There has been some exciting expansion of programs benefiting graduate students that I thought I would bring to your attention.
First, Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) benefits are increasing for the 2008-2009 academic year. Vision care is included for the first time. Benefits, provided through the UC Berkeley School of Optometry, include an annual comprehensive eye exam for a $5 co-pay, an annual subsidy for new eyeglass frames and lenses or contact lenses, a substantial discount on refractive surgery, and 24-hour emergency phone assistance. I have been a patient at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry for many years and have always been delighted with their services and the convenience of using the on-campus clinic.
Other major changes to SHIP include an increase in the pharmacy benefit from $2,000 to $5,000 per plan year, and an increase in the lifetime maximum from $250,000 to $400,000. The former change is especially important for students on costly, non-generic drug therapies. Details of SHIP coverage for next year can be found online.
An important new program for international students with spouses or children is the International Graduate Student Family Grant. The Graduate Division has long funded the Graduate Student Parent Grant, administered by the Financial Aid Offfice but open only to U.S. citizens and those eligible for federal student aid. The new program, funded by the Graduate Division and administered by the Berkeley International Office, extends a similar benefit to our international students. Details and application materials are available online (PDF).
Applications for the current cycle are accepted only until May 22, 2008 — please help us spread the word!
Finally, as we approach the commencement season, congratulations and best wishes to those of you who are completing your degrees and moving on to new challenges.
Best regards,
Susan J. Muller
Associate Dean of the Graduate DivisionTop
Graduate Degrees
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Tips on filing for your degree
Graduate Fellowships
- Estuarine Science Fellowships
- Fulbright Scholar Grants
International House
- I-House Room and Board Financial Aid for U.S. Students
International Students
- Family Support Grants are available
LavenderCal
- This way “Out”
UCPD
- Student homicide on Southside
- How to respond if there’s an “active shooter”
- Your PC can help you stay aware of crime
- Owl Van Rides begin an hour earlier
- The latest campus safety map
University Library
- Full public access to biomedical and life sciences information
- Collect and manage your research sources with Zotero
Recognition
- Rewarding mentors: the Sarlo and FMA honors
- Distinguished Teaching: a grad alum wins one of the four
- The Chancellor honors two grad students for public service
- Una’s Fellowship: the winner, by a neck, is Stephanie Pearson
- Dean Michael Nacht is toasted and roasted
- Submit nominations for alumni awards by May 31
Hot Off The Press (And Online)
- The Graduate
- California
- Greater Good
Fun
- Collaboration on music with the Bubblegum Sequencer
Whether you are just starting to write your dissertation or thesis or are in the final stages and preparing to file for your degree this spring, we’ve good something you need. Check out the instructions for Preparing and Filing Your Thesis or Dissertation (PDF). This document will answer all those picky little questions you may have about margins, page numbers, what paper you can use, and how many copies of the title page you need to make.
The two surveys that are required from doctoral students before they can file are available at the Degree Office homepage under the Policies and Procedures for Doctoral Students section. Please take the time to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) and the UC Berkeley Survey of Doctoral Students’ Opinion (PDF). You can also access the ProQuest publishing agreement form from our website.
We encourage you to bring by a sample of your manuscript for a preliminary review before you do a final printing and copying — well before the final week of the semester. We’re happy to review your title page, abstract, and basic document format and will alert you to any problems. You can also call us at 642-7330 with any concerns. Remember that May 22 is the final day to file (in 318 Sproul Hall) to be eligible to have your degree awarded in spring 2008.
TopListed chronologically by deadline date.
Graduate Division summary of fellowships and awards for 2007-2008
Resources provided by the Graduate Services: Fellowships office
The California Sea Grant College Program administers a pre- and postdoctoral research fellowships dealing with Bay-Delta ecosystem management and water supply issues. Stipends are $25,000 per year for graduate fellows ($45,000 for postdocs), for up to two years, plus eligible expenses. Applications are due June 6, 2008, by 5 p.m. Details are available online.
The competition for the 2009-2010 round of Fulbright Scholar Grants is open. The application deadline is August 1, 2008. Grants typically begin about one year following the application deadline. As a traditional U.S. Fulbright Scholar you can enjoy an experience of a lifetime, one that will provide broad cultural perspectives on your academic discipline or professional field and connect you with colleagues at institutions around the globe. Grants typically range from three months to an academic year. More information and materials to download are online. A free workshop on the Fulbright Program for Faculty and Professionals will be offered May 21 (see that date in the Calendar for more details.)
