Current Students

UCH Grad School Newsletter

Learn more about UCH Grad School programs in our latest Newsletter: UCH Grad School Newsletter_Feb 2023

Recent Updates and Info for Students

New Off Campus Housing Resource

UConn Health does not have on-campus housing available on our campus.  However, the University’s Off-Campus Housing Office has a new section to search for housing in the UConn Health campus area of Farmington and beyond. Visit  https://offcampushousing.uconn.edu for more information!

The Roommate Finder section is also active, and is a password protected site where students can log in using their NetID to search for roommates.

Roommate Finder Info.pdf

One-Time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief Program

Students who have federal student loan debt may be eligible to apply for one-time debt relief as part of the Biden-Harris Administration student debt relief plan.  For more information on the program, including qualification and application details, please visit the government's One-Time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief page. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2023.

UCH International Office Walk-In Advising in Main Building on Thursdays

The International Office at UConn Health will resume their weekly walk-in advising for international students and scholars in the main building on Thursdays from 2 - 3:30 p.m. in Walker Conference Room (room AG070, just down the hall from The Graduate School Office suite on the Ground floor of the main building). Walk-in advising is meant for quick questions (5-10 minutes). Examples of walk-in services include: travel advice, I-20/DS-2019 signatures, document drop-off, etc. If you have an issue requiring a more in-depth discussion, please contact the HR – International Office to make an appointment (Kaitlin Dornenburg, email: dornenburg@uchc.edu; phone: 860-679-4472) .

Student Resources and Helpful Links During the COVID-19 Pandemic

UConn Health's Masking Protocol has been updated as of 10/17/22: See revised guidelines for masking.

Travel Guidelines - Updated 10/24/22: Travel guidelines for both business and personal travel outside of Connecticut. This information applies to Graduate Assistants as well as staff.

Important: If you are not feeling well and are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have COVID-19 related questions, call our UConn Health COVID-19 Call Center: 860-679-3199 to report your symptoms and get further instruction. Do not come into school or the lab if you are not feeling well. Additional guidance can be found here.

UConn Health Support Services and Wellbeing

Student Behavioral Health Service - Free and confidential mental health services, counseling, and resources

Ombuds Office - Confidential, informal, independent, and impartial assistance to individuals through dispute resolution and problem-solving methods

Virtual Group Exercise Classes - The Wellness Center has reopened, but their Yoga and Pilates instructors have also created virtual classes including Vinyasa Yoga, Morning Stretches, Pilates, Breathing Exercises, and Meditation.

Additional Information and Guidance

State of CT COVID-19 Portal - Daily updates for Connecticut, include statistics, press releases, executive orders, etc.

CDC Travel Guidance - Guidance for planning domestic and international travel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

NIH Office of Intramural Education and Training - The OITE has provided recordings of their recent sessions and pre-recorded panel discussions and interviews that trainees can access online covering a wide variety of topics.

For All Graduate Students

For Biomedical Science Ph.D. Students

Graduate Student Organization (GSO)

Graduate Thesis Defenses

Wednesday, March 29th
Noon, Hybrid; Grossman Auditorium, 400 Farmington Ave. and WebEx

"Xist-driven Whole Chromosome Inactivation in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells"

Prakhar Bansal
MD/PhD Student
Genetics and Developmental Biology Area of Concentration

PI: Dr. Stefan Pinter


Friday, March 31
2:00 PM, Low Learning Center

A TLR4-Independent Critical Role for CD14 in Intracellular LPS Sensing

Swathy Ollikara Vasudevan
Biomedical Science PhD Student
Immunology Area of Concentration

PI: Dr. Vijay Rathinam

Upcoming Career Forums

Monday, April 3, 2023
11:00 AM- Virtual (registration required-see details below)

Career Path: From PhD to Science Reporter

Beyond the Ph.D. is excited to welcome Dr. Angie Voyles Askham, a science reporter for Spectrum, where she covers neural circuits and gene therapy, among other topics. She also writes Spectrum Launch, a monthly newsletter for early-career researchers. Before joining Spectrum in 2020, she worked in radio journalism and academic publishing. She received a Ph.D. in neuroscience from NYU in 2015 and a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Vanderbilt University in 2010.

Dr. Askham will be giving a virtual seminar about her career path next Monday, April 3, at 11 a.m.. Registration for the event is free and is open to anybody interested. To attend the event, you must register using the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-phd-to-science-reporter-tickets-595226126367

For recordings of previous career seminars & workshops, career blog posts, and more from this student-led group, check out their website: https://beyond-the-phd.com/

For more information, contact: Rachel Gilmore at rgilmore@uchc.edu