Two appointments have been announced recently to the UC Santa Barbara campus community. After an extensive national search, Dr. David Marshall, the Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts and Professor of English and Comparative Literature, has been named UCSB’s next Executive Vice Chancellor, effective September 15. Dr. John Majewski, Associate Dean in the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts and a Professor of History, has been appointed Interim Dean of the Division.

Below are the messages to the campus community from Chancellor Henry T. Yang:

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TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Dear Colleagues:

Dr. David MarshallI am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. David Marshall as our next Executive Vice Chancellor, effective September 15, 2014, pending appropriate UC Office of the President and Regental approvals.

This appointment is the result of an extensive national search. I am grateful to our search advisory committee, chaired by Professor Joel Michaelsen, for its diligent work, thoughtful advice, wisdom, and vision. The members of the committee are listed below. I would also like to thank our Academic Senate colleagues and all the members of our campus community who provided important consultation, input, and advice throughout this search process.

Dr. Marshall is currently our Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts, and Professor of English and Comparative Literature. He has provided outstanding leadership for our campus during his 16 years as Dean. From 2005 to 2012, he served as the first Executive Dean of our College of Letters and Science, overseeing the transition from a Provost model to a new governance model in which the Council of Deans leads the College. Dean Marshall helped to ensure that this model was defined and developed in such a way that all of the L&S Divisions could thrive and develop to their full potential within the contexts of a cohesive College and our campus’s interdisciplinary and collaborative environment. Representing the College on a variety of campus committees, he worked closely with the Academic Senate through the L&S Faculty Executive Committee. He helped to create COLLABORATE, the Instructional Technology Enhancement Initiative. In all of his positions, Dean Marshall has served as an ambassador and advocate for the College and for our entire campus, working tirelessly with all of our colleagues to advance UC Santa Barbara.

Dean Marshall’s history of service to our campus and the UC system is both broad and deep. He has served on the Chancellor’s Coordinating Committee on Budget Strategy; the Campus Planning Committee; the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion; and the Board of Directors of the UC Santa Barbara Community Housing Authority, among many other committees. He is also the co-chair of the Leadership Committee of our campus’s Operational Effectiveness Initiative.

At the systemwide level, Dean Marshall has served on (since 1998) and chaired (since 2003) the UC President’s Advisory Committee on Research in the Humanities, which oversees the UC Humanities Network. He was the Principal Investigator for the $12,775,000 University of California Multi-Campus Research Program and Initiative Award for the UC Humanities Network. He also serves on the UC Education Abroad Program Governance Committee, and previously served on the Size and Shape working group of the UC Commission on the Future. Active nationally as well, he is currently the President of the National Humanities Alliance, based in Washington, D.C., which advances humanities policy in the areas of research, education, preservation, and public programs.

Dr. Marshall was a professor at Yale University from 1979 to 1997, serving as Chair of the English Department, Director of the Literature Major, Acting Chair of Comparative Literature, and Director of the Whitney Humanities Center, among other appointments. He received his B.A. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University. He was a Guggenheim Fellow and received a Yale University Morse Fellowship. His research focuses on eighteenth-century fiction, aesthetics, and moral philosophy. His 2005 book, “The Frame of Art: Fictions of Aesthetic Experience, 1750-1815,” was awarded the 2005-2006 Louis Gottschalk Prize by the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. His fourth book is in press. He also has lectured widely and published on issues in higher education and public education.

Our entire campus community owes a debt of gratitude to Interim Executive Vice Chancellor Joel Michaelsen for his outstanding leadership during this transitional time, building on the many accomplishments of former EVC Gene Lucas. We thank Professor Michaelsen sincerely for his contributions in this role and throughout his distinguished 33-year career here at UC Santa Barbara.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Marshall as our next EVC. We appreciate the vision, experience, and leadership he brings to this critically important position.

Sincerely,

Henry T. Yang

Chancellor

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TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Dear Colleagues:

As you know, Dr. David Marshall will be relinquishing his responsibility as Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts and assuming the position of Executive Vice Chancellor, effective September 15, 2014.

Dr. John MajewskiAfter consulting with Interim Executive Vice Chancellor Joel Michaelsen, Dean Marshall, and all of the department chairs in our Division of Humanities and Fine Arts, as well as with our Academic Senate, I have asked Associate Dean John Majewski to serve as Interim Dean, and I am very pleased that he has graciously agreed.

Professor Majewski joined the faculty of our UCSB History Department in 1995. Since then, he has held a number of leadership positions, including Chair of the History Department from 2009 to 2012 and Associate Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts for the last two years. He served on our Program Review Panel for five years, including three years as chair or co-chair, as well as the L&S Faculty Executive Committee and the Committee on Research.

Associate Dean Majewski has a doctorate from UCLA, where he won the Nevins Prize for the best dissertation in North American economic history awarded by the Economic History Association. His areas of specialization include United States history; American economic, social, and legal history; Southern history; and the United States Civil War. John won the Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award in 2003.

I am in the process of forming a search advisory committee so we can begin a national search for our next Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts. In the meantime, I am grateful to Dr. Majewski for agreeing to serve as Interim Dean. We thank him for assuming the responsibilities of this important role during this transitional period, and we know that his two decades of scholarship, leadership, and service on our campus will benefit us at this important time.

Finally, let me warmly thank Dean Marshall for his 16 years of dedicated service and extraordinary leadership as our Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts.

Sincerely,

Henry T. Yang

Chancellor

UC Santa Barbara is among the best public universities in the nation, once again ranking highly on U.S. News & World Report’s annual listing of the “Top 30 Public National Universities.” UCSB was ranked No. 10, moving up a spot in U.S. News’ rankings. On the magazine’s list of “Best National Universities,” which includes both public and private institutions, UCSB also did well, moving up to No. 40 in a tie with Pennsylvania's Lehigh University.

The rankings are part of U.S. News’ 2015 edition of Best Colleges, which includes data on nearly 1,800 institutions nationwide. The colleges and universities are ranked on about 16 measures of academic excellence, including research, faculty resources, and commitment to instruction.

UCSB’s graduate students and the high quality of its graduate programs no doubt contributed to the top rankings. Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti was pleased but not surprised that UCSB ranked so highly.

“It is exciting to see that UCSB is again ranked within the top 10 public universities,” said Dean Genetti.  “Our recipe for success includes our highly distinguished faculty, brilliant graduate students from across the world, and remarkable undergraduates who are eager to join in the research enterprise. But especially important is our campus leadership that works to enable discovery and scholarship, and brings to fruition the creative ideas and cross-disciplinary programs that our campus is known for.”

University of California campuses dominated the top 10 list of public national universities. UC Berkeley was No. 1; UCLA placed No 2 in a tie with the University of Virginia; UC San Diego was No. 8; and UC Davis was in the No. 9 spot. UC Irvine followed closely behind UCSB at No. 11 on the public national universities list.

UCSB’s College of Engineering was also recognized, placing No. 20 among engineering schools at the nation’s public universities.

For more information, read the Office of Public Affairs’ news release, “A Top 10 University.” Also, read U.S. News’ blog article and its complete rankings.

Congratulations to UC Santa Barbara and all the other UC campuses that made this distinguished list!

Credit: cybrarian77

If you are an academic student employee at UCSB, you sign a contract that spells out the terms of your employment. Periodically, some major parts of this contract undergo revisions when the university negotiates with labor unions such as UAW 2865, which is the union that represents over 13,000 student-workers across the University of California system. The UC employment contract was updated and ratified on June 21, 2014, and included changes that directly affect many graduate students. This new contract will be in effect until June 30, 2018.

Read below for answers to some frequently asked questions.

Q: Which graduate students are affected by the contract changes?

All Academic Student Employees (ASEs) in the UC system, including Teaching Assistants, Associates, Readers, and both undergraduate and graduate tutors.

Q: Which parts of the contract affect me most as a graduate student?

Wages. Wages will increase 5% during the 2014-2015 school year, and will continue to increase each year through 2018 (though by a smaller percentage).

Appointment Notification and Appointment Security. Once an employment offer is received by an ASE, it is guaranteed. The offer should be accompanied by (1) an appointment notification letter, which states the dates hired for, number of hours, and what the pay and benefits are; and (2) a supplemental documentation checklist that details which course the ASE is assigned to and what the specific duties are. If an appointment is canceled, the university either has to reassign the ASE or pay him/her anyway.

Fee Remission. A graduate student who works at least 10 hours a week (a 25% appointment or higher) as a TA, Reader, or Tutor will be granted full remission of in-state tuition, registration fees, and health care premiums. The University has agreed to maintain the status quo with respect to providing an additional $408 per year, and more specifically $136 per quarter, of non-resident supplemental tuition remission as part of the graduate student partial fee remission benefit for qualifying students. Students who have earned partial fee remission as an ASE and have been assessed non-resident supplemental tuition in the same quarter will be provided the $136 credit.

Workload. ASEs are entitled to wages for all duties related to the appointment, including reading the course material, attending lectures, preparing for discussion, attending required training classes, and answering student emails. ASEs cannot be asked to work more hours than they are being paid for. For a TA working at 50%, this means working no more than 220 total hours during the quarter, 40 hours in any given week, or 8 hours in one day.

