SFU Graduate Studies

The Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies will be presenting two scholarship writing workshops this August for SFU graduate students who would like to apply to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (for PhD students) or the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship (or any other postdoctoral fellowship).

Topics that will be covered:

Michael Steger, a PhD student in Mike Thewalt’s Semiconductor Spectroscopy Lab in SFU’s Department of Physics, has had a great year using optical spectroscopy to study the fundamental properties of semiconductors.

His research into highly isotopically enriched silicon, which enables optical spectroscopy at much higher resolution than natural silicon, led him to become first author on an invited paper presented at the International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors in Seoul. This paper describes a novel method for studying nuclear spins in silicon, which might lead to a new approach for a silicon-based quantum computer.

Michael has also just wrapped up an invited review for the Journal of Applied Physics, which will form the core of his PhD thesis. This work describes a new technique of ‘isotopic fingerprints,’ which has led to a surprising reevaluation of what were thought to be very well known luminescent defect centers in silicon.

Michael is also a budding entrepreneur. In his free time, he developed PhotoPosterMaker, a tool to quickly make professional collages out of photos. It’s now available for sale in the Mac App Store.

• Semiconductor Spectroscopy Lab
• Links to Mike Steger’s published papers
• PhotoPosterMaker for Mac

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

SFU Residence & Housing is hiring Community Advisors in Graduate & Family Housing (Louis Riel Residence & Hamilton Hall).

This is a one year contract position that will begin in August 2011. The rate of pay is $3000 per semester.

Preference will be given to graduate students for these positions as Hamilton Hall and Louis Riel are primarily graduate student buildings. To be eligible, you must be a full-time student throughout the duration of employment and be in good standing with your graduate/professional program.

For more details on the duties required and to apply online,  login to MyInvolvement with your SFU computing ID, and look for Job ID 339 – Community Advisor Vacancies for Fall 2011.

The deadline to apply is 9 am on Monday July 25th.

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

TED is now accepting applications to its TED Fellows program.

The TED Fellows program is designed to bring together young world-changers and trailblazers who have shown unusual accomplishment and exceptional courage. The program targets individuals from the Asia/Pacific region, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East, though anyone from anywhere in the world, age 18 and over, is welcome to apply.

Fellowships include travel to a TED conference, coaching and networking with global leaders.

Applications are due by July 25, 2011, 11:59pm US/Eastern.

• Tips for applying
• TED Fellows Application Form

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

Think Again! is the inaugural graduate student conference at Simon Fraser University, hosted by the Graduate Student Society on October 22, 2011.

This one-day interdisciplinary conference will connect graduate student researchers to share perspectives from all areas of study. Think Again! is an opportunity for you to showcase your research, exchange ideas and learn from each others through presentations, performances, posters and displays.

The deadline to submit your proposal is September 1 at 4 pm.

In addition, volunteers are still needed to play a role in reviewing proposals, facilitating sessions, and ensuring a smooth conference.

For more information, visit www.sfugradsociety.ca/thinkagain.html or email thinkagain@sfugradsociety.ca.

Think Again! header designed by Visnja Milidragovic, MPub ‘11.

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

SFU’s Student Learning Commons will be offering several Academic Integrity workshops, open to all SFU students, through Fall 2011 at the Burnaby and Surrey campuses.

Academic Integrity 1: Why and how to use other peoples’ words and ideas
Learn about expectations regarding academic integrity at SFU, as well as strategies for integrating other peoples’ words and ideas into research papers to avoid plagiarism and add authority to your voice.

• Friday September 9, 10–11:30 am, Bennett Library, Rm 7200, Burnaby
• Thursday September 29, 12 noon–1:20 pm, Yosef Wosk Student Learning Commons, Surrey

Academic Integrity 2: Paraphrasing techniques
Paraphrasing is an important skill for academic writing. Learn effective strategies to incorporate others’ ideas into your research essays.

• Thursday, September 15, 3:30–5 pm, Bennett Library, Rm 7200, Burnaby
• Thursday, October 6, 12 noon–1:20 pm, Yosef Wosk Student Learning Commons, Surrey

Visit their website to reserve for these and other Student Learning Commons workshops. (See also their workshops on the thesis template.)

• SFU Learning Commons: Ensuring Academic Integrity
• SFU Library guide on plagiarism
• SFU Policy: Code of Academic Integrity and Good Conduct
• SFU Task Force on Academic Honesty and Integrity

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW/FCFDU) offers a number of scholarships to women in graduate studies.

Awards range in value from $2,000 to $11,000 and applicants must be women who are Canadian citizens. Different awards have different criteria, such as enrollment in a history program, enrollment in a PhD program, enrollment in a fine arts program or returning to academia after years away.

The application deadline for the 2012–2013 academic year is November 1, 2011.

• CFUW Fellowships and Awards Competition Guidelines and Instructions for 2012–2013 Academic Year
• CFUW Fellowship and Award Application Form for 2012–2013
• CFUW Fellowship and Award Filing Fee Payment Form 2011
• CFUW Reference Letter Form 2011

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

A group of seven grad students from the Centre for Digital Media will launch their first mobile game, Crash Craving, for iPad and iPhone on July 15. Team members are Shahrzad Aghasharifianesfahani, Carmen Chow, Mohamed El-Eryan, Airlia Hansen, Jeffrey Lane, Nickolas Marouhos, and Alice Tai.

Digital Touch Games is formed by a group of seven graduate students from the Centre for Digital Media as part of their final pitch project. As a multidisciplinary team, they have collaborated together to develop the concept all the way through production and polish. Guiding them was Ashley Blacquiere, an experienced game designer and fellow alumni, as well as various industry consultants. The team was excited about attending the Game Developer’s Conference 2011 in San Francisco this Spring and showcasing their game at the Centre for Digital Media booth.

Here’s a sneak peek at the game trailer.

Crash Craving Announcement Trailer from Digital Touch Games on Vimeo.

• SFU’s Centre for Digital Media (SFU Calendar: Master of Digital Media Program)
• Crash Craving website and team bios
• Crash Craving twitter feed
• Crash Craving Facebook page

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

Graduate students are invited to form a team of three or more to create a graduate school project around Singapore’s economic activities.

The award is for up to US $10,000 and includes a trip to Singapore for the graduate student team.

The program is open to graduate students of all disciplines, including arts, business, engineering, humanities and sciences. Participants should be graduate students with at least two years of working experience and ideally the project has relevance to their current research interests. Projects may take multiple forms, including research papers, presentations or even presented in alternative media.

The application deadline for the next round of awards is October 31, 2011. For more information, email  singapore@contactsingapore.sg with the subject line “Re: GSP 2011”.

• Graduate School Projects@Singapore
• Project proposal form
• See also: SFU MBAs head to Singapore

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]

SFU’s Beedie School of Business reports that MBA graduate business students (L to R, above) Kathleen Williams, Peter Konefal, Eva Tidlund and Connie Chang were selected from a global field in the Graduate School Projects@Singapore competition. The team’s faculty adviser is David Hannah (right), Academic Director of the MBA program.

Their project proposal, which has now been accepted by Contact Singapore, an alliance of the Singapore Economic Development Board and Ministry of Manpower, is focused on integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental standards in Singapore’s booming hotel industry.

This is the first time a Canada-based team has been selected in the program.

• Vancouver Sun: SFU students land Singapore study
• Beedie School: MBAs push Singapore hotels to go green with winning business pitch
• Graduate School Projects@Singapore competition (next application deadline: October 31, 2011)

—

Update: This post is moving to a new home: [See our new website.]