Welcome new Gauchos!

You are joining a top-ranked university with over 3,000 graduate students who are conducting cutting-edge research locally and around the world.

As you enter the first year in your graduate school program, you may feel a bit overwhelmed, anxious, or nervous. There are many things to do (enroll in classes, get a parking permit and campus ID card, meet with faculty advisors, attend orientation) and questions that need to be answered (How do I find funding? Where is the library? How do I get to Trader Joe’s without a car?).

To help you prepare for your first year, I asked current graduate students to share the advice they wish they had when they entered their graduate program. Hopefully this advice-filled post, organized by movie titles, will get you started on the right foot:

Marathon Man (1976)

It typically takes one to two years to complete a Master's degree and four to six years to complete a doctoral degree. There are many requirements and milestones to complete throughout your program. So, plan for the long haul instead of trying to rush through graduate school without enjoying the experience (or getting any sleep). If you feel overwhelmed with all of your program requirements, it can be helpful to set up a two or four-year plan with small goals for completing each of the requirements.

“It's going to be overwhelming, so take it one day at a time. It's going to be hard, so try to get close with your cohort. Cry together, celebrate together, and party together on weekends. Get out from time to time. Work to establish balance in your life between work and playtime. Continue to learn more about yourself and watch in amazement how much you change in one year. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. If grad school was easy, everyone would have a doctoral degree. Work hard and do well!" ~Chris Sanchez, Pharmacology & Toxicology (University of Arizona)

Movie Poster from IMDb.comStand and Deliver (1988)

Your cohort and colleagues will have a range of experience. Some students enter graduate school with years of research or practical experience, while other students are brand new to the process. Don’t feel like you have to compete with everyone to standout. Employers aren’t looking for the individual that wrote the best dissertation or earned the highest GPA, they are looking for experts in their field.

“Try not to compare yourself to your classmates too much because sometimes it can lead to insecurity. Top performers from all fields and various universities are going to be in your program. You are no longer the best student in many cases and there will always be someone who knows more about a specific area than you. Instead, work on increasing your depth of knowledge in your specific niche. You are here to train to be an expert in that area so no one will know more about that area in your program than you (except for your advisor, of course... but that's a good thing)." ~Anonymous

Lean on Me (1989)

Graduate school is a place to meet a diverse array of individuals who can become mentors, collaboration partners, and even lifelong friends. Reach out and connect with people within and outside of your department to build relationships that will give you the support you need to succeed in grad school.

“If you are in a small department (Chicana/o Studies has only about 10 professors and 28 graduate students), take courses outside your department to meet students in other disciplines who have similar interests. This will help you find a social group outside of your immediate (and probably lifelong) colleagues.” ~Anonymous

“Make friends and work with others. It keeps you on task and enables you to compare information and ideas. It allows you to test out your understanding before interfacing with the instructor.” ~LeBaron Woodyard, Education

“Be available, to friendships, job opportunities, and ways to spend free time. You will need time to not work on schoolwork aside from sleep. You do need to sleep.” ~Anonymous

Band of Brothers (2001)

Finding mentors is essential to surviving graduate school. Mentors can be older students, staff, faculty, and anyone else who can provide guidance and support. Connecting with older students is a great way to learn the specifics about your program requirements (What do I have to do for the qualifying exams?) and to get advice for courses to take and faculty to learn from. Faculty can help you figure out which journals to submit your research to, how to fine-tune your research question, and how to conduct a research project.

Attend department and campuswide events to meet and connect with potential mentors. You can also attend office hours or set up meetings with faculty. Don’t forget about staff—your department, the Graduate Division, and all of the student affairs departments have wonderful staff who are here to help if you have any questions. The more involved you are on campus (i.e., committees, student organizations, on-campus jobs), the more chances you will have to get to know people, and the larger your network will be when you need to reach out for help.

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)Movie Poster from IMDb.com

Graduate school demands a lot of your time, but don’t forget to have fun, enjoy life, and do something good for yourself as often as possible. Sign up for a zumba class through Recreation, go for a run along the beach, kick back with friends, or explore the mountains through hiking and biking. Take care of your mental and physical well-being in order to be successful academically.

“Take care of yourself! Don't lock yourself up in your room doing nothing but reading and research. Build a community. Have a glass of wine. Go out dancing. Get a massage. Whatever makes you happy and keeps you healthy. Most of all, love your work, but know how to separate it from your personal life.” ~Adrianna, Chicana/o Studies

“Check out the gym! But I recommend going before 9am; the time when most of the undergrads start to arrive, that way you don't run into too many of your students.” ~Anonymous

Leader of the Pack (2012)

Meet with your advisor as often as you need, especially during your first year. Your advisor can recommend classes to take, help you stay on track to complete key milestones, and guide you through research projects. They know A LOT—so take advantage of what they know. Also, it is important to build a relationship with your advisor so when you need a letter of recommendation for a TA-ship, fellowship, scholarship, or job, your advisor will be able to write a personalized letter that highlights your qualifications.

“Take the time to meet and discuss things with your instructors, they are a wealth of information are interested in your success. Take advantage of it. That is about all I have to share and I wish you the best of luck and much success on your journey.” ~LeBaron Woodyard, Education

“I met with my potential advisor (at the time), along with his 2nd and 3rd year advisees before confirming my admission to the program. We discussed potential opportunities for funding and research, as well as other pertinent issues associated with pursuing an academic career. I had to make a critical decision about putting my teaching career on hold, so I wanted to make sure that attending UCSB was the right choice for me. When I started attending classes, I also asked to meet with my advisor several times each quarter to consult with him, and to make sure that I am making good progress in meeting my academic milestones.” ~Jomeline Balatayo, Education

“You are now a pest. If you want something, go after it. Speak often with colleagues and professors. You have to make it happen. People will help you but you have to get the ball rolling.” ~Anonymous

"Your advisor(s) want you to succeed. Utilize your advisor and or faculty within the department." ~Marian, Education

Good Advice (2001)

Last final bits of advice:

"Realize that the first year is for getting your bearings and you don't really know how it's supposed to work yet.” ~Anonymous

“The quarter system is blazing fast and you can fall behind quickly and catching up is very difficult. The best advice is don't fall behind in the first place.” ~LeBaron Woodyard, Education

"First and foremost,remember your belief in yourself, and your vision to pursue higher learning in your field of interest.Trust me, the world really needs your perspectives and insights. Graduate school is an opportunity to further cultivate your interests and ideas with others of like mind." ~Marian, Education

Also, if you haven’t already, subscribe to the UCSB GradPost to get daily updates about funding opportunities, events on campus, and tips and advice for excelling in graduate school.

It looked like a typical day at the beach—the sun was shining, the ocean was calm. I waxed my surfboard, tied the leash to my ankle, sprinted toward the ocean, and dove right in. I paddled as fast as I could to get out past the break (the point at which waves break over and turn into whitewash). As I started to run out of breath, I looked back toward the beach and noticed that the people looked like tiny dots. I was only ten years old and I had been surfing for less than a year. My heart started racing as I worried that I would never get back to the beach. Then, I heard a thunderous noise and turned around just in time to see an eight-foot wave as it came crashing down on me. Deep underwater, as I twirled in circles, I finally found my bearings and made it back to the surface to take a giant gulp of air. I looked at the next wave headed my way. This one was bigger, but that was not what scared me. On the left side of the wave, there was a giant black shadow moving quickly through the water toward me. I did not have a lot of time to think about which would kill me first—the wave or what I thought was a giant shark—because the wave crashed on my head and sent me back twirling through the dark underwater abyss. I made it to the surface and weakly pulled myself onto my board, gasping for air.

