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Current Grad Students Newsletter

Graduate Student News

The Graduate@Carleton newsletter is typically distributed every Thursday morning. The next newsletter will be sent to you on Thursday, Feb. 10.  If you have any questions, please email us at: fgpa_newsletter@carleton.ca.


Winter Courses

Barring another dramatic change in the trajectory of the pandemic, Carleton will re-open its facilities (following public health regulations) and resume in-person courses (as per the winter 2022 schedule) and activities this coming Monday, Feb. 7.

In alignment with the return of some in-person classes, the FGPA office will re-open for in-person student services starting Feb. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a one hour closure from noon to 1:00 p.m. until further notice.


Will You Be Coming on Campus?

Anyone coming on campus must complete the COVID-19 screening self-assessment every day through cuScreen. You will also need to use a QR code when you enter buildings. And you also need to complete the vaccination attestation form and submit this as soon as possible. You can find the form in cuScreen after you have logged in.

Please be reminded that access to the tunnel system at Carleton University remains restricted to authorized individuals and those with approval to use the tunnels for accessibility purposes.

To access FAQs about how Carleton is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, click here. For questions concerning current graduate studentsclick here. To view FAQs for prospective graduate studentsclick here. There have been no updates to FGPA’s FAQs for current grad students and prospective students over the past week.

Any university staff, faculty, or researchers who have cause to access federal government workplaces as a result of a grant or contract held by Carleton, where they may come into contact with public servants, are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This is a mandatory federal government requirement.


Have You Filled in the CGPSS Survey?

On Jan. 25, you received an email inviting you to participate in the 2022 Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS). You have up to three weeks to participate in this online survey. For each week of the survey, three grad students who fill in the survey will be randomly selected to win a $100 prize. Click here to find out other reasons to fill in this survey.


Have You Got a Great Research Story to Tell?

This year, the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs is running two research communication contests for graduate students: the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and GRADflix. It’s time to go public with your ideas! As a bonus, you may be able to win some money. If you are interested in competing in either contest, please click here.


Upcoming Professional Development Training

Challenge yourself by acquiring new skills that can help you boost your employability. To learn more, visit the Graduate Professional Development Events web page. More events will be added in the coming weeks.

Coming up this week:
Today, Feb. 3 at 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Introduction to Investing
Today, Feb. 3 at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. NVivo Introduction and Getting Started
Feb. 4 at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Copywriting
Feb. 7 at 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Linked In & Networking
Feb. 10 at 12:00 to 2:00 p.m Income Taxes


Mental Health and Other Resources

There are several health and counselling resources that graduate students can access. Please click here to see these resources. There are also lots of other resources available to you.


Paul Menton Centre Launches Two Grad Student Groups

The Paul Menton Centre (PMC) is hosting two weekly virtual graduate student groups that will run for the next nine weeks.

The Graduate Student Support Group: every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. During these sessions, graduate students share their experiences, offer each other advice, and the PMC will provide relevant resources and strategies. Please register for the Graduate Student Support Group to receive the Zoom link for the weekly meetings.

The Graduate Student Writing Group: every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This group provides graduate students a space for accountability for their writing projects and a chance for graduate students to set tangible writing goals for the session and for the upcoming week. Please register for the Graduate Student Writing Group to receive the Zoom link for the weekly meetings.

Please review the PMC group meeting guidelines before attending.


Reminder - Scholarship Balance

If you are eligible to receive a scholarship balance, you can request your balance through Carleton Central by clicking on “Refund or Scholarship Balance Request”. Depending on the amount of your scholarship balance, you will have up to four options: campus card transfer, e-transfer, cheque, or donate to Carleton. Requests are now being processed. If you have any questions, please contact Student Accounts by phone at 613-520-2600 ext. 3626 or by emailing student_accounts@carleton.ca.


Black History Month

February is Black History Month. Throughout the month, visit the Black History Month webpage as the Carleton community mobilizes to celebrate and highlight Black leadership, achievements and experiences.


PhD Students - Do You Have the Write Stuff?

The Conversation is a unique digital journalism platform designed to boost the visibility of Canada’s academic faculty and researchers. The Department of University Communications is hosting a virtual workshop on Feb. 7 for PhD students and faculty about writing for The Conversation. Click here to register.

On a regular basis, The Conversation puts out a list of possible story ideas for PhD students and faculty to write about. Click here to find out about the latest opportunities.


Residence Applications Now Open

Do you want to enjoy living minutes from your classes, the library, athletics and the caf where meals are ready when you want them? The Department of Housing and Residence Life Services is now accepting online applications for residence for the 2022-2023 academic year. The deadline to be included in the first round of offers is Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 4:30 p.m. Find out more about the process by visiting the Housing and Residence Life website. Please note that, in order to apply, students will be required to pay a non-refundable fee of $35.


International Students Take Note

International students experiencing financial hardship are eligible to apply to the International Student Relief Fund. The Fund is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Carleton international students in Canada experiencing short term hardship who are not eligible for federal pandemic financial support. The funding is meant to cover an unforeseeable financial crisis and does not cover expenses relating to travel, rent, student fees, debts, anticipated future financial hardship, or costs that are related to being an academic student. Click here to apply.

If you are currently in Canada and have active University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage, you should have received your UHIP card via email from Sun Life Insurance. Be sure to check your spam and junk email folders. You can also register online on this web page to print your card, track your claims, and more. Please reach out to the ISSO’s UHIP specialists with any questions at uhip@carleton.ca

The ISSO can also answer questions about study permits, travel and quarantine plans, or health insurance, and more. isso@carleton.ca


For Prospective Grad Students

Students in the process of completing their Carleton Graduate applications can book a 1:1 recruitment session with a representative from FGPA to help answer questions about the application process. Appointments are available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Click here for details.


