William & Mary Graduate Student Association

Hello A&S graduate students, our first meeting of the semester is tonight (9/12), at 6pm over Zoom. The Zoom link was sent out in the agenda last Friday (9/9). We will be hearing from the OGS about reviving the Graduate Research Symposium, as well as discussing general plans for the semester.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the social at Precarious on Friday, it was great to see so many people active in the graduate student community. Look forward to seeing everyone again at Journal Club (starting this Thursday, 9/15, see the email from this morning) and at other socials during the semester.

The last representative we have to feature this year is Victoria Chentsova, from Psychological Sciences.

Hi everyone! My name is Victoria Chentsova and I am a first year working with Dr. Adrian Bravo in the Psychological Sciences Masters program. I am originally from Saipan, CNMI and did a double BA in Psychology and Philosophy at Williams College in Williamstown, MA (gotta love that William!). When I am not nerding out over psychology research, I like to spend time with local mutual aid and community building organizations, explore the outdoors (preferably by the ocean but time in the woods or in the mountains hits the spot too!), and go on miscellaneous adventures with friends (from a cozy movie night in, to a road trip and a night out in a new city, it's hard for me to say no to adventure!). I am a big extrovert and love meeting new people so don't hesitate to say Hi!

Next to be featured is the department representative for History, Elliot Warren.

Elliot is a third year PhD student in the history department. Originally from Monmouth County, New Jersey he completed his undergraduate degree in history and political science at the George Washington University in 2018. He currently studies discourse on poverty during the eighteenth century age of revolutions. When he's not working he loves cooking overly complicated meals and listening to folk music.

This week we are featuring Elizabeth Mejia-Ricart, the department representative from CORE.

Elizabeth is a second-year M.S. candidate for the Computer Science department with concentration in Operations Research. She is originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She loves going on hikes with her Australian Shepherd dog Copper and used to be a competitive Olympic Weightlifter.

Next to be featured is Heather Switzer, the Computer Science department representative.

My name is Heather Switzer and I am a fourth year Ph.D. student in Computer Science. As an undergraduate, I attended Longwood University in Farmville, VA where I double majored in Computer Science and Mathematics. Currently, my research includes numerical linear algebra in Lattice QCD and preconditioning methods, though I hope to get more involved in HPC and multigrid methods. In my free time, I usually watch K-dramas and anime, or I bake.

This week, we are featuring Laurel Nicks, the representative for the Chemistry Department.

I am a first year Master's student getting a degree in Chemistry with a specialization in Environmental Chemistry. I work in the O'Brien lab researching aerosol aging and indoor aerosol chemistry. I'm from Yorktown, Virginia and earned my B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Lynchburg.

Hello A&S Graduate Students, as we move into the spring semester, we will continue featuring members of GSA on our page and website. This semester, we are focusing on the department representatives, who are your direct voice to the GSA. The first week, we have Annabelle Lewis, from Anthropology.

Annabelle Lewis is a second-year M.A. student in the Anthropology department, with a concentration in Historical Archaeology. She is the Anthropology Representative for the Graduate Student Association and the Anthropology Graduate Student Collective’s Digital Media Coordinator. Annabelle’s research focuses on the intersections of class, gender, and race in the nineteenth century American South East, specifically through the lenses of burial and mourning practices.

Hello A&S Graduate Students, the next GSA officer to be featured is a co-President of Journal Club, Caroline Watson.

Caroline is a 1st year PhD student in the Anthropology Department, studying ritual architecture, feasting practices, and social complexity in pre-contact French Polynesia. She is currently the Co-President of GSA's Journal Club and the Social Chair for the Anthropology Graduate Student Collective. At William & Mary, Caroline also works as the Anthropology Graduate Research Fellow for The Lemon Project: A Journey of Reconciliation, a project that investigates the history of slavery on campus. She grew up in both Honolulu and Atlanta, and she loves salsa dancing!

Hello A&S Graduate Students, this week the GSA is featuring the Graduate Studies Advisory Board Representative for the Sciences, Felipe Ortega Gama.

Felipe is a fourth year student in the Physics PhD program. He is the science representative at the GSAB, which focuses on supporting the Graduate Arts & Science programs through funding and advocacy. Felipe enjoys cooking, hiking and [failing to] learning languages.

