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Current Grad Students Newsletter

Graduate Student News

The Graduate@Carleton newsletter is typically distributed every Thursday morning. However, the next newsletter will be sent to you on May 19If you have any questions, please email us at: fgpa_newsletter@carleton.ca.


COVID-19 Mask Policy Remains in Place Until Further Notice

If you have not already done so, please read this information about Carleton’s mask policy. Click here to read. Note we strongly recommend that all members of the Carleton community get subsequent booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are eligible. At this time, cuScreen can only accommodate the third-dose booster. We are working with the vendor to implement the ability to allow individuals to add a fourth-dose booster.


GRADflix 2022 Coming Up in May – And Training Session Today!

The GRADflix 2022 showcase is now scheduled for May 27, and video submissions are due on May 18. There is also a training session scheduled for TODAY, April 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. (no preparation required. Just show up if you are interested). GRADflix, which originated at the University of Waterloo, is a research video competition for graduate students. Find out more and sign up on the GRADflix website.


More Videos from the 3MT Competition

On April 6, graduate students from a wide variety of disciplines participated in Carleton’s Three Minute Thesis competition. Click on the following students’ names to view their submissions. The remaining videos will be shared in the next newsletter.


Summer Term Fees

Fees for the Summer 2022 term are available at Fee Estimator – Carleton University  Fees for the Fall 2022-Winter 2023 academic year should be posted late May or early June. The Summer term payment deadline was April 25. Late payment charges and late registration charges now apply to your student account.


Need Help With Writing Challenges?

This summer, FGPA’s Professional Development team will be offering some PD workshops, including these two:

May 5 at 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Writing in the Workplace
May 25 at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Writing Reports

To view all of the summer PD offerings, please click here. Also, you can sign up for a one-on-one writing consultation to assist you with writing-related challenges, or to discuss the effectiveness of your research and writing strategies. To request a consultation, please fill out and submit this web form.


Join the Writing Group for Grad Students With Disabilities.

The Paul Menton Centre (PMC) is now offering weekly virtual writing support for graduate students with disabilities. The Graduate Student Writing Group, facilitated by Dr. Madison Bettle, provides graduate students with a space for accountability for their writing projects and a chance to set writing goals for the session and for the upcoming week. The group is meeting every Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. from May 3 to August 16. Please register for the Graduate Student Writing Group to receive a Zoom link for the weekly meetings. Before attending, you need to review the PMC group meeting guidelines. Registration with PMC is not essential for participation in this group.


Help for Grad Students

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


Accepting Awards - Final Notice

If you have won an OGS or Master’s Tri-council award, please ensure that you have submitted the relevant acceptance form.

  • OGS:  If you are successful, and you originally completed a paper application submission, you need to fill in this acceptance form and return to jenna.mcconnell@carleton.ca as soon as possible. If you submitted your application online and received a successful result, the acceptance form will be located in your Carleton Central application. If you experience any issues accepting your award, please reach out to Jenna McConnell immediately. Note: If you have a pending decision from SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR and have been successful in the OGS competition, please accept your OGS offer. If you then receive a positive result regarding a different external award, your funding will be revised.
  • CGS Master’s:  If you are successful, you need to fill out this acceptance form and send to jenna.mcconnell@carleton.ca as soon as possible.

PhD students should be informed of their Tri-council (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) scholarship status by the end of April. Any PhD student who holds a tri-council multi-year award must fill out an annual progress report in order to receive the next three terms of their award. Reports should be submitted directly to jenna.mcconnell@carleton.ca for processing. The timing of the report is based on the start date of your award.

April 1 – May anniversaries
July 1 – September anniversaries
December 1 – January anniversaries

Forms can be found here: NSERC, SSHRC. For full details on policies regarding holding a tri-agency award, please review the Tri-Agency Award Holder’s Guide.


AGE-WELL Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Awards in Technology and Aging (2022)

AGE-WELL Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Awards in Technology and Aging provide funding to highly qualified master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral candidates and provide them with access to training and mentorship opportunities through the AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence. For more information and how to apply, see their awards webpage. Applications are accepted from April 29 to May 31. For application questions please contact training@agewell-nce.ca


Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition Has Launched

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program has been officially launched by the government. The Bantings are intended to support world-class, Canadian and international postdoctoral researchers, who will become the research leaders of tomorrow. These are highly competitive awards, designed for exceptional candidates who are almost ready to apply for a faculty position. For more information about candidate eligibility and how to apply, please visit Carleton’s Internal Banting Competition page. The application form must be completed by the supervisor, discussed with and approved by the Department Chair (or equivalent), and submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST, May 10, 2022.


Zoom Reminder

As of May 2, all Carleton University Zoom users will be required to use version 5.10.1 or newer on the Zoom desktop client and mobile app. If you are using an older version, you should update your app by May 2 to ensure uninterrupted access to all Zoom meetings, including those within Brightspace. Download the latest version of Zoom here


Significant Roadway Work Update: University Dr./Bronson Ave. Intersection

The work to complete the area of University Drive from Bronson Avenue to Parking Lot 18 began on April 26 and is expected to be completed by June 3. It will include landscaping, as well as completing the sidewalks and bike paths along University Drive. In addition, the City of Ottawa will begin paving Bronson Ave. around the intersection of University Drive and Sunnyside Ave. on May 10. Completion is expected by June 3.


Inside Senate: April 22

The latest edition of Inside Senate is now available. Read the highlights on the 2022/23 Operating Budget, new BSc program, newest Senate appointments, and this month’s Senator spotlight on geotechnical engineering professor, Dr. Siva Sivathayalan.


For PhD Students

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.