I saw the dark shadow less than 10 feet away, and the next thing I knew, it rose toward the surface. It turned out to be a pod of dolphins. My fear quickly changed to amazement. While enjoying the company of one of my favorite sea creatures, a wave rolled toward me. I turned my board toward the shore, paddled, and dropped down the front of the wave. It was bigger than any wave I had ever caught and I glided along the face of the wave as it carried me all the way back to shore.

Riding that big wave was a turning point in my surfing career. I went from scared to determined and I was ready to face the challenges posed by the ocean in order to be awarded with the thrill of dropping in on the face of a wave. I have continued to surf for over 15 years and here are some important lessons I’ve learned along the way:

Resiliency
Resiliency is the ability to rebound from a setback. Being resilient in surfing means continue to paddle through the waves that knock you back and jumping back on the board to catch another wave after wiping out.

Graduate school can be difficult and there are a lot of potential setbacks (getting a paper rejected from a scholarly journal) and hardships (relationship breakups). You can either let these setbacks knock you down or you can use your inner strength to combat the hard times (you don’t have to do this alone—contact Counseling Services if you need someone to talk to). Resilience is essential to maintaining your mental well-being in graduate school (MayoClinic).

Mentoring
There is a common surf saying, “Never surf alone.” This is not only critical for your safety (if you get hurt, you may need someone to save your life), but also for navigating the open water. Surfing is a lot easier if you have someone more experienced who can point out the dangers in the water (hidden reefs and submerged objects), show you where to sit to catch waves, and help you understand surf etiquette.

Your faculty advisor is your guide in graduate school. Make sure you have a faculty advisor who will help you achieve your degree milestones and support you throughout the entire process. It is okay to change faculty advisors if you are not getting the support you need.

You are not limited in the number of mentors you have. Attend department mixers, get involved on committees, visit faculty during office hours and see if you can connect with more individuals who are willing to mentor you. Mentors are invaluable—they can help you select the right classes, read and edit your papers, suggest journals to submit articles to or conferences to attend, and help you find job opportunities. Mentors can also be older students who can provide advice about classes and degree requirements and share the hidden secrets of the department.

Don’t give yourself the added work and pressure of trying to get through graduate school on your own.

Trial & Error
Since waves are rarely the same, figuring out where to catch a wave, how to drop in the wave, and testing different tricks on the wave requires a lot of trial and error. The key is to jump right in and learn from your mistakes.

Trial and error is an important component to the dreaded activity of writing. It is rare to come into graduate school already knowing how to write a perfect literature review or journal article. Use your class assignments to test out your writing skills and make sure to get feedback from your professors. The more you write and get feedback, the better your writing will become. Don’t wait until your comprehensive exams, thesis, or dissertation to perfect your writing skills.

If you are an international student and you are hesitant to write because you are anxious about your English skills, take the first step of writing something small (one to two pages), get advice from colleagues, mentors, or your faculty advisor, and then build your confidence as you write more papers.

Wellness
Surfing is a way of life. Many surfers understand the value of taking care of your well-being in order to maximize your time spent surfing. Laird Hamilton, a famous big wave surfer, wrote a book that describes his shift to a healthier diet, the time he takes to practice yoga and meditation, and his fitness training regime to keep in shape for surfing.

Graduate school brings about many stressors and it is important to take care of your well-being so you do not get run down with a physical or mental illness and have to prolong your time spent in school. Wellness incorporates more than just exercising and eating healthy (UCSB Health & Wellness). Taking care of your well-being means having a strong support network, getting enough sleep, getting care when you need it (Student Health, Counseling Services), taking time to reflect and enjoy life (meditation, yoga, long walks), and being able to cope with stress (hanging out with friends, finding a release). UCSB has many services available (typically free of charge or reduced price) to help you take care of your well-being, so take advantage of these opportunities while you are a grad student.

Persistence
You don’t get good at surfing overnight. It takes years of practice to figure out which waves to catch. Then, once you catch the wave, you still need to perfect the technique of dropping in and doing maneuvers on the wave. If I had given up the first time I was crushed by big waves and held underwater, I would have missed years of amazing waves all over the world.

One of my previous employers, who had a Ph.D., explained to me that a dissertation is like any other paper, just longer; all you have to do is persist long enough to complete it. Her advice was so simple, and yet, wise. Graduate school is a long journey over multiple years. Being resilient, finding mentors, having a support group, and of course, taking care of your well-being will help you persist through your graduate school journey.

Welcome new graduate students!

The Graduate Division has planned an exciting and engaging orientation program to help you get acquainted with all of the resources and services available to you on campus at UCSB. Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your orientation experience:

• Exchange your contact information with the students you sit next to and meet throughout the orientation program.
• There will be many UCSB staff and students presenting. If you find a presentation interesting, approach the presenter during the lunch hour and introduce yourself.
• Go on a tour! I did not have this opportunity and I still get lost trying to find things around campus. You will also get to learn about key campus resources and hangouts from current graduate students.
• Learn about the valuable campus resources—Student Health (free office visits and prevention services), Counseling and Psychological Services (group and individual counseling), Recreation (join an intramural team or rock climb), Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships (grant writing, publishing, job workshops) and more...

New Graduate Student Orientation
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Corwin Pavilion

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Main Program, Lunch, and Poster Session
1 to 2 p.m. Campus Tours

More information is available at the Graduate Division website. See you there!

International students gather in Girvetz Theater for Graduate International Student Orientation. Photos by Patricia Marroquin

Students enjoy a continental breakfast at Girvetz Hall.

“Welcome to this world of discovery, exploration, and creations.”  With that, Dr. Claudine Michel, the Director of the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS), warmly greeted the 150 new international graduate students who attended UC Santa Barbara’s Orientation Day geared toward them on Sept. 18 at Girvetz Hall.

From left: Fang He, Shuhan Yang, and Ziwei Zhong, all from China, get to know each other at breakfast. Fang will pursue a Ph.D. in American History; Shuhan and Ziwei are seeking master’s degrees in Economics.The packed day of activities, hosted by OISS, included a continental breakfast; a get-acquainted icebreaker activity; sessions on safety and violence prevention, immigration matters, and the English language placement exam; a graduate student panel; and library tours. The day was capped off with an afternoon reception at the Student Resource Building.

“The world is increasingly global,” Haiti-born Michel, a Professor of Black Studies who has taught at UCSB for 28 years, told the students. “And we are grateful to be able to have such a large class of incoming graduate students who are bringing to us very special, enriching experiences from other parts of the world. Different ways of thinking, different ways of being, different ways of apprehending scholarship, different traditions in terms of family and culture, different ways of learning and of engaging with scholarship.”

Third-year grad student Eugeniu Plamadeala of Moldova, center, leads an icebreaker session.

She emphasized that international students should not think of themselves as “taking” from the university. “You are also enriching what this university is about,” Dr. Michel said. “Our chancellor talks about our twin goals of diversity and excellence. And of course we have no diversity without the presence of graduate students.”

