The Graduate College is accepting applications for the Career Exploration Fellowship, which connects doctoral students with campus units for meaningful, mentored work experience. In Fall 2024, each Career Exploration Fellow will receive a paid hourly position at a host unit and a $5,000 Career Exploration Fellowship. This program aims to enable doctoral students to gain experience and build skills that align with a wide range of career aspirations. Applications are due March 18. Learn more at https://grad.illinois.edu/career-exploration-fellowship.

February 9 is the last day to drop a Part of Term A course via Self-Service. Have questions about registration deadlines or submitting a form? Click here for an advising appointment!

The Black men’s therapy group is open to UIUC graduate and undergrad students who self-identify as Black and male, with all intersecting identities welcome. If you are interested in the group, call the Center (217-333-3704) and request to join the Black men’s group to begin the process. Skills and benefits from participating include: improving communication skills; learning how to support others; increasing confidence in social settings; gaining a deeper understanding of feelings; space to reflect on the Black experience at Illinois; and promoting self-care.

Fulbright-Hays fellowships help students conduct dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. Allowable projects focus on one or more countries in Africa, E Asia, SE Asia & the Pacific Islands, S Asia, the Near East, Central & Eastern Europe & Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the US & its territories). The application deadline is March 18. All students considering applying should attend the information session. For details, visit the Fulbright-Hays listing in Fellowship Finder.

The Career Center invites proposals for the 2024 Robert P. Larsen Grant for Research in Career Development. Grants are awarded to current Illinois graduate students to support research that increases knowledge related to career development. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods proposals are considered from various disciplines. Deadline: 3/17/2024 http://go.illinois.edu/LarsenGrant

The Illinois Cyber Security Scholars Program (ICSSP) is accepting applications for Fall 2024. The applications deadline is March 31, 2024. This CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, funded by NSF, provides funding for full tuition and generous stipend to students specializing in Cyber Security/Privacy. Eligible applicant must be an US citizen, and a College of Engineering undergraduate or graduate student or a School of Information Sciences graduate student admitted to the MSIM or PhD program. Please visit the link above for more details.

Quad Fellowships provide a one-time award of $40,000 to incoming and currently enrolled students in master's or PhD programs in STEM. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of one of the following countries: the US, Australia, India, Japan, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam. The program aims to elevate fellows’ ability to use science and technology for social good. Applications are due April 1. 

If you are taking a preliminary or final exam this semester, make sure that you submit your request through the Graduate College Student Portal at least THREE WEEKS BEFORE your exam will take place. Late requests may require additional documentation. Please reach out to thesis@illinois.edu if you have questions.

If you are taking a preliminary or final exam this semester, make sure to start the committee appointment process through the Graduate College Student Portal. Once you've completed your request, it will be sent to your department for review and submission to the Graduate College. You can learn more and committee policies and access tutorials for the student portal on the Graduate College website.

If you work with data you know it takes a ton of knowledge, skill, and effort. Did you know you could turn that hard work into a publication? Data papers are scholarly articles that provide detailed context about a dataset and promote its reuse. A data paper just might be the best way to get more recognition for your research. In this workshop, you'll learn what data papers are, how to write one, and where to publish one.

This webinar introduces the basic tools and resources for government statistics and data. Attendees will learn about the major federal government and intergovernmental organizations' statistics and data as well as strategies to search for government statistics.

Curious about mapping the relationships between people, places, and institutions and seeing how they change over time? Join us to play with GephiLite, a beginner-friendly network analysis tool, and learn how to visualize relationships as webs of connection. In this workshop, we’ll provide an overview of how GephiLite works and how to create relationship networks in it. There will be plenty of room for experimentation and questions. No prior experience needed!

In this workshop, you will learn the basics of Illinois REDCap and how it can be used for the collection of research data, including how to create projects, instruments, and surveys and how to start collecting research data. It is recommended (but not required) that you have a REDCap account prior to attending the workshop. No prior REDCap experience is necessary.

In this workshop, you will learn a method for planning qualitative data analysis (QDA) and choosing which tools you will need for your project. We begin by focusing on the intended outcomes of your project and moving back from there to decide your next steps. https://guides.library.illinois.edu/qualitative/workshops/plan

In this session, we partner with the Writers Workshop to cover the writing process of a literature review. This session is open to all doctoral students. Zoom link will be sent to registrants in advance of the event.

In this session, students will learn about general and subject-specific indexing and abstracting resources, search techniques, and interacting with collections held at the University of Illinois and beyond. Students will also have a chance to meet with subject librarians for area-specific guidance. This session is open to all doctoral students. Zoom link will be sent to registrants in advance of the event.

This session will cover conceptual design, storytelling techniques, and scriptwriting. Our goal is to set a strong foundation to help researchers understand communication in this popular, innovative format. We will have four subsequent sessions that go into more depth, but this first workshop is paramount to getting started!

Join DSJE & the University YMCA for our Spring 2024 Friday Forum x Conversation Café speaker series! On February 9, we'll be hosting Keith Knight, Gentleman Cartoonist (cartoonist, rapper, social activist, father, and educator) for a comic strip slideshow. Free lunch from Y Thai Eatery provided! 

The Moms Association supports programs, services and activities that contribute to making a significant impact on the lives of others. Annually, the Moms Association acknowledges those in service to others through the Humanitarian Award. One graduate/professional student is honored each year for this award. A successful candidate has performed outstanding and innovative service to others within the local University community. Each award includes $500 for the recipient. Application is due by February 16, 2024, by 5:00 pm CST.

The AICE Spring Research Symposium will be held on March 5 in Chicago. The event will showcase AI conversational systems work by AICE researchers and students by bringing together thought leaders from academia and industry to foster collaborations and build community for research, education, and infrastructure to accelerate AI for interactive conversational experiences. Register by February 26.

