SPOTLIGHT ON GRANT WRITING
NEW DEAN’S AWARDS
3 MINUTE THESIS
HORIZONS
ART & SOCIAL CHANGE
SPRING 2014
THE UNCG GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
HIGH ACHIEVERS
The impact of a UNCG Graduate Education
Grant Writing Workshops Invest in Graduate Students The stakes are high for doctoral candidates who need funding to continue research and to secure employment.
D
DAVE BAUER, A GRANTS EXPERT, AUTHOR AND LIVELY LECTURER, has helped grant
highlighting the importance of matching an individual’s interests with
seekers develop skills since 1981. As president of the consulting firm
the grantor’s interests and values.
David G. Bauer Associates, he visits UNCG twice each semester to
“Anyone who plans to apply for grants ought to take this seminar,”
offer day-long strategy sessions and one-on-one assistance to roughly
Peach said. “I really didn’t have the tools I needed until I took it. Be-
20 graduate students as they prepare their initial grant proposals.
fore meeting Dave, I suffered under the illusion that enhancing the
The stakes are high for doctoral candidates who need funding to
quality of my words and writing enthusiastically were the main de-
continue research and to secure employment. Having a professional
terminants to securing funding,” he said. “But I quickly learned that
educator and grants expert like Bauer provides a very real service and
one’s own interests are as much a liability as an asset in the grant
competitive advantage to UNCG graduate students.
marketplace.”
Therese Strohmer, graduate student.
Each on-campus visit be-
David Frank, a PhD candidate in Psychology, is featured elsewhere
gins with a three-hour sem-
in this issue for his Master’s Thesis Award. He too is taking the grant
inar followed by half-hour
writing workshop and applying for his first grant. Seeing successful
meetings where Bauer meets
grant seekers at UNCG has encouraged him to keep at it, rather than
one-on-one with each stu-
being overwhelmed by the challenges. “Bauer is really good at seeing
dent. Bauer notes that grant
where to seek grants,” he said. In the past year Frank has taken many
writing is not a one-time
large strides in his search and has secured the backing of a professor
skill and that fully 60-70%
at Notre Dame.
of the students he coach-
Bauer began his career in grant seeking as something of an after-
es see themselves as future
thought. A born teacher, he found himself helping people write grant
faculty members. For that
proposals on his lunch hours—for free. Soon he was offering half-day
group, Bauer’s assistance is
seminars and then, full-day seminars. Books and speaking engage-
vital to their future success
ments soon followed. Bauer has now trained over 30,000 individuals
as researchers and scholars.
at hundreds of colleges and universities, including Wake Forest Uni-
Whether they’re hoping to
versity, the University of Alabama, the University of Rochester, and
find funding for a disserta-
Slippery Rock University.
tion, a post doc or a scholarship, Bauer urges his students to think in
At the Graduate School, grant seekers appreciate the expertise Dave
terms of a five-year plan. “It’s not about just getting one grant,” Bauer
Bauer brings to the table. They understand that the lessons they are
says. “Students need to figure out what they want to do long-term;
learning will help guide them throughout their careers.
where they want to be in 5 to 10 years; define their field of interest and the research they plan to carry out.” Steve Peach, a PhD candidate in History, recently told his peers about his first grant proposal to the American Philosophical Society. Peach discussed the ways Bauer helped guide him toward the grant,
Learn more about The Graduate School: grs.uncg.edu
Photos courtesy of Lorenzo Pedro
F E AT U R E S T O RY
STUDENT PROFILE
How to Explain Your Research in 3 Minutes Flat!
C
CONNIE ALBERT FELL IN LOVE with computers at age 11, specifically her sister-in-law’s Commodore 64. “The fact that you could type something, and it made the screen change,” Albert says. “That was amazing.” Today she is using her computer skills to help a new generation stay safe. Albert is one of 18 PhD candidates at UNCG who participated in the Graduate School’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The 3MT originated at the University of Queensland, Australia in 2008 and has now spread to more than 170 universities in 17 countries. Imagine this: You have spent the last four years of your life pouring everything into your research and how it will make a difference in the world. You have three minutes to explain it…..Go! This is the 3MT competition. It forces a student to explain a thesis to non-specialists in 180 seconds. The Graduate School believes learning effective presentation and Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Pedro
communication skills will be immensely valuable to its graduates as they search for jobs and funding. On Nov. 14, 2013, 10 finalists stepped up to the mike, and Connie Albert was named the winner. Her research will help identify and track sexual predators
Standing from left: Connie Albert, first-place winner of UNCG’s first 3MT; Michele Pye, People’s Choice Award;
on social media.
