Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation week! I want to take this opportunity to express how much I appreciate all of you, your accomplishments and your sense of community during what has been a very challenging year. You are an essential part of the University of Pittsburgh’s mission and culture, and I hope you take time this week to participate in some of the Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week events listed below.

I would also like to encourage you to complete Pitt’s Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) survey before April 23, 2021. The survey gives you the chance to share your perspectives on academic programs, student services, diversity and inclusion, learning environments, and other aspects of your experience at the University. Your completely confidential responses help us know what is working well and how we can improve graduate and professional student education. Through April 23, we will randomly choose one participant per week to receive Apple AirPods. Log on at http://www.provost.pitt.edu/seru and log in using your seven-digit student ID. Participating in the survey is completely voluntary and will not affect your grades, registration, or enrollment in any way.

My next virtual office hour is on Thursday, April 8, from 11 a.m. to noon ET. I look forward to talking with you, whether you want to discuss a specific issue or just want to introduce yourself. Simply sign up here to choose your time slot.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

The Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) has planned a week’s worth of fun, free events focusing on mental health and wellness for graduate and professional students:

Houseplants 101, Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 2 p.m. ET: Learn about plant care, repotting techniques, pest removal, and more from the experts at City Grows! Prizes will be raffled throughout the event.

Active Minds, Inc Mental Health Speaker, Thursday, April 8, 2021, 11:30 a.m. ET: Join Active Minds, Inc., speaker Dr. Kristen Lee as she talks about cultivating resilience and building positive mental health cultures! Dr. Kris is an internationally recognized, award-winning behavioral science professor who operates a clinical and consulting practice devoted to preventing and treating burnout.

In-House Bartender Virtual Happy Hour, Friday, April 9, 2021, 6 p.m. ET: Learn how to make five different bold, flavorful cocktails from the comfort of your own home in this workshop hosted by In-House Bartender. All cocktails can be made with or without alcohol, making it a fun event for everyone! Also, the winning team of the Graduate and Professional Student Fitness Competition will be announced during the happy hour.

MEGA Grad Collab Virtual Networking, Saturday, April 10, 2021, 2 p.m. ET: The University of Pittsburgh’s GPSG joins Point Park University, Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University’s graduate student associations to bring to you the MEGA Grad Collab! This networking opportunity will allow students to connect with other students across institutions and build community in the city.

The Graduate Studies Team has planned the following events:

Pitt Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, including the People's Choice Award: Nine of your fellow doctoral students are participating in this year's 3MT competition, and you can support them! For this year's People's Choice Award competition, you will be asked to include your Twitter handle to cast a valid vote. Watch each contestant's video presentation and cast your vote for your choice to be the People's Choice winner by Sunday, April 11, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winners will be announced live via Zoom at noon on Monday, April 12, 2021. Register to attend the Zoom event.

CANCELED Bagels and Coffee from the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies Amanda Godley, Wednesday, April 7 and Thursday, April 8, 2021, 9:30-11 a.m. ET: Unfortunately, these events are canceled due to shelter-in-place protocols at the Pittsburgh campus.

Cross-disciplinary Conference on Engaging Humanities in Health, Friday, April 9, 2021, 8:30 a.m. ET to Saturday, April 10, 2021, 5 p.m. ET: As part of the Year of Engagement, this conference aims to build and strengthen bridges between humanities and health; discuss how identity, race, literacy, income, and language shape health and well-being; value the power of cross-disciplinary work to improve the human condition; and forge new connections. View the agenda and register.

Graduate Programs and Career Paths in the Social Sciences: The Perspectives of Black Faculty, Thursday, April 15, 2021, 5-6 p.m. ET: During this virtual panel session, Pitt faculty members will share insights into their own career paths and the graduate and professional programs their schools offer. In the fall, this program focuses on the health sciences. View the informational flyer and register.

Financial Aid Information Session, Thursday, April 29, 2021, 3-4 p.m. ET: Attend a financial aid workshop to learn more about financial aid at the graduate level and get assistance in completing the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The eligibility criteria for receiving a federal government loan includes being a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. View the top five reasons to complete a FAFSA and how to contact the Financial Aid Office.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month, April 2021: During this month the Pitt community engages in education and dialogue aimed at eradicating sexual violence. It is also a time when we honor our community members who have experienced trauma. View the Wall of Support and Schedule of Events coordinated by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Doctoral Students due May 1, 2021: The goal of the Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Doctoral Students is to support Underrepresented Racial Minority (URM) students who are underrepresented in their field and whose racial/ethnic background contributes to the diversity of their program and field. This fellowship was previously titled the Provost Development Fund. The fellowship provides dedicated time for doctoral students to work full-time on finishing their dissertation during the last year of doctoral work and includes Full-Time Dissertation Study (FTDS) or tuition and a stipend of $12,000 per term for two terms (Fall 2021 and Spring 2022). Learn more and find the required application materials. The University of Pittsburgh uses the term Underrepresented Racial Minority (URM) to refer to students who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or two or more races.

Center for Creativity Graduate Student Assistant Opportunity due April 15, 2021: The Center for Creativity (C4C) is seeking to appoint a Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) for the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 terms. A GSA appointment includes a monthly stipend, individual health insurance coverage in the UPMC Health Plan for graduate students, and a tuition scholarship including most fees. This is a unique opportunity for a dedicated graduate student with a background in producing and understanding the production of creative work (e.g., art, poetry, music, letterpress and book arts, or theater) to engage with people whose involvement in the creative process may be as a novice, an experimenter or an experienced practitioner.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Supplements for Childcare Costs for National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows: The NIH recently announced the availability of supplemental funds for childcare costs for NRSA Individual Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows (F30, F31, F32 recipients). 

• NRSA individual fellows can request $2,500 per budget period for childcare provided by a licensed childcare provider.
• NIH is anticipating extending this effort to NRSA-supported trainees (T31 and T32 recipients) to take effect in fiscal year 2022. Information will be released at a later time.

The Office of the Provost, in conjunction with the Office of Academic Career Development and the Office of Sponsored Projects, will host a workshop on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET detailing how NRSA individual fellows can apply for this supplemental funding, beginning as soon as April 8, 2021. Registration required and available here.

Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program due April 30, 2021: Graduate and professional school students and those who have completed graduate studies (degree awarded) within the last five years may apply. Areas of study may include social/behavioral sciences, health and medicine, physical or biological sciences, engineering, law/business/public administration, or relevant interdisciplinary fields. Check eligibility requirements and learn more. A stipend is provided to offset living expenses during the fellowship period.

Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award internal applications due May 21, 2021: The 2021 fields of competition are Biological Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts. The University of Pittsburgh is permitted to nominate one dissertation from each field. Interested applicants should contact their school’s Graduate Associate Dean. Award includes $2,000 and a certificate of recognition, presented at the CGS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in December 2021 in New Orleans.

Pre-doctoral training grant in Population Neuroscience of Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease applications now being accepted: The PNA Training Grant will train highly talented individuals to pursue successful independent research in the etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease and other age-related dementia (ADRD). Check eligibility requirements and learn more.