Credit: Micah SittigChild Care Reimbursement. Any ASE working at 25% time or more is entitled to a $900 (up from $600) per quarter child care reimbursement for children up to the age of 12. This subsidy is also available for summer session. To find out more about this reimbursement, click here.

Pregnancy and Childbirth Leave. A salaried ASE shall be eligible to receive up to 6 weeks (increased from 4 weeks) of paid leave for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions for the period prior to, during, and after childbirth. ASEs are also eligible for up to four months of unpaid pregnancy disability leave, not to exceed the end date of the ASE appointment. This runs concurrently with paid pregnancy leave. An ASE on approved long-term leave is entitled to partial fee remission and student health insurance as long as they remain otherwise eligible for this benefit of employment. Only women are eligible for this type of leave.

Newborn/New Child Bonding Leave . A salaried ASE shall be eligible to receive up to 4 weeks of paid leave to care for and bond with the ASE’s newborn child or a child placed with the ASE for adoption or foster care, provided that the leave is taken within 12 months of the birth or placement of the child with the ASE. An ASE may be approved for up to two additional weeks of unpaid leave for baby bonding. Both men and women are eligible for this leave.

Sick Leave. Salaried ASEs employed at 50% time are entitled to two paid sick days per quarter. This leave may also be used to care for a family member. Any salaried ASE is eligible to receive up to 4 weeks of paid leave due to a serious health condition or to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. An additional 2 weeks of unpaid leave may be approved for a serious health condition.

Credit: Samir LutherNon-Discrimination Improvements. Appointment letters must now include a statement about all-gender restroom access. ASEs are guaranteed access to all-gender and ADA-compliant restrooms within accessible proximity to their workplace. If a restroom is not available, ASEs may contact the Union to fill out a request form. For a list of UCSB's gender-neutral bathrooms, click here.

Lactation Support. An ASE must be allowed time, though not during classroom time, for the purpose of expressing breast milk. ASEs shall have access to designated spaces for the primary purpose of expressing breast milk. If no such space exists in reasonable proximity to an ASE’s work location, the department/hiring unit will designate an appropriate temporary space for the purpose of expressing and storing breast milk. For more information on UCSB's Breastfeeding Support Program and to locate a lactation room on campus, click here.

Q: Where can I read the full contract?

The full revised contract may be accessed here.

Q: Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Please contact the hiring supervisor or graduate program assistant in your department with further questions.

Credit: Patricia MarroquinUCSB has continued to add to its list of honors with an acknowledgement on the list of The 25 Healthiest Colleges in the U.S. Referencing the “natural beauty” of the campus, the well-rounded adventure programs, the active culture of campus, and the available relaxation tools offered, Greatist applauds UCSB for its all-encompassing efforts to ensure the mental and physical health of its students.

This most recent honor for UCSB is the latest in a long line of acknowledgements for its commitment to student health. UCSB has worked to make its beautiful scenery a useful tool in the busy life of a full-time student. The Labyrinth Trail on Lagoon Island, for example, allows students to both get away from the hectic world at the heart of campus and relax while also taking in the breathtaking beauty that campus has to offer. 

The beauty of campus is, of course, impossible to ignore, but UCSB has worked hard to offer more than just physical beauty to its students. UCSB’s residential dining, for example, has been working to provide students with “earth-friendly” dining for several years now. University-owned dining commons – Ortega, Carrillo, Portola, and De La Guerra – are open to graduate students both on- and off-campus.

In addition to the healthy eating options, the campus also offers mental health assistance through the Mental Health Peer Program, located in the Counseling and Psychological Services Center. The center holds de-stress workshops, and students can unwind in massage chairs, an alpha wave chamber, and a relaxation room.

The Health & Wellness program offers resources and events such as field trips and its quarterly Dog Therapy Day.

UCSB also provides its students with numerous opportunities for a valuable activity, exercise.  With intramurals, recreation program offerings, and the many exercise options offered on a daily basis at the Rec Cen, students have plenty of options for having an active, healthy lifestyle both on campus and off.

For the full list of healthiest colleges, read Greatist's "The 25 Healthiest Colleges in the U.S."

No. 10 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top National Public Universities? Check. UCSB’s Materials program No. 1 on the magazine’s list of top graduate and professional programs at public universities? Check. No. 11 among public universities in Washington Monthly’s National Universities Rankings? Check. No. 8 among the top 750 universities worldwide in the Leiden Rankings? Check. One of Greatist.com’s 25 Healthiest Colleges in America? Check. No. 24 on the Sierra Club’s Cool Schools list? Check. No. 5 among public universities on Forbes magazine's list of America's Most Entrepreneurial Universities? Check.

Credit: Patricia MarroquinIn the past couple of years, UC Santa Barbara has received a host of honors and awards, and in several cases, its rankings have risen over the previous year.

“These rankings reflect UC Santa Barbara’s remarkable strength across a wide variety of disciplines and departments,” Executive Vice Chancellor David Marshall said in an Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC) news release. “Excellence across the campus contributes to the interdisciplinary environment that allows us to provide our students with a deep and broad education, while stimulating innovative research and scholarship.”

Our campus truly is “soaring,” and in keeping with that spirit, OPAC has created a video, “Soaring Over UCSB.” Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of our beautiful campus in the video above. For more information about UCSB’s rankings, read the OPAC news release.

Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Maggie Bell at San Gimignano, Italy, this summer. Credit: Maggie BellIf Maggie Bell’s life were a movie, it would probably be a Disney film. In this film, you would see a young Maggie and her little brother go off for a year to live in Madagascar with her zookeeping parents. You would see her struggle with the French language and then get so frustrated she would bite someone. This, of course, would change her whole life.

The story of how Maggie went from her Disney-like childhood to being a sixth-year UCSB Ph.D. student in History of Art and Architecture with a concentration on the Italian Renaissance is as fascinating as Maggie is.

When I first met Maggie in the lobby of the UCen she was excited because she would be ABD in two weeks. I found her surprisingly easy to talk to and we chatted informally for almost 10 minutes about grad school, what we we’re doing, and our teaching experiences (apparently 80% of the work of a fourth-grade teacher involves keeping the students in their chairs) before getting down to the interview.

You have a BA in Art History and a minor in Linguistics. Why Linguistics?

When I was little, I lived in Madagascar for a year. I remember feeling isolated because I didn’t speak French or Malagasy. I was terrified of French school. I actually bit someone because I didn’t want to be in French class. I guess it was very important for me. When I came back to the U.S. and was a little older I started taking Spanish classes in elementary school and loved it. I took it all the way through high school. Then I thought I would major in Spanish and do a dual major with linguistics. But I became interested in other ways that people communicate with each other and one of those ways was the visual arts.

Maggie Bell with her brother and mother in Madagascar, making friends with the lemurs. Credit: Maggie Bell

How did you become interested in the visual arts?

I went to Catholic school growing up, but I was never actually Catholic. Everyone else was Catholic and got to have their own rosaries, First Communion, and stuff like that. I had none of that. I felt really left out. But what I loved was all the ritual. I loved actually sitting in church. I liked that we put crowns of flowers on the Virgin Mary at certain times of the year, and covered up the statues. I think that’s part of the reason why I was interested in images. Throughout the day you would pray to different images. We would pray to the crucifix at the beginning of the day, the Virgin Mary at the end of the day, and the crucifix again before lunch. It became so much about focusing on these images even though they had no other meaning for me other than this is something important we did every day.

Is this why you got into Art History?

I always liked the visual arts. My father was an artist. I never thought about art historically before. So I tried a class on a whim because I liked art. My first class was in the Italian Renaissance and I never changed my mind since the moment I took the first class.

The interior of the frescoed hospital room that Maggie is working on right now. Credit: Maggie Bell

You study frescoes. How did you become interested in them?

The thing that I like about working on them is they’re inexorable from the site in which they’re made. The ones I studied were painted in the 15th century and they’re in this massive hospital in Siena called Santa Maria Della Scala. It was impossible to understand them without understanding the hospital or what it would have been like to be a patient there, to move through that space, to see it every day as a citizen of Siena. I think that perceptual aspect of it, more than just, say, the subject matter of the fresco or the style in which it was painted, is what was really fascinating to me. Also because it’s so challenging to address those kinds of questions.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

Maggie Bell's favorite Italian meal. Credit: Maggie BellNavigating the Italian postal system in Italian. I had to mail two bottles of sparkling red wine. Yes, there is such a thing.

You have a fascinating upbringing. What is the one thing that people find most interesting about your childhood?

I think the fact that my parents were zookeepers was the most interesting thing. And the fact that when my Mom needed to take care of us but also had to go to work, my brother and I got to spend the entire day at the zoo, running around and doing whatever we wanted.

What is the one thing people would be most surprised to know about you?

The thing that people don’t know about me is that I also have a black belt in karate. It sounds cooler than it is. I got it when I was 15 and it was something that my Mom made me do. I didn’t like fighting people. I gave a kid a bloody lip once when I kicked him in the face, but I felt terrible about it. But what I did like about it was the performance aspect. 

You’re in your sixth year and about to become ABD. Any advice for incoming graduate students? Something you wish you had known?

Everything is going to be OK. You don’t have to be perfect all the time. If you miss a few readings for the seminar, you won’t be ostracized or lose your funding. Oh, and you think it’s just hard for you, but it’s hard for everyone.

Maggie making some time for her friends (and art colleagues). Credit: Maggie BellOn that note, what is your favorite thing to do to relax?