Students chat during a get-acquainted group session.

In her welcome to the new international grad students, Dr. Carol Genetti, Acting Dean of the Graduate Division and a Professor of Linguistics, pointed out that UCSB’s new international graduate students come from every corner of the globe except Antarctica. The largest percentage of new international grad students, she said, comes from the People’s Republic of China, and to applause, she briefly welcomed them in Mandarin Chinese. They join students from India, the second-largest representation of new grad students, and 33 other countries, where the languages spoken include Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Swahili, Korean, Russian, and Arabic.

Sepehr Seifi, left, of Iran, and Yilei Wang of China get acquainted. Sepehr will pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, and Yilei will study for a Ph.D. in Computer Science.International graduate students play an important role at the university, Acting Dean Genetti told the students. “You are bringing the world to us and helping us together understand the complex issues that are facing our planet that we all share together,” she said. “You also are in the position of bringing UC Santa Barbara out to the world. So we see you as being our university’s ambassadors.”

Dr. Genetti had valuable advice to share. “Stay in close touch with your families,” she told them.  A once-weekly phone call or Skype session will “let them know you are fine and doing well.” Those communications, she said, “will remind you that you have such wonderfully strong roots back home.  And those roots are still supporting you across the distance.”

Bring a bit of your home here by finding others who are from your home country, she said, and celebrate holidays together. But also make friends with others who are not from your part of the world, she advised. Another important bit of advice: "Laugh a lot!"

“In my experience the best friends of your life are the friends that you make in graduate school,” Dr. Genetti told the students. “And so you are just about to meet a whole range of really remarkable people who are your fellow graduate students in your home departments.”

Dr. Genetti suggested getting involved in a wide range of activities, joining clubs and organizations. She also urged students to not be afraid to ask questions. There are many people to go to with those questions, including one very important and helpful person: the Graduate Program Assistant in students’ home departments.  

“We want you to surpass your highest expectations for your own achievement,” Dr. Genetti told the students.  “We want you to go far beyond where you think you can go. And we want to provide you with the resources to make sure you can do that.”

Vietnam-born Thuc-Quyen Nguyen, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCSB, told the international students that they may have to work harder than domestic students because of the language barrier and cultural differences, and may have doubts in their second year about whether they should proceed toward pursuing a graduate degree. However, she stressed that there’s “no written rule that you have to go through the Ph.D. path alone.” Dr. Nguyen said “communication is key,” advising the students to create relationships with advisors, friends, and faculty both within and outside their departments. Seek their guidance, advice, feedback, or simply their moral support.

Graduate Division Assistant Dean Christian Villasenor shares resources available for students.Panelists in an afternoon session provided the new grad students with resources, tips, advice, and candid thoughts on life as a grad student.

Graduate Division Assistant Dean Christian Villasenor talked about the division’s resources, which include units for financial support and admissions and outreach; graduate peer advisors; and the graduate student blog, The GradPost.

Other tidbits of advice from the panelists: ECE Student Affairs Manager Val DeVeyra urged students to manage their U-Mail accounts so they don’t get unwieldy, as these accounts are a crucial method of communication. Film and Media Studies grad student Rahul Mukherji told the students it’s OK to cancel your lab hours once in a while to go out and enjoy the great weather. And give your relationship with your advisor time to develop, he said, but don’t hesitate to change advisors if need be. Garay Menicucci, Associate Director of the Office of International Students & Scholars, urged students to come to OISS for any assistance. “We want to be your family away from home,” said Menicucci, who added that the office’s staff members are “your protectors and advocates.”

Rajlakshmi Purkayastha, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Materials Department, and Jill Dunlap, Director of the Rape Prevention Education Program, lead a Safety/Violence Prevention session.

Students broke into groups by gender for a Safety/Violence Prevention session. One of the sessions geared for women was led by Jill Dunlap, Director of the Rape Prevention Education Program, and Rajlakshmi Purkayastha, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Materials Department. Topics ranged from cultural adjustment to dating and domestic violence matters. Among their advice to the women students was to get active, think positively, eat a healthy diet, and seek help for any safety issues that may arise.

After library tours, everyone gathered at the Student Resource Building to end the day with pasta, salad, cookies, wine, and good company. New friendships were no doubt forged.

“We wish you our very best as you enter this new phase of your career,” Dr. Michel told the students earlier in the day. “Know that we are very grateful to you for the contributions that you will be making to UCSB and the world. … We know that because of your hard work and commitment to new knowledge, this world and planet will be better.”

Students ended the day at a reception in the Student Resource Building.

The Graduate Students Association represents all graduate students at UCSB. Read on for more about this year's Executive Committee. For more on what the GSA does, see We Love GSA.

Mario Galicia Jr.

President, gsapresident.ucsb@gmail.com

Research Focus: Youth gang and violence intervention, ethnography, critical pedagogy, research evaluations

Program: M.A./Ph.D. in Education

Bio

I was born in LA and lived in the Rampart district for the first seven years of my life. I moved to and lived in San Bernardino for over 20 years, prior to transferring from Moreno Valley College to UCSB as an undergraduate. I received my bachelor's degree in Sociology and Chicana/o Studies from UCSB in 2008 and later that fall began my graduate student career in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. By the end of this summer I will be finished with my M.A. requirements and looking forward to advancing to doctoral candidacy by mid-year. My research primarily focuses on a gang and violence intervention program implemented through the Santa Barbara Unified School District. As a graduate student in the GGSE I have been very fortunate to participate in research projects outside of my discipline. Obtaining an interdisciplinary research training from a top ranked research university, such as UCSB, has been an experience definitely worth enduring the grind of graduate school. I look forward to seeing how I can utilize my research tools to better understand our youth, and hopefully contribute to my fields of research at the same time.

On a personal side, I am a husband and father. I have been married for two years, with my wonderful partner of seven and a half years, Maria. We have a beautiful daughter named Michelle, and we are also expecting a baby brother for Michelle later on this fall quarter. I do have to say that my family is my anchor and motivation for completing my graduate program. I have been lucky enough to have had a supportive and understanding partner, in my wife, from the very beginning of my college education.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

I hope to establish a strong communication network between the GSA and their peers. We are looking forward to updating our website and also add new content on graduate student resources and services offered across UCSB. We are hoping to assist our fellow graduate student peers in understanding the full extent of coverage they receive with the student fees that they pay as well as inform our peers on additional services offered to them given individual circumstances.

We are having two huge campus events this year with the upcoming presidential election registration drive this fall and our Campus Climate Survey later in the winter quarter. We need to have as many graduate student participants as possible. These are two excellent opportunities to become involved and have yourself heard.

One issue I am definitely looking at tackling this year is graduate student summer transportation. As many of you know, unless you are registered in and pay for summer courses, you are not eligible to receive a summer bus pass to ride on the MTD for free. As such, we will be exploring some ideas to help subsidize summer transportation costs to graduate students. Please help us out by engaging with us at our regular general assembly meetings, the first Tuesday of every month at the GSA Lounge from 6 to 8 p.m. Aside from that, please feel free to contact me at anytime.