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California poppies (Escholtzia californica) sneaking out of the Native Biodiversity Restoration Project in the Grinnell Natural Area not far from where Strawberry Creek disappears under Oxford Street. Named California’s official state flower in 1903, these poppies now grow happily in like climates in Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina, and perhaps too happily for the tender sensibilities of Tennessee, which classifies them as a Rank 3 (“Lesser Threat”) invasive species.
(Photo: Dick Cortén)
Graduate Division Calendar
Campus Events Calendar
Denotes Graduate Division sponsored event
MAY 7 (Wednesday) and AUGUST 28 (Thursday)
Workshops on the Fulbright-IIE Grant
Preparing to Apply for a Fulbright-IIE Grant
May 7, 1 to 3 p.m., 370 Dwinelle Hall
This workshop is for all UC Berkeley students who will be applying for a Fulbright-IIE grant this fall. Given the requirements for the Fulbright-IIE grant, students who are planning to apply for a Fulbright-IIE grant this fall are encouraged to begin preparing their applications now.Applying for a Fulbright-IIE Grant
August 28, 1 to 3 p.m., 370 Dwinelle Hall
This workshop will provide an introduction to the application process for the Fulbright-IIE grant. Students are encouraged to bring their own copies of the Fulbright application and booklet to the workshop.
Gina Farales, Fulbright program adviser in the Graduate Services: Fellowships office and Sabrina Soracco, director of Graduate Division academic services, will be at both workshops to answer your questions. Although undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to attend both workshops, attending both workshops is not required. The events are wheelchair-accessible; for disability-related accommodations, please call 6442-7739 in advance. More information about the Fulbright Program is available online. For more details about the Fulbright application process at UC Berkeley, contact Gina Farales by phone (642-7739) or email (gfarales@berkeley.edu).
MAY 8 (Thursday)
Graduate Women’s Project Spring Fiesta
5 to 7 p.m., Anthony Hall patio
A festive mixer to celebrate the end of the semester with friends, old and new. Free burritos, nachos, beer, and wine, plus raffles and prizes, with DJ Rosa spinning Latin jams. By and for graduate women, but all are invited. For more information email gwp@ga.berkeley.edu.
MAY 9 (Friday)
Application deadline for International House 2008-2009 Room and Board Financial Aid Award for U.S. Graduate Students
Each year, International House allocates over $700,000 in room and board financial aid awards to make its cross-cultural living environment accessible to all. Awards are available to registered students who have already completed one academic year of study at UC Berkeley. More information can be found on the I-House website or by email (gabrams@berkeley.edu). Note: this May 9 application deadline pertains to U.S. graduate students. A new program for international students has a different deadline; see below under May 22.
MAY 12 (Monday)
Last day of instruction for the spring semester
MAY 15 (Thursday)
Graduate Assembly Reception
4 to 6 p.m., Anthony Hall
A gathering to thank GA delegates and staff, campus staff, the ASUC, and graduate students for contributions to the GA during the 2007-2008 academic year. For more information, email businessoffice@ga.berkeley.edu or see the GA website.
MAY 21 (Wednesday)
Workshop: The Fulbright Program for Faculty and Professionals
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 333 Sproul Hall
Anne Clift Boris, senior program officer for research and assessment at the Council for International Exchange of Scholars will talk about lecturing and research opportunities in over 130 countries; advice on which country to apply to and how to make contacts; how to prepare the Fulbright application; and how your campus can host visiting foreign Fulbright scholars. The workshop is free. Fulbright campus representatives and interest faculty are encouraged to attend. To reserve a seat, contact Maria Losa by mail (318 Sproul Hall, Berkeley 94720-5600), phone (642-7665), or email (marial@berkeley.edu).
MAY 22 (Thursday)
Spring semester ends
MAY 22 (Thursday)
Final day to file thesis or dissertation to be eligible to have your degree awarded in spring 2008. (See Tips from the Graduate Services: Degrees Office, above.)
MAY 22 (Thursday)
Application deadline for International Graduate Student Family Support Grant
Instructions and application are online (PDF).
MAY 24 (Saturday)
American Indian Graduate Program / Native American Studies 2008 Graduation
4 to 6 p.m., Lipman Room, eighth floor, Barrows Hall
MAY 26 (Monday)
Memorial Day holiday
MAY 31 (Saturday)
Nomination deadline for California Alumni Association Awards
These honors will be presented in spring 2009. Awards include Alumnus or Alumna of the Year, Excellence in Achievement, Excellence in Service, and others. See Recognition, below, and the alumni association website.