Seeing my friends is my most important hobby. It’s sad to say "hobby," because it’s an activity that makes me very happy, but I have to make an effort to do it, to find the time. I also have Netflix and Amazon Prime. I know this series is old but I love "Veronica Mars." I also watch "Bored to Death."

Finally, what do you hope to be doing when you graduate?

I want to be a tenured professor, or just a professor. I really love teaching and want to do that.

UCSB will soon welcome 758 new graduate students into its ranks. These incoming students are diverse in many ways, such as their ages, countries of origin, and fields of study. Here, we break down the statistics on our incoming graduate student cohort and introduce you to several of our new students. All infographics created with Piktochart.

There is an almost even split of men (51 percent) and women (49 percent) in the incoming class. Most of the students are between the ages of 20 and 30, but 10 percent of them are 31 and older. Our youngest incoming student is 20 years old, and our oldest is 65 years old.

Map creation by Patrick Hall; map template by Kevin Ross

Map template by GunnMap 

Our new graduate students are coming from 35 countries – from China to Chile, Saudi Arabia to Serbia, New Zealand to the Netherlands – representing nearly every continent. In fact, roughly one-third of incoming students (280, to be exact) are coming from places outside the U.S. Our U.S. students hail from 43 of the 50 states, but over half of them are California natives.

The most popular disciplines that our new graduate students chose were Environmental Science and Management (103 new students), Electrical and Computer Engineering (90 new students), and the Teacher Education Program (79 new students). By division, the most new graduate students are in Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences (163), followed by Education (125) and Humanities and Fine Arts (108). One-third of incoming students are pursuing a Ph.D., but a sizable number are also pursuing a Ph.D./M.A., Master of Environmental Science and Management (M.E.S.M.), Master of Science, or M.A. degree.

We asked several of our new grad students to tell us more about themselves, including what degrees they will be pursuing, their favorite things to do, and what they are looking forward to most about graduate school. Read on to find out what we learned about them.

 Fernanda has traveled around the world. She is pictured here (left to right) in Santa Barbara, Berlin, and San Francisco.FERNANDA FIGUEIREDO grew up in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Brasília boasts the biggest urban park in the world – as well as a plethora of waterfalls, hikes, and biking trails close to the city center – so it’s only natural that Fernanda, the daughter of a biogeography and ecology professor, would go on to specialize in environmental science and conservation. Having graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Universidade de Brasília, she comes to UCSB through a Science without Borders scholarship to study geographic information systems, landscape modeling, and remote sensing in the Geography Department.

Fernanda said, “I was always interested in environmental conservation since my childhood when my parents took me to visit some National Parks and do some trips that I could see different biomes and habitats in Brazil.” She also participated in Girl Scouts as a child, where she “learned about protecting nature, [and the] importance of discipline and working in groups.” At UCSB, she hopes to become an environmental specialist and learn conservation techniques that she can take back to Brazil.

Fernanda is excited not only about the beautiful scenery in Santa Barbara but also the healthy lifestyle – including eating organic food, practicing sports, and cycling everywhere – that many adopt here. She enjoys cycling, hiking, and photography as well as music, cooking, and crafting. One of her favorite places here in the U.S. is Yosemite National Park, which she visited recently. Fernanda said that she fully expects her time here in Santa Barbara to be “awesome.”

Jennie always knows how to capture the moment.JENNIE KIM grew up in Toronto, Canada, before moving to San Diego in high school. She recently received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA, where she majored in Political Science with a concentration in international relations. She will be pursuing an M.A./Ph.D. in Political Science here at UCSB. Jennie says that her research interests are focused on international security – particularly counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.

Jennie said, “I’m looking forward to being in a new environment and starting a ‘new chapter’ of my life. I want to be able to develop close relationships with professors, as well as peers within various graduate departments at UCSB, and hopefully fulfill my dream of becoming a professor teaching in the realm of Political Science. It’s always amazing to meet individuals from all walks of life and see everyone come together to provide their own insight and wisdom about a subject he or she is passionate about.”

Not only is Jennie looking forward to the bonds she will form on campus, she is also excited to learn how to surf. “I feel like it's necessary to at least try whilst at Santa Barbara,” she said. She is already versatile in a variety of sports and activities, including archery, yoga, and hiking. “I also really enjoy cooking; my favorite dish I've made is a miso-glazed salmon.” In addition to athletics and cooking, Jennie also has her motorcycle license!

Cady throws herself headfirst into whatever she is pursuing, whether it be a particularly intense gaming session (left), a death-defying climb up the Great Wall of China (right), or one of the many crazy colors she has dyed her hair (center).CADY MCLAUGHLIN grew up in rural Ohio, where “the closest shopping mall was about a 20-minute drive and the closest big city – Pittsburg – was 45 minutes away.” She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where she double majored in Modern Languages (with emphases in French and Mandarin) and Asian and Pacific Studies. At UCSB, she will be pursuing an M.A. and then a Ph.D. in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, where she will focus on issues of media and sexuality.

Cady told us about her connection to each part of her research interests. “My interest in media has no strong foundation, but rather builds from the fact that today's society is so media-heavy. [Media] impacts our daily life so heavily but still silently, so to study the change of media through time is fascinating. My interest in sexuality stems from being a queer person myself and because the strongest community I found as a new student in college was through the university GSA [Gender Sexuality Alliance]. My specific interest in studying East Asia has always been innate, even when I had no concept of the differences between the countries. Despite growing up in a heterogeneous community, whenever I found something Asian-inspired I was drawn to it – from food to language to entertainment.”

In coming to UCSB, Cady is excited to be a part of the academic community. “I was raised by a single mother who worked as a high school and college educator and I was babysat frequently by my grandparents and great-grandparents. I always loved school and I blame that on my family constantly reading to me as a child. Education has been a huge part of my life and personal identity, so to have the chance to further mine is the aspect I look forward to most.”

In her free time, Cady enjoys everything related to sci-fi and fantasy as well as video games and board games. “I'm not one to do nights out on the town and would prefer to sit at home and marathon a TV show like 'Dexter' or 'Breaking Bad.'”

Ehsan comes from a "rather tall family," as he put it; here he is stooping to get into a picture at his cousin's wedding recently.EHSAN OMIDI comes to UCSB all the way from Tehran, Iran. He earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran. He will be entering the Ph.D. program in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in control, communication, and signal processing.

Both of Ehsan’s parents were schoolteachers, and he has always excelled in academics. Growing up, he had many of the same hobbies as his friends, including soccer, cartoons, and video games. “But,” he said, “my real hobby started when we had a computer in our home and I started programming with it. Since then, programming has been my main entertainment.” When he realized that computer programming didn’t challenge him enough, he began to study electrical engineering in order to figure out what goes on inside a computer. He also worked on his university’s robotics team in creating a simple robot that could do funny tasks such as playing with a golf ball.

Ehsan is very excited to be studying at UCSB, which is among the top 10 engineering schools in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities). It also doesn’t hurt that Santa Barbara is, in Ehsan’s words, “totally a perfect city.” He said, “Living in an always-sunny city with beautiful landscapes wherever you look and doing your desired research is what every grad student dreams.”

Ehsan’s hobbies include soccer, violin, and chess, and he hopes to add hiking and surfing to the list when he moves to Santa Barbara.
 
John is always up for some fun. Here he sports a handmade feather hat for a puzzle hunt (left), soaks in the beauty of San Clemente (center), and enjoys his last day in Pittsburgh atop the number garden at Carnegie Melon (right). JOHN RETTERER-MOORE grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, and has been making his way – slowly but surely – toward more hospitable climates ever since then. He earned a Bachelor's degree with double majors in Computer Science and Discrete Math from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before deciding to pursue a Ph.D. in Computer Science in the much more mild locale of Santa Barbara.

John said that his “main research interests mostly lie in the intersection of computer science and math. I'm interested in complexity theory (studying what fundamental limits exist on our ability to compute certain things), cryptography (studying how to securely encrypt various types of messages and protect them from various types of attackers), and computational social choice (applying ideas from computer science to solve problems that arise in humanities research, like designing voting systems and dividing goods fairly).” He is excited about working with great professors to try to answer interesting research questions in the field of theoretical computer science.

John is understandably looking forward to enjoying the scenery of Santa Barbara by doing things like hiking, swimming, and reading papers on the beach. He also enjoys all kinds of gaming, including board games, card games, and computer games, and he is “definitely looking for fellow gamers at UCSB to hang out with.” At Carnegie Mellon, he competed in and also helped run a lot of puzzle hunts, and he said that he would love to start one here with some like-minded individuals.

A fervent rock music fan (some of his favorite artists are Talking Heads, Bruce Springsteen, and Modest Mouse), John also plays the drums and dabbles in creating mashups. (You can check out some of his mashups on YouTube.)
 
Shyam in his element: hiking in various locales (left, right) and visiting the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (center)SHYAM SRIRAM had a unique childhood. Born and raised near Chicago, he moved with his family to their heritage country of India when he was nine years old. He then migrated back to the U.S. after high school to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Purdue University and then a Master's degree in Political Science from Georgia State University. At UCSB, he will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on American Politics.

