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 2026 Student Sessions:

Difficult Subjects/Civil Conversations: A Structured Dialogue Workshop
In today’s polarized academic and social climate, graduate Teaching and Research Assistants play a critical role in fostering respectful and productive conversations. This one-hour, tools-based workshop introduces structured dialogue techniques that support active listening, constructive engagement, and communication across difference. Participants will gain practical strategies to navigate challenging discussions in classrooms, research settings, and collaborative environments. Join the Democracy & Dialogues Initiative to strengthen your ability to lead with clarity, empathy, and professionalism.

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitators: Nana Amos, Director of Community Outreach & Engagement, The Dodd Center for Human Rights; Co-Director, Democracy & Dialogues Initiative & Brendan Kane, Professor, History and Literature, Cultures, and Languages; Co-Director, Democracy & Dialogues Initiative

Researcher Privacy for Graduate Students
In today’s increasingly connected academic landscape, researchers face unique privacy and security challenges. This session will provide you with practical strategies to assess and protect your digital footprint, implement essential privacy measures, and respond effectively to potential issues. From managing your scholarly identity to handling controversial research areas, learn how to balance academic visibility with personal privacy.

Learning Outcomes:

• Assess your digital footprint and identify potential vulnerabilities specific to your academic work and online presence
• Implement essential privacy protection strategies including password management, identity compartmentalization, and data removal techniques
• Develop a personalized response plan for managing potential privacy threats related to your research activities

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Jennifer Schaefer, Research Services Librarian, Homer Babbidge Library

Being Strategic: Career Readiness Milestones
Have you ever wondered whether you truly understood everything involved in reaching your career goals?
Do you ever feel like you wished you had taken a career prep action step sooner?
Maybe you know you need to do something, but “what” remains a mystery.

By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the career preparation process, a roadmap of important milestones for different career paths, and actionable next steps to help you navigate your career readiness with greater confidence. Identifying and reaching your career goals requires intentional steps and a structured plan.

Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Kay Gruder, Associate Director, Graduate Student and Postdoc Career Programs and Services, Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills

Making Connections That Count: Professional Communication & In-Person Networking
Strong professional communication—whether in person, over email, or in professional settings—is essential to success in graduate school and beyond. This session highlights strategies for communicating clearly and professionally in a range of contexts, as well as strategies for starting conversations, navigating in-person networking events, and following up effectively to turn brief interactions into lasting professional relationships.

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
Facilitator: Melanie Sinche, Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Success, The Graduate School

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

The Graduate School (TGS) will host one Faculty Fellow for Graduate Faculty Engagement and Governance for a two-year term. This Fellow will be charged with increasing faculty engagement in current university-wide initiatives related to graduate education, graduate student success, and graduate program excellence. These current initiatives include academic governance reform related to implementation of BLUE (the new UConn budget model), broadening graduate faculty involvement in the routine work of the Graduate Faculty Council (GFC) and the Executive Committee of The Graduate School, and improving graduate faculty engagement in ongoing university-level strategic and enrollment management planning.

The Fellow will serve as a collaborative partner between TGS and the graduate faculty as a whole: helping to strengthen collaboration, gather grassroots faculty feedback and input, identify emerging concerns and opportunities, and assist in the development of communications and related materials connected to Graduate School initiatives and governance activities. The Fellow will work directly with the academic leadership of TGS and academic affairs leaders in the Provost’s Office. The Fellow will help supervise a 15-hour Professional Intern from the Master of Public Policy program. This is an excellent opportunity for faculty interested in exploring the administrative, strategic, and collaborative side of graduate education leadership.

The Fellow will devote an average of 3–4 hours per week during the academic year to this service and will receive a research stipend of $7,500. Modest funds are also available to support travel, training, and/or initiatives developed by the Fellow. In addition, support for a one-course-per-year teaching release OR summer support may be available, if that is of interest to the successful applicant, and subject to successful negotiation with the faculty member’s home school or college. Summer support or a teaching release would be accompanied by a commensurate increase in the expected time commitment.