Cal Housing has expanded the open house schedule for the New West Village Apartments opening in August 2008 at University Village in Albany. Along with couples who are married, those in committed relationships are eligible for new one bedroom units. Beginning in mid-May, the Apartments Assignments Office will begin processing rental agreements for August. For further information, call (642-4109) or email (apts@berkeley.edu).
Going out of town this summer for study or vacation? Many visitors come to Berkeley each summer for internships, summer study, to visit family or just for fun, and would like to sublet an apartment or room in the community. If you're looking for a summer subtenant you can list your sublet opportunity for free on the Cal Rentals website. There's also a sample summer sublease (PDF) agreement if you need one.
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International House 2008-2009 Room and Board Financial Aid Award for U.S. Graduate StudentsEach year, International House allocates over $700,000 in room and board financial aid awards to make its cross-cultural living environment accessible to all. Awards are available to registered students who have already completed one academic year of study at UC Berkeley. The application deadline is Friday, May 9, 2008. More information can be found on the I-House website or by email (gabrams@berkeley.edu).
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International students who completed two semesters of graduate study by the end of fall 2007; are not on filing fee status; have a spouse or child presently living with them in California; and are registered for the spring 2008 semester may apply for the International Graduate Student Family Support Grant. The application deadline is May 22, 2008. Instructions and application are online (PDF).
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This way “Out”LGBT students are invited to note a new resource within the website of LavenderCal, UC Berkeley’s network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer employees. "Out Lists" of openly LGBT faculty and staff can be viewed in the "Who We Are" section. These work-in-progress lists are updated often, and faculty and staff "Allies" to the LGBT community will be listed soon. The profiles in the "OUT @ CAL Perspectives" section are good reading, too, attesting to the dedication of faculty and staff to Cal's students.
TopMore than 25 graduate-level courses are being offered by Berkeley Summer Sessions. The relaxed atmosphere on campus, combined with access to all the resources you’ll need, make the summer a great time to do research or take that special course. And it can be a fast track to your degree. Take a look at the Summer Sessions website. Five different sessions of varied lengths are offered during the period May 27 through August 15.
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Student homicide on SouthsideAs many of you are aware, on Saturday, May 3rd at 2:45 a.m. a UC Berkeley student was the victim of a homicide on the south side of campus. An arrest has been made in the case and the Berkeley Police Department continues to seek additional information from anyone who witnessed the crime. Please see the UC Berkeley home page and click on the Chancellor's message in the News Center area for more information concerning this crime.
The student services and the Tang Center staff are reaching out to help those who are most immediately affected by this tragic incident. Please go to the University Health Services web site for more information.
UCPD will continue to work with the Berkeley Police Department to assist them in this investigation and to address the safety and security issues in areas surrounding our campus.
The UC Police Department’s "Tools to Survive an Active Shooter" is an in-person presentation designed to give an overview of this potential situation from a campus police perspective, one that will address UC-specific questions. If you or your colleagues have ever wondered about how to act or respond should there be an active shooter on campus, contact UCPD to schedule a one-hour presentation to your group. UCPD hopes grad students will recognize this opportunity to prepare. Contact Lt. Adan Tejada at 642-3769.
Your PC’s desktop can alert you to safety concerns automatically. Download and install a small program called ST&AR (for Safety Threats and Alerts Report). It’s UCPD’s quickest and simplest way to get the word out nearby crime activity. Being aware of a crime that’s been committed is the first step toward prevent the occurrence of similar crimes. Give it a try. UC Berkeley’s chief of police recommends it.
Owl Van Rides now begin an hour earlier, making safety services available at all hours of the night, including between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.! Service boundaries are listed on the Campus Safety Programs page at police.berkeley.edu.
This detailed and informative map of the campus has been updated with locations of all the blue light emergency phones, a recommended nighttime walking route, and info on all Night Safety Services. Stop by the station front window to pick one up or view it online (PDF).
Doe Library’s main reading room (Peg Skorpinski photo)
Have you received funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH)? Are you working on NIH grant funded research? Are you the recipient of an NIH Training Grant? If so, you should know that since April 7 of this year anyone who publishes an article based upon research funded by the NIH is now required to submit an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed manuscript to PubMed Central. This groundbreaking policy gives the public full access to taxpayer-funded research within 12 months of its publication. For more information and instructions on how to comply, see “Hot Topics:NIH Mandate” on the UC Berkeley Library Scholarly Communications website.
