Creating Effective Presentations

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Leading up to Postdoc Research Day on December 11, 2025 (Student Union Theatre), University of Connecticut’s Postdoc Working Group, in collaboration with The Graduate School, invites all postdocs and graduate students to attend a workshop on Creating Effective Presentations, taught by Dr. Faye Assanah, Assistant Professor in Residence, UConn College of Engineering.  

This workshop will take place in Homer Babbidge Library, Room 2118C, Storrs Campus, on Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. 

What You’ll Learn: 

  • How to translate your research for a general audience 
  • Tips for oral presentations
  • Opportunities for graduate students to connect with current postdocs in related fields 

Who Should Attend: Postdocs, graduate students, and anyone interested in improving their presentation skills. Bring a friend or colleague when attending! 

Register Now

You can read more about Postdoc Research Day here, and if you plan to attend the December 11 program, please sign up here as an attendee. For any questions related to Postdoc Research Day or this event, please contact: Melanie V. Sinche, Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Success, at Melanie.sinche@uconn.edu or Michael I. Nyarko, Graduate Assistant, at rdu25001work@uconn.edu 

Spring 2026 Registration Information for Graduate Students

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Dear Graduate Students,

The message below includes information relevant to both new incoming graduate students and those who will be continuing on as students in Spring 2026. Please review the information below carefully and reach out with any questions you may have. If you have not done so already, please be sure to enroll in classes prior to the start of the semester*, which begins January 20.

*Students who are using an employee tuition waiver should follow the timeline associated with their waiver.

Information for New Students
Departments and programs may have more specific guidance for new students on what courses they should be enrolling in. Students should reach out to the program or their academic advisor for guidance on which courses they should enroll in during their first semester. (This information may also be available on the program’s website or in the Graduate Catalog.)

If a student has holds on their account that prevent enrollment, such as the Student Financial Responsibility Statement or an immunization hold, they will not be able to register for classes until those holds have been cleared. We advise students to try to register early so that there is plenty of time to review and clear any holds before classes fill up or enrollment deadlines approach.

The Office of the Registrar’s website provides an overview of useful registration tools available in Student Admin along with registration-related forms. UConn’s Knowledge Base provides step-by-step instructions on how to manage your enrollment through the Student Administration system. If you have difficulty registering, please reach out to onestop@uconn.edu (or registrar@uchc.edu for UCH grads) for assistance. Please note, permission numbers for courses are typically managed by the course instructor.

Continuous Enrollment
Continuous enrollment is a requirement of all graduate programs. Continuing students who will not be registering in coursework or research credits must register for a zero-credit continuous registration course to maintain their active student status. Continuous registration courses include GRAD 5997, GRAD 5998, and GRAD 6998, as well as GRAD 5999 (Thesis Preparation) and GRAD 6999 (Dissertation Preparation). Enrollment in these sections should be completed before the first day of classes. There are financial implications when changing from being enrolled in credits to no credits as of the first day of classes. Changes from credits to a zero-credit placeholder cannot be made after the first day of classes.

Research Credits
Students should consult with their advisor regarding when it is appropriate to enroll in research credits for their course of study. Doctoral students should register for GRAD 6950. Plan A Master’s students should register for GRAD 5950. Each section number corresponds to the number of credits you will earn (e.g., GRAD 6950-001 will earn one credit, GRAD 6950-002 will earn two credits, etc.). All sections will show “Staff” (or similar) as the instructor. Through an automatic process later in the semester, students will be moved to a grade roster associated with their major advisor. Permission numbers are not needed for students to register for these research courses during the academic year and the permission number field should be left blank when registering. If you attempt to register and receive an error, contact onestop@uconn.edu for assistance. Be sure to include your 7-digit student ID in all correspondence.

Graduate Internship Courses
Students who will be engaging in an internship for which they plan to earn academic credit can find information about course options and how to enroll on The Graduate School’s Graduate Internship Courses page.

Cancelling Enrollment/Leave of Absence
Continuing students who wish to cancel enrollment prior to the start of the semester or any student who attends class and then decides to withdraw from all their courses should notify The Graduate School (TGS) by completing an online Voluntary Separation Notification Form as soon as possible. The add/drop period that extends through the 10th day of classes is only available to students who plan to be enrolled in credited coursework throughout the semester. A student who wishes to go down to zero credits or withdraw from their program completely will need assistance from The Graduate School and will be subject to the University’s Withdrawal Tuition and Fee Adjustment Schedule which will apply based on the date the student notifies TGS of the intent to withdraw via the online Voluntary Separation Notification process, not when they last attended classes. Visit The Graduate School’s voluntary separations webpage to learn more about options available, including the academic leave of absence process.