Ellie Sciaky

VP External Affairs, gsavpexternal@gmail.com

Program: Ph.D. in Education

Bio

I'm beginning my fourth year in GGSE's M.A./Ph.D. program. I'm also a UCSB alum, with a B.A. in Sociology. Go Gauchos!

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

Fight fee increases, help connect UCSB students to system-wide opportunities, support ed-friendly legislation, bring the needs of this campus to the awareness of system-wide bodies, and whatever else comes up.

Dusty Hoesly

VP Committees & Planning, gsavpcomplan.ucsb@gmail.com

Research Focus: Contemporary American Religions

Program: Ph.D. in Religious Studies

Bio

I am from Portland, Oregon. B.A. Lewis & Clark College 2002: English, Philosophy (double major), Religious Studies (minor); M.A.R. Yale Divinity School 2004: History of Christianity (concentration); M.A.T. Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education: English Language Arts, Middle Level/High School (emphasis).

I taught 7th grade English for four years, as well as religious studies classes at Mt. Hood Community College and adult community education classes at a local library. I research the world views of people in the Pacific Northwest who self-describe as "not religious" (what are their values, what experiences do they consider special, etc...).

What Do You Hope to Accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

I hope to ensure effective and diverse graduate student representation on campus committees and to plan exciting, well-attended events for graduate students throughout the year.

Caitlin Rathe

VP Budget & Finance, gsavpbudget@gmail.com

Research Focus: 20th Century U.S. history, economic roots of liberalism and its impact on US policy, 1920/30s forward

Program: M.A./Ph.D. in History  

Bio

I received my B.A. from Willamette University, a small liberal arts college in Salem, Oregon, in Economics and French Literature. While spending a year in France teaching English at a public high school, I was in the process of applying to economics Ph.D. programs when I realized it just wasn't the right fit. My senior economics thesis looked at the growth of wage disparities between African American and white male workers in urban centers during the 1920s and 1930s, centering on the unequal impact of the Depression on wages. So.... I thought, why not try history? I'd only taken two history classes as an undergrad, the first one my freshman year which I did not enjoy at all. But then returned to take another one first semester senior year, which I loved. I've always had a passion for teaching and hope to use my degree to educate and empower others.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

I want ALL graduate students to be able to list at least three things the GSA does for them. Our executive team can help with this by continuing to make our activities more transparent, as well as carrying out more awareness raising and action campaigns on campus.

Gary Haddow

VP Academic Affairs, gsavpacademic@gmail.com

Research Focus: Liberian Refugee Education

Program: Ph.D. in Education

Bio

I received a Bachelor's of Sociology at UCSB which led me to working with issues of global inequality and racial theory, and thus leading me to volunteering in South Africa for a summer. After this, my research focus switched to refugee education within West Africa, specifically, Liberian refugees in the Buduburam Refugee Camp. Last summer, I spent two months in the camp setting up the Middle Grounds Primary School, a free school for 110 Liberian refugee children. When not focused on overseeing the operations of Middle Grounds or working on my master's research, I love to watch all movies, I am an avid Yahtzee player, and I love to spend time with my friends.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

I hope to make sure that the various campus committees that I will be a part of continue to consider and recognize the importance of graduate students to the UCSB campus and its community as a whole. In addition, our GSA Executive Committee is dedicated to making GSA open, available, and useful to the entire graduate student body.

Ester Trujillo

VP Communications and Records, gsavpcomm.ucsb@gmail.com

Research Focus: My research is qualitative work focusing on Latina/o entrepreneur resilience practices

Program: Ph.D. in Chicana and Chicano Studies

Bio

I grew up in East Los Angeles and my parents operate a small business in downtown Los Angeles. I received my Bachelor's degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies with a minor in Political Science from UCLA and my master's degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies at UCSB. I have worked at UCLA Admissions and at Women's Economic Ventures in Santa Barbara. I have also been a teaching assistant for various Chicana/o Studies courses. I am a graduate peer for the Salvadoran Student Union's research initiative. I believe that academic research is a privileged platform and so I try my best to use this platform to give visibility to social inequalities and exposing the material conditions that surround a diverse array of US communities. I hope to use my degree to teach at the university level.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

As VP of Communications and Records I hope to continue to provide transparency by keeping updated records of meetings and decisions made by GSA. I hope to see more GSA involvement from students in small departments and that more students will read the weekly announcements and eventually attend events designed for them.

Marcel Brousseau

VP Internal Affairs, GSAVPInternal@gmail.com

Research Focus: Media; the U.S./Mexican/Indigenous American Borderlands/ Cartographic Texts/ Navigation/ Networks

Program: Ph.D. in Comparative Literature

Bio:

This is my fifth year at UCSB. As a comparative literature student, I have consistently studied across departments, in Art History, Chicana/o Studies, English, Environmental Science, History, Geography, and Religious Studies. Doing so has helped me to devise new methodologies in my study of the U.S./Mexican/Indigenous American borderlands, and it has also allowed me to engage with graduate students and faculty from many different disciplines. I am always interested in how communication occurs across supposed borders; likewise I am concerned with transcultural, transdisciplinary communities. In my role with the GSA, I can combine these scholarly and political interests.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

I see the GSA as performing a mediating function. On one side, we make ourselves available to our immediate community, to graduate students, in order to provide for their social and scholastic well-being. We stage events and organize causes in order to ease the pressure of graduate work and life, and to foster communication and community. On the other side, we represent our members to the larger intercollegiate community. We want to remind UCSB and the UCs that graduate students keep these colleges running. We teach, we research, we administrate. We keep the labs humming, we utilize the infrastructure, and we create and innovate. Many, perhaps most, graduate students attend UCSB twice as long as undergrads; sometimes grad students attend UCSB longer than some faculty members. At the same time, we link to both the undergraduate and faculty communities. We know this university in ways that nobody else on campus does, and we should be given an appropriately strong voice in infrastructural, budgetary, and academic concerns. I hope that this year we can make progress on year round bus passes for grads and arrange for more effective housing for grads. I also hope that we can continue conversations about graduate student instructor rights and salaries, and about graduate representation among the Regents. It is absurd that graduate students are so poorly represented among those who make the largest decisions for the UCs, when those decisions will naturally trickle down to affect us both as students and as instructors.

Gary Fox

VP Student Affairs, gsavpstudent@gmail.com

Research Focus: Solar Energy

Program: M.S. Electrical Engineering

Bio: 

I grew up in Seattle, WA and attended the University of Washington. Not knowing what I wanted to do with my life as an undergraduate, I studied economics.

After working in the consulting and hedge fund industry through the 2007-2009 financial collapse, I decided I wanted to be a part of the innovation industry, specifically electronics. This came about through my exposure to venture and private equity capital firms. I sold all my belongings and moved to California with no firm plan, but I knew that I needed more education in a technical field.

Through two years of community college preparing for this new field, meeting with people in the technology sector, and some personality tests, I determined electrical engineering would be best for me. With some hard work and a lot of help, I positioned myself as a sort of alternative candidate, coming into engineering school from a business background. As luck would have it, I was accepted to several schools and chose UCSB.

Although very challenging (not having an engineering background), I couldn't be more happy with my life at UCSB. Currently I am researching solar energy and researching how to make it more viable as a real energy source. I am also studying CMOS and RF circuitry, and am very excited about the future of these and other technologies. My goal is to combine my business and investment experience with my engineering education to one day produce a useful product for our society.

