1

Thursday Oct 3 11:30am-1:30pm• Ethics of Scientific Research• Library Resources

Location: MSL L308Mandatory for first year students; others welcome!

Announcements

EH&S (Environment, Health and Safety): Hazardous management session will soon be announcedLocation: NPB 2205 (TBC)Once a year! Mandatory for all students working with chemicals in labs!

Prelim results: Congrats to a great incoming class

GRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANT

2

Pam Marlin Xiaoguang Zhang

Academic point of contact:• Monitor academic progress• Approval of

• Classes• Committee

• …

GSA:• Course enrollment• Grade submission• All forms and

formalities • Support GC• …

GRADUATE COORDINATOR

DEPARTMENT CHAIR

3

Kevin Ingersent

Accountable to the University for all academic, personnel, financial matters in the Physics Department

Wants to know about problems and help those involved fix them

• Your professional growth and success are important to us.• The Physics Department should be a fair, encouraging, collaborative,

inclusive, and respectful workplace.• We will make great progress toward this goal if we all …o Treat department members and visitors with respect and civility.o Maintain a professional and courteous tone in e-mail messages. (Use

your ufl.edu email account for all professional emails!)o Recognize when we or others are being subjected to inappropriate

behavior. If possible, use conflict management and communication skills to defuse and resolve the situation.

o Report conflict that we can’t resolve ourselves to a person with higher responsibility.

o Don’t feel embarrassed about seeking help when it is needed (more on the next slide).

• Sexual harassment & related issues On-line tutorial and course under myUFL. Follow instructions in:https://learn-and-grow.hr.ufl.edu/courses-registration/harassment-prevention/

4

HOW TO GET HELP• If you ever feel an immediate threat, call 911 on or off campus.

• In other cases, if you have been unable to resolve an issue or feel uncomfortable trying to do so, please contact one of the following:o A faculty member who you trust (such as your research advisor)o Pam Marlin, Graduate Academic Assistanto Xiaoguang Zhang, Graduate Coordinatoro Peter Hirschfeld, 1st Year Graduate Advisoro Kevin Ingersent, Department ChairWe will listen to your concern and try to help resolve the problem. We will maintain confidentiality to the maximum possible extent.

• If you really don’t want to report within the department, contact the Dean of Students Office Care Team (202 Peabody Hall, dsocares@dso.ufl.edu, 352-392-1261).

5

6

Teaching Assistants • Treat students with respect and keep their material confidential. We have

already sent out guidelines for TAs.• TAs are required to be available for on-campus duties beginning two UF

business days before the first teaching day of the semester. (This means the first day of any class, not the first day of the class you will be teaching.)

• TAs are required to remain available for on-campus duties through the last day of final exams. You may have proctor/grading duties after the final exam in the course that you are teaching.

• If you need to travel, arrange for substitutes ahead of time.• All absences must be requested/reported ahead of time.

All students• Timing of Requests and Return of Paperwork:

Registrations/Applications/etc. Take deadlines serious.

GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (GSAC)

7

http://www.phys.ufl.edu/academics/graduate/gsac.shtml

WeiXue

ArtHebard

HeatherRay

Guido Mueller

Student Rep.:Yining You

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

8

GSC-Representatives:

Taylor Miller Colin Barquist

PHYSICS GRADUATE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Alexander Schachtner Rinzler Group

schachtner@ufl.edu

Suzanne Rosenzweig Acosta Group

srhelfrich@ufl.edu

…but there are dozens of us!

Who are we, what is our vision?

What we DO: gatherings, meetings, panels, and now 1-on-1 mentoring! Mentors = 2nd year+, all students are welcome to be mentees Time commitments:

Mentee: ~30m meeting with your mentor, ~monthly, on your own schedules. Mentors: additional monthly meeting amongst themselves, open email availability Voluntary assistance with administering the PGSM

Quick Survey and Sign-Up Form Mentor/mentee is opt-in and non-binding

Suggestions and ideas are welcome. Our community is as good as we make it!

PHYSICS GRADUATE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

PROMOTING INCLUSIVE PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY (PIPA*)

*FORMERLY WOMEN IN PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY• Current organizing committee: Suzanne Rosenzweig & Prasanth Shyamsundar (Physics grads), Laura

Blecha & Kathryn McGill (Physics profs); Sarah Ballard (Astronomy prof)

• Overall goals include: • Building community in/between the Physics & Astronomy departments

• Working toward a more equitable and inclusive environment for people whose identities are underrepresented in STEM

• Creating spaces for discussion about these issues that are safe and welcoming to members of marginalized groups

• Future events:• Grad student lunch/coffee discussions with visiting scientists• Career path workshops/discussions (for academic & non-academic jobs)

• Discussions of issues such as implicit bias, stereotype threat, and impostor syndrome

• Your own ideas! Speaking of which…

• Please fill out both sections of the survey! We want this program to reflect the needs, interests, and ideas of our grad students!