Zotero is a free Firefox data-management extension that is now available through the Mozilla Firefox browser on most Library public PCs. Unlike other bibliography managers, Zotero has additional capabilities for multi-media and web resources. For example, Zotero has the ability to take a snapshot of a page, save a copy as it currently exists, and archive it. Zotero can also save links in "your library" and return to the site. Documentation and Tutorials about Zotero can be found online. The online tutorials are excellent. However, if you are not familiar with Zotero, here's a quick introduction:
When you open Zotero, three large windows will appear. The first one at the far left is where you create and store file folders for your library "collections". The second one is where individual references or "titles" are displayed. The third one is where the informational elements of the citation are displayed, and also offers the opportunity to annotate citations and add notes. *Most* of the operations can be managed from icons across the menu bar at the top of the page.
However, one of the most common operations is likely to be “create a bibliography,” which is not one of the menu bar commands. To create a bibliography, or to view how a reference may be cited, highlight a "collection" (in the 1st window) or a "title" (in the 2nd window) and right-click the mouse. Several commands will appear, one of which is "create a bibliography.” After selecting that, you will then be asked to "select a citation style" (e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA, Turabian, etc.). Then, select either "copy to clipboard" or "save to RTF". Select "copy to clipboard" to paste to MS Word or Google documents on the desktop, or in a flash drive. Select "save to RTF" to copy to a flash drive. NOTE: you have to have downloaded portable Mozilla Firefox to your flashdrive beforehand for this option to work. (Problems? Need help? Inquire at any of the Library's reference desks.)
When Paradise Arrived, charcoal and pastel
on paper, © Enrique Chagoya
Through May 18
This exhibition, the first major museum retrospective of Mexico-born, San Francisco-based artist Enrique Chagoya — who earned his M.A. (’86) and M.F.A. (’87) at Berkeley — will be on view in Galleries 2 and 3 through May 18. The more than 70 works on display, including paintings, charcoal and pastel drawings, prints, and mixed-media codices (accordion-folded books), all pulling from Chagoya’s personal history and reflecting his interest in the complex, overlapping cultural histories of Mexico and the United States Chagoya has taught printmaking at Stanford University since 1995. His work is included in the collections of many major museums in the United States and Mexico.
Hans Hofmann: Nocturnal Splendor
1963; oil on canvas; 60 1/8 x 72 1/4 in.;
gift of Hans Hofmann.
Through August 3
Hans Hoffman (1880-1966) was renowned as both an artist and as a teacher of art. German-born, he briefly taught at Berkeley before going on to world fame, primarily for his abstract expressionist paintings. His Greenwich Village school was a vortex of influence in the burgeoning art scene of the 1930s and 1940s, “a major fountainhead of style and ideas for the ‘new’ American painting,” according to the critic Clement Greenberg. The works on view in this show reveal the development of Hofmann’s distinctive and highly influential artistic vocabulary. An extraordinary group of Hoffman’s paintings, the world’s most extensive museum collection of his work, forms a cornerstone of BAM’s entire collection. This exhibition, on view in Gallery A, draws on this group, spanning nearly 30 years of his practice, from figurative works of the 1930s to the explosive abstraction of the postwar period.
“Hong Kong Nocturne: The Films of Johnnie To”
“R. W. Fassbinder’s Berlin Alexanderplatz”
“Louder, Faster” Punk in Performance”
“Mental Minefields: The Dark Tales of Zeki Demirkubuz”
“Joan Blondell: The Fizz on the Soda”The Pacific Film Archive Theater is located at 2575 Bancroft Way (just west of Bowditch) in Berkeley. For more information, visit the PFA web site. Advance tickets are available by calling (510) 642-5249 or online.
TopThe afternoon of April 22 was overcast and gloomy, with rain predicted. But inside the McCollum Room in Tan Hall, the atmosphere was toasty from warm feelings.
Five faculty members, accompanied by colleagues and students who nominated them and friends and fans, were given special awards for mentoring grad students, an activity that historically has received little fanfare but is seen as vital by its recipients, often leading to key intellectual breakthroughs and providing the motivation to persevere despite daunting obstacles.
