]>Tech’s Annual Career, Research, Innovation, and Development Conference (CRIDC) poster competition and exhibition provide students with the opportunity to practice and perfect their communication skills by presenting their research to non-technical audiences. CRIDC is also a professional development event designed to equip graduate students with the skillsets needed to thrive in the constantly evolving career market.
Read on to hear from two previous CRIDC Poster Competition winners as they reflect on their experiences in presenting their research at CRIDC and how their participation helped elevate their presentation and communication skills.
Sonia Bhattacharya is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate from the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Sonia has participated in CRIDC’s poster competition every year since 2019 (except for 2020). All her past research submissions were within the technical research category. Last year, Sonia shared her work on vaccine development that aids in the discovery of diagnostic reagents to detect SARS-COV-2 variants, through Georgia Tech’s lab collaboration with the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Last year, she won the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Award.
Tania Evans is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Last year, Tania presented her research on energy-efficient gas separations and chemical processes, which, when applied in industry, would be useful to help manage energy use. Her research earned her the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research Award.
What made you participate in last year’s CRIDC Poster Competition?
Sonia: "I have been interested in public health, and I realized that along with enjoying the intellectual challenges of my research, I wanted to improve communicating my science with the general audience. I found that CRIDC provided a great platform to do just that!"
Tania: "I really like presenting my research. The motivation behind my research isn’t obvious to people who don’t typically work in my field. CRIDC was a good opportunity to present my research to people outside of my field. It was a lot less pressure and more fun to present to a general audience for a change."
On preparing your presentation:
Sonia: “I spent lots of time in the Finn Lab prepping. I prepared my poster in small increments over a two-week span, prior to last year’s competition. It is an amusing realization, every time, that it seems relatively easy to fill up the poster space. But it is challenging to fill up the poster space well, with the right amount of information.”
When asked about reaching out to advisors, professors, and peers for help or assistance, Sonia replied that she “definitely ran various versions of her poster through lab mates for a ‘sanity check.’ ”
Tania: “It took me a couple of hours to make my poster, but that is because I’ve had five years’ worth of data to pull from to make understanding my research easy to a non-technical person. I made figures that I felt were more easily digestible to non-engineers and presented the infographics I created with my lab mates.”
On the overall CRIDC Competition experience:
Sonia: “It was very engaging to interact with fellow Ph.D. students while sharing our research. CRIDC provides a great platform to uncover the variety and depth of research performed here at Tech. For every year that I presented (in the competition), I learned more and improved more.”
Tania: “I participated in the career fair and attended a few of the panels held last year. I found the panels interesting and inspiring in continuing my research. It was a great opportunity to practice communicating your research and to learn more about other research that is being done within the Georgia Tech community.”
Reflections after winning the poster competition:
Sonia: “I was very excited to win travel awards in 2021 and 2022. The travel awards were tremendously helpful, which helped cover the cost for me to attend the 2022 Keystone Conference on Progress in Vaccine Development Against Infectious Diseases, which was held in Colorado.”
Tania: “Since winning the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research Award, I was able to attend the International Conference on the Fundamentals of Adsorption (FOA), which is a leading conference in my field of study. I plan to participate in other poster competitions, as well.”
Every year, CRIDC Poster Competition winners receive travel grants, ranging in value from $1,000-$2,000, that can be used to cover expenses related to research trips or travel to other conferences.
Advice to first-time competitors:
Tania: “Talk about your research to your non-academic friends often. Talk to your parents. My parents could give a few sentences of a short synopsis of my research because I talk about my research so much.”
This year, CRIDC takes place on Friday, February 8, 2024, in the Exhibition Hall, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. This conference includes a virtual poster competition and an in-person competition, as well as a networking luncheon, and several career panel sessions. Event registration begins at 8 a.m. This free event is intended for Georgia Tech graduate students but is open to the entire GT community. Registration to participate in the poster competition ends on Friday, January 12, 2024. For more information, visit https://grad.gatech.edu/cridc.
]]>Marketing & Communications Manager
Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
]]>After dedicating countless hours to labs and research endeavors, students consider CRIDC a valuable opportunity to communicate their research to a non-technical audience. One highly anticipated segment of the conference is the poster competition, that provides a unique opportunity to refine their communication skills by presenting their research to non-technical audiences. Beyond the intrinsic value of sharing their work, winners stand a chance to receive travel grants, ranging from $500 to $2,000, that can be used to cover expenses for research-related travel. Last year, the competition distributed a substantial $43,000 worth of research travel grants to deserving winners.
The Conference extends beyond a poster competition and features the Innovation Competition that is sponsored by VentureLab of Georgia Tech’s Office of Commercialization. The Innovation Competition is open to all graduate students who attend the Atlanta campus and are participating in the in-person CRIDC conference, whose research has the potential for market applications. The winner of the Innovation Competition will receive $1000 and an invitation to participate in Startup Launch, a summer program providing commercialization training, support, and funding to GT research teams. Two runners-up will each receive $500 prizes.
CRIDC also includes a networking luncheon and career panels, offering attendees the chance to connect with professionals in various fields and gain insights into potential career paths. CRIDC is more than just a conference; It is an immersive professional development experience that enables students to showcase, explore, and connect for a future rich in possibilities.
Haden Boone, president of the Graduate Student Government Association, expresses the organization's continued commitment to the growth of graduate students. “We've built a strong partnership with the Office of Graduate Education over the past year, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition at CRIDC,” he said. “There are some great opportunities for academic and professional development being offered at CRIDC this year, and I’m excited invite the graduate student community to take full advantage of them.”
Daamini Visaalaakshi serves as the vice president of Professional Development and the chair of CRIDC. She said, “The event, much like fine wine, matures gracefully with each passing year. With a diverse set of graduate participants, this year, our primary focus is enhancing accessibility for our online student community. We've thoughtfully curated both panel sessions and panelists, aiming to equip graduate students with the essential tools for evolving career trajectories and skills. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team is diligently working to bring this event to fruition through meticulous planning. As a completely student-run initiative, we don't just encourage your presence; we eagerly anticipate it.
CRIDC takes place on Wednesday, February 8, 2024, in the Exhibition Hall, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. This free event is intended for Georgia Tech graduate students but is open to the entire GT community.
Registration is now open for the CRIDC 2024 Poster Competition!
Online and in -person students are encouraged to participate. Registration is open until Friday, January 12, 2024, 11:59 p.m. For more information and to register visit: https://grad.gatech.edu/cridc .
]]>Zhang’s OmniFair paper was published in SIGMOD 2021, a top-tier conference in data management. OmniFair distinguishes itself by featuring a declarative interface that empowers users to define specific group fairness constraints. Subsequently, Zhang developed iFlipper, a pioneering system that optimizes for individual fairness in machine learning, which was presented in SIGMOD 2023.
As machine learning models become more deeply integrated into our decision-making process, my research endeavors to foster a more just society,” said Zhang. “Be refining these models to be more fair, we diminish the potential biases, especially against minority groups, ensuring a fairer treatment for all.
According to Zhang, more and more decisions are made by computer algorithms instead of by a human. His research can be used by companies to ensure that their model is fair.