and Stephanie Gardiner-Walsh, second-place winner. Seated is Dr. Laura Chesak, Associate Dean of the
Albert, who is currently in her fourth and
Graduate School, and organizer of the competition.
final year at UNCG, received a $1,000 award and a trip to San Antonio in February, where
discussing predatory behavior. Ultimately,
Information Systems. She was granted a
she competed in the Conference of Southern
her goal is “to create software that detects
light teaching load to accommodate her
Graduate Schools, presenting her research.
online predators,” thus limiting potential
work developing detection software. “I hope
abuse.
to bring people on board who will help solve
“The trip to San Antonio was amazing!”
these problems,” she said.
Albert said. “It was great to see what other
Albert believes now is the time to begin
students are doing. Unfortunately I missed
implementing this kind of detection soft-
To those students who plan to compete in
making it into the final round by 1 point.
ware. To be effective, it must do two things:
this year’s 3MT, Albert says, “Just go for it.
But, I did enjoy meeting the other students
recognize the predatory nature of online
By condensing your dissertation into three
and look forward to continuing the connec-
conversations, and notify a child’s parents
minutes, you get to the most important
tions that I made.”
of what is being said. Albert cites several
parts. It helps you believe in what you’re
One of the research questions Albert
instances where online interactions have re-
doing.”
posed was: “If we had a mechanism to
sulted in deadly consequences, which may
track the online behavior of sexual pred-
have been prevented if a detection mecha-
ators, would it be better to restrict their
nism had been in place.
internet access, or should we let them go
In the fall, Albert heads to Southern Il-
online where they can be tracked?” As she
linois University in Edwardsville as an as-
of competition:
explained, there are many gray areas when
sistant professor in Computer Management
grs.uncg.edu/3MT/
Learn more about 3MT and watch the final round
ALUMNA PROFILE
UNCG Alumna Granted Prestigious NIMH Award
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DR. LESLIE HORTON, Assistant Professor of
my UNCG experience was
of the participant’s emotional
Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh
my mentor, Tom Kwapil,”
life. It’s a method Horton first
School of Medicine and UNCG alumna,
she said. Horton credits Dr.
learned while at UNCG studying
has received a prestigious K23 Award of
Thomas Kwapil, professor of
with Kwapil.
$600,000 over four years by the National
Psychology, for much of her
When not researching, Hor-
Institutes of Mental Health. The K23 award
success. Due in large part to
ton is an avid outdoors woman.
supports career development in research-
his guidance and mentoring,
She enjoys rock climbing and
ers committed to patient-oriented studies.
Horton received a National
last winter braved the cold and
Horton’s research centers on adolescents
Science Foundation Gradu-
snow to climb Mt. Washington
who are at risk of developing some form
ate Research Fellowship in
of mental illness during their lifetime. Re-
2005 which helped pave the way for her
search shows that children who have a par-
later NIMH award. Dr. Kwapil read draft
Although she is not teaching, she does
ent with schizophrenia have a much higher
after draft of her grant proposal and was
mentor a few of her research assistants. “It’s
risk of mental illness.
an exemplary men-
nice to be able to focus on direct mentoring of
Horton is examining
tor, Horton said. She
students,” she said. “After all, I had the best
noted that a history of
mentor in the world at UNCG.”
how adolescents process
emotions
and
respond to stress in their environment to
ARE CERTAIN BEHAVIORS PREDICTORS OF FUTURE MENTAL ILLNESS?
see if certain behaviors can be predictors of future mental ill-
Leslie Horton, PhD 2010.
in New Hampshire. Currently,
she’s training for a half marathon.
funding leads to more funding, so the early award from the NSF
Writers’ Retreat May 19-23
was instrumental in
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL will offer a week-long
her receiving the K award.
WRITERS’ RETREAT/BOOT CAMP for thesis/disserta-
Horton hopes her research will lead to
tion writers, May 19-23, 2014 from 8-5 daily. This
“We know precious little about the causes
the development of early interventions for
is an opportunity for writing, faculty consultations,
of mental illness and studies like this could
at-risk youth, who often don’t exhibit symp-
mini-sessions on time management, electronic sub-
help us better understand underlying fac-
toms of mental illness until their early 20s.
mission tips, stress management and exercise. First
ness.
preference is given to doctoral students; master’s
tors,” Horton said. “Schizophrenia is really
For her current study, Horton uses An-
the hardest mental illness to understand
droid cell phones to collect data from study
from daily life, because most people don’t
participants in real time. Participants use
The Retreat is FREE, but students must submit a
understand what it’s like to hear voices in
their phones to record “in the moment” feel-
$100 check (Check returned after successful comple-
their head.”
thesis writers may also apply.
ings and activities several times a day over
tion of the Retreat). For more information contact Dr.
