FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

SEPTEMBER

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) #5: Relations between Advisors and Research Trainees 

Presented by Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research

This workshop will review best practices in mentoring students, appropriate mentor-student relationships, as well as strategies for getting the type of mentoring that leads to successful outcomes for current graduate students.

Graduate Writing Process: The Essentials (Personal Statements, Proposals, Abstracts)Presented by Graduate Student Consultants, the Writing Center 

You know you’ll need to write them—and we’ll help you navigate three important grad school genres that aren’t taught in classes. The Writing Center’s graduate consultants will offer you strategies, models, and a chance to ask questions about the particular demands of these three “essentials” of scholarly writing in this interactive presentation. (for more information—contact the Writing Center 202-885-2991, or wcenter@american.edu)

Fulfilling (and Excelling at) your Foreign Language Requirement Examination: Resources & Strategies

Presented by Center for Language Exploration, Acquisition and Research (CLEAR)

In this workshop we will review the language requirements currently in place for the different areas of graduate study and the best ways for you to prepare to demonstrate the required proficiency. We’ll start by specifically discussing what is entailed by the required proficiency examination and how to tailor your prep efforts to address the exam’s demands. We will then utilize a standardized instrument to so you can individually determine your foreign language experience and capabilities and have a clear idea of where you stand in regard to the required proficiency. For those planning on starting a new language or brushing up on a language you have not revisited for some time, we will discuss strategies specific to language study as well as the resources available to you on the AU campus.

OCTOBER

Theses and Dissertation: Electronic Submission Process

Presented by Becca Reeves, Electronic Theses and Dissertation Coordinator, University Library and Lauren Tabbara, Graduate Academic Programs Manager, College of Arts and Science

This session will provide critical information about the thesis and dissertation completion process, including: formatting requirements, the online submission system, your publishing options, and copyright considerations. Whether you are just beginning your thesis or dissertation, or plan to submit it this semester, come learn about the resources available to help you.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) #6: Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment 

Presented by Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research

This workshop will focus on the conflicts of interest and commitment that can occur during the implementation of research projects or in the course of graduate training. We will discuss how to avoid, minimize or manage these conflicts in research settings. 

Graduate Writing Process: Research (Annotated Bibliographies, Scholarly Sources, the Literature Review)

Presented by Janet Auten, Writing Center Director, Department of Literature Faculty

Snowed by sources? Unsure about how to identify and integrate scholarly sources? Need help organizing your review of the literature? This research workshop will offer some sound advice on the basics of annotating, integrating, and summarizing your reading.  

Fulfilling (and Excelling at) your Foreign Language Requirement Examination: Resources & Strategies

Presented by Center for Language Exploration, Acquisition and Research (CLEAR)

In this workshop we will review the language requirements currently in place for the different areas of graduate study and the best ways for you to prepare to demonstrate the required proficiency. We’ll start by specifically discussing what is entailed by the required proficiency examination and how to tailor your prep efforts to address the exam’s demands. We will then utilize a standardized instrument so you can individually determine your foreign language experience and capabilities and have a clear idea of where you stand in regard to the required proficiency. For those planning on starting a new language or brushing up on a language you have not revisited for some time, we will discuss strategies specific to language study as well as the resources available to you on the AU campus.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) #7: Collaborative Research and Research Teams

Presented by Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research

This workshop will provide guidance and a facilitated group discussion of how to work effectively on a research team and use specific strategies to communicate expectations and fulfill responsibilities in a collaborative research environment. These are critical skills for today's interdisciplinary research settings. 

Making the Grade: A Conversation with National Scholarship Selection Committee Members

Moderated by Paula Warrick, Director of the Office of Merit Awards

Our panelists are all AU faculty and staff members who have served on national selection committees for prestigious grants. Join us as they share insights on the composition of the selection committee, the review process, and elements of a successful candidacy.  

NOVEMBER

Fulfilling (and Excelling at) your Foreign Language Requirement Examination: Resources & Strategies

Presented by Center for Language Exploration, Acquisition and Research (CLEAR)

In this workshop we will review the language requirements currently in place for the different areas of graduate study and the best ways for you to prepare to demonstrate the required proficiency. We’ll start by specifically discussing what is entailed by the required proficiency examination and how to tailor your prep efforts to address the exam’s demands. We will then utilize a standardized instrument so you can individually determine your foreign language experience and capabilities and have a clear idea of where you stand in regard to the required proficiency. For those planning on starting a new language or brushing up on a language you have not revisited for some time, we will discuss strategies specific to language study as well as the resources available to you on the AU campus.

