Frequently Asked Questions about the Summer PhD Workshop
Questions about the workshop:
- When will the workshop be held?
Currently there is no workshop scheduled.
- Where will the workshop be held?
The workshop will be held
at the University of Texas at El
Paso
- What will the workshop be like?
The workshop will combine
short lectures about interdisciplinary collaboration with hands-on
activities in small groups around socio-environmental, water-related
topics. There will be a couple of field trips throughout the 9 days
to visit local sites in this water-stressed environment. All
activities will be designed to assist students in understanding the
challenges and barriers to interdisciplinary teamwork, and known
mechanisms for overcoming these, while also learning about
water-related issues from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
There will be frequent opportunities to reflect on challenges
students experience in their real research groups, and how those
experiences can be informed by team science theory.
- What happens on the weekend?
The workshop continues throughout the weekend!
- Can I speak to someone who has attended a prior workshop?
Sure!
Contact Dr. Pennington and she will connect you with a student from the 2016 workshop.
Questions about the venue:
- Where will we be staying?
Students will be housed in the new
Miner Canyon
dormitories at UTEP. These are state-of-the-art facilities that
include private rooms, shared kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces,
common areas, study rooms and wifi access.
- What is El Paso like?
This time of year - VERY hot. June is our hottest month
- typically over 100 degrees Farenheit in the afternoon.
This is a high elevation desert environment, so it cools off at night and is reasonably
pleasant in the morning. Field trips will
be scheduled during morning hours to avoid the afternoon heat. Bring sunscreen, hat,
and at least one light, long
sleeved shirt.
- I have heard the border with Mexico is dangerous...should I be worried?
No, El Paso has consistently been ranked
as one of the safest cities in the US.
Questions about travel:
- Who do I contact to make travel arrangements?
Information regarding travel arrangements will be sent directly to
selected participants.
- What if I need to travel to and from UTEP from different
airports?
This can be arranged. However, we can only pay for the
cost of a roundtrip ticket. Any cost over that must be borne by the
student.
- Can I drive instead of fly?
Yes. We reimburse at the
government rate of $0.52 per mile, up to the equivalent cost of a
roundtrip airline ticket.
- How will I get around El Paso while I am there?
The dormitory is adjacent to a major thoroughfare with numerous
restaurants and grocery stores nearby, and from which public
transportation is available. All students can obtain
public transportation passes from a nearby station. In
addition, students may be reimbursed up to $100 for taxi fares. We
will also have vans available for outings, as long as one of
our UTEP students is available to drive the van.
- Can I get a rental car in El Paso?
Yes, at your own expense.
- What expenses are covered?
Airfare, housing, meals, the above
ground transportation costs, and all field trip travel. Students are
responsible incidentals and personal purchases.
- Can I stay some extra days before/after the workshop to travel
in the region?
At your own expense. Airfare will only be
reimbursed to the equivalent cost of a roundtrip ticket on the first
and last day of the workshop.
- Can I bring my spouse/children/significant other?
Yes, but you will be responsible for making all arrangements, and
only the equivalent cost of a single dorm room will be reimbursed ($25 per day).
You will be responsible for any additional
expenses incurred. Childcare arrangements are the responsibility of
the student, although we will try to assist you with identifying
potentially suitable facilities and/or daycare providers.
Other questions:
- Will we have any free time?
We will break for one and a half
hours every
day at lunch to give students time to eat and take care of any
urgent matters. We will provide time at the end of each day to prepare
for the next day so that evenings are mostly free.
- Will we have any time to work on other things, like our
research?
We will provide some unscheduled time each day for
students to work on other things. However, we have much to
accomplish in eight days and students are expected to focus their
efforts on the workshop. Students who anticipate having other issues
that will require more than an hour of attention during the day should
not apply.
- Can we go over to Mexico?
No, not as a scheduled workshop
event. The US Department of State has issued a warning regarding
travel in Mexico. UTEP policy states that faculty and students
cannot go to any such area as part of an institutional activity
without justification and prior approval.
- Do I need to bring a laptop?
Yes, you will need a laptop.
Please address any additional questions to Dr. Deana Pennington