The UH Graduate School has an Ombudsperson for Graduate and Professional Students. The Ombudsperson provides a safe setting for graduate and professional students to confidentially raise and discuss their concerns about workplace and academic issues, address interpersonal difficulties, and receive assistance in identifying options for resolving the conflicts and concerns.

What an Ombudsperson Does

• Provides a confidential forum for raising issues and expressing concerns.
• Listens without judgement and offers impartial feedback.
• Assists the graduate/professional student in exploring options to address concerns.
• Identifies and refers the graduate/professional student to resources for addressing problems and concerns.
• Clarifies policies and procedures that apply to the graduate/professional student’s problem or issue.
• Provides coaching on effective communication for difficult conversations.
• Analyzes and reports trends in complaints and concerns, and provides recommendations for institutional improvements.
• Promotes highest standards of university governance and a supportive, ethical and healthy organizational culture.

UH Ombudsperson - Funda Suhin, Ph.D.
Dr. Suhin is an associate professor of supply chain management. Her teaching and research interests are in operations and supply chain management. She is passionate about the UH community and student well-being. Over her career, she has worked with graduate students in a wide variety of roles, including teaching graduate courses, directing graduate student research, and coordinating a doctoral program in Bauer College of Business. She has served on numerous committees related to graduate student education and policies, and as a graduate student mentor.

Learn More about the Office of Ombuds Services

Contact the Ombudsperson: gradombuds@uh.edu

Team Registration Now Open
The COOGS for Energy Hackathon, organized by the University of Houston Energy Transition Institute and sponsored by bp and Arcadis, is a 1.5-day innovation event focused on solving real-world challenges related to energy transition, sustainability and clean energy.

The hackathon brings together interdisciplinary teams of University of Houston students to develop creative, practical solutions to energy challenges posed by industry partners, community organizations and local governments.

Team Guidelines

• Students may register individually or as a team.
• Teams will consist of up to six members.
• Each team must include students from at least two UH colleges or schools.
• Diverse teams are encouraged, including combinations of undergraduate and graduate students and participants from disciplines such as science, engineering, business, arts and law.
• Teams will choose from a list of problem statements once teams are finalized.
• Each challenge will have at least one industry or faculty mentor.
• Teams will have 10 days to brainstorm solutions before the final event.

Hackathon Schedule Overview

• Friday Evening
  • Identify three potential solutions
  • Develop a pitch for each concept
  • Present solution ideas and a design matrix
• Saturday Evening
  • Refine the strongest solution
  • Develop a prototype (digital or physical design)
  • Prepare a pitch deck
• Sunday Evening
  • Final pitch competition
  • Judging and awards

Awards

Winning teams will receive prizes of $6,000, $3,000 and $1,500, along with opportunities to present their ideas to industry leaders and stakeholders.

Selection Criteria

Up to 10 teams will be selected based on:

• Diversity of disciplines, colleges and academic levels
• Commitment to advancing energy transition solutions
• Completeness of the team (full teams preferred)

Registration
Students may register individually or submit a full team application.

Registration Deadline: March 14, 2026

Questions
For more information, contact uheti@central.uh.edu.

Students may also contact:

• Debalina Sengupta — dsengupt@central.uh.edu
• Atharva Bibave (student contact) — apbibave@cougarnet.uh.edu

Join fellow Coogs in developing innovative solutions and shaping the future of energy.

esearchers, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are invited to attend the Dare Every Day Oncology Symposium on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at TMC Helix Park (TMC3 Collaborative Building, 7255 Helix Park Ave., Houston). The event will bring together academic researchers, industry leaders and representatives from Thermo Fisher Scientific for an afternoon of networking and knowledge sharing focused on advances in oncology.

The symposium will feature keynote remarks, poster presentations and opportunities to connect with colleagues across the oncology research community. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to present posters highlighting their latest work and engage in discussion with peers and industry partners.

Attendees will enjoy a light lunch, networking opportunities and optional professional headshot photography. Poster presenters will also receive professional headshots as part of the event experience.

With travel budgets tightening across the research community, the symposium offers a local opportunity to share research, exchange ideas and build collaborations within Houston’s biomedical ecosystem.

Agenda

10-10:30 – Arrival Check-in | Welcome Gift

10:45-11 – Thermo Fisher Scientific Welcome

11-12:30 – Poster Session 1 | Networking | Professional Head Shot | Cookie Booth

12:30-1:30 – Lunch | Professional Head Shot | Cookie Booth

1:30-2:30 – Poster Session 2 | Networking | Professional Head Shot | Cookie Booth

2:30-3:00 – Closing Remarks

Registration is required. Those interested in presenting or attending can register online. 

Register for the Dare Every Day Symposium

Questions may be directed to Sayer Browning at sayer.browning@thermofisher.com.

 

UH is a member of the Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC), one of the largest inter-institutional cooperatives in the world. Are you interested in a postdoc or research position at a GCC member institution? Open positions can be found on the GCC Job Board.

This service, sponsored by the GCC and its member institutions, provides opportunities for job seekers from GCC member institutions and employers to learn more about each other. The GCC’s mission is to build interdisciplinary collaborative research teams and training programs in the biological sciences that intersect the computational, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences.

Graduating Ph.D. students and postdocs from GCC institutions can post their resumes and search for jobs at GCC institutions. To place a resume on the Job Board, register as a Job Seeker and enter the requested information.

K-Scholastic is hiring academic tutors to work with K-12 students in the Houston area. This is an in-person position, and applicants must have a personal vehicle.

Details:

• Minimum availability: Two evenings per week
• Starting pay: $30/hour, with increases based on experience
• Location: Various in-person sites in the Houston area

How to Apply:
Email your résumé and a brief statement of interest to reports@kscholastic.com or complete this form.

The Improving Access to Career and Educational Development (I-ACED) program provides financial, academic, and professional support for students pursuing graduate degrees in engineering and STEM fields. Participants benefit from scholarships, mentorship, and hands-on research opportunities at Jackson State University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center (ERDC).

Benefits include:

• Up to $10,000 in tuition scholarships (limited full awards available at Rice University)
• Career development, mentorship, and peer support
• Internships or research experiences at ERDC or partner institutions
• Paid research rotations and scholar engagement activities
• All-expenses-paid tour of ERDC facilities

Areas of Study:

1. Digital Twinning
2. Biotechnology
3. Sustainability and Resilience

Eligibility:
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or admitted refugees accepted into a participating graduate program and demonstrate financial need (via FAFSA).

Fall 2025 Info Sessions:

• Sept. 25 | 3:30–4 PM CDT
• Oct. 16 | 3:30–4 PM CDT
• Nov. 20 | 3:30–4 PM CST
• Dec. 18 | 3:30–4 PM CST

Register and Apply Now — Applications for Fall 2026 are open through April 15. Early submission is encouraged.

For questions, contact Lesia Guinn (Program Manager) at lesia.guinn@rice.edu or Dr. Maria Wettergreen (Program Director) at mwettergreen@rice.edu.

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine have established a new opportunity for students pursuing careers in healthcare.

Through this partnership, graduates of NSM’s Master of Science in Biology with a Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Sciences program who meet specific academic and admissions criteria will receive automatic interview invitations for admission to the Fertitta Family College of Medicine.

Designed to better prepare students for professional degree programs in medicine, dentistry, and allied health fields, the one-year master’s program provides advanced coursework, research and internship experiences, and individualized advising.

For program details and eligibility requirements, visit NSM’s Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program webpage.