We had the opportunity to chat with Lauren Cappiello, recent Ph.D. graduate in Applied Statistics about her time as a student at UCR. Lauren shared her insight, experience, and advice on grad student life. 1. What did you get your degree in, and what are you doing now? I am in Applied Statistics and have...
Having trouble staying productive? Do you have goals but have trouble sticking to them? Here are some ways to stay accountable during these socially distant times! [Image Description: Mabel, from Gravity Falls, waves her arms up and down, the sleeves of her pink sweater hanging well past her fingers as she bobs her head back...
We had the opportunity to chat with Karin Johnson, recent Ph.D. graduate in Sociology about her time as a student at UCR. Karin shared her insight, experience, and advice on grad student life. 1. What did you get your degree in, and what are you doing now? I received my Ph.D. in Sociology in June...
Are you a new graduate student at UCR who is trying to build a supportive community? Are you a current graduate student at UCR who needs a break from managing classes, teaching, and research? Are you struggling to stay connected to the graduate student community while teleworking? Good news: GradSuccess is here to help you...
We had the opportunity to chat with Josh Dorsi, recent Ph.D. graduate in Cognitive Psychology about his time as a student at UCR. Josh shared his insight, experience, and advice on grad student life. Read on for insight and advice. 1. What did you get your degree in, and what are you doing now? My...
We can all acknowledge that this past quarter has been challenging. If you’re like me, you found the sudden shift from in-person to on-line work an unexpected (and unwanted) learning opportunity—specifically, the opportunity to learn how to transform your kitchen table into a home office while your new furry co-workers try to eat your computer...
What do we teach students about life when they are asked to discuss rather than debate a topic? Before I dive into this perhaps philosophical, rather than practical question, it may be appropriate to explain how we are currently emphasizing discussion in the classroom and minimizing debate. I hope that by the end of my...
Summer sessions here at UCR provide a great opportunity for many graduate students to gain valuable teaching experience. During the academic year, we graduate students work as TAs, but in the summer we can try our hand as Instructors. Depending on your perspective, this may be an exciting idea or a scary one – or...
When UCR librarians shuttered the doors to the Tomás Rivera Library and Orbach Science Library to help contain the spread of Covid-19, my tears flowed freely and stained not a few pages of my overdue New Yorker. Even though this was the right thing to do for now and the foreseeable future, I miss wandering...
“You know how much I enjoy being a TA! I think I am going to miss the in-person interaction with the students. And, after all of this [the pandemic] is over, I will probably not be the same,” said one of my fellow graduate students. They said this while standing in the golden hues of...
It’s been a historically unusual and unpredictable Spring. As we stagger into the final weeks of the quarter and look ahead to Summer, we’re greeted with new questions: when will my lab reopen? Is it humanly possible to TA 5 days a week on Zoom? When I wear my mask to the beach, will the...
Are you interested in exploring open source and digital publishing options? This blog post will discuss the basics of open source, online publishing and digital publishing tools to help you share your research with a wider audience. While I learned about how these tools might be used in a digital humanities context – through the...
[Image Description: A man confused by a lot of math equations and had a hard time with calculations] Pictured: You, preparing your data analysis Data analysis is the process of cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to then extract information from that data. Nowadays, data analysis is widely used for decision making in many different areas...
Are you interested in exploring a teaching-focused career? Do you want to discuss pedagogical strategies, strengthen job application materials, or socialize with our Teaching Assistant Development Team? Then you’re in luck! There’s still time to register for Teaching Careers Week 2020, a full program of virtual events to support your professional goals with a specific...
One of the underappreciated aspects of graduate school is the entre into teaching. Most of us graduate students came to UCR ready to dive head-first into research and other scholarly pursuits. Yet, the majority of us find ourselves treading water in the deep end of the teaching pool. The challenges posed by teaching inspire brave...
If you're reading this blog, chances are you're either in the middle of lab rotations or you recently completed your lab rotations. Choosing your dissertation lab is a paramount decision; it can have significant consequences on your time in your department, on your time at UCR, and on the remainder of your career. Deciding what...
As a third-year graduate student, TA, and writing center consultant, making the sudden adjustment from working on campus to working at home has been more challenging than I expected. I am typically very organized, focused, and motivated, but I've discovered that there are a lot of distractions in this new work environment that, at times...
There is no denying the fact that the last few weeks have been rough for a lot of us. Between all classes moving online, social distancing physically separating us from everyone but our housemates, and the frustration of trying to find one single roll of toilet paper, our day-to-day can feel a little overwhelming. People...
It’s the start of our collective quarter in quarantine, and none of us really knows what to expect. Some of us are trying to find a respectable corner at home from which to Zoom a discussion section; others are having to rethink research projects that require supplies or travel that the COVID-19 pandemic has now...
Full disclosure: I have never taught an online course. I’m also the kind of instructor who loves getting to know my students. I have everyone create name tags on the first day of class and only after I know everyone’s name by memory do students stop bringing their name tags. I frequently incorporate ice breakers...