What do you hope to accomplish as a GSA Executive Committee Member?

To continue serving the community of graduate students, assist them with their housing and health needs, and to promote camaraderie among all graduate students regardless of background.

The GradPost and Graduate Student Resource Center staff invite you to the GSRC for coffee, tea, and breakfast treats on Friday, October 5 any time between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stop by to meet Mario Galicia, Graduate Student Diversity and Outreach Peer, Whitney Winn, Graduate Division Retention Services Director, and other staff, learn about the resources available in the GSRC and the Student Resource Building, and grab a bite to eat.

Who: All Graduate Students
What: Free breakfast!
When: Friday, October 5, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Where: Graduate Student Resource Center in the Student Resource Building, 1st floor

Thank you to all of our new graduate students who attended Graduate Student Orientation last week. We asked all of our presenters to give us their best tips on video and we compiled them, along with relevant links, here on the GradPost. These resources are organized by topic. Click through the links below for all of the Orientation content:

• Academic and Professional Development

  Graduate peer advisors, Library, Graduate Division Academic Services, Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships

• Wellness

  Recreation, Rape Prevention Education, Student Health, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Mental Health

• Campus Engagement

  Women's Center, Graduate Students Association, Resource Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity, Housing

• Funding Video

  Finding and understanding funding is an essential part of graduate student life. The video highlights the funding resources and individuals on campus that can provide support as you search for fellowships, jobs, and grants and apply for financial aid.

Other Resources

• Graduate Division developer James Colon took some great photos of the day. Check them out in the Orientation Photo Gallery
• UCSB’s International Grad Student Orientation Day Draws 150 Students from 35 Countries
• Incoming Graduate Students Profile

Some of the 17 ARC/Sally Casanova scholars pose with Graduate Division staff: Walter Boggan, top right; Roxanna Quach, lower right; and Mario Galicia, center foreground. Photo credit: Dr. Anna Everett

Seventeen undergraduate students from across the country had the unique opportunity this summer to explore their disciplines through mentored research experiences and receive graduate school preparation as scholars in the Academic Research Consortium/Sally Casanova Scholar Program.

The eight-week program, organized by the Graduate Division, brought together undergrads with the potential to succeed in graduate study, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have hindered advancement in their fields of study. These talented and motivated students benefited from the encouragement, scholarly research support, and mentorship available through the program.

The students came from such states as Michigan, South Carolina, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington, New Jersey, and New York. And several of them were from UC Santa Barbara and elsewhere in California.

Besides the pursuit of research under the guidance of UCSB faculty and grad student mentors, the scholars also attended weekly professional development workshops on such topics as GRE preparation, “outside the box” Ph.D. careers, and building a digital reputation.

Walter Boggan, Graduate Division’s Director of Admissions & Outreach, proclaimed the summer program “a huge success,” for both the student participants and UCSB.

“The Academic Research Consortium program was a great recruiting and outreach tool to promote graduate studies here at UC Santa Barbara,” Boggan said. “Seventeen rising seniors with diverse backgrounds from across the nation were given an opportunity to perform scholarly research across many disciplines at one of the top academic institutions in the U.S., if not the world. I’m sure our location between the Santa Ynez Mountains and Pacific Ocean left a positive impression on our scholars as well.”

Boggan said the scholars “were provided with a wonderful research experience to prepare them for graduate school while UC Santa Barbara faculty and graduate student mentors honed their skills in providing guidance to these scholars.”

The program also stressed work-life balance, which meant getting out of the classroom, library, or lab every now and then for some fun, relaxation, and bonding.

“As important as their research is, everyone deserves some time to get out and breathe some fresh air,” said Mario Galicia, Diversity & Outreach Peer Advisor for the Graduate Division who worked with the ARC scholars. “The idea was to provide the ARC/Sally Casanova scholars with a physical experience of how to approach a healthy and balanced graduate student career,” he said.

Galicia said some of the students had never been to the West Coast and some had never seen the ocean. One student had never eaten a burrito. A trip to Los Angeles gave the scholars a chance to put their research aside for a day. One benefit of the trip, Galicia said, was that it “allowed the scholars to bond in a more personal manner. They began to see themselves as peers and allies instead of competition in their career.”

The summer program concluded with a two-day research symposium in which the scholars presented their work and spoke about their experiences at UCSB. Their research, conducted with the assistance of UCSB grad student mentors, ran the gamut, from politics and media to diversity and domestic violence. A future GradPost article will highlight the important role that graduate student mentors play at the university and beyond.

One of the ARC scholars, Cyrell Roberson from Xavier University in Louisiana, had this to say about his experience in the summer program:

“This past summer was by far the best summer of my life. Participating in UCSB's Academic Research Consortium provided me the opportunity to conduct interesting research in my field with a prominent social psychologist, Dr. Brenda Major, in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. I gained extensive knowledge in research that definitely made me more competent and confident in conducting independent research. I was lucky enough to participate in a group with other individuals from across the country who have overcome similar adversities but are just as determined and capable of reaching their academic and professional goals. These talented individuals have become some of my closest friends, lifelong friends who I will be able to share incredible memories with – from learning how to surf to skydiving from thousands of feet in the air. Because of the amazing ARC staff, my research mentor and grad student mentor, and my fellow ARC participants, UCSB will always be a place that I call home. After participating in ARC, I now feel prepared to take on the challenges of applying to and successfully completing graduate school and reaching my full potential as a scholar.” 

ARC scholars with some of their faculty and grad student mentors. Photo credit: Patricia Marroquin

Congratulations to Brian Haggerty for winning a fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. Brian, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, has achieved the high honor of being selected as a Switzer Environmental Fellow for his dedication to positive environmental change.

The goal of the Switzer Environmental Fellowship Program is to support highly talented graduate students in New England and California whose studies are directed toward improving environmental quality and who demonstrate the potential for leadership in their field.

Visit the foundation's website for more information about the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, current and past awardees, and to view Switzer Network News as an example of the caliber of work the Fellows are doing.

The Title IX 40th Anniversary Planning Committee and its sponsors are pleased to announce a two-week celebration to commemorate the anniversary of Title IX being signed into law.

Intercollegiate Athletics Department has posted a video that's part of its Title IX celebration series. It features Volleyball Coach Kathy Gregory. Coach Gregory has been the UCSB Volleyball coach for the past 38 years and offers some excellent insights on the development of Title IX through the years.

Video: UCSB Intercollegiate Athletics Department Title IX Celebration

For a full list of Title IX events, please see our recent article, "UC Santa Barbara Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of Title IX." Also, see the UCSB Office of Public Affairs press release, "UCSB to Commemorate Passage of Title IX With a Two-Week Celebration," as well as its excellent video, below, in which UCSB administrators, faculty, staff, and students share what Title IX has meant to them and to the campus.
 
UC Santa Barbara Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of Title IX
Celebrating 40 Years of Gender Equity Progress
Join Chancellor Henry Yang, Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas, faculty, students, staff, other administrators, alums and friends on the UCSB campus for two weeks of “Thank You Title IX” activities and events. Learn more about this 1972 legislation that outlawed all manner of sex discrimination in federally funded educational institutions and changed the course of women’s and girls’ lives and career opportunities.

