Glaser Society Proceedings – Remember to RSVP
We invite the entire McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Community to attend the 8th Annual Glaser Society Proceedings on Friday, November 7. The 2025 Glaser Award Recipient is Patricia Flatley Brennan, RN, PhD, former director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Visit our website for the full event agenda. RSVPs are requested if you wish to attend. We also ask all students planning to attend the Town Hall to submit questions for Dr. Brennan in advance via this form.
Academic Updates – Withdrawal Deadline & Degree Plan Holds
The last day to withdraw from a McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics course is Monday, November 3. Note that after that date, students can no longer be issued a W grade for fall 2025. All Withdrawal forms must be completed and submitted by 5 PM CT on November 3 as late forms will not be processed. The required form is available online and should be submitted via DocuSign.
Additionally, Spring 2026 course registration will open on November 19 at 8 AM (CT). As McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics students prepare to enroll for the next semester, please note that some student accounts may have a degree plan hold. As such, plan accordingly when submitting your completed degree plan to the Office of Academic Affairs. Remember that degree plans must include your full name, student ID number, all courses (including planned or completed), semesters and years of enrollment, grades earned (if applicable), student signature, and faculty advisor signature.
As a reminder, utilizing DocuSign for your degree plan and/or Withdrawal form is the fastest way to get the document signed. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
McWilliams Bragging Points
Members of our McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Community have recently achieved noteworthy accomplishments. We want to recognize and applaud these individuals.
- PhD Candidate Alan Pan successfully defended his dissertation in late September, and he will earn his doctoral degree in December.
- Additionally, Alan recently earned a grant worth just over $50,000. His project will involve leveraging AIM-AHEAD's data infrastructure and repositories of de-identified health information to evaluate methodologies for mapping patient health trajectories using clinical event and workflow data.
Registration Exploration on November 11
Join us at 4 PM (CT) on Tuesday, November 11 for Registration Exploration! During this virtual event, students can meet via Zoom with faculty and staff to learn more about the Spring 2026 courses offered at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics.
Google Presentation at the AMIA25 Mixer
Join us from 5:30 to 7:00 PM (EST) on Monday, November 17 for the McWilliams AMIA25 Mixer. As an added bonus, a team from Google will be in attendance to present on the organization’s most advanced AI systems that are revolutionizing healthcare and scientific research. Join us to learn more about how Google is turning data into breakthroughs that improve health outcomes, deepen scientific insight, and drive innovation.
The annual event will take place in the Marquis Ballroom B at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis (265 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303). Click here to RSVP for the mixer! We hope you can join us in Atlanta.
UTHealth Houston’s New VPN System
UTHealth Houston is installing the new virtual private network (VPN), GlobalProtect, to upgrade remote network access and deliver better performance for working remotely. For more details, please read this Inside University News story.
Opportunities for McWilliams Students
- The 2026-2027 JAMIA Student Editorial Board (SEB) is accepting applications. SEB members are selected by competitive application and serve a 2-year term on the JAMIA editorial board. They have a chance to learn about scientific publication, hone their critical appraisal skills by doing reviews, manage the JAMIA journal club, receive mentoring, and attend JAMIA Editorial Board meetings at the Annual Symposium. For more information, including eligibility criteria, please visit this website. The deadline for applications is December 5, 2025.
- The Executive Vice President Office of Student Affairs invites all students to participate in the new Student Leadership Development Series. The monthly, virtual sessions focus on various topics of interest. Click here for more information on the upcoming sessions and the recording from the October event.
- The Student InterCouncil is seeking student applications for The University of Texas System Student Regent (2026-2027) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Student Member (2026-2027). One student will be appointed by the governor of the state of Texas to become a member of the UT System Board of Regents, and another to become a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, beginning June 1, 2026. The application submission deadline is Monday, November 17 for both positions.
- All students on campus should stop by the Office of Academic Affairs to pick up a new "Badge Buddy" to accompany your student ID. These badge buddies include contact information for important safety and mental health resources. Please contact the Office of Academic Affairs ([email protected]) if you have any questions.
Wellness Week & Sports Day for UTHealth Houston Students
UTHealth Houston’s Student InterCouncil (SIC) has two upcoming events that all McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics students are welcome to participate in. Wellness Week even includes a special day curated by our McWilliams Student Governance Organization (SGO).
Wellness Week
- Who: All UTHealth Houston students
- When: Nov. 10 -14
- More Info: https://www.uth.edu/student-affairs/student-intercouncil/wellness-week
Sports Day
- Who: All UTHealth Houston students
- When: 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, November 15
- Where: UTHealth Houston Recreation Center Fields, 1832 West Road
- More Info: https://www.uth.edu/student-affairs/student-intercouncil/sports-day
McWilliams In The News
- Professors GQ Zhang, PhD and Hongfang Liu, PhD, spoke to the Houston Business Journal about new research led by UTHealth Houston to establish a $27 million Alzheimer's data initiative called ReCARDO.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Upcoming Events Dates
| Oct. 31 | Halloween Party 11:30 AM to 1 PM on 6th floor Commons Area (near the staircase) |
| Nov. 7 | Glaser Society Proceedings Check website for all event times and locations |
| Nov. 11 | Registration Exploration for Spring 2026 4 PM CT via Zoom (pre-registration is not required) |
| Nov. 15 | Student InterCouncil (SIC) Annual Sports Day 10 AM to 2 PM CT at the Auxiliary Enterprises Recreation Center Fields, 1832 West Road |
| Nov. 17 | McWilliams Mixer at AMIA Symposium 5:30 to 7:30 PM ET at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis (Marquis Ballroom B) 265 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 |
Important Dates
| Nov. 3 | Last day to drop with a withdrawal grade of “W” Must process required form |
| Nov. 3 | Last day to apply for fall 2025 graduation in myUTH |
| Nov. 4 | Election Day |
| Nov. 7 | DHI & PhD - Last day to defend translational project or dissertation |
| Nov. 11 | Registration Exploration via Zoom |
| Nov. 19 | Spring 2026 registration opens in myUTH |
| Nov. 27-28 | Thanksgiving Holiday – University is closed |
| Dec. 5 | Last Class Day for fall 2025 |
| Dec. 5 | PhD - Last day to defend proposal |
| Dec. 8 | McWilliams Fall Poster Session |
| Dec. 8-12 | Final Exams/Evaluations |
| Dec. 18-19 | PhD Qualifying Exam |
Visit our website for a full list of research seminar dates and access to recordings for past seminars.
Office of Academic Affairs
7000 Fannin, Ste. 650 Houston, TX
Phone: 713.500.3591
Email: [email protected]
7000 Fannin, Ste. 650 Houston, TX
Phone: 713.500.3591
Email: [email protected]