Singled out as extraordinarily helpful were Susanna Barrows, a professor of history; University Professor Alexandre Chorin, a member of the mathematics faculty; Dru Dougherty, a professor in the Spanish and Portuguese department; Paola Bacchetta, an associate professor of gender and women’s studies, and Carlos Daganzo, a professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Recognition for mentoring is having a growth spurt. The Tan ceremony involved two awards, the Sarlo Distinguished Graduate Student Mentoring Award, presented by the Graduate Division and the Academic Senate’s Graduate Council, and the Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award (FMA), presented by the Graduate Assembly. The Sarlo Award for senior faculty went to Barrows and Chorin; another Sarlo Award, for junior faculty, was reserved for Irene Bloemraad, an assistant professor of sociology; who was unable to attend the ceremony. Doughterty, Bacchetta, and Daganzo received the FMA. This is only the second year the Sarlo honors have been presented, and the fourth for the FMA. Read the full story and see a free up-for-grabs dissertation topic.
Nezar AlSayyad
(Photo by Peg Skorpinski)
Professor Nezar AlSayyad, who earned his Ph.D. in architecture here in 1988, has been teaching architecture and city and regional planning here since 1985. Rounding off his second decade at the task he enjoys, he was honored in April with the highest honor the campus bestows for teaching, the Distinguished Teaching Award. The selection is made by the Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching, after members read at least two years’ worth of student evaluations, evaluate each candidate’s teaching philosophy and course material, and observe them as they teach.
This year’s three other winners are Karl Ashoka Britto, an associate professor in the departments of French and comparative literature; Stefano DellaVigna, an assistant professor of economics; and Kaja Silverman, a professor of rhetoric and film studies.
April was clearly Silverman’s month; she had already heard that she was one of six Berkeley professors to receive 2008 Guggenheim fellowships. (The other recipients are Margaret Lavinia Anderson of History; Stanley Brandes of Anthropology; Giovanni (John) Ferrari of Classics; Paolo Mancosu of Philosophy; and Arthur Shimamura of Psychology.
Ananya Roy
(Photo by Peg Skorpinski)
Home Pride is a brand of bread, but the label could apply as well to the household of AlSayyad and his partner Ananya Roy M.C.P. ’94, Ph.D. ’99, who happens to be a colleague in City and Regional Planning. A 2006 recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award herself, she, like AlSayyad, was honored for her teaching in April, this time by students, who ambushed her in the middle of a 5 p.m. class with a bouquet and a bucket of apples — the tokens that accompany the ASUC’s Golden Apple Award for Outstanding Teaching (along with $2,000). She was one of 250 nominees.
(Peg Skorpinski photos)
Why were Alvaro Huerta and Jessica Swann clustered with Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and a bunch of other people on the University House lawn near the end of April? Like the rest of the crowd, they were picking up their Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service. Huerta and Swann are graduate students, and were honored for their civic engagement, as were four undergrads, a faculty member (Public Health’s Jeffrey Oxendine M.P.H. ’80, M.B.A. ’86), two student groups. Swann, a master’s candidate in business administration student, has volunteered extensively to help people with bleeding disorders. Huerta, a doctoral student in city and regional planning, has spent two decades helping immigrants and working for environmental justice. (He’s profiled in the latest issue of The Graduate.)
Stephanie Pearson receives Una’s
necklace — temporarily — from
Graduate Division Associate Dean
Carlos Fernandez-Pello
(Photo by Ellen Gobler)
Every year, a slightly-out-of-the-usual ritual takes place at the end of the spring semester: the presentation of the Una Fellowship. It’s given to “an outstanding woman in the field of history to foster the spirit of inquiry and individuality so characteristic of Una Smith Ross,” a Berkeley alumna (B.A. 1911, M.A. ’1913) in whose memory the supporting funds were provided. In addition to a pleasant meal in good company and a year’s help with tuition and expenses, the new Una Fellow follows the distinctive tradition of wearing Una’s own heirloom necklace for the evening.
This year, the recipient is Stephanie Pearson, who just completed her first year in grad school here, on her way to a Ph.D. in the history of art. She earned her B.A. at Berkeley last year, double-majoring in the history of art and Classical civilizations and scoring A’s in both sets of courses. In addition, she singlehandedly revived the undergraduate associations in both programs and led them for two years. This summer, she’ll be excavating in Pompeii.
Michael Nacht, dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy, will be stepping down from that position in June. To commemorate his decade of accomplishments at the helm, colleagues, alumni, donors (including members of the Goldman family), and others threw him a dinner May 1. Uncharacteristically indecisive (was it a toast or a roast?), they called it a "TRoast". Professor Robert Reich served as emcee, and a merry cast of luminaries topped each other with reminiscences and outrageous performances. For instance, Larry Rosenthal M.P.P. ’93, Ph.D. ’00, a lecturer who also heads the Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy, dressed up in hat and cane for a song-and-no-dance routine. Nacht, a prisoner of his throne of honor, was helpless with laughter much of the time.
