Welcome to the 2009-2011 PhD Council President Elections! We have two candidates for PhD Council Senior Co-President, Issel Lim and Alan Huang. Below are their campaign statements: Voting Instructions: Please email Suneil Hosmane (hosmane@jhmi.edu) anytime before midnight on Friday Sept 18, 2009 (votes after midnight will not count) from your JHU or JHMI email address with the name of the person you wish to vote for. Thank you! Name: Issel Anne L. Lim Year Entered: PhD 2005 Lab: F. M. Kirby Center for Functional Brain Imaging
 *AGENDA* 1. Update PhD Student Handbook - Weed out old information (e.g., "Ms. McCann" should probably be changed to "Hong Lan"): http://www.bme.jhu.edu/academics/phd/phdstudhandbook/phd_fs_hand.html - Work with faculty to iron out requirements for thesis proposal / dissertation / defense. - Put the information on the website (...online at the PhD Council Website and the Department's BME PhD Student Handbook).
2. Build a "TA Compendium" - Use Google Sites to restrict access to current/past teaching assistants. - Compile an "instruction manual" with tips on TA-ing each class. - Create a gmail address for each class: TAs and students can email info, questions, homework, etc. to this email address so that the following year's TAs can incorporate old ideas into their class (...we did this for Systems Bioengineering II in Spring 2008 and Medical Imaging Systems in Fall 2008, and the following TAs have found these "archives" quite useful).
3. Create Teaching Assistant Awards - One award through departmental decision. - One award through popular vote of students in the class or through JHU evaluation ranking system. - Create a student/faculty committee to designate the criteria for a TA Award.
4. Compile a "PhD Council Instruction Manual" - Gather and upload information from previous presidents about PhD Council Events (...Recruitment, Orientation, the Retreat). - List things to think about, resources, important numbers, reviews/recommendations/suggestions about past venues, etc. - Restrict to only BME PhD students.
5. Finish up the PhD Council Website (http://phdcouncil.bme.jhu.edu) - Get Discounts from local businesses for Hopkins students (...this past week, we procured a 20% discount on Sundays for hairstyling at Zena's -- just show your student ID and snag a style from Justin or Greg!) - Build a section for Prospective Students (...including a recruitment schedule, tips on the interview, FAQ about JHU). - Finish the Alumni Information, Student Information, etc. - Write more reviews for restaurants or services (...more editors needed!!!). - Start a "newsletter" on the website like an online blog about PhD Council Events, restaurant reviews, Baltimore events, etc. - Finish a list of the TAs from previous years so TAs know whom to contact. - Open the website to more editors (perhaps the entire BME department or a Google Group of adventurous authors) so whomever wants to add information can edit the site directly. Name: Alan Huang Year Entered: PhD 2006 Lab: F. M. Kirby Center for Functional Brain Imaging  Hi everyone! My name is Alan Huang, and I am a rising fourth year PhD candidate in Dr. Peter van Zijl’s lab (part of the Neuroradiology department). If elected as PhD Council president, I plan to do the following to benefit students of all years of the PhD program. 1. Networking activities with BME professor - Implement a first year student-BME professor “speed dating” activity to pair up first year students with BME professors who need rotation student. - Provide more opportunities for PhD students to interact with professors of the department. 2. Plan activities and form databases for fellowship applications and GBO exams. - Plan a question-and-answer GBO/fellowship panel. - Create and expand the GBO/fellowship database. 3. Make the transition from PhD student to teacher smoother - Hold a Teaching Symposium where senior students who have completed their TA requirements can give advice to lower years who are beginning to teach. - Implement TA awards based on certain qualifications that students and professors rank. 4. Establish JHU BME Alumni network for graduating students to be able to contact alumni at a particular university or company for advice on obtaining a job at their location of interest. 5. Social activities for students to get to know other students and try new activities: - Ski trip - Halloween party - Summer barbeque – Gunpowder State Park – perhaps with some water activities. - Whitewater rafting - Cultural activities throughout the year I look forward to working with everyone to plan a fun and productive year. Thanks for your attention! And remember, you can’t go wrong with a vote for Alan Huang! |