Please contact Leslie Shor (Leslie.Shor@uconn.edu) if you would like more information about the position or if you would like to nominate someone. Any current member of the UConn Graduate Faculty is eligible. To apply, please email graduatedean@uconn.edu and include a brief statement (1–2 pages) describing why you are interested in the position, your relevant prior experience that makes you a strong candidate, and how you prefer to structure the experience (i.e., just 3-4 hours, or more, and specify summer vs. academic year). We will begin considering applications and nominations on May 22, 2026. Review will continue until the position has been filled. The new Fellow will serve a two-year term beginning no later than August 23, 2026.

Faculty who are able to contribute a different perspective from existing graduate school and provost office leadership are particularly encouraged to apply.

Please join us in congratulating Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Yaakov Bar-Shalom, this year’s winner of the Edward C. Marth Mentorship Award. Named for Edward Marth, former Executive Director of the AAUP UConn Chapter, the award recognizes outstanding mentoring of graduate students by UConn Graduate Faculty members. Professor Bar-Shalom brings almost 50 years of mentorship experience, having chaired or served on the PhD committees of more than 40 graduate students. His reviewers describe him as “truly dedicated to his students’ success;” someone who has had a “transformative influence” and is “demanding yet deeply supportive, offering clear direction while fostering independence.” His students have gone on to excel in academia, national laboratories, and industry.

In honor of his contributions, Professor Bar-Shalom will be giving an address that will be included in The Graduate School doctoral commencement ceremony.

Past Recipients of the Marth Award include Željko Bošković (2024), Diane Burgess (2023), David Knecht (2022), Crystal Park (2021), Preston Britner (2020), Sandra Chafouleas (2019), Maria-Luz Fernandez (2018), Elizabeth Jockusch (2015-2016), Shareen Hertel (2014-2015), John Mathieu (2013-2014), JC Beall (2012-2013) and Dipak Dey (2011-2012).

We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Summer Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship will begin accepting applications on February 1, 2026!

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 invites applicants for the Summer Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, which is intended to support the successful completion of the dissertation. Please review the eligibility criteria for this fellowship carefully before applying. This is a one-time $2,000 fellowship. If awarded, the funds will be distributed during the summer term and paid through the Office of the Bursar. Please note that The Graduate School will validate each student’s status as of the Summer 2026 semester and are entitled to rescind the fellowship if a student has graduated or is no longer an active student.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. The applicant must be a doctoral student in a program that requires a dissertation.
2. The applicant must be an active student when they apply and are awarded. Students who complete their degree during the prior semester cannot be awarded.
3. The applicant must have documented successful completion of the General Examination by submitting the Report on the General Exam.pdf to the Office of the Registrar’s Degree Audit team no later than February 28, 2026.
4. The applicant must have documented successful completion and submission of the dissertation proposal by submitting the Dissertation Proposal form.pdf to the Office of the Registrar’s Degree Audit team no later than February 28, 2026.
   • The Dissertation Proposal form may be submitted to Degree Audit without IRB/IACUC approval. The milestone will be posted as “in progress” and that will satisfy eligibility for this application. IRB/IACUC approval must be submitted to Degree Audit when received so that the milestone may be updated to “complete” on the student record.
   • Students in the following doctoral programs may submit their application without having the Dissertation Proposal milestone on their account:
     • Business Administration
     • Communication
     • Clinical Psychology
     • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
     • EPSY – Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation
     • EDLR – Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy
5. The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship.
6. Students at UConn Health (with the exception of Public Health doctoral students) and UConn Law are not eligible to apply for this fellowship.

Please note, while we hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval.

The application period for this fellowship is February 1-February 28, 2026. Applications received outside of these dates will not be processed. You can access the application form and more information on this page.

If you have questions regarding your eligibility for this fellowship, please contact gradschool@uconn.edu before applying.

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 recommended that you register by December 1, and it is required that you are registered for a minimum of 6 credits before the start date of your employment (either January 7 or January 8, 2026). 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.

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

We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Conference Participation Award (formerly the Doctoral Student Travel Award) will be accepting applications from December 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026.

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 Spring 2026 and paid through the student’s fee bill. If awarded, students will be notified in mid-February. 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., spring semester for applications due by January 15.
• 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 January 15, 2026. Applications received following this date will not be considered. You can access the application form and more information on this webpage.

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

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.

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.