FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2020 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Maryl B. Gensheimer, associate professor of Roman art and archaeology and director of undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. The awards ceremony was held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Bestowed annually, the Arlt Award recognizes a young scholar-teacher who has written a book deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the humanities. Dr. Gensheimer becomes the award’s 50^th recipient for her book, Decoration and Display in Rome’s Imperial Thermae: Messages of Power and their Popular Reception at the Baths of Caracalla (Oxford UP, 2018). She received her PhD in Classical art and archaeology from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University in 2013.

In Decoration and Display in Rome’s Imperial Thermae, Gensheimer analyzes the decoration of the Baths of Caracalla (inaugurated 216 CE) and elucidates its critical role in advancing Roman imperial agendas. As Gensheimer notes, “This reassessment of one of the most sophisticated examples of architectural patronage in Classical antiquity examines the specific mechanisms through which an imperial patron could use architectural decoration to emphasize his sociopolitical position relative to the thousands of people who enjoyed his benefaction.”

“Elevating the exceptional work of early-career humanities faculty has never been more important, and Dr. Gensheimer’s brilliant work contextualizes the cultural significance of the two-thousand-year-old ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla and the role art and architecture plays in advancing the politics of imperialism. We are honored to present her with this year’s prestigious Arlt Award,” said Dr. Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools.

Created in 1971, the Arlt Award honors the first president of CGS, Gustave O. Arlt. The winner must have earned a doctorate within the past seven years, and currently be teaching at a North American university. Nominations are made by CGS member institutions and are reviewed by a panel of scholars in the field of competition, which rotates annually among seven disciplines within the humanities. This year’s field was The Arts (Art History/Criticism/Conservation and Music). The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and travel to the awards ceremony.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Jan Allen, associate dean of academic and student affairs of the Graduate School at Cornell University, is the 2020 winner of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award. Allen received the honor at a ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

The award was created by the CGS Board of Directors to recognize individuals who have shown exemplary commitment to graduate education by demonstrating creativity and innovation in response to institutional challenges and/or limited budgets or resources; building partnerships both internal and external to the graduate school; identifying and obtaining resources, both internal and external to the graduate school; effectively advocating on behalf of graduate education; fostering inclusiveness in the graduate community; and engaging student voices (including diverse voices).

Dr. Allen becomes the award’s second recipient for her valuable contributions to the Cornell University graduate community. Her many accomplishments include designing and implementing high-impact writing, professional development, and mentorship programs with little-to-no additional funding; partnering with Cornell’s teaching center, writing center, and research office to deliver high-quality graduate student programs; and chairing Cornell’s task force on supporting international graduate students, leading to the creation of the English Language Support Office staffed by three instructors and 15 peer tutors. Allen has served as president and an executive committee member of the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools, where she is currently a senior advisor. In addition, she has presented at dozens of seminars and workshops on graduate professional development and leadership and work/family issues.

“Jan is known throughout the graduate education community, nationally and internationally, for sharing her professional expertise widely to help graduate students recognize and overcome common hurdles to writing and to implement best practices for writing productively,” said Dr. Kathryn Boor, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell University. “Her innovative writing programs, dedication to mentoring for professional development, and generosity of spirit are just a few reasons why Jan is so deserving of this award.”

“Dr. Allen’s 23 years of service as an assistant/associate dean across four institutions of higher education is a testament to her exemplary dedication to graduate education. The committee was particularly impressed with her conflict resolution work and her tireless commitment to collaboration whenever possible. She promotes respect for students by helping them learn to engage professionally in challenging situations, using skills to advocate for themselves and with their faculty advisors,” said Dr. Thomas Jeitschko, selection committee chair, and dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education at Michigan State University.