In his earlier studies, Shyam’s research interests vacillated among a variety of topics, including Jewish Studies and Black Politics. Eventually, one of his professors, Dr. Robert Melson, asked him, "Shyam, is it possible that you are so interested in these other communities because they are leading you to study your own community?" From then on, Shyam began to focus his research on the area of Asian Pacific American Politics, with emphases on issues of identity, citizenship, and nationalism. Shyam is excited to work with the outstanding professors in UCSB’s Department of Political Science – particularly Dr. Pei-te Lien – and is looking forward to the interdisciplinary nature of graduate school, where he can take many classes across the curriculum.

Shyam will definitely take advantage of the natural beauty of Santa Barbara as he regularly trains for a variety of competitive athletic events, such as the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico, happening in March.

And, if you ask him nicely, he might even show you his tattoo of William Faulkner, which he believes is the only one of its kind in the world.

Some of our incoming graduate students enjoyed the scenic views while hiking the 7 Falls trail in Santa Barbara last week. From left to right: Stefan DuBois, Jess Perkins, Tegan Brennan, Samantha Samuelson, Aditya Dalakoti, and Sahaj Biyani. Credit: Hui Yon Kim

Carol Genetti, Dean of the UCSB Graduate Division, welcomed students to Orientation and told them about annual events such as the award-winning Grad Slam. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Kyle Crocco explained his duties as Funding Peer. Credit: Patricia MarroquinFor those of you who missed the New Graduate Student Orientation, you missed a free lunch and some great cookies. You also missed out on all the secrets of how to be a successful graduate student.

So, your faithful funding peer is here to clue you in on what you missed about resources, how to live and thrive, tips from grad student pros, health advice and insurance information, Graduate Students Association (GSA) services, and peer help from the Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC).

Resources

Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti outlined four important things a grad student should do to succeed:

1. Know the right people in your department: Your Graduate Advisor, Graduate Program Assistant (GPA), and your Research Advisor. Pick the right research advisor and be very nice to your GPA and your grad school life here will be very productive and good.
2. Take advantage of the many Interdisciplinary Emphases offered.
3. Become acquainted with Graduate Division services for academics, finances, and professional development.
4. Be happy now and do things while you’re here.

Live and Thrive in Grad School

Dr. Turi Honegger talked about the importance of living a balanced life. Credit: Patricia MarroquinDr. Turi Honegger from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) talked about how to live and thrive in grad school.

Did you know that a study of Berkeley grads revealed that grad school was stressful and that 95% of students feel overwhelmed and 67% seriously depressed at some point in their grad school career.

The cure to a better grad life is to be well-balanced. But how can you be well-balanced?

Dr. Honegger offered three pillars in order to find balance:

1. Know thyself
   • Know your motivation to be here.
   • Know your personality type.
   • Know how you like to work best.
2. Have better relationships
   • Create Intentional Community: Cultivate a sense of community while you’re here (on campus and in Santa Barbara).
   • Choose the right advisor. It's a key to your success and happiness. Find someone to advocate for you, who has a similar personality type you can work with.
   • Find multiple mentors, not just an advisor, but peers and colleagues who can help you succeed.
   • Disprove these myths: I must do it all alone; I cannot have a social life or love life; and I can't be friends because I'm in competition with people in my program.
3. Take time for your physical health and mental wellness
   
   • Make time to work out, which leads to more energy and more productivity.
   • Find your right working level: Too much work can lead to less productivity.

A panel of grad students answered questions from the audience. They are, from left: Dibella Wdzenczny (Linguistics), Lois Harmon (GGSE), Lyandra Dias (Bren), Richard Huskey (Communication), and Alex Pucher (Computer Science). Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Tips from Grad Students

Five students had suggestions on how to succeed.

• Lyandra Dias (Bren): Join the excursion club.
• Lois Harmon (GGSE): Don’t work more than 40 hours a week, get sleep, and find your community.
• Richard Huskey (Communication): If you can make time for work, you can make time for fun.
• Alex Pucher (Computer Science): There are opportunities to be interdisciplinary if you want. Lifting weights at the rec center is a great way to get rid of tension.
• Dibella Wdzenczny (Linguistics): Take advantage of CAPS, schedule time to sleep, and go to the farmers market.

Credit: Patricia MarroquinHealth

Mary Ferris, M.D., the UCSB Student Health Executive Director, gave an overview of the services at the UCSB Health Center. She pointed out that all services are confidential; many grad student health problems such as repetitive stress syndrome and eye strain are preventable; and you should get to know your clinician, so you can form a better relationship and have better health. She also gave an overview of Gaucho Health Insurance, which:

• Covers services worldwide
• Has a $300 annual deductible
• Provides 85% coverage for hospitalization and professional services
• Charges a $5 co-pay at the pharmacy for generic prescriptions, and provides free contraception
• Has no annual or lifetime caps on benefits
• Covers dental and vision
• Does not charge for primary care, labs, X-ray, or urgent care
• Provides health care nearby when closed 
• Offers a Gateway secure logon to email for health advice, to make appointments, or order pharmacy refills.

Zach Rentz and Emma Levine of the GSA address the new students. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Graduate Students Association (GSA):

Zach Rentz, President of GSA, outlined the services GSA provides for grad students.

• During Bagel Hour, every Wednesday from 8:15 to 11:15 a.m., free bagels, coffee, and tea are served.
• GSA Lounge is a place to study and relax every Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free coffee is also brewed every day, and grad student groups can use the space for their events.
• Grants: Child Care Grant, Conference Travel Grant, Emergency Relief Grant, and Event Co-Sponsorships
• Awards: GSA Excellence in Teaching Award, Dixon-Levy GSA Service Award
• Social Events: GSA has hiking trips, beach barbecues, wine tasting, family programming, singles and couple events, all of which you can find on its meetup page.
• Happy Hour: Once a month, from 4 to 6 p.m. Free appetizers are provided for early arrivals. Future events at Zodo's, The Neighborhood, and Santa Barbara Brewing Company.
• Get Involved: Go to a GSA meeting, represent your department, and get free dinner for yourself and money for your department. Or serve on a campus committee and get a stipend.

Drs. Robert Hamm (of the Graduate Division and the Graduate Student Resource Center) and Don Lubach (of Student Affairs) enjoy a laugh. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC)

There are several graduate peers in the GSRC office in 1215 Student Resource Building who provide workshops and one-on-one help in the following areas:

• Funding: Kyle Crocco will show you the money: how to find it, apply for it, and spend it, if necessary.
• Writing: Ryan Dippre will help you one-on-one with your writing and let you know that “you are a good writer and it’s all going to be OK.”
• Professional Development: Shawn Warner-Garcia will show you how to succeed and prepare as a professional, create your professional identity, and clue you in to resources for family students.

New grad students enjoy a free lunch after Orientation. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

The post-Orientation lunch was served on the Campus Green. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

New TAs gathered in Campbell Hall for Orientation. Credit: Patricia MarroquinIt’s a new school year at UC Santa Barbara, which brings with it many new students, both graduate and undergraduate. Many graduate students will be serving as Teaching Assistants across campus, some of them for the first time. To ease their transition to the front of the classroom, Instructional Development and the TA Development Program once again held their annual TA Orientation on Tuesday, September 30, at Campbell Hall. The orientation featured several speakers, including Chancellor Henry T. Yang, as well as a panel of experienced TAs. After the initial orientation, students were invited to participate in two rounds of workshop sessions with different topics of value to newly hired Teaching Assistants. 

The program kicked off with an introduction by Dr. Lisa Berry of Instructional Development. Dr. Berry told the students that the purpose of the orientation was to make them better prepared for teaching than they were at the start of the orientation. 

Chancellor Henry T. Yang spoke of the importance of humor in teaching. Credit: Patricia MarroquinShe then introduced Chancellor Yang, a recipient of 13 outstanding teaching awards throughout his career, who reminded the audience that they were now employed at one of the elite universities in the world, and that was, in part, because of the work that Teaching Assistants do in their classrooms each and every quarter. 

Chancellor Yang also gave students some tips for becoming a good teacher. He gave students some practical things to do, such as learning the names of their students, adding humor, trying tests before handing them out, and not lecturing to the blackboard. He also provided students with some concepts to keep in mind as they went about their teaching duties. He reminded them that lecturing is a dialogue, not a monologue; that students do not always know what questions they have, or even that they have them; and that students often mix emotional, social, and factual information when they are engaged in learning. He closed by asking students to help participate in the university’s attempts to change the culture of Isla Vista, a town still recovering from the horrific events of last spring.

Grad students grab some breakfast before heading off to breakout sessions. Credit: Patricia MarroquinChancellor Yang yielded the floor to several speakers who were focused on the legal responsibilities of TAs, beginning with Ko Kashiwazaki, the Assistant Director of Judicial Affairs. He reviewed issues of academic integrity, and discussed the role of the TA in maintaining the integrity of campus. He provided students with four tips for maintaining academic integrity in their courses: explain academic integrity clearly to students, be explicit in expectations, put those expectations in a syllabus, and save all documents and correspondence with students.

Carol Sauceda, the Senior Sexual Harassment Prevention and Diversity Education Analyst at UCSB, took the stage next. She informed students that, unbeknownst to them, their attractiveness level had increased since becoming a TA, and she outlined the university’s sexual harassment policy, complete with several examples.

