Doctoral Student Colloquium

Information on the participants in the 2009 Doctoral Colloquium

The iConference 2009 planning committee is pleased to announce a Doctoral Student Colloquium for this year’s iSchools Conference: iSociety: Research, Education, Engagement. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Colloquium will provide doctoral students with the opportunity to present their work to senior faculty in a setting that is relatively informal but that allows for the fullest of intellectual exchanges. Students will receive feedback on their dissertation and/or current research from participating faculty and from students’ peers. [Please note that we are still seeking funding for the Doctoral Student Colloquium. We encourage interested and eligible doctoral students to apply now so that we can rapidly make decisions about participants should funding become available.]

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for participation in the Doctoral Student Colloquium if:

  • You are currently enrolled in a university doctoral program and will be enrolled during the iConference;
  • You are an author of a poster that has been accepted for presentation at the iConference 2009; and
  • You affirm your intention to participate in all Doctoral Student Colloquium activities if selected.

Colloquium Program

Most Colloquium activities will take place at UNC on Sunday, February 8. Each participant will give a 10-minute presentation of their research-in-progress, and discuss their work with colleagues and with senior faculty members in the information field. Participants will also receive guidance from senior faculty on preparing for the dissertation/thesis defense, publishing research, applying for academic positions, and starting out as an assistant professor.

Colloquium participants will take part in the poster session on Tuesday, February 10. Students must remain with their posters during this time. The posters will stay in the poster session room for the remainder of the day.

Participants will also gather for lunch on Monday, February 9, to discuss their experience with colleagues and enhance fellowship with other students and participating faculty. Participants may also be invited to attend one or two other special events during the conference. Doctoral Colloquium papers will be published as an electronic booklet and made available on this Web site.

Information about each graduate student participant in the Doctoral Colloquium will be collected into a small booklet that will be shared with conference participants.

Support for Participation

Doctoral students selected for participation in the Doctoral Student Colloquium will receive support for their conference travel and hotel, in addition to the benefits of participation in colloquium activities.

Travel and Accommodations

The National Science Foundation grant will help defray many of the participant’s travel and accommodations costs associated with the Colloquium. In order to be reimbursed for travel and accommodations, each participant is expected to participate in all parts of the colloquium. Reimbursement for travel is only for actual costs incurred and requires an original receipt. "Bundled" travel packages that include airfare and hotel are not reimbursable.

Airfare

For those flying to the conference, coach class airfare will be reimbursed at the total ticketed price, not to exceed $500. At our discretion and if funds are available, higher airfare costs may be compensated for travelers from more distant locations. Anyone with airfare above $500 should notify us prior to confirming his or her travel. Anyone traveling in conjunction with either personal or business travel, must also notify us prior to confirming travel.

Accommodations

A block of rooms for Colloquium participants have been reserved at the Courtyard by Marriott Chapel Hill. Students should plan to stay with one other student at this hotel. When making reservations, remember to mention the Doctoral Student Colloquium. The Courtyard by Marriott Chapel Hill is just a short walk from the Friday Center. Please note that bus service to and from the Friday Center will NOT begin until Monday, February 9, 2009.

Registration

The conference registration will be reimbursed for approved participants.

Incidentals

Transportation to and from airports, meals not included by the conference, and parking fees associated with travel, will generally be reimbursed up to $100 based on actual costs. Car rentals, parking fees associated with car rentals, and alcoholic beverages will NOT be reimbursed. Meals that are simultaneous to those provided during the conference will not be reimbursed.

Payment and Receipts

We encourage students to pay for expenses using their own funds, with reimbursement after the conference. We will provide a travel reimbursement form at the conference. Sorry, but at this time we are not able to advance travel funds. ORIGINAL receipts are required for all reimbursements. No exceptions.

Application Contents

Your colloquium application should consist of the following:

  • Your name;
  • The name of your institution and your department/school/college;
  • Your e-mail address;
  • The ID number and title of your accepted poster;
  • The approximate cost of roundtrip travel to and from the conference;
  • A statement of whether you participated in any of the past iConference Doctoral Student Colloquia (Penn State, 2005; University of Michigan, 2006; UCLA, 2008);
  • Affirmation of your intention to participate fully if selected; and
  • Up to three paragraphs stating why you would like to participate in the Doctoral Student Colloquium. If there is a particular topic that you would like to see covered in the guidance given by senior faculty members during the colloquium, please also note this on the application form.

Application Submission

.by Monday, January 11. Please include "Doctoral Colloquium" in the Subject line of your e-mail.

Notification of Award

If we obtain funding for the Doctoral Student Colloquium, participants will be selected from among those applicants who submitted a complete application by the deadline and who meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants will be notified of selection decisions by Monday, January 19, 2009.