Nominees for the award must be a current assistant or associate-level dean at a CGS member institution (Regular or Associate) with primary administrative responsibility in graduate education. Assistant or associate deans whose graduate deans currently serve on the CGS Board are not eligible to be nominated for the award during the dean’s active years of board service. Nominations are made by CGS member institutions and are reviewed by a committee selected by the CGS Board of Directors. The winner receives a $1,500 honorarium and is invited to plan and participate in a session at the CGS Summer Workshop on a topic of their choosing.

CGS gratefully acknowledges Liaison’s financial support of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award.  Liaison, a higher education enrollment marketing and admissions management company, is a CGS Sustaining Member.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) Board of Directors has announced its officers for the 2021 term. CGS is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors drawn from member institutions. Board members serve set terms.

Dr. Andrew G. Campbell, dean of the Graduate School at Brown University, was announced as the 2021 Board Chair at the conclusion of the 2020 CGS 60^th Anniversary Annual Meeting. Appointed to his role in 2016, Campbell is also professor of medical science in the Division of Biology & Medicine at Brown. He has taught and advised Brown undergraduate and graduate students since his faculty appointment began in 1994. He has received numerous honors, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, American Foundations for AIDS Research Investigator Award, and Brown’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Faculty Governance. He is also a 2020-elected AAAS Fellow. Campbell is PI and Co-PI for two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and leads the NIH-funded Initiative to Maximize Student Development in Brown’s Division of Biology and Medicine, a program to improve recruiting and performance of URM students in doctoral programs.

“Dr. Campbell’s expertise in graduate education and commitment to improved recruiting and performance of underrepresented minority graduate students will be vital as he leads the Council into the next decade. He has provided outstanding leadership during his tenure at Brown University and will help advance CGS’ mission to address the needs of our member institutions, particularly as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega.

The new Chair-elect, Dr. Julie Coonrod serves as the dean of graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. Since Dr. Coonrod became dean in 2013, she has streamlined processes to improve graduate student tracking and completion and expanded funding opportunities. As a professor in Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering; she has continued to teach a graduate-level course that emphasizes the modeling capabilities of geographic information systems to students seeking a variety of graduate degrees. Dean Coonrod is the past president of the Western Association of Graduate Schools (2019-2020).

The Council welcomes five new board members, whose terms will begin on January 1, 2021. Beginning one-year terms are Dr. Jeni Hart, dean and vice provost for graduate studies at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and Dr. James Marshall, dean of the division of graduate studies at California State University Fresno. Beginning three-year terms are Dr. April Boulton, dean of The Graduate School at Hood College; Dr. Michael Cunningham, associate vice provost for graduate studies and research at Tulane University; and Dr. Sheryl Tucker, vice provost and dean of the Graduate College at Oklahoma State University.

This year’s outgoing Chair of the Board is Dr. Sally Pratt, former vice provost, graduate programs at the University of Southern California. “We are so fortunate to have had Dr. Pratt’s leadership as CGS Board Chair the past year,” Ortega said. “She has contributed significantly to the success of graduate students at USC and to graduate education more broadly in her efforts to prioritize graduate student mental health and wellbeing.”

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PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – Today, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) recognized Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Representative Rodney Davis (IL-13) with their inaugural Congressional Champion Award during CGS’s 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held virtually December 2-4. Granted to two bipartisan members of Congress, the award acknowledges the remarkable contributions each has made toward advancing graduate education in the federal arena. “We are extremely grateful for Congressman Davis’ and Congresswoman Kuster’s ongoing support for graduate students,” said Suzanne T. Ortega, CGS president. “Each demonstrates a commitment to increasing access to graduate education, which benefits individuals from communities across the country and ensures we have a workforce armed with the knowledge and skills to ignite innovation and find solutions to today’s challenges.”

Representative Kuster led the introduction of the Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act (H.R. 3334), which would provide former Pell Grant recipients the opportunity to apply remaining semesters of Pell Grant support not exhausted during their undergraduate education towards their first post-baccalaureate degree. True to the spirit of the Pell Grant program, this legislation would help ensure that qualified, low-income students would have a better chance of pursuing graduate education. We applaud Representative Kuster who worked to introduce the bill alongside her colleagues from both sides of the aisle.