“People should be treated equally regardless of their race, gender, and sexual orientation,” said Zhang. “I feel the importance to make sure that machines are making fair decisions. We talked to Walmart about using our algorithm in their platform to improve fairness of machine learning models used in the platform, which could potentially benefit millions of vendors and customers.”
Zhang’s published works earned a Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award.
Zhang is one of four graduate students awarded the 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication. Congratulations to the following 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award recipients: Andrés-Felipe Castro Méndez, Dongsuk Sung, Hantian Zhang, and Vanessa Oguamanam.
Each awardee receives $2,500 to pursue their research.
“It is a great honor to receive the award,” said Zhang. “I am very grateful for Dr. Sam Chih and the award committee. It confirms that my research is interesting and meaningful. It also encourages me to keep working on my research and produce more impactful outcomes.”
The Foundation awards graduate students whose research publication(s) reflect invention and innovation for the betterment of society.
]]>"In the United States, a pressing concern is the mental health of new mothers," said Oguamanam.
According to Oguamanam, innovation is essential to support emotional and psychological wellness during pregnancy and childbirth, particularly for those most vulnerable to poor mental health, such as racially minoritized women.
"I plan to develop a digital health system to address mental health disparities experienced by racially-minoritized women during pregnancy," said Oguamanam.
According to Oguamanam, racially-minoritized women, especially U.S. Black women, face higher rates of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and lifetime stress compared with their white counterparts.
“Despite these challenges, Black women underutilize mental health services due to barriers including stigma, financial constraints, limited access, and culturally appropriate care,” said Oguamanam. “While mobile applications show promise in increasing access to mental health services, existing systems often fail to address the cultural context and drivers of mental health inequities faced by Black women.”
Oguamanam conducted a nationwide survey study investigating how perinatal Black women utilize existing technology to manage their mental health. She presented her findings at the 2023 CHI Conference in her published paper, “An Intersectional Look at Use of and Satisfaction with Digital Mental Health Platforms: A Survey of Perinatal Black Women.” Her study revealed that 88.1% of perinatal Black women utilize digital platforms for mental health support.
These insights underscore the importance of nuanced approaches to digital interventions that can accommodate the unique needs and perspectives of women with particular intersectional experiences and identities. They highlight the significance of designing interventions that effectively understand, celebrate, and cater to the experiences of marginalized groups and people of color.
Oguamanam’s published work earned a Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award. The Foundation awards graduate students whose research publication(s) reflect invention and innovation for the betterment of society. Each awardee receives $2,500 to pursue their research.
“My proposed work involves designing, developing, and evaluating a culturally targeted mobile app to support perinatal Black women in managing stress and building resilience against mental health challenges related to racial and gender-based stressors,” said Oguamanam. “Through my research, I aim to provide technology design guidelines that enhance mental health equity, strengthen digital mental health platforms for vulnerable populations, and enable equitable access to mental health resources for all individuals, regardless of their background.”
Oguamanam is one of four graduate students awarded the 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication. Congratulations to the following 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award recipients: Andrés-Felipe Castro Méndez, Dongsuk Sung, Hantian Zhang, and Vanessa Oguamanam.
]]>“Brain temperature was under-studied but a critical marker for our brain health, and clinicians in emergency departments told me that they need a tool to predict brain temperature accurately to treat patients better,” said Sung. “I have always wanted to help patients have longer, healthier lives after medical treatments.”
Sung’s research includes the study and development of “next generation techniques for the estimation of human brain temperature.”
According to Sung, core body temperature has been used as a substitute to brain temperature due to a lack of non-invasive techniques. However, it has been reported that the core body temperature and the brain temperature can be different after certain injuries, diseases, or strokes.
The goal of Sung’s dissertation is to develop a method to predict brain temperature in an efficient and effective way. He developed a computational model that is both non-invasive and uses patient-specific data.
“Ultimately, my research on computational model-based brain thermometry will potentially improve decisions from doctors and providing better patient outcomes, particularly in brain-based diseases or injuries, enabling longer and healthier lives,” said Sung.
Sung’s research titled, “Comparisons of healthy human brain temperature predicted from biophysical modeling and measured with whole brain MR thermometry,” was published in Scientific Reports and recently earned a Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award.
Sung is one of four graduate students awarded the 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication. Congratulations to the following 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award recipients: Andrés-Felipe Castro Méndez, Dongsuk Sung, Hantian Zhang, and Vanessa Oguamanam.
Each awardee receives $2,500 to pursue their research.
“This award will provide me with more opportunities for me to explore deeply into this topic and introduce this topic to general audiences,” said Sung. “I’m really grateful for receiving this award so that I can confidently keep pursuing the biomedical research using medical imaging.”
]]>Georgia Tech provides housing for more than 8,000 students on campus, but what about the other 15,000? After living on campus for some time, many students seek a greater sense of independence and responsibility by moving off campus.
A common problem for students considering off-campus housing is finding the best place to live. Not everyone has the luxury of choosing from several great neighborhoods, but Tech students do. Regardless of which corner of the city you choose, be sure to weigh all of your options. There are many factors to consider, including roommates, utilities, monthly expenses, commute times, and parking fees.
Different areas will offer different benefits, but there are a few places worth investigating if you’re apartment hunting. Make sure you tour the entire property, and drive around the area at different times to see what it’s like early in the morning and late at night. Don’t settle on a place solely for its price and make safety and well-being top priorities.
Many apartment complexes close to campus are either partially or specifically for student living. Besides proximity, these places have the benefit of allowing residents to live among other students and sign individual leases while still sharing a space. A few popular options, which are not approved housing or endorsed housing by Georgia Tech, include:
Home Park: The closest neighborhood north of campus, Home Park is known for its large student population and affordable living. While it doesn’t offer much in the way of restaurants or shops, one can’t overlook the fact that it is home to Antico Pizza and Sublime Doughnuts, both favorites among students. Furthermore, it is close to Atlantic Station and Howell Mill Road, two vibrant commercial districts. If you’re on campus after dark, you can get a ride home from the Stingerette through the Safe Ride Home program.
Highlights: Antico (1093 Hemphill Ave. NW), Sublime Doughnuts (535 10th Street NW), Firehouse Subs (537 10th Street NW), Tannour Mediterranean Grill (398 14th Street NW).
Website: http://homepark.org/
Downtown and Centennial Place Apartments: Many students choose to live in Centennial Place because of its proximity to campus. Residents can easily walk or bike there, or to the bus stop at North Avenue Apartments, and the North Avenue MARTA station is nearby to get to other places in the city. Tech students will be in good company with students from Georgia State University, whose campus buildings dot the downtown area. For those who want to take advantage of attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, or State Farm Arena, downtown makes it convenient to do so.
