New Approaches Graduate Recruitment Event

About

Thank you for your interest in the New Approaches to Graduate Recruitment in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Science event. The event is being supported by the President’s New Approaches Initiative to promote and institutionalize new ways to enhance diversity and promote an inclusive environment in the University of Georgia Community. This project was initiated by the Odum School of Ecology and is supported by the Center for Integrative Conservation Research, the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program, and the Graduate School of the University of Georgia.

The purpose of the event is to create an opportunity for participants to:

  1. Interact with potential graduate advisors and UGA graduate students BEFORE submitting an application to graduate school and,
  2. Learn more about applying for graduate school and fellowship programs.

When

The event will occur between 28 February – 2 March 2019 at the University of Georgia. Events will begin Thursday evening and end Saturday morning.

Contact

Thank you very much for your interest in the program! Please direct questions or concerns to [email protected].

The Event

We are hoping to attract a diverse candidate pool from the United States. Candidates should be planning to apply to PhD programs in ecology and environmental science in the fall of 2020 (submitting an application by January 31st, 2019). We are especially excited to host students from institutions affiliated with the Peach State LSAMP and the Graduate Feeder Program. Selected applicants will receive funding to support travel costs and will be housed with current UGA graduate students during the event. Meals will be provided. The purpose of the event is to create an opportunity for participants to interact with potential graduate advisors and UGA graduate students BEFORE submitting an application to graduate school. Participants will also attend workshops on applying to graduate school, contacting potential mentors, and applying for competitive fellowships, including the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Program and the Ford Predoctoral Fellowship Program. Throughout the event, we will create opportunities for professional networking

View our Schedule (tentative)

Thursday evening

  • Arrive late morning/afternoon
  • Introduction to the weekend
  • Dinner and mixer

Friday

  • Breakfast
  • Workshop 1: Applying to graduate school and approaching a graduate mentor
  • Speakers: Diverse perspectives from UGA: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Lunch/networking activity
  • Workshop 2: Applying to the NSF GRFP and the Ford Fellowship
  • Speakers: Getting to know UGA’s graduate school
  • Dinner and mixer
  • Night on the town in Athens

Saturday morning

  • Breakfast and networking activity
  • Closing activities
  • Leave Saturday afternoon/evening
How to Apply

As part of the application, we will ask you to provide the names and contact information for three professional references and an updated CV. For an example, view the “Ellen Joseph” CV here.

Deadline

Applications are due on 31st January 2019. Please use the following link to fill out the application to attend the event: New Approaches EES Application

Participating Units
Participating Departments at UGA
FAQ

How much will it cost for candidates to attend the event?

  • We are planning for applicants to attend the event for free. We will do our best to reimburse all travel costs (mileage, flights, etc.) for selected candidates who are based in the United States and US Territories. During the event, all food will be provided, and candidates will be housed with currently enrolled graduate students.

Do applicants have to attend UGA for graduate school?

  • We hope to create a networking opportunity that will stimulate interest in graduate studies at UGA, but there is no requirement to apply to UGA in the fall of 2019. We are designing an experience that will be beneficial for anyone applying to any graduate program in the US.

Can anyone interested in any field of study apply?

  • We are excited in candidates interested in pursuing studies in environmental science. That means we are excited to support candidates pursuing studies in natural, physical, and/or social sciences with hopes to be mentored by faculty in Anthropology, Ecology, Geography, or Natural Resources/Forestry.

What will applicants gain from participating in the event?

  • Participants will create a larger professional network in their field of interest.
  • Participants will participate in workshops that will support them in learning: 1) how to contact potential advisors, 2) how to apply to graduate school, and 3) how to apply for nationally-competitive fellowship programs, including the NSF GRFP, the Fulbright Student Grant, and the Ford Fellowship Program.
  • Participants will leave with examples of successful fellowship proposals.

Who should attend the event?

  • We are excited to have a diverse group of participants from people from groups traditionally under-represented in the STEM fields. We realize that diversity comes in many shapes and forms (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, abilities, etc.) and we are excited to consider all candidates, including first-generation college students, for the program. We are happy to speak with anyone if they have questions, but we define diversity very broadly.

 

  • Candidates should be considering applying to graduate school in the fall of 2019, with plans to matriculate in the fall of 2020. In other words, we want to create a networking opportunity for folks BEFORE they would apply to graduate school.

 

  • For students enrolled in undergraduate programs, that means we are interested in students who are juniors that would be planning to attend graduate school right after completing undergrad and students who are seniors and are planning to work for one year before coming to graduate school.

 

  • We are VERY interested in recruiting people who have finished school and have been working professionally and are thinking about using graduate school to change fields or support the advancement of their career. In other words, we are excited to consider applicants from many ages and career/educational stages!
About UGA

The University of Georgia is an amazing place. Regardless of your participation in the event, we encourage you to use the links below to learn more about research at UGA and some of our efforts to promote diversity in our community and graduate studies at UGA.

Resources