SEM Education Foundation (SEMEF)
Chair
Pete Ifju
(2020-2021)
Vice-Chair
William Fourney
(2020-2021)
Secretary
Michael Sutton
(2020-2021)
Treasurer
Jon Rogers
(2020-2021)
About the Foundation
To make a tax-deductible contribution to the SEM Education Foundation, please click the "Donate" button below. SEMEF welcomes and thanks you for your generous support in giving. All donations received will be matched, up to $10,000, by SEM.
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Regional graduate student symposia
Regional graduate student symposia are a growing area of focused funding by SEMEF. Regional symposia date back to the 1970s and were kicked-off by Chuck Taylor with one of the first being held in the southeast region. The goal is to promote symposia in five US regions including (NW, NE, SW, SE, MW). SEMEF is open to sponsoring regions across the globe. In 2018, SEMEF supported a symposia in the UK. Universities located near each other are encouraged to organize graduate conferences and to apply to SEMEF for sponsorship support of up to $1,500 per symposium. These symposia emphasize graduate students, but undergraduates are also invited to participate. Going forward, each symposia host is encouraged to submit a list of symposia presenters to SEM headquarters so we can send a follow-up email to the presenters inviting them to join SEM with one year of free student membership.
See the map below. The dots highlight the universities per region that have hosted a symposium to date.
Your ideas and energy are needed for SEM to continue to progress. Talk to the individual members at your symposium to learn more. As mechanicians, you are ambassadors to the rest of the community. Let your colleagues know about SEM. You will be surprised to know that many may already be members. Finally, remember that SEM is the “Friendly Society”. Take the time to socialize, especially with students like yourselves!
2020 Student Symposia
Midwest
Hosted by Sarah Bentil at Iowa State University | March 7-8, 2020With participants from Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Tech University, Northwestern University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, University of Michigan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Iowa and University of Minnesota.
Northeast
Hosted by Vijaya Chalivendra at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | Postponned until further notice!With participants from WPI, UMASS Amherst, UMASS Lowell, URI, University of Connecticut, Northeastern University and UMASS Dartmouth.
Southeast
Hosted by Shuman Xia at Georgia Institute of Technology | May 9-10, 2020With participants from Georgia Tech, University of Florida, Clemson University, North Carolina State University, Auburn University, University of South Carolina, and University of Alabama.
Student Symposia Proposal Guidelines
Evaluation Criteria
All Proposals will include each item below:
- Approximate dates of the activities
- An outline of the proposed program
- Statement about the impact of the activity on SEMEF’s goals
- A budget, including the amount requested from SEMEF
- Plans for a follow-up report
- ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED AT LEAST 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT
SEMEF will NOT provide, or match funds for:
- Charges for the use of university classrooms or meeting rooms
- Funds for prizes at graduate symposia. (Where cooperation and friendship are the key words, and not competition. The SEMEF does provide funds for prizes at the Annual Student Paper Competition sponsored by the SEM Education Committee at the annual spring meeting.)
Funding may include Meals (breakfast, lunches, and dinners), coffee breaks, other (TBD).
Student Symposia Hosts
Send Proposals or request information
7 School Street, Bethel, CT 06801, (203) 790-6373