Highlights: Georgia Aquarium (225 Baker Street NW), World of Coca-Cola (121 Baker Street NW), CNN Center (190 Marietta Street NW), Skyview Atlanta (168 Luckie Street NW)
Websites: http://www.atlantadowntown.com/living
Midtown: Georgia Tech is in Midtown Atlanta, and it is relatively walkable to campus. Midtown is home to families, young couples, singles, and students alike. If you’re a runner, you’ll benefit from the proximity of Piedmont Park and its abundance of trails, including the BeltLine, which runs right along the park and through Ponce City Market. Midtown is also a good option for those who don’t own a car, since it’s close to MARTA, campus, and options for groceries and the like. Midtown has both apartment complexes (such as Marq on Ponce, Biltmore at Midtown, and Piedmont Park) as well as many apartments rented by smaller landlords (which are generally less expensive) for those not as particular about amenities. If you spend a lot of time in Tech Square, Midtown could be more convenient than living farther west, and apartment complexes on the border between Midtown and Tech Square include SQ5, UHouse, and The Standard at Atlanta.
Highlights: Fox Theatre (660 Peachtree Street NE), Woodruff's Art Center (1280 Peachtree Street NE), Publix (950 W. Peachtree Street NW), Ponce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE), Atlanta Botanical Garden (1345 Piedmont Ave. NE), BeltLine access, MARTA access.
Website: http://midtownatlanta.org/
Westside: Atlanta’s Westside offers a handful of apartment complexes and small homes, both of which are ideal for students. The area is rapidly developing, with new restaurants and niche shops springing up on every corner. Though a boon to residents’ social lives, it also means increasing prices. The commute from Marietta Street is easier than ever on foot and bike thanks to the Path Parkway.
Highlights: Ormsby’s (1170 Howell Mill Road), West Egg (1100 Howell Mill Road).
Website: https://westsideprovisions.com/
Atlantic Station: Though Atlantic Station can be pricier than other off-campus options, it’s really close to campus and offers other benefits. Residents are within walking distance of the outdoor shopping mall, IKEA, movie festivals, an 18-screen movie theater, weekend sidewalk markets, and restaurants. Stinger buses travel to the south side of Atlantic Station — though not as frequently as they do on campus — providing a solid transportation option in a pinch.
Highlights: Regal Cinemas 18 (261 19th Street NW), Target (375 18th Street), California Pizza Kitchen (264 19th Street NW), IKEA (441 16th Street NW).
Website: http://www.atlanticstation.com/
Virginia Highland: Just past Midtown to the east, many students frequent the Highlands for its restaurants, bars, and shops. The Highland is known for attracting twenty-somethings and offering lower rents. Though it will take a car, bike, or long walk to MARTA to get to campus, it offers plenty of entertainment options within walking distance. It's also home to multiple coffee shops for those who prefer such venues for studying.
Highlights: DBA Barbecue (1190 N Highland Ave.), Fontaine's Oyster House (1026 N Highland Ave. NE), La Tavola (992 Virginia Ave. NE), Paolo's Gelato (1025 Virginia Ave. NE),
Website: https://virginiahighlanddistrict.com/
Buckhead: Buckhead is an uptown district within the city of Atlanta, comprising over 100,000 residents. It is an upscale residential and commercial district with internationally renowned shopping and dining. Located approximately six miles (or just over nine kilometers) from Georgia Tech, Buckhead is a little farther from campus than other neighborhoods and thus requires using public transportation (MARTA) or a car. Buckhead features shopping centers and malls, hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and high-rise office buildings and condominiums.
Highlights: Le Colonial (3035 Peachtree Road NE), Lenox Square Mall (3393 Peachtree Road NE), Phipps Plaza (3500 Peachtree Road NE), Eclipse di Luna (764 Miami Circle).
Website: https://www.buckheadvillagedistrict.com/
Vinings: This unincorporated "village" is more common to families and younger working couples, making it quieter and more expensive. The nightlife may not be as exhilarating, but the area offers its own social scene with plenty of restaurants, shops, and parks to explore. It's not uncommon to find excellent festivals and fairs on the weekends.
Highlights: Cumberland Mall (2860 Cumberland Mall SE), South City Kitchen (1675 Cumberland Parkway), Mellow Mushroom (2950 New Paces Ferry Road), Bowl Lab (3621 Vinings Slope SE).
Website: https://vinings.org/
Institute Communications
]]>“Receiving the HHMI Gilliam award will allow me to conduct innovative research while building leadership and mentorship skills–all attributes that are necessary to become a better scientist,” said Peterson. “Ultimately, this will help me prepare for a career in academia as a professor.”
HHMI awards student-advisor pairs based on the student’s potential for scientific leadership and the advisor’s commitment to a culture of inclusion in academia.
“Through my academic journey at Virginia Tech, University of Kansas, and Georgia Tech, I have had wonderful mentors and colleagues, but I have had few Black faculty role models,” said Peterson. “It wasn’t until I worked with Brian Atkinson, an African American professor at the University of Kansas, that I even considered becoming a professor. That research experience put me on a path that led directly to Tech and underscored my commitment to outreach broadening participation in science. I am looking forward to being a part of the HHMI community and fostering leadership and mentorship skills that will help me succeed in my career in academia so I can be a role model for future generations of students.”
The program awards grants to dissertation advisors and encourages the grantee institution and the advisor to facilitate institutional changes to create environments that advance diversity and inclusion.
“As an advisor, I’m delighted to see Autumn’s work and leadership recognized this way,” said Ratcliff, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences at Georgia Tech. “This fellowship is also a huge opportunity for us to do cool science, become better scientists and mentors, and work to improve diversity and inclusion at Georgia Tech. I cannot wait to get to know the broader community of Gilliam Fellows and mentors.”
As part of the Gilliam Award, the advisor will also complete a year-long culturally responsive mentorship skills development course.
“This fellowship provides key resources and professional opportunities that I think can make me a better advisor and can support our work on behalf of trainees from underrepresented groups at Georgia Tech more broadly,” said Ratcliff.
Fellows are required to participate in the Gilliam Annual Meeting, Gilliam Leadership Training course, and one HHMI Science Meeting per year in the second and third years of the fellowship award where there will be Gilliam-specific discussion sessions.
Learn more about the HHMI Gilliam Fellows program here.
]]>This year, four Ph.D. students received the award for their passion for research and publication and their value of putting the needs of others above personal interest. Each awardee will receive $2,500 to pursue their research.
“These students exemplify the Georgia Tech vision to ‘push the boundaries of research while focusing on the most consequential questions and problems faced by humanity,’” said Bonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. “Their valuable contributions are appreciated and reflect the spirit of innovation and commitment fostered at our institution.”
Congratulations to the following Chih Foundation Student Research Publication Award recipients:
In recognition of their achievements, the Chih Foundation award recipients will present their research at a ceremony on November 16. Additionally, recipients will have the unique opportunity to engage with the Foundation's donors.
]]>“Solar energy does not only have a great impact in mitigating climate change, but it also offers a transformative solution for communities currently lacking power grid access,” said Castro-Méndez. “By harnessing the sun’s energy through photovoltaic panels, these communities can generate their own electricity locally, enabling essential services, even in remote or underserved areas. This topic is particularly relevant in Colombia, my country of origin, where large communities do not have access to electricity yet.”
Castro-Méndez’s research and published work in mitigating climate change earned a Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award.
In his publication titled, “Vapor Phase Infiltration Improves Thermal Stability of Organic Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells,” Castro-Méndez demonstrates an innovative approach that contributes to the overall stability and longevity of perovskite solar cells. This invention is currently in the process of becoming a patent. His research has contributed to paving the way for more reliable, efficient, and commercially viable perovskite solar cells.