Graduate Writing Process: Revising (Revision, Collaboration/Peer Review, Effective Editing)

Presented by Janet Auten, Writing Center Director, Department of Literature Faculty

The essential step in an effective writing process is the objective self-evaluation that leads us to re-read and enables us to re-see our work. This session focuses on strategies to enable that essential ability to re-see (re-vise), including working with others to give and get feedback. Ways to develop a sharp eye for editing and improve writing clarity are also offered.  

Get Linked into your Career

Presented by Sue Gordon, Director of Career Development, the Career Center

Learn about Career Center services and how to establish a professional presence online using LinkedIn and other social media tools. This workshop will include a demonstration of key ways LinkedIn can help you to present yourself and make connections in your career.

An Overview of Grant Writing: Workshop for the Social Sciences and Humanities Graduate Student

Presented by Conrad Hohenlohe, Associate Director of Administration, Office of Sponsored Research

Interactive workshop will look at the fundamentals of proposal writing in the context of a successful funding strategy. It will examine the process of matching a project to a potential funder’s interests and presenting it in the most effective way. 

Responsible Conduct of Research RCR #8: Research with Human or Animal Participants

Presented by Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research

This workshop will review ethical principles that guide the conduct of research with human or vertebrate animal participants. We will also review how these principles structure reviews by campus IRBs and IACUCs, a necessary component of many funded and unfunded research projects.

GRC

FOR FACULTY

As part of our efforts to encourage innovation and discovery at American, and to assist in the commercialization of any intellectual property resulting from any research and academic efforts, AU has engaged in the services of TreMonti's Intellectual Asset Management practice. 

We would like the Tremonti team to have the opportunity to meet iwth interested AU investigators to help them document any discoveries, inventions or bodies of work that come from their research efforts at AU. A member of the TreMonti team will be available to meet with individuals or groups of AU faculty on the following dates:

• Wednesday, September 19th: 10am-12pm and 2:30-3:30pm, Faculty Senate Conference Room

• Wednesday, October 24th: 10am-3:30pm, Provost Conference Room, Leonard Hall

• Tuesday, November 27th: 10am-3:40pm, Provost Conference Room, Leonard Hall

Please contact Anita Brown at 202-885-6333 or abrown@american.edu for questions about the meeting times or intellectual property commercialization at AU.

A Message From: Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research

I would like to determine your interest in attending a day-long seminar
with Dr. Ralph Pollack, Associate Vice President for Research at UMBC, on November 5, 2012. The overarching goal of the workshop is to provide assistance and support to AU faculty to write successful applications for external funding and advance their careers via the performance of sponsored research. The day-long training workshop has very limited space, but it is open to tenure-earning and term faculty from all academic units.

Participants should expect to experience a highly interactive
workshop with an intensive review of grant-writing strategies by a teacher and grants consultant with a proven track record of coaching faculty to get highly competitive awards from federal funding agencies (including several AU faculty during the last two years). Following the workshop,(on November 6 and 7) faculty may schedule follow-up one-on-one meetings with Dr. Pollack to refine their working application ideas or to begin the process of consulting with him to refine an application that is currently in progress. Follow-up from the workshop can include on-going consultation with Dr. Pollack through the submission process for the grant application, as well as subsequent revisions.

If you wish to participate in this opportunity, please provide me the
following information. This information will be used by Dr. Pollack to
tailor the workshop sessions to the needs of the attending faculty.

1. Are you currently working on an application for funding? If so, how
far along are you with the application?

2. Are you targeting a specific funding opportunity (RFA, RFP or PA) or a
specific funding agency? If you do not have a specific funding
opportunity in mind, we will connect you with one of the research
librarians on campus to obtain a preliminary search for you before your
meeting with Dr. Pollack. We can also connect you with the Office of
Sponsored Programs (OSP) to begin the flow of information to OSP.

3. What do you want to get out of the sessions with Dr. Pollack? What are your expectations and what knowledge and skills would you like to enhance?

Please let me know at your earliest convenience, but no later than
September 30th, if you are interested in participating.

Please send your information to Anita Brown.

Confirmation that the program will take place will be announced in early
October. At that time, additional information regarding the sessions will
be provided.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you.