Event Kick‐Off

Title IX Forum / Teach‐in

“40 Years and Counting: Where Are We and Title IX Today?”

Monday, Oct. 15, 
5:15 to 7:15 p.m.

McCune Conference Room, HSSB, 6th Floor

In recent days, our heads have been in the clouds. We have seen NASA’s fifth and final space shuttle, Endeavour, retire nearly two decades after its first mission. To the cheers, tears, and gasps of crowds, Endeavour rolled slowly through the streets of Los Angeles over three days to its retirement home at the California Science Center. A day later, there were cheers, tears, and gasps once more, as Austrian skydiver “Fearless Felix” Baumgartner successfully completed a 24-mile, death-defying free-fall space jump, shattering the speed of sound as well as the record.

Watching these events with interest along with the world was UC Santa Barbara grad student alum and former NASA astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao. Chiao is a veteran of four space missions, including one on the Endeavour, and served as Commander of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station.

The UCSB alum spent 15 years at NASA, ending his career with the agency in 2005. During that time, he logged about 230 days in space – more than 36 hours of which were spent in Extra-Vehicular Activity (otherwise known as EVA, or spacewalks).

Chiao, who holds appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University, received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983 from UC Berkeley, and earned his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara in 1985 and 1987, respectively.

In an interview on CNN over the weekend (view the video below), Chiao told Fredricka Whitfield: “Getting up into space was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. And then getting the chance to go out and do spacewalks – that was even another level.”

The Houston resident took some time to share with the GradPost his thoughts on these special space moments.

On Felix Baumgartner’s death-defying leap into the record books:

“I thought Felix Baumgartner's jump was fantastic! He is obviously brave, for he did something that nobody had done before. He dove from about 128,000 feet and went supersonic during his dive. From all accounts, this project was well thought out and planned, and had been going for a few years before the record attempt. Several test jumps had been made prior, at lower altitudes, and those test data were used to improve things before the record jump. The company [Red Bull Stratos] had to use spacesuit technology, because Felix was, for all practical purposes, in space. I believe that they pushed pressure suit and telemetry technology in developing the suit and associated equipment for this jump.”

On the Endeavour and its retirement:

“I flew on Endeavour in 1996, on my second space mission. During this flight, I performed my first two spacewalks. Endeavour was the newest Shuttle, and so everything seemed a little newer and cleaner. All of the Shuttles have their own personality. To me, it was bittersweet watching Endeavour moving through the streets of L.A. I'm glad that they will be in good homes, and viewed by the public. But, they had a lot of life left in them, and I believe it was a mistake for the U.S. to retire the fleet prematurely.”

On how one space exploration event during his college days affected him:

“When I was at UCSB, the Challenger accident happened. Of course, the whole nation was stunned. But, it didn't deter me from pursuing my dream of becoming an astronaut myself. Sure enough, we got back on our feet as a nation and flew Shuttle again.”

Art History alumni talk about careers (Photo Credit: Sophia Quach McCabe)The Graduate Division invites all graduate students to plan events to bring alumni back to campus to talk about career topics. Last year, the Graduate Division funded eight such events, including career panels, day-long programs, brown-bag discussions, lectures on careers inside and outside academia, and workshops aimed at training students for entry into a range of careers.

Proposals are sought for creative activities designed to connect current graduate students with graduate alumni for conversations related to career development. Proposals must be submitted by students and should include the following information:

1. Names and departments of the graduate students who are proposal authors and lead organizers of the event
2. Names of faculty collaborators
3. Names of proposed alumni visitors, with one-paragraph synopsis about their career trajectories
4. Description of proposed activity, including estimated date and estimated number of current graduate student participants
5. Brief statement of departmental support from the Chair or Graduate Advisor
6. Budget for travel or other event costs (up to $1,000)
7. Other sources of funding for the event

Inquiries and requests for funding should be submitted by email to Acting Dean Carol Genetti at graddeans@graddiv.ucsb.edu. There is no set deadline for these requests; however, requests should be made well in advance of the scheduled event. Funding is limited and will be awarded to meritorious proposals on a first-come, first-served basis. Funded events should cite Graduate Division sponsorship on advertisements or other event-related materials.

For some inspiration, read our GradPost coverage of past events:

• Art History Grad Students Host Alumni Panel
• Dr. Anne García-Romero Shares Job Search Tips for Faculty Positions

A Register to Vote banner hangs in the Student Resource Building. Credit: Patricia MarroquinThe GradPost would like to pass along the following messages from UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang as well as California Jerry Brown regarding the upcoming elections:

October 18, 2012

TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Dear Students and Colleagues:

UC President Mark Yudof has asked that the message below from Governor Jerry Brown be shared with our campus community. I join with Governor Brown and President Yudof in expressing appreciation for our Student Associations' voter registration efforts. Please note that the deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 22.

There are a number of important issues on the upcoming ballot that affect our university community, and all of us. I encourage you to be informed, to be engaged, and to vote.

Sincerely,

Henry T. Yang
Chancellor

 
Message from Governor Jerry Brown

As a college student you can help decide the future of California by voting on November 6. But the first step is to register as a California voter before the deadline on Monday, October 22.

Registering to vote has never been easier.  For the first time, Californians can register to vote online. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Critical choices will be made at this election. California voters will directly decide issues affecting college tuition and education funding, the state budget process, punishment for crimes, and food labeling rules. And the candidates chosen will shape the policies of our state for years to come. 

You are eligible to vote in California if you are:

• A United States citizen,
• A resident of California,
• 18 years of age or older on Election Day,
• Not currently serving any part of a felony sentence (see the Secretary of State’s website for more information).
• Not found by a court to be mentally incompetent.

If you have moved from your previous address, or changed your name, you should register again. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

The power is in your hands – don't miss the opportunity to make your voice heard. 

Register before the deadline, Monday, October 22.

Then vote on Tuesday, November 6. 

With respect,

Jerry Brown
Governor of California

The UCSB Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE), formerly Rape Prevention and Education Program, encourages all Gauchos to be vigilant about their safety, particularly during this Halloween season!

Stephanie Jones, Campus AdvocateCARE is working to shift the culture of UCSB and Isla Vista by educating students about interpersonal violence, prevention and safety. You can help to create change too by intervening when you see a potentially dangerous situation or calling resources such as UCSB Police at 805-893-3449 or Isla Vista Foot Patrol at 805-681-4179.

UCSB takes all forms of violence very seriously and the campus recently received a $300,000 grant from the Department of Justice to support prevention and response efforts on campus. As part of the grant, CARE hired a third full-time campus advocate, Stephanie Jones, to help students who have been impacted by dating violence, stalking and sexual assault.

Providing support for students and working with campus student leaders to prevent interpersonal violence is our priority.

If you are interested in working with CARE to be a leader on campus in preventing and responding to interpersonal violence, you’re in luck. CARE is currently recruiting for graduate student CARE liaisons who can represent graduate student concerns regarding interpersonal violence on campus and to serve as a resource to other graduate students impacted by violence.

If you are interested in becoming a CARE liaison, please contact Jill Dunlap, Director of CARE in the Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity Department, at 805-893-2628.

CARE urges anyone who is affected by interpersonal violence to contact us at 805-893-4613 for advocacy and resources. Happy Halloween, Gauchos!