“In order to succeed in the 21st century, the United States needs a highly-educated and skilled workforce,” said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. “The Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act will open the doors of graduate education to more Americans and provide opportunities for them to get ahead. I will continue my efforts to ensure every American can access the education and job training and they need to thrive in the 21st century economy. I’m honored to receive this award alongside my colleague, Congressman Rodney Davis, and look forward to collaborating with him on this important issue moving forward.”

Representative Davis has fought tirelessly to preserve and expand certain tax provisions so that individuals and employers can utilize them toward academic pursuits. He has introduced and is an original cosponsor of several bills that support this endeavor, including championing legislation that would expand employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans. Additionally, Congressman Davis has lent his support to international students and the Optional Practical Training program, elevating their contributions to the U.S. at a time when the pandemic has created challenges for international graduate student recruitment and retention.

“I’m proud to represent the campuses of 8 universities and colleges and 5 community colleges in Congress,” said Representative Rodney Davis. “Graduate education and students help our communities grow culturally and economically and are vital to our nation’s success. In this Congress, we’ve supported international students bringing their talents to America and enacted innovative programs to make college more affordable and reduce student debt, but we have more work to do. I’m honored to receive this award from the Council of Graduate Schools because supporting higher education has always been a top priority of mine since coming to Congress. I’d like to thank the Council for all of their great work, and I look forward to continuing our bipartisan collaboration to support graduate education and students across the country.”

CGS, and its membership of nearly 500 institutions of higher education across the United States and Canada, thank Representatives Kuster and Davis for their advocacy and look forward to working with them and their staff in the 117th Congress.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Graduate Applications Flat, First-time Enrollment on the Rise Overall
 

Washington, DC — Graduate degree holders representing diverse backgrounds will play a key role in driving innovation and discovery in the U.S. workforce, and new data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on graduate enrollments and degrees provide a revealing snapshot of the country's progress in meeting these demands. According to a CGS report released today, graduate applications were flat (-0.6%) and first-time graduate enrollment (2.5%) increased overall for the Fall 2019 semester. While graduate schools reported  overall increases in the first-time enrollment of minority students between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 (Latinx +5.7%, Black/African American +5.5%, Asian +5.3%, and American Indian/Alaska Native +3.5%), students from these demographic groups remain substantially underrepresented as percentage shares of the graduate student population, particularly in STEM fields. These data are part of the latest CGS/GRE Graduate Enrollment & Degrees: 2009-2019 report.

“The growth in first-time enrollment rates for a second year, along with the continued increases in first-time enrollment among Latinx, Black/African Americans, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indian/Alaska Natives graduate students are encouraging,” said CGS President Suzanne Ortega. “But we still have so much work to do. I’m particularly concerned about the disproportionate economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on underrepresented minorities (URM). The modest gains the U.S. has seen over the past ten years in URM and first-generation graduate student enrollment and degree completion are in real jeopardy.”

In an effort to examine the obstacles URM students have faced in their matriculation, persistence, and completion of STEM graduate programs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, CGS, the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools (CHBGS) are collaborating on an NSF-funded RAPID Investigating Challenges to Matriculation and Completion for Underrepresented STEM Graduate Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic. According to Ortega, “The pandemic has introduced a new set of challenges that we need to understand and be prepared to address quickly, but there are a number of things we already know we could be doing better, including recruiting and retaining a more diverse faculty, fostering a more inclusive learning environment, and addressing the financial barriers to degree completion.”

