Blog

You have convinced the hiring committee that you are a strong candidate for your dream job through a polished cover letter and C.V. But what about the core of your scholarship? Where do you see your research in five years? This workshop on October 17 will explore the research statement and the five-year plan: what they are, what they look like, and which one is right for you.

Do you know what a diversity statement is? How does diversity fit into your academic goals? This workshop on October 24 will explore diversity statements: what they are, what they look like, and how to make yours relevant to who you are. Join us and learn how to write about yourself, your research, and your teaching in relation to diversity!

You are almost there! The hiring committee thinks you are an accomplished scholar with an impressive career trajectory and commitment to diversity. But this is a teaching-heavy position and they want to know: are you also a wonderful presence in the classroom? This workshop on October 31 will explore teaching philosophies and how to make yours shine!

Grad school marks the next chapter in Fernanda Montero's adventure. She is coming to UCSB from Mexico City, where she worked with the Mexican government and United Nations to channel more financial resources for nature conservation. She is very excited to ​come to UCSB and continue her work "financing nature" in the Bren School for Environmental Science and Management.

Next up in our 2018 Incoming Grad Series is Tanner Cassidy, who is coming to UCSB from Chicago to pursue a Ph.D. in ​​Music, ​​after completing his undergraduate degree ​at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Read on to learn more about ​Tanner's ​background, research interests, and his toy poodle named Raincloud!

The 2018 Incoming Grad Series continues with Meenakshi Shyamsundar, an incoming master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Bangalore, India. Learn more about ​Meena's research interests and what she is looking forward to at UCSB!

First up in our 2018 Incoming Grad Series is Sean McBride, who is entering the Ph.D. program in Physics. Learn more about how Sean developed his passion for physics (hint: Pokemon was involved) as well as his interests outside of school – including baking bread!

The Office of Instructional Consultation (OIC) is hiring for their Teaching Assistant Development Program (TADP). TADP supports academic departments in designing and offering centralized training for their TAs and to assist the campus in preparing graduate students for their teaching role as future university faculty. Application deadline extended to September 27th.

Do you want $34,000? Would you like a prestigious honor on your CV? Are you a senior undergraduate thinking about graduate school or a 1st/2nd year graduate student in STEM or the social sciences? Consider applying for the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). Join us on September 28 to learn more!

Planning to apply for the NSF GRFP? Let us walk you through the appropriate style of writing and prepare you to craft a winning set of statements. This workshop on October 1 will break down the two GRFP statements by not only explaining what evaluators look for but also providing you with a framework to write these statements.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could ask someone who has received the NSF GRFP questions about the application process? Wouldn’t it be helpful to hear from someone about how their research gets funded and the various procedural business that accompanies being awarded the NSF GRFP? Now you can! Join us on October 3 and get your questions answered.

There are a lot of wonderful resources out there that provide guidance on how to do well on the GRFP application, but ultimately your success will be determined by an evaluator. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could talk to one of these mysterious figures to learn how the application is reviewed and what evaluators seek in a strong application? Join us on October 8 and you can do just that!

While there is no one way to write an NSF GRFP statement, there is a pattern to how successful applications model themselves to hit all the essential criteria. On October 10, come learn how other writers have done this to excel with your own application.

If you have specific questions related to your application, you won't want to miss this session! On October 15, you will be matched with a successful GRFP applicant or faculty evaluator. Please bring a copy of one of your materials (e.g. one of the statements) to be reviewed. Participation in this event is strictly by appointment, so please make sure to RSVP and indicate your availability.

UCSB welcomes 835 new grad students into its ranks ​at the end of this month. This group is the most diverse group of incoming students in UCSB history! We break down ​some statistics on our incoming cohort and give you a sneak peak at our upcoming series of articles profiling 8 of our new student​s!