“Climate change has always been a very relevant topic,” he said. “My interest to actively do something about it was triggered by my undergrad project advisor, Prof. Pablo Ortiz-Herrera. He had a research group on solar cells, and I joined his group in my 3rd year to start investigating this topic. There, I realized that alternative energies have a big potential and that they are real, not just something I would see in a sci-fi movie.”
The Chih Foundation awards graduate students whose research publication(s) reflect invention and innovation for the betterment of society. Each awardee receives $2,500 to pursue their research.
“The impact of my research is to develop processes that could be used in industry to produce perovskite solar cells,” said Castro-Méndez. “I also am working on improving the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells, which is important to make this technology worth it. This award means that the research I’m doing is appreciated and that I’m not the only one who sees the value in it. It boosts my motivation further.”
Castro-Méndez is one of four recipients of the 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication Awards. Congratulations to the following 2023 Chih Foundation Graduate Student Research Publication award recipients: Andrés-Felipe Castro Méndez, Dongsuk Sung, Hantian Zhang, and Vanessa Oguamanam.
]]>Scholars are selected annually by qualifying departments of science, engineering, and medical research within the ARCS Foundation’s 51 academic partner universities. Hughes was nominated by her advisor, Professor James Wray.
“It is a tremendous honor,” said Hughes. “It is an amazing thing to have your advisor nominate you for something like this because it’s a great vote of confidence in your ability.”
“Emmy is a truly exceptional young scientist,” said Wray. “She has a broad scientific skillset that she capably applies to a range of projects, driven by innate curiosity and immense enthusiasm. Her talent, passion, and positivity have hugely reinvigorated my research group; I am so proud to be her advisor. She is an outstanding representative for our School and College within Georgia Tech and for the Institute as a whole.”
Hughes is a planetary geologist primarily focused on the history and surface of Mars.
“There’s a lot of things that tell geologists today that there was once water on Mars,” said Hughes. “I’m particularly interested in the geologic history of Mars and the surface of Mars and what that can tell us about the ancient history of water on the Martian surface.”
Hughes’ work is focused on using salts and other materials like amorphous silica to learn about the temperature of the water that was present and how long it was there. This involves using data from the surface of Mars. The ARCS award provides scholars $7,500 in unrestricted funding. These funds will support Hughes in conducting experiments required for her thesis.
“This is something that I have been wanting to do,” said Hughes. “I proposed it in my thesis proposal draft, and we hadn’t figured out a way to fund it, and I’m totally going to be able to do it now. I am appreciative of the fact that it doesn’t have strings attached. I think that gives people great flexibility.”
A scholars’ award ceremony will be held in November to honor the Atlanta chapter’s recipients.
The ARCS fellowship is made possible each year by way of the fundraising and continuous generous support of the ARCS Foundation Atlanta Chapter.
]]>Revised on Nov. 10, 2023
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.
Over 850 prospective graduate students gathered on October 20 for the 3rd annual “Virtual Graduate School Showcase Hosted by Georgia Tech," a collaboration between Pre-Graduate and Pre-Professional Advising and the Office of Graduate Education. This free event connects prospective students from around the world with program recruiters from Georgia Tech and non-Georgia Tech institutions across the U.S. and abroad.
“Covid pushed for online interaction, and we have kept it in recruiting because it helps to remove previous equity issues of students reaching us,” said Mack Carter, graduate program coordinator at the University of Washington, Seattle. “The [Showcase] allows for a large platform online to draw in more students that otherwise might be missed.”
This year's event marked a record-breaking achievement for the Showcase, with 1,758 prospective students registering for the event, nearly 500 more registrations compared to the 2022 event.
"What started out as an idea on how to create an innovative way for pre-graduate advising to support Tech's strategic plan by connecting globally and expanding access during Covid-19 has resulted in a strong, rewarding cross-unit collaboration that has continued to grow," said Susan Belmonte, the Showcase founder and chair and assistant director of pre-graduate advising. "I am so grateful and proud to have the honor to work with the talented members of the planning committee to make each year better than the last."
The Showcase featured a student-led panel with current Tech grad students who offered prospective students the opportunity to learn about the application process and life at Tech for grad students from first-hand accounts. There were also info sessions hosted by the Office of Graduate Education, the Office of International Education, and the Georgia Tech Language Institute that focused on graduate admission and life at Tech.
“What I always enjoy, the number of students that come to ask questions from different areas, particularly those within the U.S. that we find difficult to reach due to distance or lack of attendance at conferences,” said Carter. “I have students that will stay for two hours just to collect advice on applying to grad school.”
Before and after the Showcase, participating programs received lists of prospective students who registered to help them focus their own recruitment efforts on those who expressed interest in the programs.
Graduate program representatives who want to learn more about how to participate in the 2024 Showcase should send an email to gtgradshowcase@gatech.edu to be added to the mailing list for future communications regarding this event.
The Showcase Planning Committee includes Susan Belmonte, chair; Nazanin Tork, vice chair; Sara Franc, communications and graphic design; Scott Green, website applications and IT hero of Showcase; Brittani Hill, digital marketing; Monique Morris, accounting; and Jon Reid, web development.
To mitigate potential risks for researchers who use AI, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education partnered with the Graduate Student Government Association (Graduate SGA) to develop a guidance document that outlines the effective and responsible use of AI in research, especially for graduate student researchers.
This document is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Office of Research and faculty across campus, specifically those with expertise in AI, ethics, and mentoring graduate students in research. The guidelines presented in the document are recommendations and not Georgia Tech policy. Due to the rapidly changing landscape of AI, these guidelines will continue to evolve.
Spenser Wipperfurth, vice president of Academic and Research Affairs for the Graduate SGA, leads efforts alongside Graduate SGA leadership to promote awareness of responsible and effective AI usage practices for research.
“As students and researchers, it’s critical to assess the usability and ethics of new research tools as they are invented,” said Wipperfurth. “The advent of large language models that can write papers, do research, and suggest research paths and solutions, requires our community to ask how to use these tools without abusing them.”
To promote awareness of the known strengths and challenges of using AI, as well as best practices for using generative AI for writing theses or publications, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education and Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) is hosting a panel discussion titled, “Effective and Responsible Use of AI in Research,” on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, from 9 – 10 a.m.
The Effective and Responsible Use of AI in Research panel will be a critical discussion for graduate researchers who are using or are considering using Generative AI or Large Language Models in their research. Panelists will discuss AI’s drawbacks related to accuracy, research confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and risks related to unintentional scholarly misconduct, as well as constructive ways of using the tool. The panelists are William Ratcliff, director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS) and associate professor in biological science; Laura Carruth, associate vice provost for Transformative Teaching and Learning and executive director of Center for Teaching and Learning; Jason Borenstein, director of the Graduate Research Ethics Programs, School of Public Policy, and Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education; and Larry Heck, co-executive director of the Artificial Intelligence Hub, and professor with a joint appointment in electrical and computer engineering and interactive computing. The panel is moderated by GSGA’s President J. Haden Boone.