First-time Enrollment in Engineering Rebounds, Continued Growth in Health Sciences and Mathematical and Computer Sciences

After declining in the previous four years, first-time enrollment in Engineering increased 4.8% at the doctoral level and 5.1% at the master’s level between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019. The overall growth in first-time enrollment of international students (3.8%) contributed to rebound in engineering fields, which reported a 3.3% increase in international students. Other trends by broad field of study are generally consistent with the last few years. In addition to the broad field of Engineering, the largest one-year gains in first-time enrollment by broad field of study were in Mathematics and Computer Sciences (5.7%), Health Sciences (3.5%), and Other Fields (6.9%). In contrast, first-time graduate enrollment in Education over the same period flattened (+0.4%) after previous years of growth.

Institutions responding to the CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment & Degrees for Fall 2019 enrolled more than 1.8 million graduate students. Nearly three quarters (73.5%) of total graduate enrollment was in master’s programs. Over one million of those graduate students, or 58.5%, were women. The three largest broad fields of study (education, business, and health sciences) were also the fields with the largest proportions of part-time graduate students (Ed: 63.7%; Bus: 51.7%; HSci: 41.2%).

About the report

Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 2009 to 2019 presents the findings of an annual survey of U.S. graduate schools, co-sponsored by CGS and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board. It is the only annual national survey that collects data on graduate enrollment by all fields of study and is the only source of national data on graduate applications by broad field of study. The report includes responses from 561 institutions and presents statistics on graduate applications and enrollment for Fall 2019, degrees conferred in 2018-19, and trend data for one-, five- and ten-year periods.

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When Erin Lee, a recent Master’s in Public Health (MPH-Health Services) recipient from the University of Washington (UW), proposed her master’s project, her thesis chair was extremely supportive but cautioned that the scope of work was ambitious for a two-year program. Lee was undeterred. Her passion for addressing maternal and child health inequities was her fuel. In her words, “It is high time to turn the tide, and make Black women’s health a priority.”

Lee’s research project aimed to gain a better understanding of the motivations and experiences of community-based doulas through a qualitative study. She developed an interview protocol and began interviewing doulas who worked at a local nonprofit organization, Open Arms Perinatal Services (OAPS). Her research goals were to demonstrate the improvement in care patients received through community-based doulas and identify ways to advocate for organizations like OAPS that improve public health by reducing racial disparities in health outcomes. 

In addition to her research, Lee spent time volunteering at SURGE Reproductive Justice, a nonprofit in Washington State focused on ending reproductive oppression for all. While there, Lee initiated a doula program for incarcerated people. “I am a Black woman, born from a Black woman, raised by a Black woman,” she said. “At the core of why I chose to go into public health is because of my intersecting identities as a Black woman…I understand what it means to not be seen and not be heard.” To learn more about Erin’s work, visit the University of Washington website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: University of Washington

Sondrica Goines, a doctoral student in analytical chemistry at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, says she’s been math and science oriented since high school. Identifying her passion early has definitely paid off. She’s in her third year of the doctoral program and is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship recipient, the winner of the Winifred Burks-Houck Graduate Leadership Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, a member of the Department of Chemistry’s Graduate Committee for Professional Development and the Graduate Recruitment Committee, a student mentor, and hosts her own podcast, Curly Headed Chemist. Her research focuses on a group of synthetic chemical compounds called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which may sound complicated, so for a bit of context, we’ll start with a specific kind of PFAS.

In 1938, a chemist accidentally discovered a chemical compound called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which was ultimately trademarked by DuPont as Teflon™ in 1945. The new product was revolutionary for its extremely high melting point and was used in a variety of applications, most notably, non-stick cookware. By 1948, DuPont was producing over 900 tons of Teflon brand PTFE.

