Congratulations on your admission to the Graduate program in Chemistry at NC State! You’re on this page because we’ve invited you to attend the Graduate Recruitment Weekend to be held on March 8-10, 2024. Below you’ll find information about arranging your travel, lodging accommodations, transportation, meals, attire, etc. Please use the RSVP form link in your invitation email to reserve your spot by no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, February 9, 2024.
Weekend Schedule
Friday March 8
Noon – 4:00 PM Recruitment Weekend Check-in – Aloft Hotel
5:00 PM Welcome/Information Session/Dinner Talley Student Union Room 4140
6:00 PM The doors open to The Department of Chemistry 24th Annual Poster Session – Talley Student Union Mountain/Piedmont Ballroom
8:15 PM Awards
Saturday March 9
8:15 AM Breakfast – Dabney Hall 1st Floor Lounge
9:00 AM Faculty Interviews – Dabney and Cox Halls, see your packet for room numbers
1:00 PM CGSA Luncheon – Fox Teaching Laboratories
3:00 PM Facilities/Campus/Area Tours – meet in Fox
4:30 PM Free Time
6:00 PM Dinner at The Terrace at Lonnie Poole Clubhouse
Sunday March 10
Departures throughout the Day
Student Hosts
We will partner you with one of our senior graduate students who will serve as your host and will be available to answer your questions throughout the weekend. The hosts will have your email address and will contact you directly sometime prior to the start of the weekend.
You will have the opportunity to meet with three or more of our faculty to discuss research interests on Saturday. We would like for you to pick at least three professors with whom you’d like to meet. Please review information about our research faculty on our website. We realize that once you have seen the posters at the Poster Session, you may want to make changes. If that is the case, you can make those changes on Saturday.
25th Annual Poster Session
Every year the Department of Chemistry hosts a Poster Session to showcase research of their PhD students, faculty, research groups, postdocs and staff. Over seventy posters are submitted and judged by a group of highly respected industry members and academic scholars. The Department of Chemistry is grateful to our industry sponsors, BASF, Sealed Air, The Comparative Medicine Institute at NC State, Dr. David Muddiman and the Wolfpack Interdisciplinary Research Group. The event is also an opportunity for recruits, current students, faculty and staff to network and develop their professional relationships. Judges will present awards and recognition of the submittals.
Air Travel
On or after Friday, February 9, 2024, contact our travel agent, Lisa Ward directly. Email is preferred.Please note that if you fail to make your travel arrangements by March 1, 2024,we cannot promise that we will let you book your flight with our agent or that we will reimburse you for any portion of the cost of a plane ticket you book on your own.
Travel Experts will work with you to find the best flight schedule. In the subject line of your email enter: Chemistry Recruitment Weekend followed by your last name. In the body of the email be sure to include the following:
Full name as it appears on the ID you will use at the airport.
Name of your departure airport or city from which you are departing Seating preference Mobile phone number Date of birth and gender
Please note, when making reservations use your name as it appears on your driver’s license or passport.
Your airline ticket will be directly charged to the department so long as you arrange your flight for 3/8/2024 – 3/10/2024 ONLY. Please try to schedule your arrival by no earlier than 12 PM and no later than 3:00 PM on Friday, and your departure between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM on Sunday. If bringing your spouse or a significant other, he/she/they is responsible for his/her/their airfare. Note that if your flight arrives after 4:00 PM on Friday or it departs before 9:00 AM on Sunday, you will be responsible for making your own arrangements for a taxi (Uber or Lyft) or shuttle, and we will reimburse the cost of the taxi or shuttle. You will be responsible for any additional costs associated with your air travel, such as travel to the airport from your home and the return, luggage check-in fees and parking. You will be responsible for any additional lodging, ground travel, and meals if you decide to make flight arrangements that do not coincide with the 3/8-3/10 dates of the Recruitment Weekend.
Accommodations
We will provide double occupancy hotel rooms with roommate assignments at the Aloft Raleigh Hotel. If you are bringing a spouse or significant other, you will room with that person. Aloft is conveniently located across the street form main campus. The cost of your hotel room March 8, and 9, 2024 will be paid by the Department of Chemistry.
Additional expenses (such as additional meals, phone service, movies, your spouse or significant other’s additional expenses, etc.) incurred at the hotel are your responsibility, so be prepared to leave credit card information with the front desk when you check in.
Do not contact the hotel about your room. The Graduate Office will contact you with the name of your roommate once everything is finalized.
Guests: Spouses or Significant Others ONLY The Recruitment Weekend is designed for prospective students to learn more about the department and the area. We understand that some of you have spouses or significant others who would also like to see the area, since your move affects them as well. Be advised that we have limited accommodations and we can provide lodging for only a spouse or a significant other. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate your parents, other family members, or friends. Here is a list of direct costs to your spouse or significant other and events where he/she is welcome: Airline ticket – Guest may book with our travel agent but is responsible for COST OF OWN TICKET. Guest Meals– Guest is responsible for cost of ALL MEALS. Free-form after-hours events (not on formal schedules) – you and your guest should plan accordingly if you wish to participate.
Suggested Attire The dress code is casual for all events except the Saturday dinner event with the faculty, that is professional casual attire.
Travel Arrangements (Foreign Nationals ONLY)
Prior to making any travel arrangements, please download and complete a Travel Authorization Form as soon as you know you are joining us for the Recruitment Weekend. Link to form is below.
No travel authorization means that we cannot honor your travel arrangements. Fill out the form, print, sign, then scan as a PDF and return via email directly to Jackie Hughes (jlhughe3@ncsu.edu or FAX at 919-515-8909). Additionally, please find visa status and provide appropriate documents (a new link is forthcoming).
For questions on completing the Travel Authorization Form and your reimbursement (if applicable), contact Jackie Hughes (jlhughe3@ncsu.edu). Be advised that the Travel Authorization Form is necessary for us to finalize your travel (i.e. book your flight, reserve your hotel room, etc.).
If a W8BEN is one of the required documents, we will need the W8BEN with the original signature.
Travel by Ground
We will calculate your ground travel expenses based on the current State of North Carolina mileage reimbursement rate of $0.67/mile but not exceeding a $400 reimbursement limit. The Department of Chemistry reserves the right to adjust the mileage rate due to budgetary considerations.
If you prefer to travel by bus or train, please arrange your own travel and send us your itinerary so we can arrange pick-up for you at the station. We will reimburse all or part of the cost of the bus or train ticket.
All documents should be submitted directly to Jackie Hughes (jlhughe3@ncsu.edu) For safety, we encourage you to either fax (919-515-8909) Jackie Hughes or send in the US mail any documents that contain sensitive information, such as Social Security number. Please see links at the bottom on the page.