Hello A&S Graduate Students, this week the GSA is featuring the Graduate Studies Advisory Board Representative for the Arts, Alexandra Macdonald.

Hi! I am a 5th year PhD candidate in the History Department working on my dissertation which looks at material objects to explore ideas of time and temporality in the long 18th century. I am originally from Vancouver and when I’m not poking around archives and museums I, super stereotypically, love to knit, hike, swim in the Atlantic, and try as many new food trucks as I can. I am currently the Arts rep for the Graduate Studies Advisory Board and I sit on the Graduate Advisory Committee for the Dean of Arts & Sciences. I don’t have Facebook, but I would love to hear from you on Twitter () or Instagram () or via email ([email protected]) if you have any thoughts or concerns you would like brought to either board.

Hello A&S Graduate Students, the next GSA officer to be featured is the Student Assembly Representative, Leah Kuragano.

Leah is an AAUW American Fellow and Ph.D. Candidate in American Studies whose research focuses on the 20th century history of U.S. popular culture as well as Indigenous knowledge and political movements in Hawaiʻi. In addition to her research and her work to advocate for graduate students at William & Mary, Leah is also a dedicated community organizer in Williamsburg. Since 2017, she has been a core member of the Village Initiative for Equity in Education, a grassroots organization seeking to close the school-to-prison pipeline and the opportunity gap for marginalized students in the local public school system.

Hello A&S Graduate Students, this week we are featuring the GSA Parliamentarian, Zeke Wertz.

I am currently a 4th year Ph.D. student in the Physics Department, specializing in experimental nuclear physics. My research is currently done at Jefferson Lab in Newport News. I also serve as the Jefferson Lab User Organization Board of Directors Graduate Representative. My general hobbies include reading and playing board games. My hometown is Lebanon, PA.

Hello A&S graduate students, the next officer to be featured is our secretary, Justin Cammarota!

I am the GSA secretary this year and a 3rd year Physics PhD student, originally from Philadelphia, PA and I got both physics and math undergraduate degrees from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA. My work is in theoretical nuclear physics, focusing on the underlying structure of the proton. When I am not doing math or coding, I enjoy tabletop games (both board games and RPGs like D&D), kayaking, and baking.

Hello A&S graduate students, the next officer to be featured is our treasurer, Jen Traver!

Jen Traver is the treasurer of GSA and a 2nd year student in the Masters of Psychological Sciences program. Her research focuses on the developmental trajectories of youth involved in the juvenile justice system and the impacts of parental incarceration on children. In her free time, Jen enjoys going on walks to visit the sheep in Colonial Williamsburg and growing her plant collection.

Hello A&S grad students! This week we start sharing profiles written by members of the GSA so you can get to know the officers and your reps better. These will also be posted to the website. We begin with the president of GSA: Tomos Evans.

Hello everyone, my name is Tomos and I'm the current President of the Graduate Student Association. Many of you will have seen several of my emails by now and so might be a little tired of hearing from me, but I hope you have a good time reading my profile nevertheless! I am a fifth year PhD candidate in Anthropology, and conduct research on ancient earthworks in southwestern Nigeria. The site at which I work is called Sungbo's Eredo, which is a series of earthen banks and trenches with a circumference of over 100 miles - it's thought to be the largest single monument in Africa and encloses a space that is multiple times the area of Manhattan. As such, I will be moving between the US, Nigeria, and the UK during this academic year: although I won't always be physically present, I shall always be reachable by email as a sort of long-distance president.

In terms of my background, I am originally from Cardiff, Wales, and moved to the US to pursue my PhD around four years ago. Coming from Cardiff, I am a rugby fan (where that sport is a religion), and come from a Welsh-speaking family, so if anyone is into either of those things, please get in touch (I haven't had too much luck on this front in Virginia so far this year!!). I've had a great time in Williamsburg and appreciate the great breweries, open park spaces and trails, and historic sites dotted around here, though the "car culture" in the US has taken a lot of getting used to! With all the isolation caused by the pandemic, I'm committed to working with the GSA to reconnect the grad Arts and Sciences community, whether through socials, mentoring, or other initiatives, and am looking forward to seeing the regeneration of the friendly, supportive grad body that has long been an important part of the William & Mary community.