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Marketing Communications Manager
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]]>The new Haley Fellows are:
Haley scholars receive a one-time merit award of up to $4,000 thanks to the generosity of the late Marion Peacock Haley. Haley’s estate established the creation of merit-based graduate fellowships at Georgia Tech in honor of her late husband, Herbert P. Haley (ME 1933). It is an award which may be held in conjunction with other funding, assistantships, or fellowships, if applicable.
Meet the Haley Fellows
Jessica Deutsch is a fifth-year Ph.D. student studying analytical chemistry. “One of the most intriguing aspects of analytical chemistry is that the field focuses on studying invisible things in order to make sense of the visible,” Deuthsch says. “I am researching a deadly coral disease that affects Florida and Caribbean reefs. I aim to provide insight into how this disease impacts the production of small molecules using a mass spectrometry-based approach, which can provide insight into how relationships between the coral animal, algae, and bacteria may be impacted by this disease.”
She wishes to thank Assistant Professor Neha Garg “for her mentorship and the opportunities she has provided that have enabled me to develop my research skills.”
Quynh Nguyen is a third-year Ph.D. student looking into phase- and shape-controlled synthesis of nanocrystals for catalysis and energy-related applications. “What fascinates me is the ability to manipulate matter at the nanoscale to drive sustainable advances,” Nguyen says. “This field places me at the exciting intersection of chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology, aiming to address current challenges in sustainability and renewable energy.”
Nguyen’s Ph.D. advisor is Younan Xia, professor, Brock Family Chair and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Nanomedicine. “Xia's guidance and expertise have been instrumental in shaping my research focus and methodology. Beyond the lab, he has consistently encouraged me to pursue opportunities that contribute to both my academic and professional development, for which I am immensely grateful.”
Eliza Gazda, a fifth-year graduate scholar, is working in the field of multi-messenger particle astrophysics.
Gazda designed, tested, and integrated a telescope camera which was the payload on a scientific balloon launched in May. “The telescope launched is the first optical balloon of this type that operated at high altitudes over 30 kilometers,” Gazda says. “Our telescope observed radiative air showers from high energy cosmic rays and particles which travel across the Earth from extreme astrophysical objects like neutron stars and black holes. Once analyzed, this work will give us insight into high energy events that occur in space, and allow us to design and launch future similar telescopes.”
Gazda’s mentor is Associate Professor Nepomuk Otte, “who guided me in the past through a summer internship at Georgia Tech and inspired me to come back to work on my Ph.D. here. Not only has he taught me lab skills, but he helps me with my career goals, and guides me in exploring our research field, networking, and learning about various disciplines within the field.”
A fifth-year Ph.D. student, Sydney Popsuj is researching the gene Dkk3 and how it might regulate neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration in tunicates, close siblings to vertebrates. “This gene is implicated in Alzheimer's disease and dementia, but because it is hard to study in disease models, we don't have a strong grasp on the general functionality of the gene. I am using tunicates as a model system to study because they are biphasic, meaning they have both a larval and adult stage. This work is very exciting to me because it incorporates large scale evolutionary questions, while also having an impact on better understanding a gene that seems quite important to diseases and disorders.”
Popsuj thanks Georgia Tech faculty members Shuyi Nie, Joe LaChance, Patrick McGrath, Tim Cope, and Billie Swalla at the University of Washington “for pushing me to find new and exciting avenues into how to relate and generalize my work. These mentors have also encouraged me to expand outside my comfort zone in academics and to embrace new technologies and approaches that will hopefully further expand methods and protocols available to tunicate researchers.”
A third-year graduate scholar, Jose Luis Ramirez-Colón “has always been fascinated by the question of where we come from, and my time at Georgia Tech has been dedicated to using science as a tool to further explore this question.” His research focuses on exploring the organic inventory present in carbonaceous chondrites, meteorites that are like time capsules from the early days of the Solar System.
“Many organic classes present in all life as we know it, such as amino acids, sugars, and nucleobases, have been detected in these meteorites; therefore, there’s this idea that these meteorites might've delivered these essential building blocks to early Earth to kick-start life as we know it,” Ramirez-Colón says. His mission at Georgia Tech is to develop methods to detect, extract, and characterize those building blocks.
Ramirez-Colón wants to acknowledge “the remarkable contributions of my advisor and mentor, Christopher Carr, who has played a pivotal role in propelling my journey as an advancing Puerto Rican scientist. Carr not only granted me the freedom to pursue the questions that have always ignited my passion for science, but also equipped me with the essential tools and resources needed to conduct meaningful research.”
Sidney Scott-Sharoni is entering her fourth year of Ph.D. studies. An engineering psychology major, Scott-Sharoni focuses on “understanding how humans interact and conceptualize artificial intelligence devices,” she explains.
“Specifically, I investigate creative methods to convey information to calibrate users’ trust, and understand their psychological well-being, most often in automated vehicles,” Scott-Sharoni says. “I love my area of research because it combines the study of people with the study of innovative technology. I feel like I am researching the people of the future!”
Scott-Sharoni’s advisor, Professor Bruce Walker, “has significantly helped my personal and professional development as a researcher. I am very grateful for his continued mentorship throughout my graduate education.”
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More than 12,000 applicants from across the United States apply to the highly sought after Fellowship, but only about 16% of those who apply are offered it. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.
“The success of Georgia Tech’s research mission relies very heavily on the work of our graduate students,” said Bonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. “We are proud and honored to host the NSF GRF Scholars, who have outstanding accomplishments and potential for research. We are excited to see what they will do with this tremendous opportunity.”
This year, the NSF also granted an “honorable mention” designation to 11 of Tech’s graduate student applicants. This designation acknowledges the student’s potential for success in future graduate studies and research.
The Fellowship provides significant financial support to recipients, including a three-year annual stipend of $37,000 along with a $12,00 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees. Recipients also receive access to opportunities for professional development.
NSF Graduate Research Fellows are anticipated to become knowledge experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. These individuals are crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well-being of society at large.
The Graduate Research Fellowship has a long history of selecting recipients who achieve high levels of success in their future academic and professional careers. Tech’s fellowship recipients will join an exclusive group of previous fellows. Currently, 42 Fellows have gone on to become Nobel laureates, and more than 450 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program has a high rate of doctorate degree completion, with more than 70% of students completing their doctorate within 11 years.