For International Students

Are you an international student and have OHIP provincial health insurance (green card)?  If so, then UHIP might not be required. Please email OHIP proof to uhip@carleton.ca for review and for termination of UHIP and refund/credit on your student account.

Check out ISSO’s Preparing for the Fall 2022 Term post. And you might be interested in this workshop: Ottawa Housing Search 101May 25 at 8:30 a.m.

The International Student Services Office (ISSO) can also answer questions about study permits, travel and quarantine plans, or health insurance, and more. isso@carleton.ca


Life Sciences Day May 10

Life Sciences Day brings together academic, government and industry sectors to build awareness of the important work encompassed by life sciences researchers at Carleton and provides a unique opportunity for attendees to network and explore partnership possibilities. An in-person student poster competition will showcase life sciences research at Carleton across a variety of disciplines. The event takes place on Tuesday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register here.


EURUS: A Small Department Becomes Carleton’s Hub for Information and Support on Ukraine

The Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) is a small close-knit department at Carleton. Most of the eight core faculty members and 100 or so students have a tie to the region that encompasses Europe and Russia: they are either from there, have family and friends there, or have spent years working in and around Russia and Ukraine. Paul Goode, the McMillan Chair of Russian Studies in EURUS, is among them. He and his colleagues were shocked by the invasion of Ukraine.

Read More →


Carleton Awarded STARS Gold Rating for Sustainability Achievements

Carleton University has earned a STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS – the sustainability tracking, assessment and rating system – measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.

Read More →


Innovative Teaching: Drawing Lessons from the French Revolution

In telling his students about a turbulent period of radical social and political change in eighteenth-century France, Professor Rod Phillips of the Department of History decided to try putting a new visual spin on his own teaching style. To do so, Phillips invited his friend – Ottawa-based designer and artist Jordana Globerman – to graphically record one of his lectures for his course on The French Revolution. You’ll be intrigued by the results.

Read More →


The Fastest Woman in Architecture

Alexandra Telford, a Master of Architecture student, is a record-breaking sprinter and hurdler on the university circuit. She says: “I think studying something as detail-oriented as architecture has helped me break down certain elements of the sport.” How did she manage to pursue competitive athletics while doing architecture?

Read More →


Research: How Social Media Rewards Love and Hate

These days, it’s hard to find a polite disagreement. Friends and family on social media seem to be drifting to—and sharing—stronger and stronger opinions on everything from COVID restrictions to the war in Ukraine to cultural norms. Researcher Merlyna Lim has found that this is not just a hardening of societal divisions: it is an unintended consequence of what algorithms are designed to do.

Read More →


Researchers use Robotic Arm to Support Orthopedic Innovations

Researchers at Carleton University and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute are pursuing ways to improve the success of orthopedic surgeries and achieve robust, long-term mobility for thousands of Canadians.

Read More →


Research: Ericsson Fellow Uses Machine Learning to Reduce Delays in 5G Real-Life Scenarios

Taking a break from working in industry to join Carleton as an Ericsson Fellow and pursue a master’s degree was the right move for Vishnu Priya Guddeti to get the opportunity to specialize in a research area she is passionate about. Guddeti is looking at ways to reduce delays in different 5G applications.

Read More →


Research: New Social Enterprise Rooted in Nature

A pandemic. Climate change. War in Europe. These challenges not only have a devastating impact on physical, environmental and economic well-being, they have also exacerbated an ongoing mental health crisis. One of the ways to seek peace and perspective in the face of such existential calamity is to spend time outdoors or with plants. This idea, that there is healing in nature, is at the heart of a social enterprise launched last year by Carleton University MBA graduate Alexis Ashworth.

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Research: Exploring the Correlation Between Tumour Shape and Lifespan

Give it to me straight, Doc. How much time do I have left? Cancer is complicated, and doctors are hesitant to predict whether a patient will live a few years—or only a few months. Working with then graduate student Tahira Ghani, John Oommen, a chancellor’s professor in Carleton’s School of Computer Science developed a technique that analyzes CT scans to predict how much longer lung cancer patients will live.

Read More →


Research: Protecting Cities from Climate Risks

Floods are the most frequently occurring natural hazard in Canada, compromising people, activities, and essential infrastructure—and costing hundreds of millions in damages. Motivated by the need for cities to better prepare for unpredictable weather conditions, Carleton University Urban Systems and Environmental Engineering Professor Yeowon Kim is leading innovative research on a solution-oriented approach of “safe-to-fail” infrastructure design to improve urban resilience to extreme weather events.

Read More →


Research: Students Reaching New Heights to Detect Stratospheric Radiation

Cosmic radiation constantly washes over the Earth. However, as humans seek to test the limits of space travel and exploration, knowing how much ionizing radiation is in our stratosphere becomes increasingly important. A team of enterprising students is taking an innovative approach to detecting these rays by utilizing silver nanoparticles. The team members will be sending their experiment to the skies as part of the Canadian Stratospheric Balloon Experiment Design competition.

Read More →


Important Dates and Deadlines

May 5
Early summer and full summer classes begin.

May 12
Last day for registration and course changes (including auditing) for early summer courses.

May 13
Graduate students who have not electronically submitted their final thesis copy to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs will not be eligible to graduate in spring 2022 and must register for the summer 2022 term.

May 19
Last day for registration and course changes (including auditing) for full summer courses.

May 20
Last day to withdraw from early summer and full summer courses with a full fee adjustment (financial withdrawal). Withdrawals after this date will result in a permanent notation of WDN on the official transcript.

May 23
Statutory holiday. University closed.

The summer 2022 class schedule is available in Carleton Central and via the public class schedule. Instructors were posted on March 14 and room information on April 25. Registration information, including timetickets and important dates for the summer 2022 term, are posted at carleton.ca/registrar/registration

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.