Date:         Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:05:13 +0000
Sender:       Graduate School <GRAD-SCHOOL@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         UGA Graduate School <grad-sch@UGA.EDU>
Subject:      University of Georgia & Singularity University Scholarship
              Competition
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Dear Graduate Students,

We have a remarkable opportunity available for an especially talented, creative, and dedicated UGA graduate student.  The University is developing a special relationship with Singularity University (SU) and, through a competition sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the Graduate School, and the Office of the Vice President for Research, will select a particularly promising graduate student for a full scholarship to attend the 10-week experience at SU this coming summer.

Students from all disciplines are encouraged to consider this exceptional opportunity.

What are we asking you to do?  Submit an application for the opportunity to attend Singularity University this summer as the UGA representative.  This year’s timeline is short.  The competition dates are April 8, 2011 through May 1, 2011, with selection of the recipient targeted for May 10, 2011. Deadline for submission of an application is May 1, 2011.

How can you learn more about this opportunity?  Kausar Samli, who attended SU last summer, will host two information sessions for interested students to learn more about the experience and the application process.  Both sessions will cover similar information; choose the one that is most convenient for you.


§  Wednesday, April 13 from 4:00-5:00 pm in Meigs Hall (Institute of Higher Education on North Campus)


§  Thursday, April 14 from 11:00 am–noon in Life Sciences B121 (South Campus)

What is SU?  Located at the NASA Ames research site next to Silicon Valley, SU is not a traditional university, but rather an “ideas incubator” or think tank that exposes students with exceptional imagination, leadership potential, and a passion for addressing the planet’s biggest problems, to some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, scientists, industry pioneers and academic leaders, as well the latest, cutting-edge technologies.  Small groups of students drawn from around the world work in teams over the 10-week period to address major challenges by designing potential solutions that have the capacity to impact positively a billion people within 10 years.  This potentially life-changing experience encourages students to embrace grand challenges, think large and not be dismayed by the possibility of failure.  Students also develop a remarkable set of contacts.  For more information about SU, visit their website (http://www.singularityu.org<http://www.singularityu.org/>) or view this 3-minute video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-aQKRw6XF4).

How is UGA involved?  A current UGA graduate student, Kausar Samli, attended SU last summer and now conversations between SU and UGA are leading to a special relationship.  A key element in this relationship will be the annual selection of a UGA graduate student to attend the SU summer program.  This year’s UGA selection process will be based in part on the ability of students to write a compelling essay that describes a creative solution to the following challenge: “How can we improve the lives of 5 million people in the southeastern U.S. in the next 5 years by leveraging technologies to address challenges in bioenergy production, or advancing biomedicine, or sustainable agricultural and ecological practices?”  The Graduate School website contains details of the competition and selection process (http://www.grad.uga.edu/singularity/index.html).

Why do it?  We believe the SU opportunity will help to enhance the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among our graduate student population.  We also believe the partnership with SU will help to create beneficial relationships between UGA faculty and students and some of the world’s leading innovators and entrepreneurs.  And, of course, the opportunity to attend SU will add a unique dimension to the experience and credentials of the selected graduate student.

What are we asking you to do? Submit a nomination for the opportunity to attend Singularity University this summer as the UGA representative.  This year’s timeline is short.  The competition dates are April 8, 2011 through May 1, 2011, with selection of the recipient targeted for May 10, 2011.


Thank you.

David Lee (on behalf of the Provost’s Office, the Graduate School, and OVPR)
Vice President for Research
University of Georgia

For more information about the information sessions, contact Kausar Samli at ksamli@ccrc.uga.edu<mailto:ksamli@ccrc.uga.edu>.  This listserv does not accept replies.

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The Graduate School
The University of Georgia
320 E. Clayton Street, Suite 400
Athens, GA 30602-4401
http://www.grad.uga.edu

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