March 2024

It's a season of changes: spring has sprung, the weather in Champaign-Urbana is unpredictable, and the end of the semester is in sight. This month in the GradLIFE newsletter we've got an invitation to check out the gorgeous work of our Image of Research semifinalists, a new podcast series with Illinois grad students' thoughts on AI, some advice from experts in the Graduate College on taking a break, and a invitation to join us in celebrating your fellow grad students at the Research Live! Finalist Showcase.

This year's Graduate Image of Research semifinalists span disciplines, passions, and artistic worlds—and we need your help to pick a winner! Visit the virtual gallery to check out our graduate students' gorgeous and inspiring work. 

Join us for the Image of Research reception on Wednesday, April 10, from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. in room 220 of the Main Library! We'll have refreshments, stunning prints of the semifinalists' entries, a celebration of the winners, and the chance to network and meet your fellow researchers. 

See something particularly beautiful above? Regardless of whether you join in person or visit the online exhibition, make your voice heard and cast your vote for the winner of the People's Choice Award! We'll announce the winner on our social media channels and website on April 11. (You're following us on social media, right?)

It feels like generative AI is everywhere now: social media and the news are full of stories about AI, ChatGPT, and new technological developments in machine learning. But how are these changes impacting the lives, research, and thinking of graduate students here at Illinois? Our new podcast series AI @ Illinois is a space for conversations about AI, its role in our research and teaching, and its effects on our everyday lives.  

In our first installment, Bri Lafond (Writing Studies doctoral candidate and Graduate College Career Exploration Fellow) sits down with Clara Belitz (School of Information Sciences) and Ali Zaidi (Computer Science) for a dynamic and compelling conversation about AI and their research. Check it out at the link or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Want more on AI? We've got a whole series dedicated to it on the GradLIFE blog. For more on grad students' thoughts on generative AI, visit our piece with your takes: How Are Illinois Graduate Students Using Generative AI? 

Taking time off from a busy schedule can be imposing. We've got hectic calendars, research obligations, teaching, and commitments. Where do you even start? 

In this edition of our new Ask the Graduate College series, Graduate College Associate Dean Zeynep Madak-Erdogan offers tips for scheduling your time off to rejuvenate physically and mentally. 

Do you have a question you'd like to submit to our Ask the Graduate College column? Submit it here!  

We've got lights, we've got cameras, and now it's time for the action! 

One of our favorite events of the year is drawing near. Mark your calendars for the Research Live! Finalist Showcase on April 2 at the Campus Instructional Facility Atrium and help us vote for the winner of the People's Choice Award!

This live event will include exclusive screenings of the Research Live! finalists' presentations, an announcement of prize winners, refreshments, and more! The Finalist Showcase is free, open to the public, and will be livestreamed online. 

GradLIFE is a monthly newsletter from the Graduate College featuring timely stories and posts from its eponymous blog and podcast sent right to your inbox. You can still find weekly notices with upcoming opportunities every Sunday in GradLINKS.