Applications for PCOSW scholarships are now being accepted. The President’s Commission on the Status of Women, or PCOSW, provides funding to women faculty, students, and staff who are pursuing professional development or research opportunities, as well as individuals conducting research related to women’s issues. Scholarships average $500 and applications are due Friday, Feb. 5 (week 5) with notification in Week 7. Information: http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/pcosw/awards-scholarships
Monthly Archives: January 2016
Learning Innovation Grant Scaled Grants Information Session
An information session for the Winter 2016 round of the Learning Innovation Grant Scaled Grants will be held Tuesday, January 19, 1:00-2:00 p.m. in Kidder 202. Please attend if you have questions and are considering submitting a proposal.
About Learning Innovation Grant Scaled Grants: Applications for the winter round of the 2015-2016 Learning Innovation Grants are now being accepted. These grants support projects that deploy technology in ways that improve student learning. The maximum award for Scaled Grants (cross-unit teams) is $100k; project descriptions are due February 12, with full proposals due March 11. For more information and application materials, please visit: http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/tech-funding/learning-innovation-grant.
Please contact Robin Pappas, robin.pappas@oregonstate.edu, with questions.
Transatlantic Data Science Workshop Call for Papers – Due 1/20/16
Stanford University, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Research Councils of the United Kingdom (RCUK) with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), is hosting a Transatlantic Data Science Workshop.
This two-day workshop will be held on March 1-2, 2016 at the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. The objectives of this workshop are:
• To facilitate the development of novel computational approaches to health;
• To guide computer scientists, data scientists, statisticians, computational scientists, and mathematicians in discovering and accessing US and UK health datasets; and
• To support researchers in establishing interdisciplinary, international collaborations.
The first day of the workshop will be devoted to exploring in-depth six datasets available to US and UK researchers, three housed in the US and funded by NIH and three in the UK and funded by RCUK.
The second day will offer an opportunity for researchers to work in small groups to develop and apply novel computational techniques to the discussed health datasets, and to develop, present, and gather feedback on research concepts that will advance our approaches to and understanding of health problems.
The datasets to be explored in depth are:
1. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA): https://tcga-data.nci.nih.gov/tcga/tcgaHome2.jsp
2. Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI): http://adni.loni.usc.edu/about/
3. Health and Retirement Study (HRS): http://hrsonline.isr.umich.edu/index.php
4. UK Biobank – http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/about-biobank-uk/
5. Millennium Cohort Study – http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/page.aspx?sitesectionid=851
6. CALIBER – https://www.caliberresearch.org/
Submission:
Two-page submissions are invited from researchers in computer science, data science, statistics and/or mathematics. Preference is given to early career researchers, but all applicants will be considered. Proposals should describe novel computational approaches and an innovative application to a health/medical problem, employing one or more of the above six named datasets. Special consideration will be given to proposals using more than one of the above named datasets, with novel combinatorial (e.g., novel database research or data linkages) methods. Proposals may draw upon prior work minimally, but should not propose on-going or published research. Note: researchers do not need any prior experience using the named datasets.
Please include a brief description of the proposer’s background and credentials (less than 1/2 page). Other contributors may be acknowledged but only the lead proposer will be invited to attend the workshop, if selected. Travel and expenses (up to approximately $1300, depending on originating location, for the two-day workshop) will be reimbursed through an NSF grant to Stanford University.
The concept paper is limited to two pages, with 1-inch margins and 10 point Arial font or larger.
Please upload you concept paper submission and CV here, and enter your details here. https://sites.google.com/site/usukhealthdata/
Important Dates:
January 20, 2016 (11:59 PM Pacific Time): Vision Papers Due
January 29, 2016: Notification of Acceptance
March 1-2, 2016: Workshop Date
Focus On ECampus – Michael Hancock
Happy New Year, readers! Our first student spotlight for 2016 is on Michael Hancock, a high school teacher in Ohio who has taken several of our Ecampus Chemistry courses.
- Please share your background so we can get to know you better—what career are you in, or working towards? What inspired you to choose this path?
I am a high school science teacher and I’ve been teaching for eight years now. Interestingly, I never started out to be a teacher. My undergrad B.S. degree is in biology and after college I began a career at Battelle (a science research facility in Columbus, OH) for four years. Later, the state of Ohio began increasing its science requirements for graduation and found itself short on science teachers. So, they started seeking those who already had a strong science background and only needed the courses in pedagogy, which the state would pay for. My wife was already a teacher and we had just been talking about how great it would be to raise a family if we were both teachers with the same schedules as our children. So, when I heard the radio announcement for people with a background in science who were interested in becoming teachers, I applied. Within a year, after an intense teaching program at Muskingum University, I passed the state exams (both to prove I knew biology as well as the pedagogy) and became a licensed teacher. Within the next year I had a Master’s in Education and was teaching full time in Columbus City Schools.
Since my original degree was in biology, I was only licensed to teach Life Science courses in Ohio. Recently, I got a job in the Licking Valley School District, which was much closer to home. However, they needed a teacher with a license to teach chemistry, not biology. Since I minored in chemistry in my undergrad I was confident that I could take one or two courses, if necessary, to get the chemistry licensure. I was right… and wrong. I did have enough undergrad chemistry credits to get a supplemental license to teach chemistry for two years. However, during that time I would need to take 10 semester hours in chemistry and pass the required state chemistry test. I searched high and low, scouring the internet for online programs that offered higher-level chemistry courses. Most schools either did not offer any chemistry courses online above organic chemistry, or required that I seek a degree. Finally, I found Oregon State’s Ecampus program that did offer just the right amount of chemistry courses that I had not already taken in my undergrad and I could register as a non-degree seeking student. It was perfect!