NEW FACULTIES

12

BingKan XueTheoretical biophysics

Xiaoxiao Zhang Experimental condensed matter

Wei Xuetheoretical high energy

Juan GuanExperimental biophysics

Purushottam DixitTheoretical biophysics

traditional biophysics: “applied-physics” for biology

Applying known physics, but missing the essence of biology:

What makes a system “living” vs. “mechanical”?

protein folding(polymer phys)

molecular machines(non-eq stat mech)

active matter(soft cond mat)

BingKan Xue

biology-inspired new physics

gravity Riemannian geometry

Phenomenology: quantitative models of common phenomena mathematical theories of basic concepts

Challenge for making a theory of biology:

what is the right mathematical language?information, algorithms...

learning representations(developmental timescale)

changing interactions(ecological timescale)

selecting for functions(evolutionary timescale)

𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 = 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛

𝐹𝐹 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

BingKan Xue

Optics in Nanoscale Materials

• Exotic properties at extreme quantum confinement ~ atomic thickness;

• Build unlimited stacks of heterostructure for new interfacial physics and functional materials;

Material Platform

e.g. in 2D: Semiconductor; Magnet; Superconductor…

Zhang LabXiao-Xiao Zhang, Email: xxzhang@ufl.edu

Experimental Methods

• Photoluminescence; • Raman scattering;

• Optical absorption; • Magnetic circular dichroism;

• Second harmonic generation;

• Photocurrent/Photogalvanic;

Optical Spectroscopy

Ultrafast Dynamics

• Femtosecond time-resolved carrier dynamics;

• Ultrafast manipulation of ordered phase

• Nonlinear physics at high photon density

All optical access of magnon oscillations in 2L CrI3

Emergence of optically-dark excitons under strong magnetic field

(in collaboration with NHMFL)

Optics in Nanoscale Materials

Zhang LabXiao-Xiao Zhang, Email: xxzhang@ufl.edu

guanlab.weebly.com

Experimental Biophysics Lab (Juan Guan) Starting Jan 2020

Protein phase separation

Pape

r nu

mbe

r

1995 2018 2002 2018

CRISPR genome

engineering

HOT topics

Be an expert in quantitative biophysics Be an expert in advanced imaging Master one or several coding languages –

Python, R, Matlab, etc. Communicate well in interdisciplinary team

Training in the GUAN lab prepares you to

Diverse research opportunities: soft condensed matter, quantitative cell imaging, …

COMPUTATIONAL BIOPHYSICS LABORATORY

Cells as dynamical systems

I am looking for 1-2 students• Strong in probability/statistical mechanics/programming• Cursory knowledge of biology or willingness to learn

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/dixitlabEmail: pdixit@ufl.edu

Evolutionary and Ecological dynamics of bacteriaMicroscopy Dynamical systems modeling

Cellular input-output decision making

Analysis of microbiomes

Quantifying sexual evolution in bacteria

Universal “laws” of bacterial ecology

Purushottam Dixit

YEAR-BY-YEAR SCHEDULE

20

Short Version:

Year 1: Prelim, Core courses, explore research opportunities, identify potential supervisor, start research work …

Year 2: Specialized/advanced courses (look out for distribution requirement), find final supervisor, form committee (end of spring semester), explore potential thesis projects …

Year 3: Get distribution requirement done, focus on research, develop research plan. Take Qualifying exam.

Year 4, 5, …: Research, annual meetings, presentations, paper writing, …. and then write your thesis and finish

YEAR 1

21

Prelim: Have to pass in first two years, offered August and January (early!)Most students pass in Year 1.

Core courses: Fall: CM, EM I, QM I; Spring: EM II, QM II, SMRequired: GPA > 3.3 by end of Year 2.Overall GPA > 3.0 at all times (Graduate school requirement).

Explore research opportunities:Get in contact with research groups, attend colloquia/seminars,talk to students, postdocs, faculty. Start research work.

Show initiative!! This is your responsibility!!

YEAR 2

22

Retake prelim if neededRepeat Core courses as needed

Distribution requirements: 3 adv. courses (>6000 level) in 2 subfields of physics or related areas (Math, Astronomy, Engineering, Biophysics)

Decide on research area, select research supervisor and take specialized adv. courses.

