Welcome to the NIH Graduate Parternships Program!!! We have compiled the following information that is useful for new students beginning their graduate career at NIH.
1) Email lists
Graduate students at NIH have two important email lists. The first is OITE-Grads – which is the official listserv for important announcements. You have already been signed up for OITE-Grads by the GPP. Every Friday a compiled email, which includes the current important GSC and NIH events, is sent to this listserv.
The second listserv is the Graduate Student Exchange (NIH_GSX) Yahoogroup. This is an informal listserv used to post social and housing related events and questions. Additionally, on the Yahoogroups site, you can find a database of current graduate students as well as past and future GSC meeting agendas and minutes.
See the link below for instructions on signing up for GSX:
http://gpp.nih.gov/Current/GraduateStudentCouncil/GSCListServs/
2) Important Links
Graduate Student Handbook
Includes resources for the logistical details of your time here such as how to get set up at NIH, housing options, stipends, health insurance, etc.
Link to Handbook
Graduate Student Council Homepage
http://gpp.nih.gov/Current/GraduateStudentCouncil/
3) Sign up for a peer mentor!
Incoming students from both formal and informal partnership backgrounds are encouraged to sign up for the Peer Mentoring Program. The program pairs current GPP students with incoming students on the basis of their program, their interests, or their home state/country. These current students can provide you with some of the vital information you would require, such as how to get your NIH ID or when to file your estimated taxes, when you get to campus. They are also a great source for directing you to people on campus that can help you with specific questions. In addition, your mentor is someone who has a direct link to the GPP community and can help you get acclimated to our campus life and our social activities.
MENTORS MAY ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT:
• Where to live
• How to ride the metro
• How to get free Metro or a parking pass
• How to get an ID badge
• How to access e-mail
• The GSX-Listserv
• Courses at the NIH
• Where to eat lunch
• What is available to do/see in Bethesda
• How to order free journal articles from your desk and get a tour of the library
• Events the GSC hosts each year (like the retreat, holiday party, research symposium and monthly meetings)
• Anything else you want to know!
If you would like to request a GPP Peer Mentor, please send an email with the following information:
Your Name
Your Partnership or University
Your general research interest
Where you are originally from
How you would like to be paired with a mentor (by program, interest, or origin)
Please send this information to Stephanie Guzik at guziks@nhlbi.nih.gov.
4) GSC Meetings and Lounge
GSC meetings are currently the first Monday of every month at 5pm and are held in the graduate student lounge. All graduate students are welcome to meetings. There is free pizza! There are lots of opportunities to be involved with the GSC – even if you are just starting out at NIH. Meeting reminders are send via the Grad-L listserv and agendas are posted to the NIH_GSX Yahoogroup before the meetings.
The lounge is a place where you can study, relax, socialize, or attend GSC events. It has graduate student restricted access (via NIH badge). Currently the lounge has couches, conferences tables and chairs, a refrigerator, coffeemaker, computer with internet access, wireless access for your laptop, TV with local stations, and other items. For upcoming events in the lounge, check the Grad-L and NIH_GSX listserves.
The lounge is located in Building 10, Room 6S235A. To get there, go up the main elevators in Building 10 near the Masur Auditorium to the 6th floor. After exiting the elevators, there will be a glass wall that is located towards the front of the building. Walk to the right of the glass wall and a door behind it will lead to the lounge.
5) Your OITE Trainee Advisory Committee Chair
The Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) oversees all trainees at NIH – including graduate students. Every demographic of students has a Trainee Advisory Committee Chair who interacts with the OITE. Currently this is the scheme of representation in the GSC – as well as the open GSC meetings. You should receive an introduction email from your Trainee Advisory Committee Chair in the future.
6) Calendar Overview
While there are many GSC events going on pretty much all the time, we have a few very important events that happen throughout the year – dates are approximate. Emails about these and other events are sent via the two listservs.
June 16-17, July 1-2, August 20-21, 2008 - GPP Orientation for New Students (and fun orientation-related social events!)
July 17-18, 2008 – Graduate Student Retreat (2 days – usually in West Virginia)
December – Graduate Student Holiday Party