Introducing Tech’s 49 graduate student awardees and honorees for the 2023 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship:
Chemistry
• Joshua Saito, chemical synthesis
• Caroline Sargent, chemical theory, models, and computational models
Computing/Interdisciplinary/Engineering
• Elton Pinto, formal methods, verification, and programming languages
• Ashley Boone, human computer interaction
• George Stoica, machine learning
Engineering
• Preethi Mysore, aeronautical and aerospace engineering
• Satvik Kumar, aeronautical and aerospace engineering
• Alexander Chipps, aeronautical and aerospace engineering
• Afra Nawar, bioengineering
• Maxwell Kazman, bioengineering
• Kaitlin Jacobson, bioengineering
• Emily Heckard, bioengineering
• Jamison Siebart, biomedical engineering
• Rani Kumar, biomedical engineering
• David Pando Gonzalez, chemical engineering
• Felicia Oentoro, chemical engineering
• Christopher Allen, chemical engineering
• Christian Douglas, civil engineering
• Jesse Jiang, electrical and electronic engineering
• Abel Sapirstein, industrial engineering and operations research
• Alina Gorbunova, industrial engineering and operations research
• Joseph Boone, industrial engineering and operations research
• Jacob Aguirre, industrial engineering and operations research
• Abir Muhuri, mechanical engineering
• Max Asselmeier, mechanical engineering
• Amro Alshareef, robotics
Geosciences
• Samuel Ofori, geophysics
• Samanatha Motz, hydrology
• José Ramírez Colón, planetary science
Life Sciences
• James DuBose, ecology
• Princess Pinamang, environmental biology
• Carlissa Roush, evolutionary biology
Materials Research
• Grayson Harrington, computationally intensive research
• Henry Kantrow, polymers
Physics and Astronomy
• Lila Nassar, quantum sensing for biophysics
• Cassandra Shriver, physics of living systems
• Adele Payman, plasma physics
STEM Education and Learning Research
• Lara Schenck, technology education
Honorable Mentions
• Spenser Wipperfurth, climate and large-scale atmospheric dynamics
• Alexis Ramsey, microbial biology
• John Pederson, chemical theory, models, and computational methods
• Liam Ordner, chemical synthesis
• Elizabeth Kimmel, aeronautical and aerospace engineering
• Dru-Ann Harris, geomorphology
• Rachel Harris, electrical and electronic engineering
• Haley Bassham, polymers
• Kathryn Bairley, photonic materials
• Oliver Azevedo, geophysics
• Alexander Arbogast, mechanical engineering
On October 3, every graduate student will find an email in their student inbox from “Qualtrics” with the subject line “2023 Graduate Student Experience Survey.” This email contains a unique URL, which provides direct access to the survey.
“We strongly encourage you to participate in this survey,” said James Black, senior academic professional in the Office of Graduate Education. “Your input is crucial in helping us understand the current state of graduate student life and identify areas for improvement. Together, we can work towards making Georgia Tech an even better place for graduate education.”
The survey is conducted once every few years to quantify various factors that impact the experiences of graduate students at Georgia Tech. This survey is incredibly important. Institute leaders will utilize this data to make strategic investments in programs, support, and resources to improve the graduate student experience in the future.
The responses from previous Graduate Student Experience Surveys have resulted in changes such as:
All responses are confidential and will never be attributed to a specific person; results will only be presented in an aggregate form.
Questions about the survey can be directed to grad.ask@grad.gatech.edu.
This poster revolution, according to Nguyen, emphasizes the results of the research, which are featured prominently on the poster and take up most of the space. The objectives, methods, and discussion are displayed less prominently along the side of the poster, or a QR code takes the user to a website for more in-depth information.
“That tends to be effective because the poster presenter has thought about, ‘What’s the takeaway that I want people to walk away with,’ and they are usually the ones who practice their spiel,” said Nguyen. “Whereas some people with a traditional poster format get lost in the details, and you are stuck in a conversation for five minutes.”
As a grad student, Nguyen presented and won awards at numerous conferences for both poster and oral format. She also has experience judging posters, such as at Georgia Tech’s CRIDC. Nguyen provides her tips for streamlining your research for a poster competition.
Know your audience. “When somebody comes up to you, ask them what their level of expertise is,” said Nguyen. “Asking those questions at the beginning can help scale the level of detail that you want to get into and help streamline your message.”
Don’t tell too much on your poster. “What you want to avoid are long paragraphs,” said Nguyen. “That is a very common mistake; students will slap the research paper onto a poster. Streamline and simplify the message using bullet points.”
To keep your poster’s content streamlined, Nguyen recommends asking yourself the following questions:
Provide a concise summary of the results. “Orally, what I’m looking for is if you can give me a 30 to 60-second overview of what you did,” said Nguyen. “If I have additional questions, are you able to answer those more in-depth?”
Narrow in on your findings. “Oftentimes, grad students want to showcase the entire breadth of work that they have done, which is a lot,” said Nguyen. “Narrow in on one to three key findings for a certain experiment or project. You can always talk about what else you found. Squeezing in too much information can confuse what a judge or participant is supposed to look at.”
Practice and prepare. “The Center for Teaching and Learning has workshops for preparing a presentation, like preparing your 3MT,” said Nguyen. “Practice with your cohort mates. Practice in your lab beforehand or practice on your own. Have friends ask questions to you to simulate that poster competition experience.”
Keep notecards for the details. “Students may be nervous that they will forget something,” said Nguyen. “I would encourage them to practice or even just have note cards for the details.”
The career fair represents possibilities–all of the potential paths your future could hold laid out before you under one roof. You want to make a good first impression on prospective employers, but it can be overwhelming.
“Career fairs can be pretty nerve-wracking,” said Christina Hall, graduate career development advisor in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. “The All-Majors Career Fair hosts close to 200 employers each day, so you want to walk into the fair with a strategy.”
Hall’s strategy can be boiled down to a simple, catchy rhyme, “What to wear, what to say, and what to put on your resume.” Whether your goal for the career fair is to network, get an idea of who is hiring, or get a job, Hall provides her advice so you can get the most out of the All-Majors Career Fair.
Research, strategize, prioritize. Hall recommends you determine the top five employers you want to talk to and rank them in order of high priority to low priority. “Be strategic and rank the employers because it’s a big event, and you have a limited amount of time,” said Hall. “Pick your top five and make those your primary targets. If your top choice has a long line, hit up the other employers first and then go back and wait so you’re making the best use of your time.” The list of employers who are attending the career fair can be found here.
Prepare a “career fair-friendly” resume. “For a career fair, a one-page resume is ideal,” said Hall. “Bring a few more copies than you think you will need. We have employers who just show up on the day-of, so there may be someone unexpected there, or you might have some extra time to talk to an employer who you weren’t originally planning to meet.”
Follow the business professional dress code (but do wear comfortable shoes). According to Hall, the attire for the career fair is business professional. Business professional attire means pants (no jeans), closed-toe shoes, button-down shirts, and suits. “Sometimes, students think that they don’t want to be too dressed up,” said Hall. “In my opinion, nobody looks at you negatively for being too dressed up. The issue would always be not being dressed up enough. You want to look professional, but you’re also on your feet. I feel so bad for some of our students because by the end of the fair, I can tell their feet really hurt. Don’t wear heels if they’re not comfortable for you.”
Bring a small bag to carry your essentials. Backpacks are not allowed on the career fair floor. Hall recommends opting for a small bag packed with your portfolio, multiple copies of your resume, and water.
Arrive early. “Just like everybody else, the recruiters are more tired towards the end of the day,” said Hall. “If you’re there earlier, they are more energetic and responsive. Towards the end of the day, I don’t think it’s a waste of students’ time to go later on, but just know that you may not get the response that you would have gotten first thing in the morning.”
Practice with employers who are not one of your top priorities. “If you get there, and you’re nervous, do a couple practice runs with employers that you are less intimated by so you can get the kinks out before you talk to that top company on your list,” said Hall. “Talk to an employer whose booth is a little bit slower. If you freak out, and you want a minute to practice with somebody, we will have staff available to give you that last-minute boost.”
