Surviving as Graduate Students:
What can you do to help yourselves?
John A. Venables
(with a little help from his friends)
Graduate studies in P&A: why are we here?
Transitions, and can one plan for them?
Curricula: are you getting what you need?
$ We all need support in one form or another
The world beyond the PhD: friend or foe?
Graduate studies in Physics and Astronomy
Why are we here?
• Opportunity: the chance to do really great research with an
outstanding faculty, great equipment...
• Amazing courses: I just love being in class all day, and the
homework, can't get enough of it...
• Teaching: I really enjoy convincing young Engineers that
they need to know more Physics...
• Well, isn't Arizona just great? I love the mountains and the
canyons and all that outdoor stuff...
• You ask this question in February? You've got to be
kidding, have you looked at the weather channel?
Transitions, and can one plan for them?
• The first semester: survival in a new
country (maybe), courses, and as a TA
• The written comprehensive: a hurdle, and
the PhD - MS choice, the SPEAK test
• Into research: the need to prepare yourself
• Choices about future work: which country,
which city/state, which subject area
The Graduate Curriculum:
are you getting what you need?
• Up to the written comprehensive: uniform provision,
but consult about waivers, R&C (590), Res (592), etc
• Special (Area) courses and ‘requirements’: these are
basically guidelines, provisions for Astronomy,
Biophysics, Education, CMMaterialsP, Subatomic
• Individual flexibility: in conjunction with your advisor
and committee, think what you want from the faculty
• Progress through the exam/ paperwork system: the
definition of ‘satisfactory and timely progress’
• GPC Report at http://phy.asu.edu/news/Currev04.pdf
Computing:
do we want to discuss this?
 The answer is NO, because if we do there will
be no time for anything else... but read on...
 Whoever you ask, and whatever the question,
50% of the answers are wrong, and at least
50% of the questions are ill-posed. Hum!
 But you cannot escape! Take responsibility
for learning what you need to know, in the
context of the group you are, or will be, in
We all need support:
in one form or another
• Money: TA, RA, part-time or what?
•
•
•
•
Your Advisor, initial or research, and the GPC
Ms Shawn Dubon, Graduate Coordinator
SPAGS: Ms Keely Snider and your fellow students
ASU GPSA: Graduate and Professional students
association, PFF, PFP and other societies
• Your friends, relations and favorite bars
Ways to get more $
• Travel Grants:
– GPSA: Up to $500 deadline on the 15th of each
month for travel in the next month
http://www.asasu.org/gpsa
– Grad College: Up to $350, next deadline is
April 15th for travel from May 16th – Aug. 31st
http://www.asu.edu/graduate
• Research Grants:
– GPSA: Up to $2000 for supplemental lab
supplies, computer equipment, etc. –
Applications avail. in June, deadline is Fall ’05
SPAGS
• Chairs: Keely Snider and Daniel Farrell
– Keely.Snider@asu.edu & Daniel.W.Farrell@asu.edu
• List Serves:
– lists.asu.edu, gradstu or email: listserv@lists.asu.edu
and write “subscribe gradstu” in the text
• Fun (there is life outside of school):
– Astronomy Open House: Friday Feb. 25th 8-10pm
– Weekend Softball games: (Steve Finkelstein, Cynthia
D’Angelo and Tedman Torres)
The world beyond the PhD:
friend or foe
• Less is more, but does your advisor agree?
deadlines are useful, drift is not good
• Continue in academia, via a post-doc? most
specialties need one or more p-d's, not all
• Choose your field or your location, rarely
practical to do both, & the two-body problem
• Network before you are done here, it is
expected and smoothes the transition to 'work'
Surviving as Graduate Students:
What can you do to help yourselves?
 Graduate studies in P&A: why are we here?
 Transitions, and can one plan for them?
Curricula: are you getting what you need?
$ We all need support in one form or another
 The world beyond the PhD: friend or foe?
Surviving as Graduate Students:
What can you do to help yourselves?
John A. Venables
(with a little help from his friends)
Graduate studies in P&A: why are we here?
Transitions, and can one plan for them?
Curricula: are you getting what you need?
$ We all need support in one form or another
The world beyond the PhD: friend or foe?