Associate Dean of Students Angela Andrade and Dr. Jeanne Stanford, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, closed out the legal responsibilities segment with a discussion of the resources available on campus for distressed students, as well as available counseling services. They pointed out that “it’s really normal to go to therapy in California,” and encouraged students to go if they felt they needed to talk to someone. They also reviewed the Distressed Students Protocol. 

A panel of experienced graduate student TAs answered questions at the Orientation. They are, from left, Laura Hooton (History); John Kaminsky (Math); Maria Canto (Spanish & Portuguese); Emma McCullough (Music); and Emily Wilson (EEMB). Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Just before breaking out into individual workshop sessions, Dr. Berry brought a panel of experienced TAs on stage to answer any questions that new TAs might have. Laura Hooton, John Kaminsky, Emma McCullough, Maria Canto, and Emily Wilson shared their own experiences and beliefs about successful teaching. Building from the questions in the audience, they discussed knowing their students, learning students’ names, handling overloaded office hours, grading, and disrespectful students (not that we have any of those at UCSB!).

Dr. Berry brought the session to a close by presenting students with the many tools that Instructional Development offers Teaching Assistants on campus.

Shuji Nakamura, winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in efficient blue light-emitting diodes, takes questions from the audience at a news conference at UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Materials and Electrical & Computer Engineering Professor Shuji Nakamura has been a shining light for graduate students at UC Santa Barbara for years. So grad students were understandably proud when they learned the news Tuesday that Dr. Nakamura, along with two Japanese scientists, had won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing efficient blue light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. We asked a few grad students to tell us how they feel about Professor Nakamura’s honor. Here’s what they had to say:

Leah KuritzkyLeah Kuritzky

The Materials Ph.D. student was a finalist in the 2014 Grad Slam for her talk on laser lighting applications and a participant at the 63rd annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany, in 2013. She said: “We are all so proud of Professor Nakamura. The impact of his contributions continues to grow as solid state lighting is adopted even more widely. The Nobel Prize is well-deserved for the magnitude of his achievements and how they've transformed lighting.”

Humberto Foronda

Humberto ForondaThe third-year Materials Ph.D. student was “ecstatic” upon hearing the news. Said Foronda about Dr. Nakamura: “His achievements are literally life-changing. Personally, it makes me very proud to be a member of this research group and to attend UCSB, working and studying at the Materials Department. Professor Nakamura’s presence and achievements are motivations to go to work every day and be the best that I can be. I truly believe this work will change the way the world sees lighting.”

David Hwang

David HwangThe second-year Materials Ph.D. student is working on developing a way to fabricate light-emitting diodes and integrate them on various substrates. David learned the news that Professor Nakamura had won the Nobel Prize on his way to the bus stop to go to campus. “I started yelling, ‘Shuji won the Nobel!’ It was really encouraging to see his hard work recognized and made me even more proud to be working on gallium nitride LEDs,” David said. “Professor Nakamura’s win is really motivational because he has a great story,” he said. “From being told ‘no’ many times in his early career to now, he has endured many obstacles and put a tremendous effort into realizing his dreams. His win shows that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and should be a lifelong venture. The award further substantiates that we are at the forefront of the field and that UCSB is a top-notch research institution.”

Peter Mage

Peter MageThe fourth-year Materials Ph.D. student and winner of the Graduate Division’s inaugural Grad Slam last year said his reaction to the news of Dr. Nakamura’s win “was a mix of surprise and excitement – it literally was the first thing I saw when I woke up today!” Peter says: “While I don't work directly in the field that Dr. Nakamura won his prize for, I'm thrilled for UCSB and the Materials Department. I'm no Swede, but I believe this award is well-deserved and is a great reflection of the quality of work performed in the College of Engineering here, both in terms of innovation and potential for worldwide impact. I'm excited that UCSB is being recognized for this high level of research, and hopefully this will help to draw even more top-tier students and faculty (and research funding) to the Engineering School at UCSB.”

Anisa Myzaferi

Anisa MyzaferiAnisa is a fourth-year graduate student at the Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center, pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Upon hearing the news of Dr. Nakamura’s Nobel Prize, Anisa said, “My first reaction was joy, excitement, and pride to be working in the field of GaN optoelectronic devices. At the same time, I felt an immediate renewed motivation for my own research and commitment to successfully carry this field forward.” She called Professor Nakamura “a very humble scientist, even though he is so accomplished. This particular trait of his is a personal inspiration to me, regarding the type of scientist that I want to be. Professor Nakamura, together with the other professors who guide our research here at SSLEEC, trust and support us unconditionally as we conduct our Ph.D. research, so to see him win the Nobel makes me particularly happy and grateful. It is a most deserved accolade that highlights his effective scientific leadership.” Anisa said the reason he won the Nobel, his work in blue light-emitting diodes, “illustrates the importance of recognizing the need for energy-efficient devices and efficient management of current ​technologies. Bestowing the Nobel Prize in Physics on this particular achievement renews the motivation and concentration of the global community on the exigent topic of energy efficiency. It is an honor that UCSB and SSLEEC are at the forefront of contributing high impact results to this most humanitarian goal.” 

For more information about Dr. Shuji Nakamura’s Nobel Prize, read the Office of Public Affairs and Communications news release.

Dr. Shuji Nakamura displayed the blue light-emitting diode at the news conference. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

On Tuesday at a news conference at UCSB, officials toasted Shuji Nakamura for winning the Nobel Prize in Physics. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

To continue to create community and foster the development of students of diverse backgrounds, the Graduate Division will host a reception specifically to celebrate graduate students of color on our campus:

Tuesday, October 28

4 to 6 p.m.

UCen's Lagoon Plaza

Welcoming remarks will be given by Graduate Dean Carol Genetti and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Michael Young. In addition to welcoming students, the reception will offer an opportunity to meet each other and learn about the various graduate student interest groups on our campus.

This event is free and open to all graduate students. To RSVP, please complete the form below.

If you have any questions about this reception, please contact Robert Hamm, Coordinator, Graduate Student Professional Development.

University of California Ph.D. alums report career success and strong satisfaction with the graduate school education that contributed to that success, according to results of a comprehensive survey of alumni from throughout the 10-campus UC system. Survey results from UC Santa Barbara’s doctoral alums mirror those findings. Overall, 87% to 91% of UCSB alumni respondents felt they were “well-prepared” or “prepared” for their careers after graduation.

The first-ever systemwide survey was conducted by the UC Office of the President in collaboration with alumni associations and UC campus graduate divisions, including the UCSB Graduate Division. About 7,200 alums responded out of 26,000 Ph.D. alums who earned their degrees over the past 40 years. There were 771 respondents to the UCSB survey.

Alumni across all employment sectors and disciplines of study reported stable careers in fields for which their degrees prepared them, UC results show. The unemployment rate among the responding Ph.D. alums is extremely low, with 99 percent of the alums employed at the time of the survey. Alums who recently earned their degrees reported similarly high levels of employment to those with many years in their careers.

UCSB alumni respondents indicated that they would or probably would choose the same degree field again, ranging from 83% in Arts and Humanities to 89% in Social Sciences. UC-wide results show that 93% of respondents would pursue a doctoral degree again.

“The UC Alumni Survey is a very strong endorsement of the significant value of doctoral education for the individuals receiving doctorates,” said Dr. Carol Genetti, Dean of the UCSB Graduate Division. “The UCSB data closely mirrored the UC-wide results in almost all respects: The great majority of students were well employed and stated that their UCSB programs prepared them for their chosen careers, that they were highly satisfied with their doctoral programs, and that they were likely to choose the same career again.”

UC alumni identified the top three most valuable elements of their UC doctoral education as: academic writing skills; the practice of research methods; and presentation of work at conferences. These findings held true whether the alum worked in academia or not. About 75% of respondents said the reputation of their campus and the major had helped them to land a career job.

Dean Genetti noted that one of the most striking differences in findings between UCSB and the UC system as a whole was that “UCSB alums report significantly greater levels of employment in tenure-track positions at four-year universities (58% at UCSB compared with 42% UC-wide), a fact that underlines the academic leadership of our campus.”

UC Provost Aimée Dorr said that “even as careers in academia have become more competitive, it’s satisfying to see that our doctoral students do well in the academic job market. They become the faculty who will shape the next generation of innovators and critical thinkers. It’s also clear that many who earn a Ph.D. from UC are bringing the knowledge and abilities they honed in graduate school to other sectors.”

On the issue of student debt, Dean Genetti said, “The data show that our students report more debt than students at other UCs, which is likely to be related to UCSB having lower levels of funding than other campuses historically.” 

Among other results of the UC-wide survey, more than half of engineering and computer science graduates have gone into the private, for-profit sector. UC alums working in private industry are concentrated in highly skilled fields. More than half are in the professional, scientific, or career services sectors, which includes the legal, financial, architectural, and engineering fields. An additional 11 percent are in manufacturing, and 9 percent are in health care.

Said Dean Genetti: “While the data show that the doctorate is a productive route to a professional career, it is also important to remember that research doctorates are more than career paths: Doctoral programs give students the opportunity for deep exploration of their chosen field. All doctoral students make a lasting contribution to human knowledge through the production of an original dissertation. It is breathtaking to think of the tremendous wealth of information embodied in UC doctoral dissertations in all fields of study, and the significant impact their combined discoveries have had on our state, nation, and world.”

For more information, read the UC Office of the President news release.