Be friendly, confident, and demonstrate interest. “You want to try to be as friendly and positive as possible to make a good impression,” said Hall. “Recruiters are people too. They respond to somebody who is friendly and polite.” According to Hall, students who convey confidence and show that they have researched the company are more likely to stand out to an employer. “It makes the employer feel like you’re not just here to talk to everybody, and you really want to talk to them,” said Hall.
Introduce yourself with a 30-second past, present, and future elevator pitch. “Rehearse what you’re going to say because the more prepared you are, the easier it is to speak flawlessly and feel confident,” said Hall. “We call it an elevator pitch, and it’s essentially coming up with a 30-second commercial of yourself. Past, present, and future is a good way to go about it: ‘I’ve recently done this, I’m currently doing this, and I would like to do that in the future.’”
Get the recruiter’s business card for a follow-up message. Hall says that one mistake students often make is not following up with a recruiter after the career fair. “If you meet a recruiter, and you have a great conversation with them, try to see if you can get their specific contact information,” said Hall. “After the fair, you can follow up and thank them for talking to you. Send your resume again because it never hurts to send it one more time and add them on LinkedIn.”
The Fall 2023 All-Majors (In Person) Career Fair will be held Monday, Sept. 11 and Tuesday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center. View the list of employers and get more career fair tips here.
“Being a mentor is my favorite part of my work,” said Shi. “I have learned so much about student psychology and my own psychology. As scientists, we can neglect the human experience it takes for us all to collaborate. I love thinking of new ways to improve the effectiveness of our communication so we all feel welcomed and valued in our scientific communities.”
In 2022, Shi started a mentorship group, FishStalkers, which grew from five to 20 members in just one semester. Shi’s mentees have been offered competitive co-ops and internships, awarded prestigious fellowships, presented at research symposiums, and more.
Shi provides her techniques for cultivating a positive and productive mentor-mentee connection.
Instill confidence in your mentees. “Student researchers have a lot of helpful ideas,” said Shi. “They attend courses where they learn about the newest software and theories while you are held up in the lab. You need to try and access this information, but it’s not going to happen if you do not instill the confidence in them that their idea is worth your time, and that it’s okay if the idea doesn’t work out because the contribution is valuable.”
Lower the standards you set for yourself. “Most Ph.D. students are perfectionists, and they will put a lot of pressure on themselves in terms of responsibility to a mentee,” said Shi. “You don’t need to be perfect. In fact, if you are perfect around your mentees, you will probably just intimidate them.”
According to Shi, this pressure can deter Ph.D. students from pursuing mentorship.
“A lot of people will place barriers on themselves that they do not know enough, or they don’t have enough ‘good work’ for a mentee,” said Shi. “You will make mistakes as a mentor. You and your mentees as people will solve these miscommunications or issues. This is normal and healthy.”
Humanize yourself. “Mentees often have an idealized perception of what a Ph.D. student is,” said Shi. “I will point out mistakes I have made in my work to students and encourage them to correct me if they have better information. I do not want to feel smart. I want to do good work and that requires criticism from other parties, including my mentees. Our goal is to increase the comfortability of the mentee while maintaining the professional boundary required of your role.”
Facilitate situations where the mentee is empowered. “The important thing I focus on with my students is cross-training,” said Shi. “If one mentee has studied a software, they now become responsible for training other mentees and me. It helps to be intentional in teaching your mentees that knowledge can come from anyone. I think putting knowledge into a hierarchy is overblown and only serves to preserve the status of people at the top rather than allowing for new ideas.”
Align mentor and mentee goals. “Goals should not conflict with one another, but this can happen if the mentor does not plan strategically,” said Shi. “The mentor needs to be transparent with what work the mentee needs to complete and the timeline. The mentor should inform the mentee of the amount of time the mentor has to assist the mentee and the appropriate method for contacting you when you need help. It is always best practice to be as specific with what you want rather than assume some ‘should know’ something.”
Shi has created a mentorship document that outlines her expectations for all new student researchers.
Communicate expectations. “We should communicate with each other the experience that we want from the relationship and work towards that goal,” said Shi. “You should align your students’ projects such that they are working towards something that advances your work. Sometimes, you will have motivated students who want to go off and do their own idea. That shows initiative in the student, but you should be direct with them that straying off into projects unrelated to your current research goals will mean that they will receive less oversight/feedback from you.”
Provide positive feedback. “A lot of us analytical types may forget that we should point out tasks that are proceeding well along with the things that are going up in flames,” said Shi. “Recognizing quality mentee work is vital to them reproducing that quality of work again. They need to know when they have met your standards.”
Provide critical feedback. “You will need to provide critical feedback to the mentee both on work and logistical miscommunications,” said Shi. “Do not shy away from this. If you are uncomfortable with discussing concerns on performance, this is normal, but by ignoring the issue you will deny the mentee from improving in this respect.”
Shi’s procedure for handling performance issues involves gathering the facts, detangling your emotions, defining the solution, and sending them a message.
For logistical, non-research issues, Shi recommends keeping records.
“There is a lot of front-loaded work in creating documentation of expectations, but it really pays off in terms of not dealing with day-to-day logistical questions.”
Understand the student researcher’s mindset. “Student researchers often feel insecure in navigating the lab equipment,” said Shi. “Sometimes, their perfectionism will cause them to ask you a lot of questions because they really want to impress you and do things correctly.”
In these situations, Shi advises mentors to protect their own time while reassuring the mentee in their work. Let them know that you appreciate their effort to do things correctly, but part of research is independence, or let them know that you are unavailable to answer their question and provide a timeline for when they can expect to hear from you.
Take the Tech to Teaching program and try your best! “I highly recommend this [Tech to Teaching] program to any Ph.D. student who has long-term goals of becoming a professor,” said Shi. “I want to emphasize something: you do not need formal training to be a mentor. If you are on the fence, try your best. You will learn the most about being a mentor by being a mentor. Listen to your mentee, balance your commitments, prioritize your time and goals, and you will be fine. There is the perception some people have that you need to mentor in a specific way. I do not agree with this mentality. I believe the scope of mentorship should be negotiated by the mentor and the mentee based on an alignment of goals.”
]]>We followed up with Shi to get her tips for new graduate students.
You do not have to sacrifice your entire personhood. “A lot of students coming into a Ph.D. think that they will not have time for anything outside of work,” said Shi. “While the transition to your Ph.D. can be very time-consuming, this is certainly not the case for the entire five years that you will be completing your studies. I have known Ph.D. researchers who are simultaneously the following things: mothers, volleyball players, dancers, and band members. You will make sacrifices in your Ph.D., but you will not need to sacrifice your entire personhood.”
Make efforts toward your thesis every day. “Don’t stress over not knowing the answer on day one, but reading articles or learning about a technical skill every day will add up to a Ph.D. over time,” said Shi.