(Peg Skorpinski photos)
Alumni with Berkeley graduate degrees, beginning with Glenn T. Seaborg Ph.D. '37, discoverer of transuranium elements and Nobel Laureate, have brought great distinction to this campus through their work and creativity, and have been recognized with the California Alumni Association's highest honors.
Keep this tradition alive and let the world (and your fellow students and alumni) know the great things Berkeley undergraduate and graduate alumni are doing. Nominate them now for CAA’s 2009 honors in the following categories: Alumnus or Alumna of the Year; Excellence in Achievement Award; Excellence in Service Award; Mark Bingham Award for Achievement by a Young Alumnus or Alumna; Brad King Award for Service by a Young Alumnus or Alumna. Nominations are due by May 31, 2008.
Just for inspiration, recent winners have included criminologist and crusading mayor Lee Brown M.S. '68, Ph.D. '70, Centers for Disease Control director Julie Gerberding M.P.H. '90, film producer James Schamus '82, M.A. '87, Ph.D. '03 (Brokeback Mountain; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee M.S.W. '75, and Pixar technical director Oren Jacob '92, M.S. '95 (Toy Story; Finding Nemo) . Besides Glenn Seaborg, who taught chemistry here for nearly 60 years and was Berkeley's second chancellor, quite a few other faculty members have won as well, among them novelist Maxine Hong Kingston '62, C. Ed. '65 of English, former dean Karl Pister '45, M.S. '48 of Engineering, and brain researcher Marian Diamond '48, M.S. '49, Ph.D. '53 of Integrative Biology.
Nomination materials are available on the alumni association's website.
Do people appreciate what UC has meant in their lives and the honors accorded them? See how federal judge (and 2008 Alumnus of the Year) Thelton Henderson reacted at the Charter Gala April 5.
Video by Shoot Edit Burn Media courtesy of the California Alumni Association
What’s in it? Student, alums, and faculty who are helping Darfur victims, serving the underserved children of Oakland, memorializing America’s fallen troops, leading the Smithsonian, and winning the Grammy. Plus a Q&A with Graduate Dean Andrew Szeri, a peek inside the new Starr East Asian Library, and the many key Berkeley connections in the evolution of the personal computer. Look for it in your department/program office, pick up a copy on the third floor of Sproul Hall, or read it online.
California’s May/June issue has five features comprising a special report on China’s Olympic moment, including “The Great Leap Nowhere,” on the economic growth and lifestyle alternatives edging out China’s ancient traditions and reshaping its cultural landscape; “China’s Black Hole,” on its runaway greenhouse gas emissions; and “Body Politic,” on China’s own Me Generation — in addition to “Keeping in Touch” and the publication’s other regular departments. The printed issue is off press, and the contents are available online as well.
Greater Good magazine highlights scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism, providing common ground for social scientists, parents, educators, community leaders, and policymakers. The spring 2008 issue is focused on play — probably inevitable, since Greater Good’s offices are housed in UC Berkeley’s Child Study Center and the playground’s just outside the windows — and the disturbing fact that kids and adults are playing less and less. As is normal for the publication, Berkeley grad students and alums are among this issue’s contributors: J-school student Talia Kennedy, recent psychology Ph.D. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, postdoc Sarina Rodrigues, and co-editor Jason Marsh M.J. ’05. In print and also online.
TopIn early May, 65,000 people attended Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds. The Faire is a celebration of the Do-It-Yourself mindset, ranging from high-tech marvels to plain old craftsmanship. Berkeley’s School of Information is well-populated with tinkerers, and two teams of its master’s students took part in the Faire with their student projects, inventive new interfaces for creating music. One was called Jug Hero, a game by Kevin Lim and Shawna Hein which combines social interaction and American jug band music with computer technology. The other, a collaborative instrument called the Bubblegum Sequencer, was created by Hannes Hesse and Andrew McDiarmid. Looking like the game of Go as designed for tots by Fisher-Price, it has a grid of holes on which players arrange colored gumballs. Columns in the grid represent 16th notes and each color is mapped to an audio sample. The device can be used as a MIDI input to control audio hardware and software. It’s as easy as moving a gumball.
eGrad is produced by Graduate Communications & Events, distributed by email, and archived online. Graduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to send timely news and announcements of interest to or utility of graduate students and the graduate community. Please submit items to Dick Cortén, editor, at gradpub@berkeley.edu.
