first year graduate student seminarnsf graduate fellowships •this is the single biggest source of...

FirstYearGraduateStudentSeminarAugust30,2017

Today:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships

Nextmeeting:September6:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments

Outline

• GoalsoftheFYGSS• AdditionalSeminars• Gradingandhelpsessionassignments• ApplyingforFellowships• LanguageRequirements• AnnualReview• Feedback• CalendarfortheSemesterThistalkisavailableatthefollowingwebsite:http://www.math.tamu.edu/~phoward/graduate/materials.html

Updates

• Thedrop/adddeadlinehasbeenmovedtoTuesday,Sept.5.

• TheNationalSecurityAgencywilltalktostudentsaboutsummerinternships,Thursday,Sept.21,1-2inBlocker220.

• StudentsmustcompletePart1oftheHAVENOnlineSexualHarassmentandSexualviolenceeducationmodulebyFriday,Sept.22,andPart2byFriday,Nov.17.

GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,

andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.

• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.

• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.

• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.

• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).

• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.

GoalsoftheFYGSS• Givefirst-yearstudentsanoverviewofthedepartment,

andinformationthatwillhelpthemchoosearesearchtopicandadvisor.

• Addresscommonquestionsassociatedwithgraduatestudyinmathematics.

• Givestudentsinformationaboutthemathematicsprofession.

• Givefirst-yearstudentsfromdifferentareas(mathematicalandgeographical)achancetomeetandtalk.

• Providethegraduatedirectorwithanopportunitytocommunicatewithfirst-yeargraduatestudents(announcements,reminders,etc.).

• Providefirst-yeargraduatestudentswithanopportunitytoaskquestionsabouttheprogram.

FAQs• HowshouldIprepareforthequalifyingexams?• CanIgetsummerfunding?• HowcanIgetafellowship?HowcanIgetsupportedona

grant?• WhataremyresponsibilitiesasaTA?HowshouldIbalance

theseresponsibilitieswithmystudies?• HowdoIgoaboutchoosinganadvisor?• WhatsortsofjobswillbeavailabletomewhenIgraduate,

andhowdoIgoaboutapplyingforthem?• WhatshouldIstartdoingnow togetreadyforthejob

search?• ShouldIjoinmathematicalsocietiesandorganizations?• Manymore…

Fall2017FYGSS• Aug.30:GoalsoftheFYGSS;programinformation;applyingforfellowships

• Sept.6:DavidManuelwilltalkaboutgradingandhelpsessionassignments

• Sept.13:OlaSobieska andAyoAdeniran willtalkaboutoutreachopportunities;I’lltalkaboutotherthingsstudentscanstartdoingnowtoprepareforthejobmarket

• Sept.30:Paneldiscussion:Adjustingtograduateschool• Oct.25:Paneldiscussion:preparingforqualifyingexams• Nov.29:PreparingforSpring2018

Spring2018Topics

• Studentpaneldiscussions:Findinganadvisorandadvicefromgraduatingstudents

• Thecurrentjobmarketformathematicians• Summer2018andfutureyearsintheprogram

AdditionalSeminars

GSOSeminar• TheGraduateStudentOrganization(GSO)seminarmeetsonThursdays4:00-5:00inBlocker506A.

• “Comeforthecookies,stayforthepizza.”• Thisisagoodchancetomeetyourfellowgraduatestudentsandtolearnabouttheresearchprogramsofprofessorsinthedepartment.

• Formoreinformation:http://gso.math.tamu.edu

IndustrialandAppliedMathSeminar

• Thedepartment’sSIAMStudentChapterco-organizes(withthegraduateprogram)aseminaronapplicationsofmathematicsoutsideofacademia.

• CookiesandFruit,butnopizza.

MoreSeminars

• Informationaboutallseminarsinthedepartmentisavailableontheseminarswebpage:

http://www.math.tamu.edu/seminars• Studentsshouldsubscribetotheseminarsmailinglist.Theguideforthisishere:

https://www.math.tamu.edu/computing/help/majordomo.html

GradingandHelpSessionAssignments

GradingandHelpSessionAssignments

• DavidManuelwilltalkabouttheseassignmentsinmoredetailinthenextFYGSS.

