October 7, 2013

Dear all,

Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather last weekend! 

Building Permits: Please remember to pick up your autumn quarter building use permits from the Astronomy main office if you have building keys.  You need the permits anytime you are in the building after hours (evenings and weekends).

Graduating autumn, winter, spring or summer?  If you plan on graduating this year, please stop in to see Sarah to fill out graduation paperwork.  Aside from having the administrative paperwork done, you also get graduating senior priority for registration! 

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship: For those of you applying to graduate school this fall, consider also applying for an NSF fellowship!

The Graduate School Office of Fellowships and Awards will offer the following information sessions this week:

 Webinar:   Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/434776046

In person:  Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, 10:30-11:30 a.m., UAA Fair, Mary Gates Hall room 173A

In person:  Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Loew Hall room 101

 NSF’s GRFP is one of the premier opportunities to fund your graduate study.  It provides 3 years of funding that you can use in a 5 year time frame.  This includes a $30,000 annual stipend and full cost of tuition/fees covered.  For UW graduate students, GAIP health insurance is also covered.

 hile there may be an assumption this funding would be only for the “usual suspects” (e.g., life sciences, engineering, math, etc.), there are a surprising number of social science disciplines included in the eligibility list, including STEM education, Political Science, Public Policy, Communication, Anthropology, History, and Sociology.    We encourage students who have a scientific focus in their research to look into this fellowship.

Seniors who are planning to attend graduate school can apply now and take the funding with them to whatever school they attend.

The information session will cover the application process, strategies for successful applications and more details regarding how the fellowship operates.  Application deadlines range from November 4-8, 2013.  Students should start their applications now.

 Basic eligibility criteria:

 *research in an eligible NSF research area (includes several of the social sciences)

*US citizens or permanent residents by the application deadline

*students in their first year of graduate study or at the beginning of their second year of graduate study (with some limitations)

*students who have not earned a previous graduate degree

*graduating senior undergraduates who plan to apply to and begin graduate student by next fall

Full eligibility information is detailed in the program solicitation.

 Due the federal government shutdown, the NSF websites are not currently available.  A copy of the current solicitation for applications can be requested from the Office of Fellowships and Awards at gradappt@uw.edu. 

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2013-14 ARTS AND SCIENCES ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR STUDENTS (ASACS):    The Arts and Sciences Advisory Council for Students (ASACS) is seeking nominations, including self-nominations, of students who would be interested in serving on the Council for the 2013-14 academic year.  To that end, we ask that department chairs circulate this call for nominations to undergraduate and graduate student in their department as soon as possible.  It would be particularly helpful if undergraduate and graduate advisors would call this opportunity to the attention of students whom they believe would be particularly effective members of this Council and encourage them to apply.
    ASACS provides a student perspective on planning and budgeting issues for the College of Arts and Sciences.  The group, which consists of approximately 10 undergraduates and 2 graduate students, meets on Friday afternoons from 3:30-5:00 in the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office to discuss a broad range of issues.  During the 2012-13 academic year, ASACS submitted recommendations to both the Dean and the Provost’s Advisory Committee for Students on issues ranging from merit based faculty salary increases to the number of teaching assistants in the college.  ASACS seeks to include a diverse range of student perspectives in its conversations, and to bring about tangible changes to the student experience in the College of Arts and Sciences and across the University. 
    The time commitment involved in serving on ASACS is substantial.  The Council meets at least every other week during term, and generates its own agenda.  Applicants should ensure that they are available to meet on Friday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:00.  It has proved just too difficult to schedule meetings at any other time.  Bob Stacey, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, attends most of the Council’s meetings, except when the Council chooses to meet without him.  Although Council members are not strictly “representatives” of any particular student group (that is the role of ASUW), they are encouraged to solicit and present to the Council the views of as wide a cross-section of students as possible.
    Students interested in applying to be members of ASACS for the 2013-14 academic year, should submit to Margie Ramsdell (mhr@uw.edu), Assistant to the Dean of Arts and Sciences, a letter of application, no longer than two pages, detailing their qualifications for serving on the Council, listing topics they are interested in having ASACS discuss during the upcoming year, and their views on what the role of ASACS should be within the College of Arts and Sciences.  New members will be chosen by the continuing members of ASACS at the Council’s meeting on Friday, October 18th.  Ms. Ramsdell needs, therefore, to receive all applications BY 5:00 pm ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.

Astronomy Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in PAA A102, Prof. Sanjay Reddy (UW) will give a talk on "Forecasting Neutron Star Temperatures".  Join us in the foyer at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'Announcements: Includes on-campus job postings and more!  http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/