- What do you like most, or least, about our online classes?
I like the design of the courses the most. I especially liked having the liberty to work and study at my convenience rather than trying to make it to a scheduled class, which would have been impossible while also working full time. Some classes were designed better for online study than others. I would like to mention Environmental Chemistry CH_390 taught by Marita Barth was the best online course due to the way it was organized; very clear directions, each topic was broken down and thoroughly explained with pencast tutorials as well as PowerPoint lectures and other tools, and there was little mystery as to what was expected of me as the learner.
What I liked least: In nearly every course, during the audio recordings of the PowerPoint lectures, there were multiple references to things that were happening in the classroom that I could not see. For example, one professor constantly referred to group activities and discussions that took place in the face-to-face class but never explained any detail nor provided any alternative exercise I could do at home. Another professor would write and draw on the chalkboard during the lecture but never provided those images in some form online – so I was left with my imagination for what was being referred to on the board. It would seem that could be improved with current technologies (even by snapping a photo and posting it to Canvas somewhere). Perhaps lectures could even be video recorded and linked to on Canvas.
- Do you have any advice for other online students?
Do not think that distance learning is somehow easier than face-to-face classes. I found myself sometimes working and studying harder than I did in most in-person lectures because I couldn’t simply raise my hand to ask a clarifying question or talk to a peer after class. Please don’t misunderstand, the benefits of Ecampus are too numerous to mention here and well worth the effort. Just don’t be naive enough to think that the coursework will be less intense because you can work on it at your own convenience. There are still challenges, the rigor can still be intense, and the expectations are still high.
- What do you like to do in your spare time (or perhaps to relieve school stress!)?
I am the youth pastor at Christian Apostolic Church in Newark, OH and I serve the district of Ohio as the Ohio Youth Division Secretary for the United Pentecostal Church International. I love being involved in ministry.
- Do you have a family you would like to tell us about?
I am the husband of the best woman in the world, Ann Hancock and together we have two precious daughters, Ragon (5 years old and just started kindergarten) and Adley (5 months old and just started kissing her mom and play-fighting with her dad, as babies do!).
Federal Job Workshop
MCAT Prep Class
Jan 23, 30; Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, Mar 5
Bring Your Kids to Campus Day 2016
All students, staff & faculty are invited to participate in OSU’s annual Bring Your Kids to Campus Day on April 15, 2016 hosted by Childcare & Family Resources. Any offices/departments on the Corvallis campus interested in hosting a family friendly activity that day, please contact erika.woosley@oregonstate.edu.
RERF Deadline Extended
The Research Office Incentive Programs is accepting applications for the RERF 2016 solicitation. The intent of the RERF program is to enable faculty to acquire, repair, renovate, or improve equipment directly used for research. Program guidelines and application: http://research.oregonstate.edu/incentive/research-equipment-reserve-fund. Information: Debbie Delmore at debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu. Deadline: Jan. 19.
Assistant Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Southern Oregon University
The Department of Chemistry at Southern Oregon University invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in Inorganic Chemistry at the Assistant Professor level starting September 19, 2016. Teaching responsibilities of the position include inorganic chemistry lecture and lab, as well as, participation in our general chemistry sequence and organic chemistry labs. The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry or a closely related field; post-doctoral experience is highly desirable. The Department of Chemistry at SOU values close interaction with students and active research with undergraduates is expected. Southern Oregon University is a public, liberal arts university of 6,000 students. A major renovation of our science building was recently completed. The Department is well-equipped with a 400 MHz NMR, five MS systems including two LCMS, ICP, IR, UVvis, AA, GC, HPLC, TGA, and supporting equipment. For more information see http://www.sou.edu/chemistry.
Applications can be submitted at https://jobs.sou.edu/. A curriculum vitae including teaching philosophy, statement of research interests, unofficial transcripts, and three letters of recommendation are required.
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.
Winter Term – Free Grad Student & Faculty Library Workshops
Check out the OSU Libraries’ free Graduate Student & Faculty Winter Term Workshops. Registration is encouraged, but not required. For complete session descriptions, visit: http://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/Library-Workshops-for-Grad-Students-Faculty Can’t make it to a session? Many of the sessions have handouts or online tutorials: http://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/WorkshopHandouts
Spreadsheet Best Practices
Wednesday, Jan. 13, – 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Intro to Zotero: A Web-Based Way to Manage Your Citations
Thursday, January 14, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., Autzen Classroom
OR
Monday, February 8, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Intermediate/Advanced Zotero
Thursday, January 14, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
OR
Monday, February 8, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Literature Review Workshop
Tuesday, January 19, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Intro to Data Management Workshop
Wednesday, January 20, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Intro to Qualtrics – Making Great Surveys
Thursday, January 21, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Advanced Qualtrics
Thursday, January 21, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Mendeley
Tuesday, January 26, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Basic EndNote Workshop
Tuesday, January 26, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Intermediate/Advanced EndNote
Tuesday, January 26, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Showcasing Your Research Managing Publications for Your Thesis, Dossier, or CV
Thursday, January 28, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
3D Scanning Workshop
Wednesday, Feburary 3, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
3D Printing Workshop
Wednesday, February 3, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Graduate Publishing Tips – Where, When & How
Wednesday, February 10, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Working with Linked Data
Thursday, February 11, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Introduction to Digital Publishing with Scalar
Thursday, February 18, 4:00 – 5:15 p.m., Autzen Classroom
Questions? Ask Hannah Rempel, hannah.rempel@oregonstate.edu