Overview of Physics Graduate Program Joe Kapusta Director of Graduate Studies REU 2012.
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Transcript of Overview of Physics Graduate Program Joe Kapusta Director of Graduate Studies REU 2012.
Overview of Physics Graduate Program
Joe KapustaDirector of Graduate Studies
REU 2012
What We Look for in Applications
• Undergraduate GPA• Grades in core physics courses• General GRE scores• Physics subject GRE score• Research experience• Letters of recommendation• Statement of interest
Foci of Your Life in Physics
• Courses
• Teaching
• Research
• Other
Graduate School Tips and Timeline
• Take courses (first 2-3 years)• Teach discussion and lab sessions (first 2-3 years)• Pass Graduate Written Exam (GWE)
– Given in August and January– Should pass by August of 2nd year
• Focus on research (3rd year on)• Form study groups with at least one native
English speaker and one non-US citizen.• Stay sane, have fun, connect with people
Courses to Consider in the First Year
4211* Introduction to Solid State Physics4511* Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics4611* Introduction to Space Physics4621* Introduction to Plasma Physics5081* Introduction to Biopolymer Physics
5001/2 Quantum Mechanics5011/2 Classical Physics (mechanics, E&M)5022 Relativity, Cosmology, and the Universe 5041 Mathematical Methods for Physics5201 Thermal and Statistical Physics5072 Best Practices in College Physics Teaching5073 Introduction to Research Seminar
* Survey Course
Financial Support
• Departmental Fellowship to try out research in summer 2012
• Teaching Assistantship and/or Fellowship for academic year 2012-13
• Departmental Fellowship to try out research in summer 2013
• Guaranteed financial support for at least 5 years assuming good progress
Our Fields of Research
• Astrophysics and cosmology: theory and experiment
• Biophysics: theory and experiment• Condensed matter physics: theory and
experiment• Elementary particle physics: theory and
experiment• Nuclear physics: theory• Physics education• Space physics: theory and experiment
New Physics and Nanotechnology Building
The $83 million 4+1 story 155,000 sq. ft. building will house a 5,000 sq. ft.clean room and will have offices and labs for all experimental faculty andtheir groups. Completion date will be in Fall 2013.
Where to find information:
www.physics.umn.edu
Under “Physics Intranet” look at
Advice from the DGS Physics Graduate Handbook
Graduation Statistics
• Median length of time to PhD = 5.7 years
• Time to graduate depends on external factors such as– scope of project – funding approval
• as well as on factors you have a control over such as– how hard you work – how organized you are
After graduation
Nationwide initial employment of physics PhDs
www.aip.org/statistics
Academic 57%
Government 17%
Private sector 23%
Nonprofit 1%
Other 2%
Look Where You Want to Be, Not Where You Are