• Forbothoftheseassignments,theexpectedworkloadis10hoursperweek,butforgradingassignmentsthiscanbeanaverage.

• CommentaboutGANTs.• PickupatextbookforyourassignmentfromJudyMuzny inBlocker227.

GradingAssignments

• Studentswithgradingassignmentsshouldalreadyhavecontactedtheprofessorthey’regradingfor.Makesureyouknow:–Whattheschedulewillbeforcollectingandreturninggradedwork

–Whowillkeeptrackofthegrades– Anygradingpreferencestheprofessorhas– Ifyou’llbeaskedtogradeanyexams(includingthefinal)

HelpSessionAssignments• PickupanametaginBlocker227,andwearitduringeveryhelpsession.Also,pickupsign-insheets.

• Don’tmakestudentshuntyoudowninthebackoftheroom.Ifyou’renotworkingwithastudent,introduceyourselftostudentsastheycomein.(Iftherearenostudents,youcanworkonhomeworketc.)

• Donottutorstudentsforacoursethat’snotcoveredbyyourhelpsession.Directthemtotheappropriatehelpsession.

• Donot(!!)tutorforpayduringahelpsession.

ApplyingforFellowships

WhyApplyforFellowships?• $$$andreducedornoTAduties.• Prestige(looksgoodonyourCV).• Practice:Mostresearchersinthemathematicalsciencescontinuetoapplyforgrantfundingthroughouttheircareers,andit’sbeneficialtogetaccustomedtothisprocessassoonaspossible.

• Themoreapplicationsandproposalsyouwrite,thebetteryou’llgetatwritingthem.

• Also,writingafellowshipproposalforcesyoutotakeastepbackandthinkmorebroadlyaboutwhatyougenuinelywanttobeworkingon.

• Butmostly$$$andreducedTAduties.

WhatFellowshipsareAvailable?

• TheAmericanMathematicalSociety(AMS)collectsinformationaboutfellowshipopportunitiesinthemathematicalsciencesonitswebsite:http://www.ams.org/programs/students/gradinfo/gradinfo

• Thisisausefulsiteonitsown,butthefellowshipinformationisatthebottomofthepage.

NSFGraduateFellowships

• Thisisthesinglebiggestsourceofmathgraduatefellowshipsinthecountry.

• In2016,59fellowshipswereawardedinmath,outof2,000totalawards.

• In2017,67fellowshipswereawardedinmath,of2,069totalawards.

• For2017,therewereabout13,000applications(about17,000in2016).

• For2017,11fellowshipswereawardedtostudentsfromTexasA&M.

• Noneinmath.

NSFGraduateFellowships• 2017Awardsinmathbyarea:(2016inparentheses)– Algebra,numbertheory,andcombinatorics:22(14)– Analysis:3(8)– Appliedmath:11(20)– Computationalmath:2(2)– Geometricanalysis:3(2)– Logic&foundations1(0)– Mathbiology:12(6)– Probability:5(0)– Topology:8(4)

• MoreinformationaboutAwards:http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp

NSFGraduateFellowships• Unfortunately,therearerestrictionsonwhocanreceivethesefellowships:(1)applicantsmustbeUScitizens,nationals,orpermanentresidents,and(2)studentsmustapplynolaterthanfallsemesteroftheirsecondyearofgraduateschool.(StudentswithMSdegreescannotapply.)

• TheduedateisOct.27.• Themathdepartmentawardsa$250book/travelallotmenttostudentswhoapplyandreceivehonorablemention.

• Moreinformation:http://www.nsfgrfp.org/

LanguageRequirements

EnglishLanguageRequirement

• InternationalstudentsmusthaveEnglishProficiencyCertificationtoserveasteachingassistants,andthedepartmentexpectsstudentstoachievethisduringtheirfirstyear.

• Certificationcanbeobtainedinthreeways:– CompletionofanundergraduatedegreeatanaccreditedU.S.collegeoruniversity(Master’sdegreeisnotsufficient).

– Achievingasufficientlyhighscoreonanappropriatestandardizedtest.

– Scoringatleast80ontheEnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE)oralexam.

