The Graduate Student Senate is hosting a graduate game night this Thursday, September 24, via Zoom. The game room will be open from 7–10pm and interested graduate students can sign up at tiny.utk.edu/gss-gamenight. Friends are welcome, as well. And if you have any questions about the event, feel free to contact Rachel Crosslin (rcrossli@vols.utk.edu).

Don’t forget that tomorrow (Sept. 18th 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.) is the first of two Vols ACT training sessions for graduate students! Learn more about how to be an ACTive bystander to prevent and respond to sexual harassment. Visit tiny.utk.edu/volsact for details and registration.

The Office of the Dean of Students invites students to join them for Quarantine with the Dean on Thursday, September 17 at 5:30pm. It’s a great way to get connected with other students, ask questions about COVID-19 and play some games. Visit calendar.utk.edu for details on how to join in!

Join the Office of the Dean of Students and the Department of Psychology on September 16 at 5:30 for a conversation about COVID-19 and the impact on communities of color as part of the Rocky Topics dialogue series. Visit calendar.utk.edu for details on how to attend.

The Student/Faculty Research Awards are an opportunity to support collaborative projects involving faculty and graduate students. Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded to student/faculty pairs who submit proposals for funds to support research or creative projects. The Student/Faculty Research Awards will begin accepting proposals on September 18 and will continue to accept proposals until October 1. Read more about proposal requirements and eligibility.

Nuclear engineering doctoral student Clarice Phelps recently presented at a virtual spotlight on Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) hosted by the American Nuclear Society Young and Student Members. She became the first African American woman to be involved in the discovery of an element on the periodic table—in this case, appropriately, Tennessine. Read more about Clarice Phelps at the Department of Nuclear Engineering.

The first session of the fall Community Engagement Seminar will be held on September 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. This session is intended for faculty, staff and students who are new to community engagement and community-based participatory research. The facilitators will go over fundamentals and best practices for developing your engagement and outreach agenda. To get access to this virtual event, please contact Nicole Bryant at bryant@utk.edu.

The Graduate School is happy to welcome all the graduate students to UT for fall 2020! Dean Dixie L. Thompson has prepared a welcome message for you, to express her anticipation for the upcoming semester. She also wants to help you know how to find answers to the questions you may have this fall regarding campus life in these different times, whether it be on our website or on UT’s Coronavirus website. Grab your books, get your mask, complete your daily self-screen, and let’s get started!

Don’t forget that all students and employees are to complete the health self-screening form every day before leaving their residence hall or coming to campus. It just takes a few minutes to answer the questions, and it can be part of your morning checklist. Got your phone? Got your keys? Got your mask? Completed your self-screen? Get all the details on self-screening at the UT Coronavirus website.

On Wednesday, July 29, the provost will host an “Instruction and COVID-19” teaching seminar. Panelists will discuss adaptations to classrooms, course formats, instructional strategies, new classroom technology, resources for instructors, expectations for students, and other topics. Participants will learn about protective measures, training resources, and how to apply plans and resources to their area. The seminar will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will be recorded and available on the Office of the Provost website.