{"676883":{"#nid":"676883","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Q\u0026A with Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESeven years ago,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kiera-tran\u0022\u003ENgoc Thuy An \u201cKiera\u201d Tran\u003C\/a\u003E moved to the United States from Vietnam as a first-generation college student. Today, she\u0027s a Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;candidate studying geophysical glaciology in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E (EAS) \u2013 and president of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sga.gatech.edu\/grad-exec\/\u0022\u003EGraduate Student Government Association\u003C\/a\u003E (Graduate SGA).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETran campaigned for that role with a focus on student\u2019s mental health and well-being, preparing grad students for life beyond college, and helping them navigate \u201cone of their most important college relationships: the one they have with their advisor.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting to know Kiera Tran\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan you tell us a little about your background?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: I moved here from Vietnam about seven and a half years ago and barely spoke any English. But, I am not shy so I just kept trying to speak English to friends and people I would meet. I am also a first-generation college student, and my parents are low income. As an undergraduate, I worked three part-time jobs while also taking 19 to 21 credits a semester. There was no time to participate in any clubs or activities \u2014 but I hoped I might be able to as a graduate student.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat made you decide to go to Georgia Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: I\u2019ve always been passionate about STEM, especially \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/envs\u0022\u003Eenvironmental sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and engineering. Knowing Georgia Tech is the best institute in Georgia to pursue this major, I transferred here. (Also, a small inside joke in my family, my sister went to UGA, and I didn\u2019t want to graduate from the same school!)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you decide to pursue a Ph.D. in geophysical glaciology?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran:\u003C\/strong\u003E I transferred to Georgia Tech as a third-year student. I really want to become a professor, so I wanted my Ph.D. to obtain that dream. I have a fascination with earth science, and my focus is on studying melting glaciers in Antarctica using airborne radar. When I met my current advisor,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/chu-dr-wing-winnie\u0022\u003EWing (Winnie) Chu\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in EAS, she was using ice-penetrating radar to study anything below the surface of the ice in Greenland and Antarctica. I found it fascinating and knew I wanted to stay with her and continue that work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow difficult is your course load as you pursue your Ph.D.?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: Graduate classes are more concentrated and complicated than any of my undergraduate classes. I spend more time studying while also trying to balance the time for research. Even though it is challenging, I\u2019m learning to manage all my tasks and excel in both studying and research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you want to get involved with the Graduate SGA?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: First of all, I wanted to help enhance the experience of other students. As an undergraduate, I received a lot of help from faculty and staff, and I thought it was important to let other students know how supportive Georgia Tech is. So, when there was an email sent out by the graduate student government, I decided to apply.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe first year, I was the vice president of campus services. I was in charge of communicating students\u0027 concerns about anything student-related, like dining or housing situations. I realized I really enjoyed being involved and helping other students. I went on to become the executive vice president and now the president.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow has your experience been thus far?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: I think because I\u2019ve had the experience of serving in the cabinet the past two years, I was prepared for the work and the way the SGA operates. But, between planning events, understanding the initiatives, overseeing the cabinet and the ten committees, and trying to make sure we are more collaborative, it is still a lot of work!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe agenda for Graduate SGA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your main goals as president?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMy main goals focus on creating a more supportive and stress-free environment for graduate students. Many of the issues I want to address are related to student well-being. I think one of the biggest concerns facing graduate students is the sense of belonging. Students feel isolated because they don\u2019t have a lot of interactions with their peers or even people outside their departments. One solution we\u2019ve come up with so far is creating a program to pair incoming students with seniors so they can offer advice and a friendly voice.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EI also want to figure out how we can support students better financially. I\u2019d love to create a program designed to help ease the stress of international students moving here, to an entirely different country. And, I also want to create a career and professional development program for graduate students. I think, sometimes, after spending two to seven years in the Institute doing research as a master\u2019s student or Ph.D. student, you can lack the right skills to go into industry. We want to collaborate with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECareer Center\u003C\/a\u003E and offer a series of workshops to help these students with their resumes and interview skills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAnother big goal of mine as president is to help foster the advisor and advisee relationships. A student\u2019s funding [can rely on this], but it can be hard for many international students. So we want to educate students about differences in cultures, how you can better work with your advisor, and assure the students that they have a right to benefits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFinally, a big issue is housing for graduate students, so we want to address that as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIs it possible to achieve all those goals?