Thanks for checking out my profile, and I hope to meet more of you soon!

Hello A&S grad students! Our first GSA meeting of the academic year will be today (9/9) on Zoom at 6pm in which we'll be introducing ourselves, discussing event plans, and having other conversations related to grad administration and networking.

All graduate students are welcome to attend: see today's forwarded email (sent 8:59 AM) for the Zoom link.

Also, it was wonderful seeing everyone at our social last Wednesday! The turnout was fantastic, and we hope you had the chance to get to meet a lot of new people.

GSA voted this evening to support the William & Mary Faculty Assembly's resolution (read below). The firings of NTE faculty were "unfair, unethical, and inhumane," to quote the resolution. We join the chorus calling for University administration to reverse their decision.

Join us tonight at 6pm for our final meeting of the semester!!!

GSA Journal Club is still looking for leadership for next year! As you know, JC is a vital entity for Arts & Sciences grads. It allows us to connect, share our work, and enjoy free food and drink. If you've been a supporter of JC, please consider stepping up to help ensure its survival.

Get in touch with Jim and Justin at [email protected] with questions or to volunteer.

TODAY 5:30/6 pm ET // We hope to see you at Journal Club tonight! Alexandria Mead (Anthro) will give a talk titled "The Coal Mine's Daughter." As always, the Zoom meeting will open at 5:30 p.m. ET for social time, and Alexandria's talk will start at 6:00.

Zoom link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/93502746390

Abstract:
"This project began when I started hearing stories from older Welsh generations about the suppression of the Welsh language. When I asked questions about what this suppression entailed, I found that there were two very conflicting narratives. I interviewed Welsh adults to learn more about life in Wales and their relationship to Welsh. One narrative stated that there was a suppression of Welsh by coal mine owners, believed to be largely English. Conversely, the second narrative argued that completely the opposite. People who argued for the second narrative cited that the most successful coal owners were Welsh! Adding to the complexity of these stories is, the first narrative was told to me by informants who are well educated, but not historians of Wales, whereas the second narrative was argued by ex-miners and well-educated historians of Wales. Understanding the conflict between these narratives comprises the basis for this research."

Hey grads! As you're planning your campus involvement for next year, a few things to note:

1. We're still looking for GSA officers! Please use this Google Form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12xOsUC0pT98oOE-qWBv9rvZEjmPbKZclL9snEKOGaAc/edit?gxids=7628) to nominate yourself. You can also email Tomos Evans ([email protected]) if you'd like to learn more about any of the positions or the nomination/voting process. If you're interested in becoming a GSA Representative for your department, please note that those appointments are worked out among grads in your department.

2. Journal Club is also looking for leadership! Contact Jim ([email protected]) or Justin ([email protected]) to learn more.

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Don't forget there's Journal Club tonight! Social time is happening currently, and Micayla's talk begins at 6 pm ET. See the linked post for details and Zoom link!

Please join us tonight, Thursday, April 22nd, for another Journal Club presentation. This week we will hear from Micayla Ann Whitmer of the American Studies program on “Are You Black First, or Deaf First?”: Binary-Thinking, Boundary Policing, and Discursive Racism Within the American Deaf Community. The abstract for the talk, as well as the Zoom link, are below. We will open the meeting at 5:30pm for social time and the presentation will begin at 6pm.

Zoom Link:

https://cwm.zoom.us/j/99750177506

Abstract:

"Black Deaf people are often asked by white Deaf people if they are Black first or Deaf first. Typically when confronted on the motivations behind their question, white Deaf claim curiosity about salience of identity to deflect accusations of racism. This project shows how this question is not about salience of identity, but rather about binary-thinking, boundary policing, and discursive racism."

Hope to see you at Journal Club later today (4/22)! 5:30 p.m. ET social time begins, 6 p.m. ET Micayla's talk begins. Zoom link and talk details below.