The Graduate Division's Peer Advisors are here to help you! Each peer keeps office hours in the Graduate Student Resource Center, which is located in the Student Resource Building Room 1215.

Priscilla and her grandmotherWherever she is – in class, on the soccer field, or at work in UCSB's Judicial Affaris office – you can bet that Priscilla Pereschica will be working hard at whatever she's doing, and that she'll be doing it well. Priscilla is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, with an emphasis on Educational Leadership and Organizations (ELO). A 2009 graduate of Fresno State, Priscilla currently works in Judicial Affairs, where she helps students navigate the judicial process. She is also an avid soccer fan, and has experience with both indoor and outdoor soccer. 

Where did you grow up?

I’m from the Central San Joaquin Valley, which is a predominantly agricultural region. It is sadly considered to be the 10th least educated metro area in the country. My grandparents, Ismael and Maria Bugarin and Ursulo and Esther Pereschica, left Mexico and moved to the United States to pursue better opportunities for themselves and their children. They ultimately settled in the Central Valley and worked as farmworkers. I really respect their decision to leave their country, to leave their families, and to work in a labor-intensive job in the grueling heat for an opportunity to achieve prosperity.

I come from a large and close-knit family. I’m the oldest of four children. I have one sister, Erika, and two brothers, Martin and Ysaiah. Erika works with special needs children, Martin is fixing up a 1967 Mustang, and Ysaiah will be going to the Marines Corps boot camp soon. My parents, Frank and Sandra, were quite young when they got married and when I was born. My parents made many sacrifices to support me and my siblings and worked two jobs at times. Although they did not attend college, they understood the importance of a college degree and they emphasized its importance to us at an early age. My parents have always been hard workers and had the entrepreneur spirit. They built and owned their homes, my mom owned her own business, and my dad purchased a small ranch and farmed it in addition to his full-time job. They achieved the “middle class dream” through a lot of hard work.

Is there any particular event or events that had a big impact or influence on you and helped shape who you are today?Priscilla and parents at graduation

As the oldest, a lot of family responsibilities fell upon me, and I helped care for my siblings when my parents worked. My mom would lovingly call me their “second mom.” This responsibility continued into college, and I coordinated my school and work schedules around my siblings’ schedules. Aside from my family responsibilities, I worked on average 25 hours a week and was a commuter student. With a combination of all of those factors, I was unable to fully integrate into college or participate in extracurricular activities; however, I made sure to focus on my classes because I wanted to attend grad school. I believe that my experiences helped me develop into the woman that I am today. My parents have done so much to provide for me and my siblings, so I was willing to help.

What research projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on two research projects. The first is a qualitative project that was started by my former advisor. We interviewed graduate students about their knowledge and experiences of attending an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The second project is my own and it is quantitative. I’m examining survey data related to the academic integration experiences of Latino undergraduates at an Emerging HSI. I didn’t intend to do research within the HSI context, but I became very intrigued by the topic after getting involved in the first project. An HSI is an institution with a minimum of 25 percent enrollment of Latino undergraduates. Federal funding is available to these institutions and it may be spent on a variety of programs and projects. An Emerging HSI is an institution with a Latino undergraduate enrollment of 15 to 24 percent. UCSB is an Emerging HSI with a 24 percent enrollment of Latino undergraduates. I’m looking forward to UCSB’s transition into an HSI because I think it will be a momentous event in regard to Latinos' access to a research-intensive university. It’s exciting to do this research at the same time that UCSB is making this transition. I hope that there is a commitment to serving the students by ensuring that they are graduating and are encouraged to pursue opportunities beyond their bachelor’s degrees.

Priscilla with her siblingsWhat has graduate student life been like for you?

I’ve enjoyed graduate school and have been involved on campus in multiple ways. I work in the Office of Judicial Affairs as a graduate student assistant and conduct officer. In my role, I help students navigate the university judicial process, investigate reports of student-involved academic and behavioral misconduct, and uphold the university’s policies and regulations. My boss, Stephan Franklin, has been very supportive of my professional development. I have received training on stalking, sexual assault, and restorative justice. I also serve as a hearing officer for Housing and Residential Life and have worked on an interdepartmental anti-couch burning campaign for the past two years. Our campaign has been successful and we have seen a decrease in the number of couch burnings in Isla Vista. I am proud to have co-coordinated a women’s self-defense training during the spring quarter and plan to coordinate a few more for this school year.

I am also one of the founding members of the UCSB Higher Education Action and Research Consortium (HEARC). HEARC was created by and is led by graduate students. Part of its purpose is to advance the dialogue and research of postsecondary issues. We meet several times during the quarter and invite faculty members, administrators, and researchers to discuss their research and work. We also provide professional development workshops for students. If you’re interested in attending one of our meetings or would like more information, please contact us at UCSB.HEARC@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.

I am also a board member of LUNA (Latino/a UCSB Network Association). LUNA is newly established and it was created to promote the professional development of and the retention of UCSB Latino/a faculty and staff. I’m excited to be a member of this group and look forward to creating a stronger and more visible community. Access our Facebook page for more information about upcoming events and workshops.

Finally, I am also a member of several other UCSB groups: Professional Women’s Association, SRB Governance Board, and Security Camera Policy Committee. Graduate life has been busy both academically and professionally but I enjoy it. I have a great advisor, Professor Richard Duran, who has provided me with a lot of support and opportunities.

What has been a source of motivation or drive for you in your graduate studies?Priscilla with family

I have personal and professional motivations, but my personal motivations drive me the most. I am motivated to succeed for my family. I am grateful for the sacrifices and opportunities that my grandparents and parents have given me, and I want to give back to them. My siblings, boyfriend Steven, and extended family are also very supportive and encouraging so they also add to my motivation. Additionally, my hard work and sacrifices will benefit my future family. Overall, I feel that my success and degrees are beyond me. When I achieve, they achieve. My degrees are their degrees.

Lastly, I am excited that my research will contribute to the growing research on HSIs and how they can better serve their students. I look forward to the professional opportunities that my degree and work will provide me.

Who are your heroes/mentors?

My heroes are my parents and grandparents. I value their faith, strong work ethic, perseverance, sacrifices, and love and commitment to their families. I admire how they live for others and not for themselves. They inspire me to embody these qualities and make me proud to be their daughter and granddaughter.

I consider Dr. David Schecter, who was my political science professor from Fresno State, to be my mentor. I’m very grateful for his help, wisdom, guidance, kindness, and support throughout the years. During my senior year at Fresno State, he helped me secure an internship in Mayor Ashley Swearengin’s office, which turned into a staff position. He also helped me navigate the graduate school application process and wrote me several recommendation letters. He has really helped me at critical points in my life and I’m thankful to have him as part of my support system.

Name an accomplishment you are most proud of and why.

Overall, I’m proud of myself. I think I’m doing quite well considering that I’m a first-generation college student and from a small, agricultural, and undereducated area. I feel very blessed for the opportunities that have been bestowed upon me.

Credit: OAR PhotographyWhat do you do to relax?

I’m a firm believer in work-life balance, although I struggle to maintain that balance at times. Sometimes the grad student life makes it difficult to do but I think it’s important to strive for it. Some of the things that I like to do to relax are watch movies, hike, and go to the beach. I’m surprised by the number of people I’ve met who live here and don’t go to the beach. Take advantage of its tranquility. I also enjoy a night of dancing and having a drink or two. Even though I love spending time with others, I also value my alone time. I find peace and relaxation through solitude.

What is one thing (or more than one thing) that people would be surprised to know about you?

I played soccer for 13 years consecutively, was captain of my high school varsity team, and played five seasons of indoor soccer after I graduated from college. Two of my indoor teams won the championship, and one of the championships was won in a penalty shootout! I played in an outdoor league this past summer and sprained my ankle. I plan to resume playing once it’s healed. Outdoor soccer and indoor soccer are uniquely different, but both are incredibly fun.

I’ve been taking self-defense classes this past year through the UCSB R.A.D. program (Rape Aggression Defense Program) and Santa Barbara Krav Maga. I find it empowering to learn how to defend myself and exhilarating to strike the pads. I’m proud to admit that I can deliver a good, strong kick, which I attribute to playing soccer for so many years. I highly recommend that women take a self-defense course. It’s important to train your body and mind in the event that these skills have to be used. I hope that doesn’t occur but it’s important to be prepared.

What do you hope to be doing 5 or 10 years out of graduate school?Priscilla and her boyfriend, Steve

I hope to have a job in public policy so I can continue working on higher education issues. I want to contribute to the success of underrepresented students by promoting access, retention, and opportunities to attend graduate school. As you can tell, family is very important to me so creating my own, large family will also be a focus of mine.

Do you have any advice for current grad students?

Grad school can be overwhelming and stressful because of the amount of work it requires, and it’s even more stressful if you have other commitments, so I recommend maintaining a support system of family and friends and establishing a proper work-life balance. My other takeaways are (1) don’t neglect your physical and mental health, (2) take advantage of your opportunities or create new ones, and (3) enjoy the experience. We live each day once so make the most of it. 

Eva Wheeler is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Her dissertation research centers on racial terms in the Dominican Republic. At right, she takes a break from her studies by ziplining in the Dominican Republic in February 2014.

