University of North Texas

Comedian, former graduate student and creator of PhD Comics Jorge Cham, left, will speak April 5 as a part of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. The week's events are presented by the Graduate Student Council and the Toulouse Graduate School.

In Cham’s lecture, The Power of Procrastination, he will recount his experiences as a graduate student, examine the source of academic anxieties and explore procrastination, bringing humor into the lives of stressed-out academics.

Cham received a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and was a researcher at the California Institute of Technology. His comic strip, Piled Higher and Deeper, was first published in The Stanford Daily, and has been published in other university newspapers. He also has published collections of the strip.

• Find a sample of PhD Comics. 

Cham’s lecture is part of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. The week was started in 1993 by the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students in support and appreciation of the contributions, impact and value of graduate students. Gov. Rick Perry proclaimed April 4-8 as 2011 week in Texas.

All events are free and open to students. Registration is required for April 5 and April 6 events. Here is a schedule:

April 4  

8-10 a.m. – Free coffee and bagels provided by the Toulouse Graduate School at Discovery Park library.

5-6 p.m. – Resume/CV Workshop for Industry and Academia - The workshop will focus on résumé or curriculum vitae writing skills for graduate students; University Union, Silver Eagle Suite.

April 5

8-10 p.m. – Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics, will discuss The Power of Procrastination in the Gateway Center, Ballroom. Registration required. 

April 6

4-6 p.m. – Pizza with the Deans - Graduate students are invited to meet with graduate school deans in University Union, Room 411. Food and drinks provided. Registration required. 

April 7

4-6 p.m. – Networking - Tables focused on social media, environmental concerns, technology and other interests will be set up to help build relationships with fellow graduate students; University Union, Silver Eagle Suite.

 April 8

8-10 a.m. – Free coffee and bagels at the Toulouse Graduate School office, Eagle Student Services Center, third floor.

(Photo courtesy of École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL.)