Botany Graduate Program Handbook-Student Involvement
Opportunities for Student Involvement
As a graduate student at UW-Madison, you have a multitude of opportunities to become involved on campus and in your academic discipline. This involvement enhances your academic, professional, and social development.
Some examples of organizations of Botany student involvement (this is not an inclusive list):
- ASPB : American Society of plant biologists: https://aspb.org/ (https://aspb.org/),
- AAAS: American Association for the Advancement of Science: https://www.aaas.org/ (https://www.aaas.org/)
- COMBEE Computational Biology, Ecology & Evolution.( https://combeeuw(https://combee-uw-madison.github.io/studyGroup/) madison.github.io/studyGroup/ (https://combee-uwmadison.github.io/studyGroup/))
- Delta (https://delta.wisc.edu/ )
- The Delta Program in Research, Teaching and Learning promotes the development of a future national faculty in the natural and social sciences, engineering, and mathematics that is committed to implementing and advancing effective teaching practices for diverse student audiences as part of their professional careers. (leadership opportunities available)
- DataCarpentry and SoftwareCarpentry (free) workshops led by a few staff/faculty AND by students who had taken these workshops in the past to share coding skills with others. http://www.datacarpentry.org/ (http://www.datacarpentry.org/)
- The Fungal Supergroup is a UW-Madison group that meets once a month. It is made up of PIs and all their lab members if they do any science that uses fungi in any way. Monthly meetings where each lab takes turns hosting/speaking, and forwarding along any fungal-relevant emails/notifications that may interest the group. To join the listerv for information: join-fungal_biology@lists.wisc.edu
- Graduate Intervarsity: http://gradivmadison.org/ (http://gradivmadison.org/)
- Horticulture Society: https://horticulture.wisc.edu/academics/undergraduate-program/uwhorticulture-society/ (https://horticulture.wisc.edu/academics/undergraduate-program/uwhorticulture-society/)
- J.F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution: a cross-departmental, cross-college institute for all things evolution. J.F. Crow Institute hosts the Evolution Seminar Series and Darwin Day. Leadership Opportunities in Evolution Coordinating Committee (ECC) http://www.evolution.wisc.edu/ (http://www.evolution.wisc.edu/)
- Madison Mycological Society (https://madisonmycologicalsociety.com/) https://madisonmycologicalsociety.com/ is a newly formed community organization (not affiliated with UW necessarily) that promotes education about fungi and community-building around the love of fungi.
- Mycological Society of America has a Student Section Board: https://msastudents.org/ To facilitate communication among all student members of the Society, enhance interaction between students and the Society as a whole.
- PSGC: Plant Sciences Graduate Council: (mailto:psgsc_rso@wisc.edu) psgsc_rso@wisc.edu
- Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison: https ://www.rpcvmadison.org/cpages/home (http://www.rpcvmadison.org/cpages/home)
- SACNAS: Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Inc. An inclusive organization dedicated to forstering the success of students from college students to professions, in attaining advanced degrees, careers and positions of leadership in STEM Contact: skop@wisc.edu (mailto:skop@wisc.edu)
- Science Olympiad: https://www.soinc.org/ (https://www.soinc.org/)
- Wisconsin Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology: https://wisconbio.org/ (https://wisconbio.org/)
- Wisconsin Ecology: http://ecology.wisc.edu/ (http://ecology.wisc.edu/) other related organizations are listed here: https://biology.wisc.edu/biostudent-orgs
Student Representation in Governance
Associated Students of Madison (ASM) – The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) is the campus-wide student governance organization at UW–Madison. Graduate and undergraduate representatives are elected to the 33-member ASM Student Council based on their respective college or school. The student council has regular biweekly meetings open to all students. Learn more here: asm.wisc.edu/ (http://www.asm.wisc.edu/)
Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) – The Teaching Assistants’ Association (AFT Local 3220) is the labor union for TAs and PAs at UWMadison. As a result of decades of organizing and by working together as a union, graduate students at UW-Madison have achieved good health benefits, tuition remission, and many other gains. The TAA is a democratic union run by the members. All key policy decisions are made at monthly membership meetings. Learn more here: taa-madison.org/ (http://taa-madison.org/)
Registered Student Organizations
There are more than 750 student organizations on campus. The best way to seek out current organizations is to visit the Center for Leadership and Involvement (CFLI) website, cfli.wisc.edu, and visit the Registered Student Organization directory. This list will not include unregistered student organizations, and you may find that there are groups in your department that you would like to get involved with as well. If you are interested in officially registering an organization you are involved with, you must register at cfli.wisc.edu. Once registered through CFLI, your organization is eligible for funding from ASM, and your group can reserve rooms in the Union and access other resources.
Outreach and Community Connections
The Wisconsin Idea is the principle that education should influence and improve people’s lives beyond the university classroom. For more than 100 years, this idea has guided the university’s work. Learn how you can get involved at wisc.edu/public-service/ service/). (http://www.wisc.edu/public
The Morgridge Center for Public Service connects campus with community through service, active civic engagement, community-based learning and research, and more. Explore opportunities at morgridge.wisc.edu/ (http://www.morgridge.wisc.edu/).
Engagement with the Graduate School
The Graduate School facilitates opportunities by which graduate students can interact with and provide feedback to leadership on important graduate education topics. Email graduateschooldean@grad.wisc.edu (mailto:graduateschooldean@grad.wisc.edu) to find out more.