Deferral of Admission
If you are an incoming student for the fall semester and wish to request a deferral of your application/admission to a future semester, more information on that process is available on The Graduate School’s admissions FAQ and questions can be directed to gradadmissions@uconn.edu.

Day 10 Automatic Separation
Students who do not register for either credit-bearing classes or a continuous registration course by the 10th day are automatically discontinued from their program. If the student then wishes to be enrolled after Day 10, the student will need to request reinstatement to their program, which is not guaranteed and incurs a $65 fee. Students should also be aware that classes with insufficient enrollment will be cancelled and will then be unavailable even if the student is reinstated. A lapse in active student status may also affect access to University systems, such as student email and OneDrive, and may result in permanent data loss. Timely registration will maintain active student status and prevent this.

Additional Registration Information for GAs
Graduate assistants (GAs) are required to be enrolled as full-time students (6 or more credits), as noted in their offer letter and The Graduate Catalog. Employment as a GA is a result of student status, therefore GAs are expected to be registered for a minimum of six credits before the start date of their employment (~January 8, 2026). GAs who have not completed their registration for a minimum of six credits by their start date are not fulfilling one of the contingencies of employment and will be subject to termination from their assistantship. (GAs employed solely at UConn Health should follow UCH registration deadlines.)

Please note, the tuition waiver will not post to a GA’s fee bill until the GA is registered for at least 6 credits. Therefore, if a student is not fully registered in a timely fashion, this can result in a Bursar hold on the student’s account that blocks enrollment and other services, as well as incur late fees.

Students should consult with their advisor regarding when it is appropriate to enroll in research credits for their course of study. Doctoral students should register for GRAD 6950. Plan A Master’s students should register for GRAD 5950. GAs should NOT register for GRAD 6960 (Full-Time Doctoral Research) or GRAD 5960 (Full-Time Master’s Research). GRAD 6960 and 5960 are only 3 credits and will create duplicate fee charges or prevent the tuition waiver from populating if it is the only course the GA is registered for.

GAs employed at Storrs and regional campuses who fall under the Graduate Employee Union (GEU) are encouraged to visit the Graduate Assistant Onboarding webpage. This page provides information, resources, and to-do items specific to being a GA that helps GAs successfully transition into their assistantship.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to The Graduate School for assistance. Please include your 7-digit student ID number in all correspondence.

To register now, please log in to the Student Administration System.

Best,

Megan Petsa
Director of Graduate Student Administration

The Graduate School
University of Connecticut
The Whetten Graduate Center, Second Floor
438 Whitney Road Extension, Unit 1152 | Storrs, CT 06269-1152
860.486.0977 | www.grad.uconn.edu | Pronouns: she/hers

Call for Nominations – Marth Mentorship Award

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The AAUP UConn Chapter established the Edward C. Marth Mentorship Award to recognize the leadership and dedication of Edward Marth, former Executive Director of the AAUP UConn Chapter, to both encourage and reward outstanding mentoring of graduate students by UConn Graduate Faculty members. The $4000 award includes an invitation to speak at the Doctoral Commencement Ceremony on Monday, May 11th, 2026 at 6:00pm. Recipients of the award have had direct and significant impact and involvement with graduate students, outstanding commitment and effectiveness as a mentor of graduate students at UConn, and have demonstrated unusual effort to provide consistent mentoring of graduate students during the course of their careers. Recipients will be Graduate Faculty members who have extraordinary records of excellence and effectiveness in activities such as facilitating smooth transitions for both entering and exiting graduate students; showing sensitivity to students’ academic, personal, and professional goals and needs; being accessible to students; playing an active role in coaching graduate students through the graduate school experience and connecting them to appropriate intellectual and professional networks; and, guiding graduate students toward intellectual and professional independence.

Faculty at any University of Connecticut campus may be nominated for the Edward C. Marth Mentorship Award. To be eligible for the award nominees must: (a) be current members of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Connecticut, (b) have served as a member of the Graduate Faculty for at least 10 years, and (c) be current members of the AAUP UConn Chapter. Prior recipients of the award are not eligible.