Eva Wheeler is a woman of many passions and pursuits. In 2010, she left a career as a commercial litigation lawyer to return to graduate school and study Iberian Linguistics at UCSB. Now, as a 5th-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, she is following "a new plan for happily ever after" and hopes to complete her dissertation by Spring 2015.

Eva earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Professional Writing from Oakwood University, as well as a Juris Doctor law degree from New York University. She has lived all over the United States – including California, Texas, North Carolina, and Alabama – and has traveled all over the world to locales in Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. She also speaks six languages with various levels of fluency.

Oh, and did we mention that she can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 1 minute and 8 seconds? Read on to find out more about the fascinating life of Eva Wheeler.

Tell us a little about your research and how you came to choose the topic.

My dissertation research focuses on the physical and social meaning of terms used to describe race and skin color in the Dominican Republic. I chose this topic because I had experience with the Dominican Republic; I wanted to understand more about the way that race was perceived and described; and the answer to my questions was missing from the academic literature on the topic.

What has graduate student life been like for you?

Life as a graduate student has been fantastic! There have certainly been stressful moments (my M.A. exam and dissertation proposal defense come to mind), but I have really enjoyed the ride. I have matured as a scholar and a person, and I have had the opportunity to travel to places like Spain and the Basque Country, India, and the Dominican Republic. The time has flown by!

Eva visited the Eiffel Tower after studying in the Basque Country in August 2012.

What do you wish you had known before you started grad school?

That’s a hard one. I would say that I wish I had known how to handle constructive criticism of my writing, research, etc. At the beginning, I couldn’t separate my writing from myself. Now, I edit my own writing with a much more critical eye, and the feedback I have received from classmates and professors has helped me to become a better writer.

What do you like most about grad school and what do you like least?

I like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from rising to a challenge. When I meet a deadline that seemed impossible or finish a big project, I feel major endorphins. I am proud of making my dissertation project a reality. It started as an idea, and it has been so rewarding to see that idea become a project, and that project become a dissertation (well, almost … June 2015!).

I also love being encouraged to explore new ideas. I am less thrilled about occasionally becoming a recluse. 

Who are your heroes and/or mentors and why?

This seems a bit cliché, but my mother is one of the most phenomenal people that I have ever met. This is true for many reasons, but I will just say that she is the one that taught me to dream big dreams. I have also had quite a few academic and professional mentors. Mentorship is a powerful thing. It is incredible to be surrounded by people who are genuinely invested in my success.

What do you do to relax? Any hobbies, collections, pastimes, favorite places to go, favorite things to do?

I love to travel and see new places. I also work out, watch interesting series on Netflix, eat things that are delicious, and work on my Rubik’s Cube technique. I’ve dabbled in photography, and I would like to be able to get out and do karaoke way more often than I do.

What do you hope to be doing 5 or 10 years out of graduate school?

I hope to be teaching, researching interesting things, seeing interesting places, and loving what I do. I also hope to finish writing the novel I started while I was in the Dominican Republic, and I hope it becomes a best seller! 

Do you have any advice for current grad students?

Work hard. Do good work. Listen to wise counsel, and don’t lose yourself in this process.

Eva flying over the Taj Mahal on a conference visit to India in September 2013.

The three-story, 61-bed KITP Residence is expected to take two years to build. Credit: Courtesy of Murray Duncan Architects

Charles Munger has called physics “vitally important” with “collateral benefits” for all. The longtime business partner of Warren Buffett and Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway considers it so important that he has Charles Munger. Credit: AP Imagesdonated $65 million to fund a new visitor housing facility for the UCSB-based Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP). The donation to assist the world-renowned institute is the largest single gift in UC Santa Barbara’s history.

The Towbes Group Inc. will start construction of the KITP Residence this month, and the project is expected to take two years. The three-story, 61-bed facility will provide housing for visitors to the institute, which attracts scientists from around the globe who stay for weeks at a time.

In a UCSB Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC) news release, Chancellor Henry T. Yang said: “The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics has been hosting thousands of the world’s top scientists since 1979. It is being emulated by numerous universities and is the envy of the physics community all over the world. We are absolutely thrilled and honored that through Charlie’s vision, unbelievable generosity, his love of physics, and his unique architectural and engineering genius and passion, we have been gifted such an unimaginable guesthouse for the visitors of KITP to enjoy and to enable them to continue their groundbreaking research at the endless frontier of physics.”

Theoretical astrophysicist Lars Bildsten, director of KITP and Gluck Professor of TheoreticalKITP Director Lars Bildsten Physics at UCSB, says the new facility will likely increase important scientific work. “KITP’s mission is to bring together the world’s leading scientists to collaborate on the most challenging and exciting questions in theoretical physics and related fields,” he said in the OPAC release. “Our visitors now spend their day in Kohn Hall, the center of interactions, but once the Residence is complete they will continue those interactions into the nights and weekends. I’m confident we will see an increased number of collaborations and scientific progress.”

Munger, 90, has frequently made large donations to schools, including Stanford University, Harvard-Westlake School in the Los Angeles area, and his alma mater, the University of Michigan. One of his grandsons is an alumnus of UCSB.

“Physics has enormously helped me in life — the logic and power of it,” Munger said in the OPAC news release. “Once you see what a combination of calculus and Newton’s laws will do and the things you can work out, you get an awesome appreciation for the power of getting things in science right. It has collateral benefits for people. And I don’t think you get a feeling for the power of science – not with the same strength – anywhere else than you do in physics.”

For more information, read the OPAC news release and a New York Times news article.

Source image credit: statue-of-libertyThe GradPost has written extensively about the importance of mentoring relationships in graduate school. Indeed, over the last decade or so, it has become something of a buzzword in many other higher education venues as well. 

In an effort to support and expand mentoring at UCSB, we are launching a new recurring column on The GradPost called "The Doctor Is In." Several times each quarter, a panel of UCSB faculty members across a variety of disciplines will answer graduate students' questions about topics such as research, work-life balance, careers in academia, and much more.

We are very excited about this new column, and we invite graduate students to submit their questions via Shawn Warner-Garcia, Graduate Division’s Professional Development Peer Advisor.

The UCSB Graduate Division is currently accepting applications for its Diversity and Outreach Graduate Peer Advisor position for the 2014-15 academic year. This position may be extended.

The Diversity and Outreach Peer Advisor assists in the development and implementation of various outreach and recruitment program events which are designed to cultivate a highly qualified and diverse pool of graduate school applicants. The Diversity and Outreach Peer Advisor also assists in fostering and maintaining an environment at UCSB that values and supports diversity. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide advice and assistance to current and prospective graduate students.
• Manage prospective individual student and university program visits (i.e. McNair Scholars Program)
• Give department specific presentations on UCSB resources.
• Provide administrative support and student mentoring for The California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education (Hosted by UCSB, Fall 2015), and Graduate Division sponsored summer undergraduate research programs: the Academic Research Consortium, CSU Sally Casanova program, and UC LEADS.
• Facilitate graduate school preparation workshops for undergraduates interested in pursuing graduate study at UCSB.
• Compile surveys, data, and program information.
• Contribute articles and announcements to the Graduate Post on diversity and outreach related themes, as well as more general topics related to graduate education.
• Develop programming for current graduate students that promotes and supports diversity.
• Assist with campus-wide events and programming, including the Graduate Student Showcase and New Student Orientation.

The Diversity and Outreach Peer Advisor also holds drop-in office hours at the Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC) and works collaboratively with other peer advisors on workshops and events sponsored through the GSRC. The Peer Advisor responds to student requests for information or assistance and makes referrals as needed.

POSITION DETAILS:

PAYMENT: $16 per hour, plus fee payment equivalent to at least a 25% TA-ship

HOURS: 10 to 16 hours weekly (25%-40% appointment) during the academic year

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, Nov. 14, 2014

Minimum qualifications:

• Has completed at least one year of graduate study at UCSB, is in good academic standing, is within university time-to-degree standards, and meets all other standard student employment eligibility requirements.
• Is energetic, demonstrates organizational abilities, knowledgeable about the UCSB campus, and has good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Can represent graduate student interests and concerns, and is attentive to the goals of excellence and diversity in UCSB’s graduate education.
• Knowledge of and interest in social media as a service to the graduate student population.

Previous experience in advising, Microsoft Excel software, and workshop or conference planning is preferred, although training will be provided.

Additional Benefits: With the appropriate eligibility and approval, position(s) may be combined with a GSR or TA position, as long as the combined hours do not exceed a 75% appointment. Graduate Division will pay partial fees and graduate student health insurance equivalent to those provided for TAs if other student academic appointments or awards do not provide these fees.

Application Process: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter indicating interests and highlighting related experiences, along with a formal resume via email to Walter Boggan (walter.boggan@graddiv.ucsb.edu) in the Graduate Division.

Source image credit: statue-of-libertWelcome to the inaugural edition of The Doctor Is In, a recurring column on The GradPost where UCSB faculty answer graduate students' questions about life in academia. In this installment, three members of our outstanding faculty panel answer your questions about balancing competing priorities, the hardest part about writing a dissertation, and bouncing back from setbacks and disappointments.

About Our Faculty Panel

Miroslava Chavez-GarciaDr. Miroslava Chávez-García is Professor and Vice-Chair of the Chicana & Chicano Studies Department at UCSB. She received her Ph.D. in History from UCLA and is the author of the book "States of Delinquency: Race and Science in the Making of California's Juvenile Justice System" as well as articles on gender, patriarchy, and the law in 19th century California. She organizes and leads professional development workshops for UCSB and the Ford Foundation and is particularly passionate about helping scholars of color navigate academia.


