Phase Three Activities:

March 12-18, 2011, Washington, DC

Greetings MS PHDers!

In preparation for our Phase III activities there are some things that you need to do. Please read below for instructions and deadlines.

Please note that it is important you meet all deadlines! Please bookmark this link and refer to it as you complete these items. Time is very limited and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to send you reminders. Please be conscientious and self-directed so that all items are completed correctly and within the deadlines.

Please contact pdp@msphds.org with any questions!

See you all soon!

The MS PHD'S Team
Institute for Broadening Participation

Travel Forms:
Complete and return the information and travel form (2 pages) by Wednesday, February 09, 2011. Send to pdp@msphds.org. Please complete all sections of both pages! Please check spelling of names, emails, institutions, etc. Checks for your allotted per diem will be mailed to the home address you provide on this form prior to the Phase III conference. It will be up to you to reserve these funds for your per diems (meals on your own) while in Washington, D.C. Please be sure we have the correct home address so that the check can be sent to you. The business cards will be distributed onsite at the hotel. Please be sure to list at least one emergency contact. On the travel form section, please make sure your name is spelled exactly as it will appear on your ID card. You are responsible for your baggage check fees and your ground transportation.

Information on transportation from National Airport

Mentee Flight Information(TBA)

NSF Research Interests

NSF Presenters would like to make your experience as interactive and enriching as possible based on your particular research interests. Please complete the NSF Research and Program Interest Form to identify your research interests and NSF programs of interest to you (e.g., Atmospheric Chemistry, Physical and Dynamic Meteorology, Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics, Paleoclimate, Aeronomy, Magnetospheric Physics, Solar Terrestrial.) Please refer to the guide on the NSF/GEO webpage to help you in preparing this information. Please send the form to pdp@msphds.org by Friday, February 11, 2011.

Poster Presentations:
We are inviting representatives from government agencies (NSF, NOAA, NASA, USGS), IBP board members, organizational partners and other outside contacts to view the posters so be well prepared. The posters will be on your research. See template (Whitney, et al) on how to do a great poster! Poster requirements are as follows:

Send the finished poster file (PowerPoint, Canvas, or PDF, etc.) as an e-mail attachment to pdp@msphds.org no later than February 23, 2011. This deadline is firm as I will need time to print and ship the posters. You may make arrangements to print and ship your own poster if you cannot meet this deadline.
You may send your poster earlier and I encourage you to do so if you can.
Poster must be 40'' wide x 30'' high.
Be sure to have the MS PHD'S and IBP logos on your posters as well as the logos of other agencies, institutions, etc. who have supported your research.
Make sure your text boxes do not extend outside of the poster margins as this will cause your text to be condensed when printed and will affect your layout and design.
Check your graphics, colors, background, spelling, logos, etc. carefully! The file will be printed as submitted. The printer will not be able to make changes for you.
Posters will be evaluated by your peers, staff, dream team, program mentors and our invited attendees. Please review the sample rubric for criteria of evaluation.
Anyone without a poster will have to stand in front of an empty easel and present on nothing...don't let this happen to you!

Visit to the U.S. Capitol: This year we will be visiting the U.S. Capitol

Please take a moment to review the website so you are familiar with security procedures.
Please also review the Capitol Visitor's Guide
Please contact your state representative (senate and/or house) to see if you can make an appointment to visit their office while in D.C. We will be at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 from 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm. We will have a guided tour from 1:40 pm - 3:10 pm. Your appointment should be either before or after the guided tour. While not all representatives will be available, you should make a strong effort to find at least one that is available for a visit. Please email to pdp@msphds.org the name of the representative you will be meeting with and the time of your meeting by February 25, 2011.

While speaking with your representative's office, let them know that the director of the program, Dr. Ashanti Johnson, recipient of the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, would like to extend an invitation for the representative or a delegate of his staff to attend a light buffet and poster presentation by the MS PHD'S group on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at the National Science Foundation. Ask for the full name and email address so a formal invitation can be sent.
Please contact your state representative and request gallery passes for the senate and the house. We are hopeful that there will be a session we can sit in on. The house gallery is always open so if no session is occurring during our visit, we will still tour the house gallery. The gallery passes are required for this and can only be obtained by you from your representatives' offices. Please confirm via email to pdp@msphds.org that you have obtained gallery passes by February 25, 2011.
Review tips on a congressional visit

Oral Presentations: A five minute self-introduction presentation is required for all participants.

This presentation should be an update from your presentation on Phase I in 2009.
Please email your presentation to pdp@msphds.org with a copy to withier@gmail.com. This presentation is required by March 4, 2011.
PLEASE make sure you send it on time and use wisely your 5 minutes to talk about what you have done in the past year. Highlight your successful stories.
Presentations will be evaluated by your peers, staff, dream team, program mentors and our invited attendees. Please review the sample rubric for criteria of evaluation.

Multi-cultural Food Festival: We will have the multi-cultural food festival again this year. We will be collecting recipes and cooking procedures to be added to our cookbook. Please review the instructions for submitting your recipe.

Send your recipe and list of ingredients to pdp@msphds.org by March 4, 2011. Staff and Dream Team members will do the grocery shopping in advance so you will have the ingredients onsite to prepare your recipe. However, please keep in mind that we will be in a big city and regional seasoning will be hard to find. So please bring with you any special or hard to find ingredients and spices for your recipes.
Remember that on that night we will not have catered food, so please send this information by March 4, 2011.
I encourage all of you to prepare something and enjoy the night!

Career Development Form
Please complete the career development form by March 4, 2011. This should be an update from the career development form you completed during Phase I in 2009. Please print and bring this form with you to Phase III! Leave the sections blank pertaining to your mentor. These will be completed onsite when you meet with your mentors during reflective activities. The completed forms will be turned in to your mentors.

Daily Journals
Please complete the daily journals each day as best you can while in D.C. Please make sure the daily journals are fully completed by March 25, 2011. In order to maintain our NASA and NSF funding, it is imperative that MS PHD'S complete formative and summative evaluations. Please make sure the daily journals are completed!
• Daily Reflective Journal Day One

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Two

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Three

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Four

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Five

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Six

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Seven

• Daily Reflective Journal Day Eight

Anonymous Phase III evaluation
Please complete the anonymous Phase III evaluation by March 25, 2011. In order to maintain our NASA and NSF funding, it is imperative that MS PHD'S complete formative and summative evaluations. Please make sure the anonymous evaluation is completed!

Notification of Final Forms
By March 25, 2011, submit email to pdp@msphds.org that confirms completion of:

Provide notification to pdp@msphds.org of all tasks completed and include current mailing address for issuance of scholarship check.

Scholarship checks will be issued approximately 21 business days following notification email.

Phase Three Activities:

Deadlines