Nominations should be submitted electronically by 17 November 2025 to Martha Marroni (martha.marroni@uconn.edu) with the subject line “Nomination for Marth Award.” Nominations should be submitted as a single PDF document and contain the following elements:

1. A nominating letter that is no longer than three typed pages. This may be from a director of graduate studies, Department Head, College/School Dean, administrator, or former graduate student.
2. A minimum of two (and a maximum of four) letters of support written by former and/or current graduate advisees.
3. No more than three letters from other UConn Graduate Faculty colleagues. If the Department Head is not a signatory on the nominating letter, then one of these letters should be from the current (or recent) Department Head.
4. A 1–2 page statement from the nominee on his/her philosophy of working with and mentoring graduate students.
5. A list of supervised theses and dissertations.
6. The nominee’s CV

Awardees will be selected by a committee composed of graduate faculty (appointed by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School) and at least one graduate student (appointed by the Graduate Student Senate). The award is accompanied by a monetary prize and an invitation to speak at the doctoral Commencement ceremony.

Postdoc Research Day

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The University of Connecticut’s Postdoc Working Group, in partnership with The Graduate School, invites you to attend Postdoc Research Day. This one-day research event will be held in the Student Union Theater, Storrs Campus on Thursday, December 11th, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

Goals for the Program:

  • Provide an opportunity for postdocs to present their research to a general audience.
  • Offer professional development training to prepare postdocs for the next steps in their careers.

The general university community is invited to sign up for Postdoc Research Day. We encourage faculty, staff, and students to REGISTER HERE and attend in support of their postdocs. Employer registration will be available soon!

Program Agenda:

Time  Activity Location
1:00 PM
Opening Remarks
 Theater
1:05 PM
Welcome by Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School, Leslie Shor
 Theater
1:10 PM
Postdoc Presentations
 Theater
2:10 PM
Coffee break
 Outside the theater
2:20 PM
Postdoc Presentations
 Theater
3:20 PM
Career Panel
 Theater
4:20 PM
Networking and Poster Session
 Room 304
5:00 PM
Award Ceremony
 Theater

Leading up to this event, The Graduate School is organizing a workshop titled “Creating Effective Presentations” for all postdocs and graduate students on November 13. This in-person session will be held from 4:30-6pm in 2118C Homer Babbidge Library and will be led by Dr. Faye Assanah. Click here for more details.

Additional details regarding directions and other resources will be shared with registrants soon. For questions about Postdoc Research Day, please contact:

Fall 2025: Last day of work for Graduating GAs holding F-1 and J-1 visas

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Dear International Huskies,

Federal government regulations allow graduate students on F-1 and J-1 visas to hold on-campus employment while they are pursuing their degree. If you will be a Fall 2025 graduate, you will no longer be pursuing your degree after December 14, 2025 and can no longer work on campus beyond that date.

If you hold a Fall 2025 GA appointment at Storrs or a regional campus (excepting UConn Health), the final date of your appointment is January 7, 2026. If your degree is conferred in December and you hold an F-1 or J-1 visa and your assistantship appointment is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Graduate Employee Union (GEU), the time between the degree conferral date and the appointment end date should be treated as time off. Please work with your supervisor to ensure that you finish the duties associated with your assistantship before your degree conferral date. You will still receive your full fall GA stipend.

In addition, ISSS will be updating your I-20 or DS-2019 program end date to December 14, 2025 if you are graduating in December and hold a GAship this term. This means your grace period to depart the U.S., or your first eligible date to begin post-completion practical training will begin December 15, 2025. Please plan for this accordingly. ISSS will adjust your I-20 or DS-2019 end date automatically based on notification that you have applied for graduation, or at the time you apply for post-completion OPT (F-1 students) or Academic Training (J-1 students), whichever comes first. ISSS will notify you when your adjusted I-20 or DS-2019 is ready to download from your ISSS portal account.

Please reach out to ISSS at international@uconn.edu if you have any questions about this guidance as it relates to your visa status, I-20, grace period, or practical training timeline.

Leslie M. Shor
Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School

Arthur Galinat
Director, International Student and Scholar Services

Graduate Student Timely Topics Series

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The Graduate School’s Timely Topics is a series of learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with subject matter experts on topics relevant to graduate education. The student track of this series features sessions that highlight University resources and supports, answer questions about academic processes and procedures, and provide strategies to help students successfully navigate their graduate career. All sessions are offered virtually.

Register for a Session | View the full student track schedule and session descriptions

Fall 2025 Student Sessions:

What’s Your Job Offer Negotiation Game Plan? (Do you even have one?!)
Don’t wait until you get an offer! Join this session to learn how to approach job offers with an understanding of negotiating key elements like salary, sign-on bonuses, moving costs, growth opportunities, etc. We will also dive into communication techniques that will help you express your needs and value to the employer. And with GenAI as a resource, you will see how you can strengthen your negotiation abilities. Job offer negotiation does not have to be an awkward or uncomfortable conversation. 73% of employers anticipate salary negotiation for job candidates and in a 2022 report by Fidelity Investments, 87% of professionals ages 25 to 35 who countered on salary, other compensation or benefits, or both pay and other compensation and benefits got at least some of what they asked for.

Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Kay Gruder, Associate Director of Graduate Student and Postdoc Career Programs & Services, UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills

Research, Coursework & AI: Tips, Tricks, and Risks for Graduate Students
AI is here to stay. Join us as we explore some AI tools in academic research, best practices for using AI (including how to craft effective prompts), use cases for leveraging AI while maintaining academic integrity, and the importance of critically evaluating AI-generated content. Along the way, we’ll introduce the library resources and AI literacy initiatives can support you in your coursework and research. We’ll finish with a discussion of the academic consequences of inappropriate AI use.

Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitators: Kimberly Curry, Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Support, The Graduate School & Erica Charis-Molling, Instructional Design and Learning Librarian, Homer Babbidge Library

Creating the Right Mentoring Team for You
A successful mentor/mentee relationship can be an incredible asset to your graduate school career. This session will discuss the importance and benefits of curating a mentoring team throughout your time in graduate school, how to identify and approach individuals that will provide the kind of guidance you need, and how to navigate the mentor/mentee relationship. We will discuss how to apply The Graduate School’s new Mentee Guide and share information about the Network for Enriched Mentoring (NEM).

Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Mary Anne Amalaradjou, Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, and Faculty Affiliate for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and The Graduate School

Designing Your Personal Brand: A Graduate Student’s Guide
In today’s competitive academic and professional landscape, a strong personal brand is essential. This session is designed to help graduate students from diverse disciplines understand the fundamentals of personal branding and how to effectively articulate their unique value proposition both on-line and off-line.

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Theo Menounos, Assistant Director, UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills

Register for a Session

Learn more about all of The Graduate School’s Timely Topics

Laptop Loan Program for Teaching Assistants

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If you have a teaching assistantship this coming semester, you can request and be loaned a Dell Pro laptop for the duration of the semester.

Data security is a primary goal of this program. If you have teaching responsibilities, you are interacting with student data, which the University is obligated to protect. The university-issued laptops are enrolled in a device management platform, which ensures that they have up-to-date security and comply with university policies. If they are lost, stolen, or compromised, ITS can remotely manage the issue and minimize data exposure. Personal, non-UConn devices are non-compliant, and if used for institutional business, put the University at risk.

To request a laptop, please submit the request form. We encourage you to submit your request early; supplies are limited.

After you submit this form, it will create a ticket with ITS Technology Support Center. Communication about the device, including pick up instructions, will be emailed to you through the ticketing system.

If you have any questions, please contact the Technology Support Center at techsupport@uconn.edu or techsupport.uconn.edu.

Upcoming Fall 2025 GA Registration Deadline

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As a reminder, all students employed as Graduate Assistants are required to maintain full-time student status (6 or more credits), as noted in their offer letter and The Graduate Catalog. Employment as a GA is a result of student status, therefore it is required that you are registered for a minimum of 6 credits before the start date of your employment (August 23, 2025) and it is recommended that you register by August 1. Please be aware that if you do not enroll in the minimum 6 credits required to maintain full-time student status, the University cannot employ you as a GA.

To register now, log into Student Admin. You can also find helpful information, resources, and to-do items specific to your role as a GA, including information about GA health insurance and deadlines for enrolling in GA payroll deductions to pay your fee bill, at the Graduate Assistant Onboarding page.

Students who have the “GEMB – Graduate Embargo” hold on their record, will be unable to register in classes until they are present in the U.S. If you are a student with this particular hold, please be sure to check in with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) immediately upon arrival and register for classes through Student Admin as soon as ISSS has removed the hold.

If you have any questions about this requirement or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to megan.petsa@uconn.edu.

Fall 2025 Conference Participation Award

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We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Conference Participation Award (formerly the Doctoral Student Travel Award) will be accepting applications from June 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025.

The Graduate School is committed to helping graduate students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut. In support of this goal, The Graduate School offers a Conference Participation Award to support students’ ability to present their research at national or international meetings and conferences, including both in-person and virtual events. This conference participation fellowship in the amount of $750 will be awarded for Fall 2025 and paid through the student’s fee bill. If awarded, students will be notified in late July. Please review the eligibility criteria for the fellowship carefully before applying.

