Who are you ?
Last Name:		First Name:
University:		Experiment/Division:
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List of candidates Mark 5 or fewer candidates:	Go to short version of voting form (without Introductions)

Candidate Name, Experiment and Institution	Introductions
Jorge A. Benitez DØ, Michigan State University, USA	Hello! I'm Jorge A. Benitez, a Ph.d student from Michigan State University working on D0. I am excited to run for GSA Officer because I have many ideas that I would like to implement, but I need your vote to do so. Firstly, is the issue of professional development. I would propose to hold Career Day twice a year (fall/winter and spring/summer). In addition, I would encourage the GSA to contact a wider variety of representatives from industry and academics. The Guide to Life is a very useful tool and I would continue to expand and update it for newcomers and those of us who've been around for a while. I think creating "lounge" like spaces, would be great for students to sit back and relax, talk to friends, meet new ones, and plan fun activities. Lastly, I believe that community outreach is very important and should also include disadvantaged schools/students. So, these are my ideas and I look forward to working with the rest of the GSA to follow its mission in representing all grad students at the lab and organizing fun and informative activities for all of us to enjoy. Vote for me now or be square!
Tyler Dorland DØ, University of Washington, USA	I'd like to be in the GSA because I'd like to see a few more good events on top of the good ones we have. For example, the barbecues over the summer are always fun because food, people, and beer are good. I think we can expand on that. Maybe a regular trivia night at the Users Center or work something out with a local bar, because those are also good. Another event or so in the city because Chicago is good and every so often the Cubs are, too. I'd like to work on an expanded recycling program and alternatives to styrofoam cups, because the environment is good, but may not always be. I'd like to get to know some more people around the lab and I think others would, too, because people are good (see point about barbecues *between* food and beer). And for a good corny tagline: Go ahead, vote for Tyler, it feels good.
Rob Forrest CDF, University of California - Davis, USA	My name is Rob Forrest, I'm a fourth year grad student from UC Davis working at CDF. I have been working at Fermilab for over a year now and have some ideas about how to improve the quality of life for the grad students. The GSA is great; I love the Halloween party and the Triathlon (even though I didn't do so well). But we need more! I'm convinced grad students can be drawn out of their offices and dorm rooms with the help of the GSA and, well, free beer and pizza. There is hope!Fermilab is a great resource and we can do much more to improve the interaction between grad students. How about movie nights during those cold winter months, or more bbq's in summer (you know, the ones people will actually come to). I'm always open to ideas from anyone, so vote for me and we can get things done!
Elisabetta Pianori CDF, University of Pennsylvania, USA	Hello, My name is Elisabetta Pianori, and I'm a third year graduate student from University of Pennsylvania, currently working at CDF.  As you may have already guessed, I'm Italian, and when I came to America and to FermiLab I had a lot of trouble adjusting and understanding to the life here. So, one thing I found useful was the GSA's “Guide to Life”. I'd like to improve it and add more information (about insurance, for example). Also, one thing I really liked about FermiLab is the international environment, and the richness of people coming from different experiences and backgrounds, and so I'd like to organize get-together events as the Halloween Party and Winter Ball, and add some more events to help graduate students socialize with each other. As graduate students we spend a huge amount of time at FermiLab, and I think we should enjoy our time here as much as possible! I've always been interested in participating in the community of the place where I live. I was a representative of the student at my High school and College, where I helped to organize parties and educational activities as well as meeting with physicists from both academia and industry to understand the possible applications of our studies and skills. In fact, I think that the Career Nights have been extremely interesting, and I think they should be continued and grown! So, vote for me, and let me know all the problems, the ideas , the things you would like to do at FermiLab, and we can work together to make them happen!
Tatiana Rodriguez CDF, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Emanuel Strauss DØ, Stony Brook University	Hi, I'm a 4th year graduate student from Stonybrook University working at D0. I was a member of my Graduate Student Organization, and before that the Executive Board of my undergraduate Society of Physics Students. As such, I've a fair amount of experience in coordinating events aimed at educating and/or improving quality of life. I've enjoyed GSA events and I'd like to see them become something more than once in a blue moon occurrences that don't always get people's attention. This year's Triathlon and Winter's Ball were successful events, but I was struck by how hard it was to find people to present at the User's Meeting despite this past GSA's best efforts. It's obvious that next year's members will have to work harder still to continue to provide services and activities to the current members of the FNAL community as the number of graduate students keeps on diminishing. In particular, I'd like to see the GSA web-page boast more regular events. Simple things along the lines of presentations by experts or get togethers at the User's Center for food and drinks. We could also try to further take advantage of our connections with the University of Chicago. Graduate students still represent the lion's share of the Fermilab community and the calendar of events should better reflect that.
Shannon Zelitch DØ, University of Virginia	My name is Shannon and I’m a 3rd year grad student on D0 from the University of Virginia who just moved out to Fermilab this summer.  My reasons for running for the GSA are entirely selfish - there are several activities that I looked for when I first moved out, and would be very excited to organize as part of the GSA.  Giving updates at meetings, to your advisor, or to larger groups is expected at Fermilab, and I know I’ve spent hours and hours agonizing over 15 minute presentations. I would like to organize a very informal presentation phobia support group, which would be available if people wanted to do practice talks, and ask questions on how to make their slides more readable. Also, we have hundreds of students from all over the world here at Fermilab, and I never meet any of them because I spend all of my time working.  I am assuming that I am not alone in this, that we, as a diverse community, are all sitting at our desks working.  But Fermilab has wireless, which means, we could all be together not at our desks working. An international student body means an international MP3 collection! I would like to have a night once a month where different people volunteer to DJ for an hour, and we have a working party at the Barn.  There are other things I’d like to see, additions to the Guide to Life to include the best place to find German bread and Russian Tea, a GSA theatrical production of anything at all, and an outing to LaserTag.  I don’t know if I have any specific qualifications for the GSA, other than I am a grad student, a good listener, and I’d like to help.  Even if I’m not elected, these are things I’m interested in anyway, so please introduce yourself on Friday.  I look forward to meeting you.

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