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    MRGS News 29 July 2008

    Welcome to the Monash Research Graduate School News on seminars, scholarships and other useful information.

    In this issue

    1. exPERT Seminars

    2. Other Seminars, Lectures and Workshops

    3. Conferences

    4. Scholarships, Fellowships and Grants

    5. Other Forthcoming Events, Activities and Initiatives

    6. Policy Change

    1. exPERT Seminars

    1.1 exPERT Replay -Confirmation of Candidature

    Pre-recorded session from 27 April 2005. Watch the DVD of this very successful session. Original seminar description below: All Postgraduate Research Students commencing studies from 2003 are initially enrolled on a probationary basis, and need to have their candidature confirmed after 12 months of study. In this seminar, representatives from the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Arts explain this process. An absolute "must see" seminar for all recently commenced Postgraduate Research Students.

    Date: Monday 4 August 2008
    Time: 2.30 pm – 4.00 pm
    Venue: Seminar and lounge room, Ground Floor, Building 3E, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.2 Academic Writing: Style and Structure

    "This workshop will investigate what it means to be an "academic writer". What are the conventions? What is the style and tone required? Do these vary depending on your discipline?"

    Presenter: Ms Nira Rahman, Learning Skills Advisor, Library
    Date: Tuesday 5 August 2008
    Time: 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm
    Venue: Conference rooms, Monash University Club, building 50, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.3 Time Management

    Identifying time traps - understanding perfectionism & procrastination - learning to prioritise and plan - setting goals - working out a personal plan of action.

    Presenter: Angela Delle-Vergini
    Date: Wednesday, 6 August 2008
    Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
    Venue: Conference rooms 2 and 3, Monash University Club, building 50, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.4 Session 8: Experimental design 2

    Content: Numerical methods of analysing data from experiments; ANOVA; Main effects and interactions; Repeated measures

    Presenter: School of Mathematical Sciences
    Date: Friday, 8 August 2008
    Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
    Venue: Theatre R3, Building 8, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.5 Editing and your thesis

    This workshop will show you how to become a more effective editor of your own work (and avoid the things that really annoy examiners). It will consider how editing fits into the writing process, when to edit, what knowledge you need to edit effectively, and provide practical examples and activities. Together with the workshop Making your thesis more readable, this will provide you with tools to revise your writing effectively.

    Presenter: Dr Jan Pinder, Learning Skills Adviser, Learning Skills Unit, Monash University Library.
    Date: Monday, 11 August 2008
    Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
    Venue: Tutorial room K212, Caulfield

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.6 exPERT Replay - Completing Your Thesis on Time

    Pre-recorded session (DVD) of the original seminar held on 19 July 2005. A description of the original seminar is listed below. Some will argue that the ultimate success or otherwise of a research project is determined in that first vital year of candidature. Our speakers will discuss strategies for getting your project on track, and keeping it there. In particular the development of a well-focused research proposal, progress in the literature review, negotiation of a schedule of regular and structured meetings with your supervisor and a timeframe for completion will be covered.

    Presenters: Associate Professor Denise Cuthbert, Faculty of Arts and Associate Professor, Director of Research and Research Training Mark Thompson, Faculty of Engineering
    Date: Monday, 18 August 2008
    Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
    Venue: Seminar and lounge room, ground floor, building 3E, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.7 Reading strategies at postgraduate level

    This workshop will look at managing large reading lists, prioritising reading, skim reading and noting from reading.

    Presenter: Mr Ed Irons, Learning Skills Advisor, Library
    Date: Tuesday, 19 August 2008
    Time: 2:30pm - 4:30pm
    Venue: Conference rooms, Monash University Club, building 50, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.8 Non-Academic Careers

    This session will provide hints on exploring career paths outside of academia that offer opportunities to use your postgraduate qualifications and skills. Be introduced to some career management techniques that will help identify your work related skills and determine career goals. * possibilities in the broader labour market for postgraduates * identifying workplace skills * exploring career directions * Some worksheets will be provided to help this process

    Presenter: Ms Lynda Rohan, Careers Counsellor and Employment Consultant
    Date: Wednesday, 20 August 2008
    Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
    Venue: Theatre H235, Caulfield

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.9 Session 9: Regression 1

    Content: Simple linear regression Basic model and assumptions; Importance of residual plots; Checking assumptions, tests for lack-of-fit; Software.