Men Against Rape & Students Stopping Rape posted these fliers on campus. Photos by Patricia Marroquin

Editor’s Note: For additional information, resources, safety tips, and more, read these articles and visit these websites:

Keep it safe, keep it local. Halloween 2012 @ UCSB

Isla Vista Survival Guide

Various UCSB Campus Organizations to Host Alternative Sober Halloween Weekend Programs

Student Groups Launch Campaign to End Catcalling in Anticipation of Halloween

UCSB Prepares for Flood of Visitors as Halloween Weekend Approaches

Editor's note: UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang and UC President Mark G. Yudof have disseminated the following messages to our campus community:

Dear Colleagues and Students,

President Yudof has asked me to share the message below with our campus community. As the election date nears, I encourage you to be informed about the important issues at stake, and to make your voice heard by voting on November 6.

Sincerely,
Henry Yang

* * *

October 25, 2012

Dear Colleague:

With the November election looming, I am writing to encourage all members of the University of California community – students, faculty, staff and alumni – to exercise your right to vote. The decisions made on Tuesday, November 6, will be of great importance for all America, with the presidency and control of Congress on the line. But here in California, the election also could prove pivotal to the University of California and its immediate future.

I refer to Proposition 30, one of 11 statewide initiatives on the California ballot. This initiative, advanced by Governor Brown, would increase income and sales taxes on a temporary basis and thus avoid an assortment of prospective "trigger cuts" that were written into the current State budget, pending the election outcome.

As you probably recall, The Regents last summer took the extraordinary step of endorsing Proposition 30, noting that should it fail our budget will be reduced by $250 million. In addition, $125 million currently in the budget to ensure no increases in tuition through fiscal year 2012-13 will be forfeited.

Sadly, it's not news that public higher education in California has been battered by declining State support. With an additional blow of this magnitude, The Regents’ resolution stated, "the ability of the University of California to ensure the high-quality education that Californians have come to expect will be jeopardized...."

Let me be clear that it is neither my official place, nor my personal predilection, to suggest how others should vote. You need to look at the facts and make your own informed decisions. In that vein, please allow me to point you to a good starting place: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/28244.

The above link will take you to a variety of Proposition 30 informational and campaign materials from sources on all sides of the ballot issue. This includes material from those who oppose the measure, arguing that it will increase taxes unnecessarily and burden small businesses.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

With best wishes, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Mark G. Yudof
President
University of California

The definition of “mentor” is a wise and trusted teacher or counselor, someone who shares their knowledge and wisdom with a colleague who is less knowledgeable. The definition implies that the mentee is the only one who benefits. But if you talk with mentors, you’ll quickly learn that they often gain just as much if not more from the experiences as those they’ve counseled. 

That’s what we found when we interviewed several UCSB grad student mentors and a couple of their mentees. What follows, in a two-part series, are their accounts of peer mentoring experiences, from the challenges and obstacles to the triumphs and rewards.

Interviews were conducted with UCSB grad student mentors Sameh Helmy, Hannah Goodwin, Lauren Winczewski, and Peter Burks; and mentees Carmen Segura and Briana McKoy.

In Part 1 of our two-part series, we interview Sameh Helmy, Carmen Segura, and Peter Burks.

SAMEH HELMY AND HIS MENTEE, CARMEN SEGURA

Sameh Helmy, a third-year Ph.D. student studying Organic Chemistry, told the GradPost he has always had a love for and a strong drive toward teaching.

“During my undergraduate studies I was fortunate to conduct research under the direction of Dr. Philip Hampton (Professor of Chemistry at Cal State Channel Islands),” Sameh said. “Dr. Hampton instilled in me the philosophy that my job as a scientist would be threefold: 1) conducting research, 2) communicating my findings, and 3) most importantly, encouraging others to become scientists.”

Sameh has been a mentor for nearly half a dozen programs, while he was a student at Cal State Channel Islands as well as here at UCSB.

In the summer of 2012, Sameh mentored Carmen Segura, at the time a student at Santa Rosa Junior College who has since transferred to UCSB to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

Sameh said Carmen “worked on an extension of my work, examining the effects of extended conjugation on organic photoswitches.” He said he developed the initial concept for Carmen’s work and helped her to learn new synthetic and analytical techniques.

Grad student mentor Sameh Helmy assists Carmen Segura.For Carmen, Sameh served as a great resource whose advice ultimately helped her decide what studies she wanted to pursue here.

"Sam was always willing to go the extra mile,” Carmen said. “I was always learning something new. Whether it was lab techniques, chemistry, writing abstracts, or preparing for a presentation, Sam was always there as a valuable resource. Also, during the summer I had to declare the major I was going to pursue,” said Carmen, who initially applied to UCSB as a Biochemistry major. “Ever since the spring my interest in Chemistry was much stronger than Biochemistry. Sam’s advice gave me the nudge to declare the major that I really wanted,” she said.

Beyond learning from Sameh how to do research in her field of study, Carmen also learned from him the importance of the proper temperament. “Sam has a lot of energy that’s paced and controlled,” Carmen explained. “I have a lot energy as well, but it wasn’t as paced and controlled as Sam’s. I got excited often and I would talk so fast that sometimes it wasn’t understandable. I was also timid except when I get excited in the beginning of the program. However, I opened up and became more comfortable. We got along really well throughout the program. It was a friendly environment where I could approach Sam with questions, and he could give me constructive criticism.”

Being a part of the mentorship program with Sameh allowed Carmen to gain “a deeper insight into the research world. I left feeling more confident, skilled, and prepared. I learned valuable information about the grad school application process. In the end I gained valuable tools that I can further take on toward the pursuit of my career,” she said.

Carmen has high praise for Sameh, calling him a great mentor “who pushed me but was always conscious about not overwhelming me.”

“Do it!” Sameh says, when asked what he would tell a grad student who is considering becoming a mentor. “It will be an eye-opening and extremely rewarding experience. Mentoring provides an opportunity to develop your skills as an educator, and dedication to mentoring is highly desirable to future employers (both in and outside of academia). Mentoring can also help to take your work in new directions. The questions that interns ask often probe the core fundamentals of the work and can reveal new insights to the mentor.”

Sameh has gained personal satisfaction through his mentoring experiences. “Watching a student’s interest and excitement for science grow is the most rewarding aspect of mentoring for me. Undergraduate students often see science as dry facts or pre-test experiments with little to no room for discovery. Watching a student’s shift to the reality that science is the exploration and discovery of the unknown is an experience and reward beyond measure.”

Of course, mentors do face challenges. One of the greatest ones for Sameh “is remembering that often a new mentee is completely unprepared for the realities of research. While they may have some understanding of theory,” he said, “practical techniques, time management, and being able to deal with things not working as expected are often things they have not faced before.”

Sameh says mentoring “has done wonders” in helping him to develop his skills as an educator. “In addition to exponentially increasing my patience, it has also challenged me to learn new ways to explain both techniques and theory.” He advises grad student mentors to “always remember that your mentee is there to learn and results should come second to their development.”

PETER BURKS

Peter Burks is a 5th-year Ph.D. student studying Inorganic Chemistry. His mentoring experiences have included working with U.S. undergraduates during their 10-week summer internships and with international undergrads during 10-week seminars.