Merith CosdenDr. Merith Cosden is a Professor and Interim Dean of the Givertz Graduate School of Education at UCSB. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Mexico and conducts research on drug courts and intervention for individuals with substance abuse and mental health problems in the criminal justice system. She is a recipient of the UCSB Graduate Mentor Award and the Santa Barbara Psychological Association Legacy Award.


Aaron EttenbergDr. Aaron Ettenberg is a Professor in the Psychological & Brain Sciences Department at UCSB. He received his Ph.D. in Psychopharmacology from McGill University and conducts research on the neurobiology of reinforcement and motivation with particular interest in the neural basis of drug abuse. He is a recipient of the UCSB Distinguished Teaching Award and the UCSB Graduate Mentor Award.

Q: How can one balance professional and/or creative pursuits along with graduate coursework and research?

Dr. Ettenberg: Graduate students work hard, there’s no question about that! However, most graduate students have no sense of how much heavier the workload will be if they succeed and get a job in the private or academic sector post-graduation. So if you think you are working hard now as a graduate student, you should know that the load gets only heavier and the hill significantly steeper as you begin life in the “real” world after UCSB.

All that simply means that there’s no better time than now, when you are still in graduate school, to learn how to successfully juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities – indeed, your success in learning to presently meet this challenge will make your path far easier down the road. So what to do? How to begin? You could actually hire a career coach or consultant (for a considerable fee); this is someone who gets paid to help executives handle time management challenges. But here’s a sneak peak at their approach – and with no payment required!

First, you have to sit down with a pen and paper and calendar and identify the various tasks and responsibilities that are on your desk, including upcoming items that you know will soon arrive on that desk. Literally mark down what needs to be accomplished over the next week or month or quarter. Get organized! Then, identify realistic deadlines by which each task needs to be completed. Finally, look at your schedule and – again realistically – allocate time in your day or week or month for successfully meeting each deadline. Then stick to your plan!

In my own personal experience, you can no longer afford to simply deal with just one thing at a time; there are simply too many things that require your attention. If you are the kind of person that leaves everything to the last moment, then you will eventually begin dropping the ball and letting things pile up and inevitably fall through the cracks (pick your metaphor). Yes, it will seem strange and a bit of a pain at the start, but once you get into the habit of successfully organizing and managing your time, of looking ahead and planning for what’s to come and not just what’s directly in front of you, then you will find that you are not only accomplishing more and being more efficient, but remarkably you will also find that you have actually freed up more time for activities that you want to do and not just have to do.

Dr. Cosden: My advice is twofold. First, tell yourself that graduate school is not a normal time in your life; it is five or six years devoted to your training. Thus, you may not have as much time as you would like or that you will have in the future for other activities. Second, do spend time with friends, especially those that understand your pressures and availabilities. Make fellow students your friends and not your competitors, and you will have them now and for years to come. For the important people in your life who are not students, help them understand what it means to be on a strange quarter schedule. Enjoy time with them when it fits the quarter, and work harder when you have obligations and deadlines without feeling stressed or getting behind in your work.  

Q: What was the biggest hurdle you faced writing your dissertation and how did you overcome it?

Dr. Chávez-García: That’s an easy answer – writing. In graduate school, writing was extremely difficult for me because I came to it with weak writing skills. As an immigrant and native Spanish-speaker from a low-income, working class background, I was far removed from writing intelligently, much less academically. And, even though I attended a prestigious public undergraduate institution, I received little one-on-one instruction. I simply fell through the cracks, as many do in the 30,000+ student body populations.

When I got to graduate school, little did I know that my writing was indeed poor. Fortunately, a professor suggested I take a basic course at a community college, a suggestion that alerted me to the gravity of the situation. I was even more fortunate in my third year of graduate school when my advisor took me under his wing and taught me nearly everything I needed to know about writing. It was a painful process, but writing well enough to be understood by a general audience was (and remains) a priceless gift.

As an Assistant Professor, I improved my writing by strengthening the mechanics of the process, enabling me to publish a first book. It was not until I was an Associate Professor working on a second book that I developed a style that allowed me to engage a wider audience. And, I must admit, I actually enjoyed the process, even though it was difficult. But before I began writing, I made up my mind that I wanted “regular” people – not just academics – to read my book. To learn new writing techniques, I read many books (mostly historical fiction) by authors I sought to emulate as well as books and journals on the process of scholarly and popular writing. I even joined Writer’s Digest. Through that process, I produced a study that I know has been read by more people than the first. I hope to make my new project – a family history – even more widely accessible.

Today, I continue to polish my writing by attending writing workshops, circulating preliminary work to colleagues, and submitting articles to journals for publication. And, I would add, writing for blogs and similar online spaces also enhances the fluidity that should (but often does not) come with writing. Rejection notices – while painful (I’ve learned to contain the pain, something you’ll learn over the years) – provide a useful opportunity to expand your lexicon and style. I also recommend organizing or participating in peer-based writing groups, which I only recently attended since graduate school, and found it immensely energizing and rewarding. Writing is a lonely and difficult process and, as I often say, the main reason why people don’t finish their Ph.Ds. and why associate professors don’t advance to full professors, but you can find ways to change that without heading down an abyss.

Dr. Ettenberg: This one is simple – the biggest hurdle I faced in writing my dissertation was Time – and more specifically, my inadequate estimation of how much time would be required to complete the task. And I can honestly tell you that in my 32 years of mentoring graduate students here at UCSB, that hurdle is as relevant today as it was back in the Pleistocene Age when I was writing my own dissertation in 1980. Truly every one of the 16 doctoral students that I have mentored during my tenure here has underestimated (admittedly to varying degrees) the amount of time it took to complete the writing of their dissertation. The need for multiple drafts, incorporating the comments of one’s advisor and committee members, the time it takes to check references, footnotes and citations, of ensuring that the document is carefully edited for grammatical and spelling errors, etc. is well in excess of what you will think it will take to complete these tasks.

And of course the driving force here cannot be a campus deadline for dissertation submission – you, the student, need to make certain that you give yourself (and your committee) sufficient time to read, evaluate and edit the document before it is ready for final submission.  The argument that “the committee has to read this by next week or I won't be able to graduate at the end of fall quarter” is, quite frankly, not the committee’s problem, it is the student’s problem. So give yourself ample time to complete the component tasks required for dissertation submission, and then double that number and you will better approximate how long it will actually take. (And no, I am not kidding!)

Now of course the time required to write a dissertation does vary by discipline and by graduate student within each discipline, so the best advice I can give you is to sit down with your advisor and identify a realistic timetable for the various steps that you will need to take in order to accomplish your goal. You can start with a campus submission deadline and then work backward…. how long does the committee need to read the thesis, how long will you need to complete changes/edits required by the committee, how long will it take to complete the first draft of each chapter, etc. Then take your timeline and run it by your advisor for a reality check. And then take his/her advice about any changes (usually lengthening) to your proposed timeline. Your advisor has much more experience about such matters than you do! Do not fool yourself into thinking that if you lock yourself in a room and work through without resting that you will be able to complete this in less time than your advisor proposes – you won’t! And if by some chance you will, then it is highly likely that the quality of your product will not be up to the standards that your advisor, the committee, or even yourself would like to see.

Q: How do you recommend bouncing back from a setback or disappointment in graduate school (such as taking an incomplete in a class, failing to get published or accepted to a conference, or missing a milestone deadline)?

Dr. Cosden: Evaluation is not just part of a graduate student’s plight. As faculty members, we are often evaluated professionally – in terms of our publications, presentations, teaching, and promotions. Thus, learning to deal with negative feedback is important for one’s long-term career. When receiving a negative review of one’s research or failure to get a paper accepted, my recommendation is to be sad and angry for a while and then to see how the feedback makes sense. We tend to get so close to our work that we are not able to evaluate it effectively ourselves. It is sometimes the case that we do not express our ideas as clearly as needed. A lot of the feedback we receive is useful, and the rest you can ignore.

Taking an incomplete or missing a milestone represent a different type of setback. One of the hardest things for graduate students to learn is how to organize their time and establish realistic goals. In my experience, almost all graduate students underestimate the time required for their dissertations. You need to give yourself enough time to accomplish each task. This means devoting the time needed to your graduate student requirements as well as setting realistic timelines for your work.

Got a question for our expert panel? Submit your query to Shawn Warner-Garcia, the Graduate Division’s Professional Development Peer Advisor.

Christian Felipe. Credit: Spencer Bruttig, Office of Public Affairs and CommunicationsInvestor Christian Felipe has given a $1 million endowment to UCSB’s Technology Management Program in support of the new Master’s degree in Technology Management. The money will establish a new endowed professorship for the emerging program, which has been designed to catapult engineers and scientists toward becoming leaders of technology ventures. Felipe hopes the new chair will enable TMP to attract a top senior faculty recruit.

In an Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC) news release, Felipe said, "Knowing that a lot of technology students don’t have all the business knowledge, I thought it was a great opportunity to create future entrepreneurs and technology leaders by supporting the Technology Management Program."

For more information on the endowment, read the OPAC release.