    Presenter: School of Mathematical Sciences
    Date: Friday, 22 August 2008
    Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
    Venue: Theatre R3, Building 8, Clayton

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.10 Making your thesis more readable

    Whether you are a beginning writer or more experienced, you can always get better at it. This workshop is about the features that make writing easy or difficult to read. It looks at the way words on the page are used to tie information together and to help your reader to follow your line of reasoning. It will use analysis of examples to look at flow, topic focus, and dialogue with the reader, and help you to tighten your paragraph structure and make your argument clear. Together with the workshop Editing and your thesis, this will provide you with tools to revise your writing effectively

    Presenter: Dr Jan Pinder, Learning Skills Adviser, Learning Skills Unit, Monash University Library.
    Date: Monday, 25 August 2008
    Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
    Venue: Tutorial room K212, Caulfield

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.11 Workshop 33: PowerPoint for beginners

    PowerPoint continues to be the software of choice for presenters. As such, this workshop aims to introduce those unfamiliar with this program with the basic tools necessary in order to build a slide presentation. In particular, PowerPoint for Beginners will show students through the key features of the software, including menu commands, shortcut keys and toolbars.

    Presenter: Robert Coppa
    Date: Thursday 28 August 2008
    Time: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm
    Venue: BusEco/ITS Training Room, B2.11, Caulfield

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    1.12 Workshop 34: PowerPoint for advanced users

    Whether you have participated in the PowerPoint for Beginners workshop, or you have already accumulated skills in the software, this workshop will show you advanced techniques in how to formulate presentations. This workshop will take students through how to create and edit an organisation chart, add subordinates, and how to format organisation chart branches.

    Presenter: Robert Coppa
    Date: Thursday 28 August 2008
    Time: 1.45 pm – 4.45 pm
    Venue: BusEco/ITS Training Room, B2.11, Caulfield

    Bookings are essential:
    To book, please visit: http://mrgs.monash.edu.au/exPERT-bookings/

    2. Seminars and Workshops

    2.1 Modern Indian dance – innovations or imitations?
    ( Free, Seminar)

    Hosted by Monash Asia Institute. Speaker: Dr Sunil Kothari, India’s leading dance critic Details: 31 July 2008, 6.00 pm, Monash University Conference Centre Level 7, 30 Collins St, Melbourne 3000

    Extra info available at
    http://www.monash.edu.au/mai/news-and-events/seminars/index.php#dance  

    3. Conferences

    3.1 COMIUCAP World Congress 2008 Manilla

    Invitations are being offered to attend the 3rd World Congress, as well as to submit papers to the conference for consideration. The congress will be held in on:

    Date: September 11-13, 2008
    Venue: Manila, Philippines

    To participate in the conference, please confirm your attendance on or before 30 July 2008.
    Deadline for submission of full papers with abstracts by 15 July 2008.

    Enquiries regarding submissions should be addressed to Igarcia@ateneo.edu, copy-furnishing Ms. Rowena Azada-Palacious at razada@ateneo.edu.

    Online registration form: http://www.comiucap-reg.tk
    Registration enquiries: Eileen F. Tupaz at comiucap@admu.edu.ph  

    4. Scholarships, Fellowships and Grants

    4.1 Criminology Research Council (CRC) General Grants
    Closing Dates:     Monash    Granting Body
    08 August 2008       22 August 2008

    Scheme Aim and Objectives

    The Criminology Research Council (CRC) is currently inviting applications for General Grants for research conducted within Australia. The Criminology Research Council is concerned with the funding of criminological research that contributes to:
    the causes, prevention or correction of criminal behaviour;
    any other related matter.

    http://www.monash.edu.au/research/academics/funding/information/acgr/criminology-grants.html

    Monash Research Office closing date: 8 August 2008 For more info contact: Shae.Cox@adm.monash.edu.au

    4.2 International Science Linkages

    The Australian Government, through the International Science Linkages (ISL) program, will provide $94.5 million over nine years to support international scientific collaboration.