This is where Sondrica Goines and her research come in. PTFE is perhaps the best known of the PFAS, which are found in food packaging, commercial household products (e.g., Teflon), drinking water (because of the production process), and living organisms (animals and humans). In the 1990s, researchers discovered that this groundbreaking compound is absorbed into the body and can cause a long list of adverse health effects, including reproductive and developmental problems and cancers. Goines’s research focuses on exactly how PFAS molecules affect our health at the single-cell level. “They are a very persistent class of micropollutants,” Goines says. “If we can understand them at the single-cell level, we can better understand disease progression due to these pollutants.” To learn more about Sondrica’s work, visit the UNC-Chapel Hill website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Submitted by Sondrica Goines

Project Will Deepen Knowledge of Career Transitions Across All Broad Fields of Study

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg (202) 461.3888/ khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced a new phase in its efforts to understand and support diverse PhD career pathways. A significant grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF #2000750) will allow CGS to examine factors likely to impact retention and persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers, particularly for underrepresented students.  Meanwhile, a previously-announced grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will seek to uncover both challenges and decision-making factors at points of career transition for Humanities PhDs.

“The new grants from NSF and Mellon will give us the opportunity to delve deeper into experiences of students and alumni in STEM and Humanities fields,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “Our broader goal is to allow member universities to use data about PhD careers with greater nuance and awareness of challenges that students and alumni face at critical points of transition—in particular, from graduate school to career and in the years immediately following graduation. In 2021, we will launch a research hub for doctoral institutions as they seek to better understand and use PhD career data to improve programs.”

These projects build upon three earlier phases of CGS research: a feasibility study supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; a survey development phase supported by the Mellon, Sloan, and National Science Foundations (NSF #1534620); and a survey implementation phase supported by the Mellon Foundation and NSF (#1661272). In the most recent phase, CGS developed a network of 75 U.S. doctoral institutions through a competitive award process to collect data from STEM PhD students and alumni about their professional aspirations, career pathways, and career preparation.

Ortega believes the NSF-funded project will assist universities and scientific agencies in deploying investments and strategies that more effectively support STEM career trajectories. “Better understanding PhD career pathways has been a CGS research priority for nearly a decade, and this project takes the next step from understanding aspirations and experiences to bolstering career success. This work also has the potential to help funders and institutions refine their strategies for supporting graduate students and alumni pursuing careers in STEM fields.”

The Humanities Coalition, the new Mellon-funded effort, will further enhance the graduate education community’s understanding of humanities PhDs and their careers and to refine humanities-specific strategies for curricular change and program improvement. Additional research to better understand the nature of early career transitions for humanists is a primary component of the new initiative. CGS recently announced sub-awards for five institutions (Iowa State University, Purdue University, The University of Southern Mississippi, The University of Texas at El Paso, and University of Rochester) to join the data collection efforts. Additional sub-awardees will be identified in 2021 to support projects designed to develop and assess initiatives for better supporting humanities PhD students transitioning from graduate school.

For many graduate students, the emergence of SARS-COV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) greatly disrupted their research. For Katarina Braun and Gage Moreno, the pandemic shifted their entire focus from research on viruses like influenza and AIDS to the coronavirus. University of Wisconsin – Madison graduate students Braun, an MD and PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Moreno, a PhD student in Cellular and Molecular Pathology, began studying the virus together in February.

As viruses spread, they replicate, and often the copies produced are not identical. Very small errors occur, and these changes, called mutations, can affect the spread of a virus. Using genetic sequencing, Braun and Moreno have identified variations in the virus among individuals infected in the state of Wisconsin. Being able to pinpoint the various mutations allows the researchers to track how the virus spreads and establish points of transmission. Their research has also been helpful in establishing risk probability for healthcare workers. By studying the particular genetic sequence of the virus in a Wisconsin healthcare professional and compare it to those of the patients being treated, Braun and Moreno could establish that the virus transmission likely occurred from exposure in the community, not the healthcare facility.

Their research is still in early phases, but they have made it publicly available to help researchers across the globe learn more about the virus. Braun and Moreno credit their advisors, Thomas Friedrich and David O’Connor, for ensuring open access to their data in an effort to benefit the global scientific community. “I feel lucky to be in a lab where I have had the opportunity to participate in the scientific community’s response to this virus,” Braun said. To learn more about Katarina and Gage’s work, visit the University of Wisconsin—Madison website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Katarina Braun and Gage Moreno