Spring: Form Supervisory Committee

23

Fundamental and Particle Physics

Condensed Matter Physics Gravitation Special Topics

(Examples)Courses in related fields (Examples)

6648 QFT I 6426 Solid State I 6607 Special and General Relativity 6555C Cryogenics

MAP 6506 Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering

7669 QFT II 7427 Solid State II7608 Special and General Relativity II

7097 Quantum Optics EEE6397 Semiconductor Device Theory I

6355 Elementary Particle Physics I

7428 Modern Condensed Matter

7097 Inflationary Cosmology

7097 Introduction to Biological Physics

STA 5325 Fundamentals of Probability

6358 Standard Model I

7429 Phases of Condensed Matter

6156 Computer Methods in Physics

STA 5328 Fundamentals in Statistical Theory

7357 Elementary Particle Physics II

7097 Advanced Topic in Condensed Matter

6247 Chemical Physics

7359 Standard Model II

7097 Optical effects in Solids

6166 Qualitative Methods of Theoretical Physics

I will rarely grant exception.

DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS/SUBFIELDS

24

Fundamental and Particle Physics

Condensed Matter Physics Gravitation Special Topics

(Examples)Courses in related fields (Examples)

6648 QFT I 6426 Solid State I 6607 Special and General Relativity 6555C Cryogenics

MAP 6506 Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering

7669 QFT II 7427 Solid State II7608 Special and General Relativity II

7097 Quantum Optics EEE6397 Semiconductor Device Theory I

6355 Elementary Particle Physics I

7428 Modern Condensed Matter

7097 Inflationary Cosmology

7097 Introduction to Biological Physics

STA 5325 Fundamentals of Probability

6358 Standard Model I

7429 Phases of Condensed Matter

6156 Computer Methods in Physics

STA 5328 Fundamentals in Statistical Theory

7357 Elementary Particle Physics II

7097 Advanced Topic in Condensed Matter

6247 Chemical Physics

7359 Standard Model II

7097 Optical effects in Solids

6166 Qualitative Methods of Theoretical Physics

Are not 6000-level courses but two 5000-level courses can replace one 6000-level course

DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS/SUBFIELDS

SUPERVISORY COMMITTEEAt least four members

• Three from Physics• Advisor will chair the committee

• External member

• Requires approval from • Graduate coordinator • Chair of committee (informal)

• Form ideally in 2nd year• Has to be in place in 3rd year to stay on schedule

25

YEAR 3

26

• Finish distribution requirement (ideally in year 2)• With your advisor:

• Develop a research plan• for the next two years (be optimistic)• with high quality that should earn you a PhD

• Take Qualifying exam:• Let Pam know at least 10 days in advance!!

• Remember: It is your PhD! • Be active, push the schedule!• Your advisor makes already enough money …

Written Part: Research paper (~15 pages, double space)• Submit to committee at least 5 days in advance

Oral Part: Presentation (~20min) + Q&A from audience and committee

Paper and Presentation should address:• What have you done so far?• What do you want to do as a research project?• What is the state-of-the-art in that area?• Also:

• Can you define any milestones?• Decision points?

• Can you write down some form of schedule?

27

QUALIFYING EXAM

Two rules we will start to enforce:• Two attempts total

• Students sometimes fail (this is a major warning)• 1st attempt must be taken in 3rd year.• Must pass by end of Fall semester of 4th year.

28

QUALIFYING EXAM

29

• Finish distribution requirement (ideally in year 2)• With your advisor:

• Develop a research plan• for the next two years (be optimistic)• with high quality that should earn you a PhD

• Take Qualifying exam

• Remember: It is your PhD! • Be active, push the schedule!• Your advisor makes already enough money …

YEAR 3

YEAR 4 …

30

• Annual meetings with committee• Student, Advisor + 2 members is good enough• Typical:

• 20-30min presentation• last results• plan forward

• Comments and recommendations from committee• Form needs to make it to Pam

• Tracks your progress towards the degree

GENERAL ISSUES

31

If you are paid as a TA• This is a job and your performance matters• If you are sick, let us know

• As soon as possible• At a minimum: Your lecturer!! (and Pam)

• Duties start: • Two UF business days before the first day of

teaching (in any undergraduate course)• You must attend prep work or training

• Duties end:• Last day of final exams, not the end of classes• You might be needed for proctoring or grading

GENERAL ISSUES

32

• Research • This is your PhD!• This is your research!• It is (to a large degree) your responsibility to make

progress!• Time

• flies by• loose track of goals, very limited progress

• What keeps you on track?• Understand that this is your responsibility!• Plan ahead, develop milestones, decision points, …• Manage it as a real project!

• External fellowships (prestigious)• NSF, NASA, …

• UF fellowships (some of you have one)• Short term fellowships

• Dissertation fellowships (see email)• Summer fellowships (IHEPA, CCMS, …)

• Application: February• Read my emails … and be active

33

Fellowships

• Graduate student travel support• Fall applications are pending• Spring application due some time in Nov

(look for my email)• There will be other opportunities and I will keep

you posted but this is the most likely one you can get!

34

Travel Support