Students are responsible for knowing any and all travel advisories, restrictions, and relevant University policies and should plan accordingly. Students should stay up to date with information shared by the U.S. Department of State and the University’s Travel Services office.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The applicant must be a doctoral or MFA student.
  • The applicant must be enrolled in the semester for which the fellowship is awarded, e.g., fall semester for applications due by June 30.
  • The applicant must have successfully completed at least 30 credits toward their degree program prior to applying for this fellowship unless their program requires less than 30 credits with a prior master’s degree.
    • If a student has attained a master’s degree from another university and their program only requires 15 doctoral credits with a master’s degree, they qualify for eligibility upon completion of all 15 credits.
  • The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Student Travel Award or Conference Participation Award.
  • The funds are intended to be used for participation in a conference at which the student is presenting their research.
  • Students at UConn Health and UConn Law are not eligible for this award.

Please note, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval. We hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, but eligible students who are not awarded in this cycle will be encouraged to apply in the next cycle.

The deadline for application is June 30, 2025. Applications received following this date will not be considered. You can access the application form and more information on this webpage.

Graduate Student Research Symposium – Frequently Asked Questions

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Below, please find a list of FAQs regarding our inaugural Graduate Student Research Symposium, taking place on Wednesday, April 23, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

 

Question: I am teaching during the symposium on April 23 (or for some other reason cannot attend for entire time). Can I still participate if I am not able to stay for the entire event?

Answer: Unfortunately, no. You will be visited by multiple judges over the course of 1-2 hours, you will interact with other presenters, and it is good manners to remain through the announcement of the winners. If you cannot participate in the entire event, you should please let the organizers know and we will remove you from the roster.

If you would like the Dean of the Graduate School to speak with your supervisor or instructor of record about the conflict, she is happy to do so.  There must be some other way the duties can be covered for the few hours of this important event.

 

Question: I have a conflict for the entirety of the scheduled time on April 23. Can I present my research remotely, or on another date?

Answer: We are very sorry that some participants have a conflict with April 23. However, due to the nature of the event, it is not possible to participate remotely, or on another day. If you cannot attend in person, please inform jack.corcoran@uconn.edu so that you may be removed from the program.

The key dates of April 7 and April 23 were shared in the initial communications about the event. Although April 7 was modified from an initial round to an optional workshop, the finals were always intended to take place on Wednesday April 23. The second date was selected to coincide with the final Board of Trustees meeting of the academic year, and we regret the conflict that will make some selectees unable to participate.

 

Question: I already have a poster in landscape format and/or I already have a poster with different dimensions. Can I use this existing poster, thus saving the burden on the doc production center, and the cost of an additional print?

Answer: Unfortunately, no. No other dimensions or orientations are acceptable. All symposium posters must be 24 inches wide and 36 inches tall. You will be disqualified if you do not have a poster that matches these dimensions.

There are three main reasons for this lack of flexibility.

  • First, it would not be fair to other participants (who may have also had another existing poster but made a new one for this competition) for some people to have extra “space” that a larger or wider poster would allow.
  • Second, if posters are wider than 24” we will not be able to fit more than one on each side of the display board, and we plan to pack posters as tightly as possible to minimize the number of boards that we must use. Some posters in “landscape” format would have an entire board, and thus an unfair advantage.
  • Finally, the emphasis and audience of this competition is different from any other venue you may have presented in before. You should re-think your work and create a new poster that emphasizes 1. what you personally did as a graduate student; 2. the impact of your research; and 3. Communicates this to a general (not specialist) audience. It is very unlikely that the emphasis, content, or terminology of a pre-existing poster, such as one you presented previously at a professional conference, would be suitable for this event.

 

Question: How do I print my poster?

Answer: If you are in the College of Engineering, follow the ETS instructions available here.

If you are not in the College of Engineering, print your poster through Document Production using the following steps:

Storefront Printing Instructions:

  • Click on the storefront link: https://ddpcstorefront.uconn.edu/DSF/SmartStore.aspx?6xni2of2cF2mbo8KZ3Vpj/WcqycHV/jU1OydeV8ssqAIMnBrPdbTOszDWr/mjElG#!/Storefront
  • Login or Create a New Account
  • Browse “Shop by Category” on the left-hand side of the screen
  • Click “Large Format Poster”
  • Click “Poster Printing Buy Now” (blue button)
  • Click “Add Files” (grey button)
  • Select “Upload Files” (must be PDF Documents)
  • Under “Job Name” enter your first and last name
  • Under “Quantity” enter 1
  • Click “Add to Cart” (blue button)
  • Click “I Agree”
  • Click “Proceed to Checkout”
  • Select “Pay at Store”
  • Click “Submit Your Order”
  • For any Questions, students should reach out directly to the Document Production Center at 860-486-2022. Open from 8AM-4PM Monday through Friday.

 

Any additional questions can be directed to gradschool@uconn.edu.