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) is having its annual Valentine’s Party on Friday February 9th, 2024 from 8PM-midnight at the Independent Media Center in Urbana (202 S Broadway Ave). There will be free food and drinks, games and lots of dancing! 21+ only, bring ID. For more information follow GEO on Instagram @geo_uiuc. 

Please join us for a potluck and a chance to meet the Doctoral Research Support Program (DRSP) team and your fellow doctoral students. All are welcome to bring a dish. We look forward to seeing you there! Click here to register.

The Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble returns to their Midwest home for this performance of three extraordinary dances: Castor and Pollux, which premiered in 1980 at the Cunningham Dance Foundation; V, which premiered in 2001 at the Dance Umbrella Festival in London; and Water, which premiered in 2021 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Program includes Mozart's Quartet in D Major, Bartók's Quartet No. 6, and Brahms' Piano Quintet in F Minor. The Jupiter String Quartet, performing tonight with award-winning pianist Soyeon Kate Lee, have been artists-in-residence at the U of I since 2012. Now enjoying their 20th year together, this tight-knit ensemble is firmly established as an important voice in the world of chamber music.

Dexter O’Neal is what happens when you add mesmerizing stage performances and a soulful sound. A Louisiana-born, Illinois-raised stick of dynamite! Dexter’s musical stylings have roots in gospel, blues, r&b, and early jazz traditions. He is the frontman of the number one funk band in the Midwest, Dexter O’Neal and The Funk Yard. Dexter is pure excitement and an explosive talent. Come prepared for an amazing experience. Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month.

In celebration of Black History Month, the McKinley Sexual Health Program will be hosting a sex positive poetry show on Thursday, February 29th from 6-8pm at the Illini Union Lower-Level Food Court. The show features storytelling, spoken word, educational demonstrations, music and more. We invite you to share your ideas, experiences and feelings about sex and sexuality through creative expression. This show will not support sexual shame or stigma but create a safe space for empowerment, liberation and pleasure. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form to apply. 

Join us for a special Global Engagement Lounge (GEL) session: Lotería Night with International Education and Alpha Psi Lambda. Lotería (Spanish word meaning "lottery") is a traditional game of chance, similar to bingo. No experience necessary to play and have fun, all are welcome. Dinner provided.

A delectable adaptation of a Jacobean drama with Faustian echoes, Witch by Jen Silverman is a vibrant dark comedy that centers on a clever social outcast. When the Devil, a charming trickster, arrives to tempt people in the town of Edmonton, he preys on those who appear vulnerable. In a social setting of nefarious gamesmanship and social striving, the devil may just meet his artful match! Contains adult content

Dr. Lizhi Liu (Georgetown), "The Rise of Data Politics: Digital China and the World.” Data has become one of the most valuable assets for governments and firms. Yet, we still have a limited understanding of how data reshapes international economic relations. In her talk, Dr. Liu will explore various aspects of data politics through the lens of China’s digital rise and the country’s global engagement. Her talk will address topics of data sovereignty and the valuation of state power in a data-centric global economy.

Please join us for the University Archives' monthly Women in Science Lecture Series, February 8 from 12 -1pm. Dr. May Berenbaum, Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, will present her talk titled “Curiosity-driven research in plant-insect interactions across a half-century” about her career and research. This is a hybrid event and will take place in the University Archives, Main Library 146 or you can register for the zoom link.

Yellow warblers have a secret code to warn each other about sneaky cowbirds laying eggs in their nests. Discover how these tiny birds communicate this threat, stay vigilant, and call in reinforcements!  Join us this Wednesday February 7th at 5:30PM to hear Dr. Shelby Lawson discuss her work with these amazing birds! We are back at Cafeteria and Company in downtown Urbana (208 W Main St, Urbana).

The Sky Happiness Retreat is an internationally acclaimed life-skills program that helps participants develop relaxed, stress-free mind and energetic, healthy body through evidence-based meditation, yoga, breathwork in a fun and an experiential format. Join us on campus for a detox-weekend! The retreat is fully funded for all UIUC students, partial scholarships available for staff and faculty. For more info and sign-ups, click the link above.

Join the Speaking Center on Thursday, 2/8/24 at 3:30pm in Main Library 106 for our first workshop of the spring, Coping with Presentation Anxiety! Roughly 75% of people face some degree of anxiety when speaking in front of others. In this workshop, learn strategies and mindsets to help cope with common symptoms and more related to speech and presentation anxiety. Pre-registration is required using the link above.

This event is an online discussion about the 2022 Nigerian film "The Wildflower," co-sponsored by the Center for African Studies. The film addresses various forms of domestic abuse against women. The discussion, led by Adetutu Faburoso, is about the film's themes and its portrayal of societal issues. Please watch it on Netflix and then join us for the online discussion. Please register here.

Register now for the Cancer & Microbes Symposium, a one-day event hosted by the Cancer Center at Illinois on March 29 at Allerton Park & Retreat Center. This symposium will explore the latest work in cancer and microbe research and opportunities for potential collaborations. Registration closes on March 22. 

Would you like to learn about the latest initiatives in sustainability, social responsibility, and resilience in Supply Chains from both academia and industry? Come join us at the 2024 Illinois Supply Chain Management Conference, February 23-24, 2024.  For details and registration information, visit: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/scm-conference-2024.

Join HRI at the Graduate Student Open House & Resource Fair for an afternoon of presentations, conversations & more—a showcase of graduate student work in the humanities and arts and the opportunity to explore resources available to graduate students in humanities-based graduate education. There will be a culminating reception/happy hour at 5 p.m. Pre-register for a Writers Workshop Live session.

McKinley Health Center serves on-campus students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and well-being education for students. 

If you or a student you know may need support with their basic needs or financial stressors, please reach out.