Amber Jenkins

Fermilab Graduate Student Association

Imperial College, London

Annual Fermilab Users’ Meeting

June 2, 2003

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GSA Report

GSA

Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

What is the Graduate Student Association (GSA)?

• The voice of the graduate students at Fermilab• GSA reps elected every year in October:

Amber Jenkins (Imperial College, London)

Andy Haas (University of Washington)

Martin Hennecke (Karlsruhe University)

Reid Mumford (Johns Hopkins University)

Jun Zhang (Columbia University)

D0

CDF

Astro-theory

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GSA

Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Our Mission• To represent the needs of the grad students to the

Lab• To act as a liaison between students & Lab

Directorate, experiments & UEC• To continue the education of the graduate student

population• To organize social events for the younger physics

community; encourage interactions between students from different areas

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GSA

Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Important Issues

• Visas

• Medical insurance

• Childcare

• Bike path & taxi access at the Lab

• Future of HEP

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Visas

• Post 9/11 security restrictions make life difficult for foreign scientists

• Significant problem: Foreigners make up > 30% of science & engineering doctorate-recipients in US

• Requirements for detailed personal info found intrusive• Visa renewal can take many months – in the meantime

research is disrupted• Visa status in turn affects the Social Security Number,

drivers’ licence, car insurance, banking…

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Medical Insurance

• Crucial issue• Affects those who can least afford to pay – i.e.

grad students & foreign visitors• Would like to see all students with adequate

medical coverage• Currently conducting Medical Insurance

Survey 2003• Working with URA, Benefits & insurance

brokers to try to improve situation

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Washington DC Trip

• GSA accompanied UEC to Washington DC in March 2003

• Met with Senators & Representatives• Lobby for increased funding for HEP• Funding situation is critical: over the past 12 years,

funding by 25%. Certainly affects students making decisions about their future career.

• Important to represent perspective of young physicists in Washington

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Other Issues

• Childcare – affects small proportion of students, but for those affected it is a significant problem

• Bike Access at the Lab – for many years, campaigns to improve bike access at Fermilab

• Taxi Service – students who don’t have cars are dependent on Lab taxis and taxi service hours

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Education

• “Status of the Lab” – Mike Witherell• U-Dzero talks• CDF grad student talks• UTeV – organized by UEC• Career Night - July 2003

- very useful for students - speakers from Lab, universities, industry - advice & info about career options

available

GSA

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Social Life…• Hallowe’en Party 2002 – ~120 people

partied in the barn, our resident DJ, fantastic costumes, pumpkin carving, apple-bobbing…

• Bingo Night – our very own Fermi bingo!• LHC Symposium ’03 Party• Pachanga season has begun!• New Perspectives Party this week…

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GSA

Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

New Perspectives 2003

GSA

• June 3-5, 2003

• Annual student conference at Fermilab

• A great line-up….

- 4 guest speakers

- 6 posters

- 16 student talks (D0, CDF, MINOS, MiniBooNE, Muon Project, Computing Division, Beams Division, SDSS..)

- 1 black-belt karate demonstration!!

• Come and hear about the physics that’s really being done!

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Amber Jenkins, GSA Report Users' Meeting, June 2, 2003

Conclusions…

• Our job is to represent the grad student population at the Lab

• We can do this in big and small ways• It is important, now more than ever, that

younger physicists’ voices are heard • To help us do a good job we strongly

encourage people to get involved!• We’ve had a lot of fun and there’s a lot

more to come!!

GSA

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