    ISL supports Australian scientists, from both the public and private sectors, to collaborate with international partners on leading edge science and technology in order to contribute to Australia’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing.
    https://sciencegrants.dest.gov.au/ISL/Pages/Doc.aspx?name=FranceFund.htm

    Monash Research Office closing date: 8 August 2008
    For more info contact: Helen.Papaefthimiou@adm.monash.edu.au

    4.3 Senior International Fellows Program

    For more information please visit: Senior International Fellows Program

    Monash Research Office closing date: 10 August 2008, contact: Shae.Cox@adm.monash.edu.au

    4.4 Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Scholarship in Law

    Closing Date: Sunday, 31 August 2008

    The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Trust in London, with the support of the Australian government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Menzies Foundation, offers to Australian postgraduate students two scholarships in Law, tenable in the United Kingdom commencing October, 2009.

    The scholarship includes return fares and substantial emoluments which are not subject to the United Kingdom income tax. It is tenable for one, two or three academic years.

    For further information please refer to: www.menziesfoundation.org.au

    4.5 Kartomi PhD in Music Scholarship

    Closing Date: Applications will be available in mid 2008 and close Friday, 31 October 2008.

    The scholarship is available to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and international applicants who have completed a four year undergraduate, masters preliminary or masters degree at H1* level or equivalent and who propose to undertake a PhD in music.

    Scholarship period is 3 years full-time with an annual stipend of $26,640.

    For further information please refer to: music@arts.monash.edu.au

    4.6 Heart Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships (Biomedical, Clinical, Public Health)

    Closing Date: Friday 15 August, 2008

    The Heart foundation offers postgraduate research scholarships in Biomedical, clinical and Public Health disciplines. These scholarships are for nursing, medical, science and other relevant graduates seeking support for fulltime research studies leading to a PhD at an Australian university or institution. Scholarships are normally awarded for three years.

    For further information please refer to:
    http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Postgraduate_Scholarships.htm

    4.7 Fulbright Scholarships for Australians

    Closing Date: Sunday 31 August, 2008

    Each year, the Fulbright Commission offers approximately 20 scholarships to Australian citizens to study, lecture or undertake research in the US. Other scholarships are also available including the Fulbright New Century Scholar and the Fulbright Scholar in Residence Program.

    For further information please refer to: www.fulbright.com.au

    4.8 Monash Access Equity Postgraduate Research Travel Grant

    As part of the equity program, special travel grants are available for 2008, each up to a value of $3000 (depending upon destination and associated costs) for travel within Australia and overseas. Only Australian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for these grants.

    Selection criteria may include:

    • Disability or long-term medical condition
    • Socio-economic disadvantage and/or
    • Adverse long-term family or domestic circumstances
    The Access equity applications are received throughout the year. For further information please contact: Michelle.mei@adm.monash.edu.au or visit
    www.mrgs.monash.edu.au/scholarships/grants

    4.9 Postgraduate Research Travel Grant

    Postgraduate travel grants assist students who wish to attend conferences in order to present a paper or poster on their current research.

    For furthe information please refer to:
    http://www.mrgs.monash.edu.au/scholarships/grants/postgradtravelgrants.html

    4.10 Australian Biological Resources Study – Student Travel Grant

    Closing Date: Wednesday 10 September, 2008

    Applications are invited from postgraduate students for travel bursaries to attend conferences relevant to studies in systematics or taxonomy.

    For further information please visit:
    http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/admin/index.html

    4.11 Scholarship Opportunities in the UK

    For further information please refer to:
    http://www.PostgraduateStudentships.co.uk

    4.12 More Scholarship Information

    JASON (Joint Academic Scholarship On-line Network) –

    JASON is a national database exclusively concerned with collating information about a broad range of postgraduate scholarships.