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Every\u003C\/em\u003E possible. I have an amazing team. Each of us serving in the SGA has our own motivations and we are all in the positions we are in because of our strong desire to help and to serve. I\u2019m very pleased with the caliber of talented and ambitious students involved in student government, who give their time and energy to help other students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETips for success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWith so much on your plate, how do you manage your time?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: I try to spend 60% of my time on my research and 40% of my time on SGA. I think that working such long hours as an undergraduate gave me resilience and helped me not get overwhelmed. I also communicate a lot with my advisor, and she supports me as I try to get everything done.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s not easy though. I\u2019m still learning how to manage everything all at once. Prioritizing important tasks helps me stay on track with deadlines, and I always make sure to ask for help when I need it. Having great people around me is an essential part of my life. I am surrounded by people who are thoughtful, respectful, and supportive of my decisions, so it makes things easier.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat would you say to other Georgia Tech students with similar feelings and goals?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETran\u003C\/strong\u003E: I would say to make friends and don\u2019t hesitate to ask for help. Academic life becomes so much more enjoyable\u0026nbsp;when you share it with others. I think as Georgia Tech students, we are ambitious, and we tend to forget how much work we put into everything we do. I think it\u2019s okay to feel proud of ourselves. I know that I always want to make my parents proud, and I like to acknowledge that I am proud of myself. And, as SGA President, I am going to do everything in my power to help other students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new Graduate Student Government Association President Kiera Tran explains how she manages to combine completing her Ph.D. research with leading\u0026nbsp;the Graduate SGA, plus everything she wants to accomplish in her tenure as president.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The new Graduate Student Government Association President Kiera Tran discusses how her background prepared her to lead and serve the student body. "}],"uid":"36609","created_gmt":"2024-09-17 15:55:03","changed_gmt":"2024-09-19 20:04:18","author":"acook304","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674993":{"id":"674993","type":"image","title":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran proudly represents Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1726588520","gmt_created":"2024-09-17 15:55:20","changed":"1726588520","gmt_changed":"2024-09-17 15:55:20","alt":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran proudly represents Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"258572","name":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran proudly represents Georgia Tech.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20proudly%20represents%20Georgia%20Tech.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20proudly%20represents%20Georgia%20Tech.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":10574851,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20proudly%20represents%20Georgia%20Tech.JPG?itok=rpHOFnqD"}},"674994":{"id":"674994","type":"image","title":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran did research in Mojave Desert, California using geophysical methods to detect geological features. Tran is studying melting glaciers in Antartica and enjoys getting to collect data in the field.  ","body":null,"created":"1726588594","gmt_created":"2024-09-17 15:56:34","changed":"1726776530","gmt_changed":"2024-09-19 20:08:50","alt":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran did research in Mojave Desert, California using geophysical methods to detect geological features. Tran is studying melting glaciers in Antartica and enjoys getting to collect data in the field.  ","file":{"fid":"258573","name":"Graduate SGA President Kiera Tran research.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20research.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20research.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1850179,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/17\/Graduate%20SGA%20President%20Kiera%20Tran%20research.jpg?itok=geEZrrTx"}}},"media_ids":["674993","674994"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/grad.gatech.edu\/news\/grad-sga-leadership-outlines-vision-upcoming-year","title":"Grad SGA Leadership Outlines Vision for the Upcoming Year"},{"url":"https:\/\/grad.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-grad-sga-leadership-kiera-tran-and-donglai-yang","title":"Get to Know Grad SGA Leadership Kiera Tran and Donglai Yang"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/18\/four-pillars-comprise-sga-leaders-agenda?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=Full%20Story%0A\u0026utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20Sept.%2019%2C%202024","title":"Four Pillars Comprise SGA Leaders\u0027 Agenda"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"67651","name":"graduate student government"},{"id":"181112","name":"Georgia Tech Student Government Association"},{"id":"11840","name":"graduate student government association"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAmanda Cook\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["acook304@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}