ForeignLanguageRequirement

• Hasbeeneliminated.

AnnualReview

GoodStanding

• Manydepartmentpoliciesspecifythatastudentmustbeingoodstanding,soit’sworthreviewingwhatthatmeans.InordertobeingoodstandingPhDstudentsshould:– Maintaina3.0orbettercumulativeGPAeverysemester– AdequatelyperformtheirTAdutieseverysemester– PassallbreadthrequirementcourseswithaBorbetterduring

theirfirsttwoyears– Passtwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyears– (Internationalstudents)ObtainEnglishProficiencyCertification

duringtheirfirstyear– Receivepositiveprogressreportsfromtheiradvisoreveryyear

afterfilingadegreeplan– Notviolatetheethicscodeoftheuniversity

ReviewProcedure

• Thegraduatecommitteecarriesoutafullprogressevaluationforeachstudentduringthesummer.Thisincludesareportfromthestudent’sadvisor(oncethestudenthasanadvisor),andafullreviewofthestudent’sfile.

• Inadditionthegraduatecommitteereviewsthestandingofeachgraduatestudentattheendofeachsemester.

GeneralPunitiveAction

• Ifitisjudgedthatastudentisnolongeringoodstanding,thestudentwillbeplacedonprobationforthenextsemester.

• Inpractice,thereisnopenaltyassociatedwithprobation(nolossoffunding).

• Attheendoftheprobationsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnotpaythestudent’stuitionforthenextsemester.Generally,thestudentwillstillbesupportedonanassistantshipduringthissemester.

• Attheendofthissecondsemester,ifthestudentisstillnotingoodstanding,thedepartmentwillnolongersupportthestudentwitheithertuitionorastipend.

ExampleCase

• Studentsshouldpasstwoqualifyingexamsduringtheirfirsttwoyearsintheprogram.

• ForastudentwhobeginstheprogramFall2017thelastchancetocompletethisrequirementisAugust2019.

• IfastudentwhostartsFall2017doesnotpasstwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2019he/shewillbeputonprobationforFall2019.

• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyJanuary2020his/hertuitionwillnotbepaidSpring2020.Thestudentwillgenerallystillhaveanassistantship.

• IfthestudenthasnotpassedtwoqualifyingexamsbyAugust2020alldepartmentsupportwillbedropped.

TuitionPolicy

• Theupperadministrationoftheuniversity(i.e.,theprovost’soffice)paystuitionasfollows:– 5yearsforstudentsenteringwithonlyabaccalaureatedegree– 4 yearsforstudentsenteringwithamaster’sdegree

• Forstudentsbeyondthismandate,butstillingoodstandingwiththedepartment,tuitionispaidfromalternativesources,dependingontheavailabilityoffunds.Sofar,wehavebeenabletopaytuitioninallsuchcases.

• Thistuitionscheduledoesnotaffectassistantships.Studentsbeyond4or5yearswhoarestillingoodstandingwiththeprogramwillcontinuetobesupportedonassistantships.

Feedback

FeedbackStudentsenteringtheprogramgothroughanenormousamountofstuffveryfast,andithelpsifweunderstandwhatworks(isuseful,efficient,etc.)andwhatdoesn’t.Inchronologicalorder:• Aug.14,15,21,23:Internationalstudentcheck-inwithISS.

• Thursday,Aug.24:InternationalStudentConference(ISC).

• Friday,Aug.18,orFriday,Aug.25:Universitylevelgraduatestudentorientation.

• August12,19,27:EnglishLanguageProficiencyExam(ELPE).

• Anythingelse?

CalendarfortheSemester

DatestoKeepinMind

• Tuesday,Sept.5isthelastdaytoaddordropaclasswithnorecord

• Friday,Nov.17isthelastdayforQ-drop• Saturday,Nov.18isBonfire1999RemembranceDay

• WehaveathreedayThanksgivingbreak,Nov.22-23.

• Wednesday,Dec.6:Lastdayofclasses

ThingstoWatchFor

• RoughlymidwaythroughthesemesterMoniquewillaskstudentstosignupforJanuaryqualifyingexams.

• TowardtheendofthesemesterstudentswillregisterforSpring2017classes.