    Website www.jason.edu.au

    The database includes scholarships offered by Australian and overseas universities, Federal and State Governments, foundations and private sector organisations, thus providing a valuable service to both students looking for scholarships and to the organizations awarding them.

    JASON is jointly funded by more than 30 Australian universities, including Monash University. The database is available free of charge to staff and students at Monash University.

    Students and staff are able to search the database for scholarships and other funding opportunities. They can also subscribe, and information about new scholarships in the relevant fields will be emailed to them as soon as they become available. These services can both be accessed at www.jason.edu.au.

    University staff are able to advertise postgraduate scholarships on the website. Scholarships can be submitted for inclusion on the database using the pro-forma which can be downloaded from the MRGS homepage at:

    http://www.mrgs.monash.edu.au/scholarships/publication/index.html

    For further information on the JASON project please contact Anna.Hussar@adm.monash.edu.au  

    5. Other forthcoming events, activities and initiatives

    5.1 Fifty books from fifty years: celebrating a half century of collecting

    This is an exhibition of fifty books chosen by Monash academics and researchers. It demonstrates the importance of the Monash University Library Rare Books collection in the research community. The fifty participants have chosen items they have consulted in the course of their work. The result is a fascinating variety of books, many of which have never been displayed.

    Date: The exhibition will run until Sunday, 31 August 2008
    Venue: Level 1, 1SB Wing, Sit Louis Matheson Library, Clayton Campus

    For further information please refer to:
    http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/news/2008/05-fifty.html

    5.2 Website for a Global Graduate Research Community

    "The Graduate Junction is a brand new website designed to help research students make contact with others who share similar research interests, regardless of which department, institution or country they work in. The Graduate Junction has been developed by two postgraduate students at the University of Durham. Since its launch in May 2008, The Graduate Junction has proved very popular with research students and academics alike. Within the first two weeks 2000 students registered in the U.K. and the news spread to over 40 countries.
    Currently researchers have two main sources of information, published literature and academic conferences. Whilst essential, literature reviews can only ever reveal completed work. Relevant academic conferences provide a forum for students with similar research interest to interact but occur infrequently. It is very easy to become isolated, overly focused on the specifics of your own work and lose a sense of what other related work is being done.
    The Graduate Junction hopes to prevent that isolation and allow research students to start forming the networks which can stay with them throughout their careers. The Graduate Junction aims to provide an atmosphere similar to that at academic events and through the use of the internet aims to establish a worldwide graduate research community.
    Often very separate research literatures exist within different subject areas. The Graduate Junction is unique because it links students based on ‘research keywords’, therefore promoting interdisciplinary relationships. By simply registering a few basic details, students can search for fellow researchers by keyword, institution, department, supervisor or name. Alternatively, by searching The Graduate Junction’s on-line research groups, students can find and communicate with a number of others sharing their research interest.
    The Graduate Junction is useful for all Masters and PhD students and post doctoral fellows at any stage of the research process, allowing researchers to stay informed about current developments in their field. With the addition of conference and postgraduate job listings imminent, The Graduate Junction aims to be one of the most useful resources available for all research students."

    For further information please refer to: www.graduatejunction.com

    5.4 Online Forum for Postgraduates

    “Postgrad to Postgrad” is a new online forum set up by the Monash Postgraduate Association. Aside from the “lounge” (for general discussion), the main areas are set up by discipline with the idea of postgrads being able to talk to each other about their work, postdoc opportunities, info on overseas units etc.

    For further information please refer to:
    http://postgradforum.net/forums/index.php?act=idx  

    6. Policy Change: Doctoral and MPhil Candidature

    Postgraduate research policies and procedures are continually updated.

    For further information please refer to: http://www.mrgs.monash.edu.au/research/policychanges/index.html

    Contributions to MRGS News are welcome

    Entries should be relevant to research postgraduates and submitted to Victoria.Kasapidis@adm.monash.edu.au

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