From GSA Journal Club:

This week we will hear from Micayla Ann Whitmer of the American Studies program on “Are You Black First, or Deaf First?”: Binary-Thinking, Boundary Policing, and Discursive Racism Within the American Deaf Community. The abstract for the talk, as well as the Zoom link, are below. We will open the meeting at 5:30pm for social time and the presentation will begin at 6pm.

Zoom Link:
https://cwm.zoom.us/j/99750177506

Abstract:
"Black Deaf people are often asked by white Deaf people if they are Black first or Deaf first. Typically when confronted on the motivations behind their question, white Deaf claim curiosity about salience of identity to deflect accusations of racism. This project shows how this question is not about salience of identity, but rather about binary-thinking, boundary policing, and discursive racism."

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April 17, 7 pm ET // It's time for another GSA Trivia Night! Join the Zoom with a team in mind, or just bring yourself and we'll make sure you're put on a team. We hope to see you this Saturday!

Zoom link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/99101745253?pwd=WXozY1htUyt0ZHluM0FpeHR5M0kxZz09

GSA meets TODAY at 6pm!! See you there!

Happening at 5:30 ET!

HAPPENING TONIGHT, 5:30 pm ET* // Virtual Check-In for Arts & Sciences Grad Students. Connect and vent with your peers! Zoom link below.

*Note that there is NO Journal Club today :)

This year has been A. TIME. As we wrap things up, and maybe especially as we move towards the end-of-year stresses, let's check in with each other. This event will provide a casual environment and a few prompts to get a conversation going about being a graduate student in 2020-1. The challenges, the stresses, the goofy Zoom snafus, the strategies you've found that help you manage. In short, this event offers a space for grads to connect and vent.

Hosted by Erin Schwartz (Officer of Graduate Experience for Student Assembly and Anthro PhD candidate), Holly Gruntner (GSA President and History PhD candidate), and Ali Pappas (Counseling Center).

Zoom link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/97433459855

HAPPENING TONIGHT, 5:30 pm ET* // Virtual Check-In for Arts & Sciences Grad Students. Connect and vent with your peers! Zoom link below.

*Note that there is NO Journal Club today :)

This year has been A. TIME. As we wrap things up, and maybe especially as we move towards the end-of-year stresses, let's check in with each other. This event will provide a casual environment and a few prompts to get a conversation going about being a graduate student in 2020-1. The challenges, the stresses, the goofy Zoom snafus, the strategies you've found that help you manage. In short, this event offers a space for grads to connect and vent.

Hosted by Erin Schwartz (Officer of Graduate Experience for Student Assembly and Anthro PhD candidate), Holly Gruntner (GSA President and History PhD candidate), and Ali Pappas (Counseling Center).

Zoom link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/97433459855

Thursday, 4/8, 5:30 p.m. ET // Virtual check-in for Arts & Sciences grad students. Connect and vent with your peers!

This year has been A. TIME. As we wrap things up, and maybe especially as we move towards the end-of-year stresses, let's check in with each other. This event will provide a casual environment and a few prompts to get a conversation going about being a graduate student in 2020-1. The challenges, the stresses, the goofy Zoom snafus, the strategies you've found that help you manage. In short, this event offers a space for grads to connect and vent.

Hosted by Erin Schwartz (Officer of Graduate Experience for Student Assembly and Anthro PhD candidate), Holly Gruntner (GSA President and History PhD candidate), and Ali Pappas (Counseling Center).

Zoom link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/97433459855

Applications due TOMORROW (4/1) by 11:59 pm ET!

Conference Funding - Graduate Student Association for Arts and Sciences GSA, in partnership with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR), is again offering Conference Funding Awards, with modifications for pandemic circumstances.

Paid a remote conference registration fee recently? What about a registration fee for a remote workshop or other academic event? Paying one soon? Apply for GSA's Remote Conference Funding, with grants of up to $200!

Online applications for the Spring Cycle of Remote Conference Funding are due this Thursday, April 1, at 11:59 pm ET. This round of funding can help cover fees incurred March 1, 2020 - May 31, 2021.

More info and online application here: https://wmpeople.wm.edu/site/page/gsa/conferencefunding

Conference Funding - Graduate Student Association for Arts and Sciences GSA, in partnership with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR), is again offering Conference Funding Awards, with modifications for pandemic circumstances.