The process of developing scholarly work can be isolating and challenging, regardless of one’s stage in graduate school. In spite of this, students have trumped some of these challenges and emerged successful, and most of them have credited this success to finding community with other graduate students. It is in the quest for an intellectual community-building and collaboration that the idea for this working group was conceived.
Meeting Days: Wednesdays
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Room 206, Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 53706
Co-Chairs:
- Kehinde Olukayode (English)
- Ugochukwu Ikegwu (Chemical and Biological Engineering)
- Ivana Uzoh (English)
Contact for Inquires: grad@africa.wisc.edu
The group aims to provide a collegial and inclusive space for graduate students across all disciplines on UW-Madison campus whose work, interests, or experiences engage with Africa. We bring together students with diverse approaches to research and scholarship to exchange ideas, support one another’s work, and build connections across disciplinary boundaries. Whether students are conducting fieldwork, working in laboratories, analyzing data, writing and researching, creating, teaching, or engaging in other forms of academic and community-based work, the group offers opportunities to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Our activities span four interconnected areas: scholarly practice, peer support, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement.
Scholarly practice
During the first two hours of each meeting, members will engage in focused reading, research, writing, analysis, lab work, or other form of scholarly work in common, in person and via remote access, as a way to foster motivation and accountability.
Peer Support
Forums will be organized for advanced graduate students (and faculty) to share strategies on navigating graduate school from classes, assistantships, grant proposals, conference papers, preliminary examinations, to other areas suggested by members.
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
During the last hour of each meeting, members will work directly with others from diverse backgrounds and expertise in smaller theme-based groups to brainstorm ideas and curate presentations or projects for academic or professional causes.
Community Engagement
The group will engage communities on campus and the Greater Madison Area through activities such as annal symposiums on campus and the monthly Africa Talks lecture series during every last Wednesday at UW South Madison Partnership (UWSMP).