Horton studied at UNCG from 2005-
a long period of time. This method, called
Laura Chesak, Associate Dean, The Graduate School,
2010, receiving both her MA and PhD in
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)
241 Mossman Bldg., UNCG, PO Box 26170, Greens-
Psychology. “Probably my favorite part of
gives a much more accurate understanding
boro, NC 27402-6170. Email: lachesak@uncg.edu.
PIXELS Your generous financial support enhances the educational experience for all graduate students at UNCG. Please make your gift today! Your gift to The Graduate School helps us attract exceptionally talented students, provide unique learning opportunities, and respond quickly to new challenges for graduate study. http://grs.uncg.edu/give/ Melissa Staples, Director of Development: mmstaple@uncg.edu or 336.334.9893
SOCIAL STUDIES
Graduate School Website: grs.uncg.edu
facebook.com/uncg.grs @UNCG_GradSchool youtube.com/uncggrsvideos http://tinyurl.com/grslin gradschoolblog.uncg.edu
Graduate School Bulletin: http://grs.uncg.edu/bulletin
Horizons Online: http://grs.uncg.edu/horizons
HORIZONS THE GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2014 Dean: William Wiener, Ph.D. Associate Dean: Laura Chesak, Ph.D. Assistant Dean: J. Scott Hudgins Director of Development: Melissa Staples Managing Editor: Denise Sherron Contributing Writers: Matt Barrett, Melinda Graham Photographer: Lorenzo Pedro / lorenzopedro.com Design: Lassiter & Co. / www.lassiter.com
INSIGHTS
New: Graduate Dean’s Awards
T
THE RISING COST OF A GRADUATE EDUCATION is an
faced with the additional burden of financing
ongoing challenge for most of our students.
their graduate education.
I am proud to announce the new GRADUATE
Many of our students apply for a graduate
DEAN’S AWARDS, a program designed to pro-
assistantship that provides a stipend and,
vide grants to students who have strong
in most cases, partial or total tuition assis-
academic records and who have financial
tance. In exchange, graduate assistants work
need. My hope is that these awards will
20 hours per week for the university. Some
help reduce the amount of loans needed
students assist in the classroom and may even
by award recipients. A total of 122 Dean’s
teach courses to undergraduate students. Oth-
Awards will be given to graduate students
ers assist faculty with their research activities.
each year.
In either case, the work they do is designed
There is no work requirement for stu-
to provide them with experiences that add to
dents receiving these awards. Faculty will Master’s degree students with financial
Unfortunately, there are not enough assistant-
currently within their programs and those
need who continue to make good progress
ships available to provide such positions for
beginning their programs of study for
in their studies may receive an addition-
all graduate students. So for some students,
grants of $4,000 per year.
al award of $4,000 in their second year of
financial aid is provided in the form of loans.
study. Doctoral students with financial need
While these new awards will assist some
dent must be:
who are making good progress may receive
students, they are only part of the solution of
- Fully admitted, full-time, domestic stu-
the $4,000 awards through their first three
how to finance a graduate education. For more
dent, and degree-seeking, with a GPA of 3.0
years of study.
information on how you can support graduate
To be eligible for a Dean’s Award, a stu-
As we are in the midst of reviewing stu-
students, please contact Assistant Dean Scott
- Nominated by their academic department.
dent applications for our graduate pro-
Hudgins at 336-334-4881 or email: jshudgin@
- Able to show financial need and have com-
grams, we are mindful that many applicants
uncg.edu.
pleted a FAFSA by March 1, 2014.
have taken out loans to help them through
(Students already receiving graduate as-
their undergraduate education, and on av-
sistantships are NOT eligible for the Dean’s
erage have accumulated debt approaching
Awards.)