“I wanted to develop skills in mentorship, one-on-one teaching of actual technique and skills versus book concepts,” Peter explained about why he participates in the mentoring process. “I also wanted to get better at communication and I simply enjoy helping people reach and discover their goals and talents. I find it to be a challenging but rewarding process. In addition, if you do a good job, then your student's productivity can help you accomplish your goals in lab.”

There are two students Peter has mentored for longer than 10 weeks, primarily with laboratory synthesis projects. “We have made a variety of nanoparticles that we use to design and study light-activated drug delivery systems. Generally, we try to start simple and let the mentee run easy reactions to get the hang of things, but then, within a few months, both mentees began working on significant synthetic aspects of the project,” Peter said. “In one case, the mentee became fairly independent, which was extremely helpful for my research. He was a talented scientist.”

The roles of advisor and counselor are important ones for a mentor, and bring great rewards. “I loved helping the students figure out what they wanted to do after they graduated – and then help them reach those goals,” Peter said. “In my case, both students wanted to go to Ph.D. programs in Chemistry, therefore I helped them prepare their application and then supported them through the process. When one got into a good school, it was very rewarding. I hope my mentees walk away feeling like they made progress, from a holistic perspective, toward their life goals when they finish working with me. I also want them to develop important skills in planning, organization, and communication – because these are generally much more important than the actual laboratory techniques they may learn from me.”

Peter Burks, right, works with a mentee in the lab.

Peter has some advice for grad students who may want to become mentors. “Be honest with yourself and assess whether you are ready to schedule for two people instead of just yourself,” he said. "Although it is a constant learning process, trying to schedule tasks and accomplishments for your mentee is important. It allows them to gain a sense of accomplishment as well as determine a sense of direction and how they contribute to the research project you are working on. These are important things to think about because, as graduate students, we often reside in a world with a fairly chaotic and spontaneous schedule with artificial deadlines and which leads to a completely different concept of time when compared to most undergraduates who are taking classes and exams, etc. It is important to try to bridge this cultural gap between you and your mentee.”  

The key to a good and successful working relationship is communication, Peter said. “Mentees cannot read your mind. Therefore, excessive communication, setting goals and expectations, is better than under-doing it,” he believes.

The value of grad student mentoring extends well beyond a student’s time at UCSB. “No matter what job you take after you graduate, you will have to mentor some again,” Peter said. “Grad school is a great opportunity to hone those skills … so that when you have to do it in a job setting, you can excel. Each mentee is different, therefore try to take on a couple of them during your degree program so that you can see that each mentee requires a different style – it’s good to understand how to motivate and excite different types of people.”

In Part 2 of “Peer Mentoring: Grad Students Discuss the Challenges and Rewards,” you’ll  learn how inspiration and passion benefited one mentee, and how one simple act had a profound effect on a grad student mentor. Stay tuned.

The Graduate Students Association Executive Committee would like to share the following letter about the upcoming elections with you. You may also view the PDF version of the GSA Voter Letter. 

The GradPost and Graduate Student Resource Center staff invite you to the GSRC for coffee, tea, and breakfast treats on Friday, November 2 any time between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stop by to meet your peer advisors and other Graduate Division staff, learn about the resources available in the GSRC and the Student Resource Building, and grab a bite to eat.

Who: All Graduate Students
What: Free breakfast!
When: Friday, November 2, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Where: Graduate Student Resource Center in the Student Resource Building, 1st floor

This quarter's first installment of our series "A Day in the Life" features Marcus Cuéllar. Marcus is an incoming graduate student in the Latin American and Iberian Studies program. Please read Marcus' interview below. I'm certain you'll enjoy his story!

A Day in the Life

Name: Marcus Cuellar

Marcus Cuéllar

Discipline/Emphasis:

M.A. Latin American & Iberian Studies (1st year)

Research Interests / Goals:

The research proposal I’m working on is concerned with the experience of Cuban baseball defectors and their families (those in the United States but especially those left behind in Cuba) following the athletes’ defections to the U.S. to play in Major League Baseball. I would like to determine what hardships or discrimination the athletes and their families must face as a result of the decisions these athletes made to leave their home country to play on baseball’s biggest stage.

At this point, my only goal is to make it through the M.A. program.  After that, I’m unsure where I’ll be heading as I’m interested in pursuing a doctorate but would welcome any possibility of working with Major League Baseball (MLB) in their Latin American operations.

What’s it like enduring the grind of being a graduate student for you?

I was away from academia for about five years before making the decision to pursue an M.A., so getting back into the student lifestyle has been a big adjustment.  The biggest change for me has been learning how not to spend money (since I no longer have any) and getting used to reading and writing practically from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep.

What’s been a source for motivation and/or drive for you?

My biggest motivation thus far has been just a personal desire to shape for myself the life I want to live.  It took me nearly all five of the years I was away from school to decide that grad school is the right path for me and I told almost everyone who asked me that I don’t see this change in my life as me going back to school, but as a career change.  So now that I’ve begun grad school, I’m trying to make the most of it.

Name the accomplishment you are most proud of, and why.

I’ve completed two marathons and a whole lot of half marathons since 2008. I’m proud that I’ve been able to stay motivated enough to keep running that kind of distance but also that I, along with my sister, inspired my dad to begin running long distance too; he’s much healthier for it.

What makes you, you?

I’ve always thought of myself as a person who knows how to maintain a balance between being serious and being laid back. I have a mature side that allowed me to excel in my professional life and now in my educational life, but I have a relaxed and very immature side that keeps me sane and happy. That’s why I’ve always thought I fit in well at UCSB; it’s a university that encourages and allows such a balance.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Modesto, California, but have lived in Santa Barbara since 2004.

What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?

A guilty pleasure of mine is watching countless hours of films and television.  I’ve watched the first third of the top 100 list compiled by the American Film Institute (AFI), something I would like to complete someday, and have built up a fairly solid background on films.

What’s playing in your iPod right now?

I usually just stream Pandora nowadays and mostly switch between The Black Keys, Lupe Fiasco, and Otis Redding channels. The Blitzen Trapper channel has also been one of my favorites lately.

How did you decide what you would be researching as a graduate student?

When I originally applied to this program, I had intended to work on issues of media freedom.  After talking with a family friend only a few weeks before beginning my program, though, I reconsidered things and decided to pursue a topic that melded my two passions (Latin America and baseball) since it was entirely feasible to do so. My specific research topic came to me while driving from Modesto to Santa Barbara; it’s a five-hour drive, so I had a lot of time to think.

What do you hope to accomplish with your research?

I maintain a naïve hope that my research will help generate baseball diplomacy (as some have called it) to occur between the U.S. and Cuba. I think the embargo does not benefit either country and by highlighting that the negative side effects of this policy are affecting something as simple and beloved as baseball, I hope to play a part in bringing an end to this era of American-Cuban relations.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

That’s a tough question to answer! If I could plan out the perfect life for myself, I think in 5 years I would want to be working for MLB in a capacity that helps to bring about positive changes in Latin America. In 10 years, after an incredibly successful stint with MLB, I would like to be in a Ph.D. program conducting more research that helps effect more positive changes in U.S.-Latin American relations.

Any advice or final thoughts?

Even though I personally haven’t been heeding this advice very well lately, I would say find a hobby or passion outside of your school work and make time for it. Maintain a balance!