Apply Today to Present at the Annual Underhill Grad Colloquium

Join the History Department (virtually) on March 18 for the Underhill Graduate Student Colloquium. The theme, (Re)thinking History, will focus on work that goes beyond the traditional bounds of academia including the sources being studied, the way we work, how we approach archives, how we share our work, the themes we consider, and the communities involved. You need to respond to the Call for Papers by end of day Feb. 4. Click here for details.


Present Your Research at CRIW's Virtual Conference

Apply by Feb. 28 to present your research at the Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work’s (CRIW) virtual multidisciplinary conference for scholars exploring inclusion issues at work among traditionally underrepresented populations. CRIW seeks proposal submissions from graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty early in their careers or new to research on equity, diversity and inclusion. Of particular interest are papers exploring barriers to employment and organizational socialization for such populations as Black, Indigenous and people of colour, immigrants, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ2+ and youth.


Call For Papers - Indigenous and Canadian Studies Research Symposium

The Organizing Committee of the 2nd Annual School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies Research Symposium is pleased to announce its 2022 Call for Papers. This is an opportunity to present new and ongoing research, gain conference experience, and connect with faculty and peers. The Symposium will take place virtually on Thursday April 7 but you need to submit your abstract by Sunday Feb. 20 at 11:59 p.m.

Read More →


Deadline Extended for PhD holders to Contribute to Canadian Science Policy

The Canadian Science Policy Fellowship is accepting applications from prospective fellows interested in undertaking a year-long policy position with a Canadian government host office beginning in Sept. 2022. Note that past and current participants in the program are not eligible. Applications will be accepted until Monday, Feb. 21, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Click here for details.


Carleton Recognizes the UN International Decade for People of African Descent

Carleton University is proud to join the global community in recognizing the United Nations (UN) International Decade for People of African Descent. Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon says: “As we approach Black History Month, this important recognition aligns with Carleton’s ongoing commitment to stand against anti-Black racism and to enhance Black Inclusion within our community.”

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New Lived Experience Luncheon Series

MeWeRTH is launching a new Lived Experience Luncheon virtual series whereby community members can give a presentation on their lived experience, highlighting any challenges they encountered and their resiliency in facing these challenges. The inaugural speaker will be Adrian Harewood, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, from noon to 1 p.m. Registration and more information is available online.


Inside Senate

The latest edition of Inside Senate is now available. Senate confirmed the return to in-person instruction, as scheduled in the Winter 2022 timetable, for February 7, and discussed a first-year grading policy inspired by the compassionate grading policy in place during the pandemic. Senate also approved two cyclical undergraduate program reviews (Biochemistry and the Bachelor of Social Work) and received an update on the implementation of the Kinàmàgawin Indigenous strategy.


How the Fastest Man in Canada Prioritizes Physical and Mental Health

When Andre De Grasse won a gold medal in the 200-metre sprint at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo last year, his life changed dramatically. Although in a sense, thanks to his steady approach to life and sport, it didn’t. After Tokyo, De Grasse—who was the keynote speaker at Carleton University’s eighth annual SOAR Student Leadership Conference on Jan. 22—was suddenly in the spotlight.

Read More →


Eleven Experiential Learning Projects Awarded Funding

Eleven projects have been awarded funding through the first round of the 2021-22 Carleton University Experiential Learning Fund to create and enhance experiential learning opportunities for Carleton students. Learn more about the recipients and their plans for the funding here.


Meet Our Canada Research Chair in Data Science and Analytics

Carleton’s Sanjeena Dang will apply cutting-edge statistical algorithms to achieve a comprehensive understanding of biological systems through her newly-designated Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Data Science and Analytics. Dang is also an Assistant Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. She plans to focus her research on developing efficient and scalable statistical models to analyze large-scale genomic data.

Read More →


Two New Dictionaries Help Conserve Atikamekw Language

The Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw (CNA) has launched two reference books on the Atikamekw Nehirowimowin language: the Atikamekw-French dictionary and the French-Atikamekw dictionary. In collaboration with Carleton University, the team has done a tremendous amount of work to create these extraordinary tools to help maintain the vitality of the Atikamekw language.

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PhD student's Artwork on Display in Museums in Turkey and France

Serkan Taycan was already an established artist in Turkey, with a background in engineering and documentary photography, before embarking on a doctorate at the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism in 2020. His work, which focuses on ecological and urban transformations, has recently been on display in three museums in Istanbul, Turkey, and Marseille, France.

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Grad Research: Innovative Research That Drives Itself

Have you ever wondered how an autonomous vehicle knows how to drive? One of the industry “secrets” for self-driving vehicles is a sensing technology called Lidar. A Carleton team, led by Electronics Prof. Winnie Ye and PhD Electronics student Shahrzad Khajavi, in collaboration with the National Research Council, is using a microchip that is fixed on the roof so it doesn’t have to rotate as it scans. This is cheaper and more efficient, while using less power.

Read More →


Important Dates and Deadlines

Feb. 18:  April examination schedule available online.

Feb. 21:  Statutory holiday. University closed.

Feb. 22-25:  Winter Break. Classes are suspended.

March 1:  Last day for graduate students to submit their supervisor-approved thesis, in examinable form to their supervisor.

For a complete list of all official academic and financial dates and deadlines, please go to the Registrar’s websiteFor all financial matters, go to Student Accounts.