$30,000. These same students are now
or better. Photos courtesy of Lorenzo Pedro
their value as employees in their disciplines.
nominate master’s and doctoral students
— William Wiener, Graduate Dean
Best Master’s Thesis
D
DAVID FRANK, A PhD CANDIDATE IN PSYCHOLOGY,
switching to a memory strategy that made
was recently awarded the Conference of
older adults uncomfortable? As it turns out,
Southern Graduate School’s 2014 Master’s
older adults have no reluctance to use a faster,
Thesis Award. He had previously been
more efficient strategy, as long as that strategy
awarded the top thesis of the year by UNCG.
doesn’t involve memory—a finding Frank at-
Frank’s research, which he is extending in
tributes to poor memory confidence.
his dissertation, focuses on problem-solv-
“I’ve always been interested in trying to
ing and how skills change with age. People
solve questions,” Frank said. The question he
become more efficient by switching to more
poses for his research is “How do they (older
efficient strategies. For example, children
adults) manage so well, and can they do even
count on their fingers but they soon switch
better? If you’re constantly looking up infor-
strategies and retrieve answers from mem-
mation or double checking rather than relying
ory.
on your memory, you could be wasting a lot of
In his thesis, Frank investigated why
time.” Frank’s goal is to determine how peo-
older adults were more reluctant to switch
ple can function at a higher level, regardless of
David Frank and undergraduate research assistant
strategies when learning something new.
age.
Angel Hovey in the Applied Sciences Laboratory
Was it because they were unable to break
Frank is now teaching the Psychology of Ag-
demonstrate the head-mounted eye tracker equip-
the habit of solving a problem the long
ing and completing his dissertation. He hopes
ment used in Frank’s research.
way? Or was there something specific about
to begin post-doctoral studies at Notre Dame, and ultimately continue his research.
The Graduate School The University of North Carolina at Greensboro 241 Mossman Building 1202 Spring Garden Street Greensboro, NC 27412 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Visit us online for more exclusive content. http://grs.uncg.edu/horizons
STUDENT PROFILE
Her Art Merges Domesticity with Social Change
A
A SECOND-YEAR MFA CANDIDATE IN STUDIO ART, Stacy Rexrode juggles a vari-
ed crocheted yarn and painted floral sculpture woven into existing
ety of roles. She’s a student, artist, mother of two, wife, teacher, fem-
climbing vines at the site. Viewers added personal stories by writing
inist and art curator. A quote from sculptor Eva Hesse on Rexrode’s
on manila shipping tags.
website sums up her perspective: “My life and art have not been sepa-
“It was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” Rexrode said. “The interaction with the public was
rated. They have been together.” “I wouldn’t have much to say and
amazing and so unexpected. We in-
couldn’t be making the art I do with-
vited people to be more than a sta-
out my two wonderful daughters,”
tistic and to share stories,” she said.
Rexrode explains. “Family life and
“Now I feel I should do a book that
being a mom affect every aspect of
collects all the stories.” Rexrode loves to teach. She cred-
your life.” Although she began her studies as
its Pat Wasserboehr, associate pro-
a painter, Rexrode thinks of herself
fessor of Sculpture, for mentoring
as a sculptor. She works with found
her and showing her the skills she
objects and items as diverse as silk
needed to teach an undergraduate
flowers and plastic recyclables. In a
Foundation class. “I’ve had amazing faculty mentors
recent work, “Brings May Flowers,” Rexrode gathered a month’s worth
and
of recyclables and manipulated them
Rexrode said. “Sheryl Oring, assis-
into floral forms in the tradition of
tant professor for New Media and
the Dutch masters. She views her work as a way to en-
Stacy Rexrode works on a crocheted yarn and floral sculpture.
unbelievable
opportunities,”
Design, introduced me to social justice artwork, and my graduate advis-
courage social change. Plastic floral arrangements can be seen as an
er Mariam Stephan (director of Graduate Studies and associate pro-
alternative to the disappearing landscape caused by climate change
fessor of Painting) has been an overall inspiration. She is amazing at
and the excesses of our consumer society. Working with found ob-
critiquing your work and recommending artists to study.”
jects allows Rexrode to question what she calls “the hierarchy of art” that views paint on canvas as art’s highest form. “Who decides what
To view Rexrode’s work, visit the MFA Thesis Exhibition coming up this spring at the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
is art and what is a craft?” she asks. Rexrode combines historical research and material experimentation to further her creative investigation into women’s issues. In No-
Photo courtesy of David Wilson
vember, 2013 she took part in Greensboro’s first “Art in Odd Places” public art festival. Artists were asked to explore the ways numbers play a role in our daily lives. Rexrode’s installation, “TAG! You’re it!” featured statistics that impact women’s rights and reproductive health. The artwork includ-
3,375 copies of this public document were printed and mailed at a cost of $2,968.00 or $0.87 per copy.
MFA THESIS EXHIBITION April 26 - June 1 Weatherspoon Art Museum All six 2014 MFA candidates will discuss their work on Sunday, April 27 at 2:00 pm, with a public reception to follow from 3:30-4:00 pm. Find out more at Weatherspoon.uncg.edu. (Click on Events Calendar).