Practice self-empathy. “You can often feel yourself moving two steps forward, one step backward, and a lack of external affirmation can make you lose motivation,” said Shi. “When this happens, take a break. Remember a thesis is not made or destroyed in one day. You can take a mental break and start tackling that problem in a little while when you feel more mentally equipped. Remember that breaks are not a waste of your time. They are a necessary part of tackling the problems your face in your Ph.D.”
Stop comparing yourself to other Ph.D. students. “It is extremely detrimental to your progress and your collaborations to think of anyone as a competitor,” said Shi. “Consider every interaction with others an opportunity to learn. One day, you will look back and realize how much wiser you are for it. These fellow researchers are your friends and mentors. You will have a much easier time the sooner you realize this.”
Know where to go for support BEFORE you need it. “During my Ph.D., I have taken note of professors and researchers who show passion for mentoring students,” said Shi. “When I need advice, I think of who might have faced a similar experience in their career and reach out for help. find that most professors and peers are more than willing to share their understanding with those coming up behind them.”
Shi also notes that there are demographic-specific resources on campus that bring a different sense of community than peers and mentors in your program.
“Personally, I have spent a lot of time at the LGBT+ Resource Center, Women’s Center, and the Center for Engineering Education and Diversity,” said Shi. “These are places where you can feel safe to speak on your struggles in your Ph.D. that intersect with your identities and feel understood.”
Value criticisms but respect your own opinions. “Earning a Ph.D. is a balance between pushing yourself out onto the frontier of science while respecting the guidance and assistance of those who have already proven themselves as researchers,” said Shi. “That being said, you have to trust yourself. You should not give up on something if one person in the room says it’s a bad idea, but if everyone does, then it is most likely a bad idea.”
Learn how to process rejection. “Life is full of rejection, and it’s not a reflection of your personhood,” said Shi. “I tend to think of each opportunity I apply for as a wish, so when I am successful, I am very lucky. If I am rejected, well there is always something new to wish for. This is what I tell my mentee, ‘It is not your job to reject yourself. Someone else is paid to determine that, but if you don’t put yourself out there, you are already rejected, so you have nothing to lose.’”
New graduate students are welcome to contact Shi via LinkedIn or email at bshi42@gatech.edu.
]]>We followed up with Edwards to get his insight and advice for new Georgia Tech graduate students.
Lean on your support network. “I had a really good support system,” said Edwards. “That included my advisor who would always encourage me when I felt overwhelmed, a few students who I shared classes with who I could bounce questions off of, and wonderful professors who would offer awesome career and classroom curriculum guidance.”
Find the right balance between school, work, and family. For Edwards, his wife was ultimately the “quarterback” of their household, which allowed Edwards to focus on school and career.
“We have four kids (ages, 3, 6, 9, and 15),” he said. “Our household always has something going on, whether it’s soccer, band, dance, etc. Looking back on the journey there were times where things felt overwhelming, but the way we would balance things is by having family time for a few minutes in the morning before school or work and weekend drives together when we can fit them in.”
For those who have been out of school for a while, expect more technology in the classroom. Before coming to graduate school, Edwards spent time working in the industry. When he returned back to school, Edwards felt unprepared for how technology dominated everything.
“From how we access our classes in Canvas to navigating through the [virtual meeting] platform during the pandemic, it took a couple of weeks to get adjusted to navigating through the different platforms,” said Edwards. “Once I connected with some other students, I was able to get some recommendations to where I can go to get help.”
Connect with other students and peers. “It’s amazing to think back when I first started. I kept telling myself ‘Why are you here?’ and ‘You don’t belong,’” said Edwards. “In the beginning, I had so much self-doubt, but once I connected with other students who shared a similar journey, it made me feel like I wasn’t alone, and I began to feel like I did belong.”
Utilize your advisor. “It was so important to me that I had a great relationship with my advisor who helped me navigate through the first couple of semesters, helping me establish goals and picking classes that were suited for my development as a student,” said Edwards.
Believe in yourself. “Be patient and believe in yourself,” said Edwards. “You belong here and have fun. Whatever your goals are, you are in the right place to achieve them.”
Mentorship is an integral part of the graduate student experience, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you think there is potential for a mutually beneficial and professional relationship to be made.
Utilize a few key Georgia Tech resources. “The Georgia Tech Career Center has some great resources available that can be helpful no matter what stage you’re at within your program,” said Modarressi. “I also highly recommend the Center for Mental Health Care and Resources and its services, which have been crucial to me as I progress through my time at Tech. Lastly, the on-campus art studio, Paper and Clay, is a great place to blow off some steam and provide a creative outlet when not working.”
Be self-motivated. “One of the biggest adjustments for me was learning to manage my time,” said Modarressi. “My undergrad was very structured so there was little need to be intentional with my planning because most things were predetermined by my department. Graduate school has taught me the value of self-motivation in determining how I use my limited time during the duration of my program.”
Pave your way. “While my advisors and home school offer some guidance and resources, I have realized that I am ultimately responsible for paving my way through graduate school and, therefore, have the power to make this experience what I want it to be,” said Modarressi. “I felt overwhelmed by this power initially, but I have since improved my time management skills with practice and now feel much more in control of my time and energy, a must for maintaining a healthy work-life balance during graduate school.”
Make time for yourself. “Step back and find enjoyment outside of campus life is key to staying motivated and excited about your program,” said Modarresi.
The mission of Grad SGA’s executive branch is to serve as the voice of the student body. This requires two-way communication between Grad SGA and students, but Boone and Tran aren’t convinced that Grad SGA resonates with graduate students.
According to the two, most students regard Grad SGA as an organization that occasionally puts on events but does little to no advocacy work. To bridge this communication gap between students and Grad SGA, they plan to continue to advocate for solutions to important issues while remaining cognizant of the fact that solutions mean very little if they aren’t communicating the changes.
“Graduate students historically have a much harder time feeling connected to Georgia Tech, and I would like to do what I can to change that,” said Boone.
Boone and Tran outlined their primary challenges and potential solutions to address communication issues with three primary initiatives:
Challenge: A common occurrence in our advocacy efforts is spending time creating and defending policies that help support graduate students only to find out that they already exist. Existing policies could be buried under many levels of documentation in the catalog or efforts to support mental health could be on an inaccessible page on our website.
Solution: Our goal is to create a better repository of this information and make sure graduate students are aware of the resources available to them in an easily digestible format.
Challenge: Grad SGA does a lot of work protecting the interests of graduate students, but it’s unclear to the general population what our role is in these conversations.
Solution: The implementation of a newsletter and a better-maintained website will help legitimatize the organization to the student body, as well as encourage more graduate student involvement.
Challenge: Our job as a student government is to represent the interests of our constituents. However, it is difficult to form a complete picture of student grievances when much of the population is not engaged in our work.
Solution: We plan to start at a high level by forming personal relationships with departmental Grad SGA leaders to uncover individual issues so that we can better represent the student body.
Outside of improving communication, Boone and Tran hope to accomplish the following goals during their time in Grad SGA leadership:
“We have a great team pioneering quite a few new initiatives that we can’t wait to get started on in the fall,” said Boone and Tran.
If you have any further questions about these initiatives or suggestions for new initiatives, please reach out to Boone or Tran via their emails at jboone31@gatech.edu or ntran75@gatech.edu.