The University of Iowa
Graduate students:
• 6400 total
• from >100 countries
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Where we are
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Iowa City is a fun place to live
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Our department’s two buildings:
Van Allen Hall
Iowa Advanced
Technology Labs
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Research areas
Particle
Condensed Matter
Nuclear
Optics
Photonics
Quantum Electronics
Astronomy
Atomic/Molecular
Plasma
Space
Interdisciplinary:
Mathematical Physics
Medical Imaging
Nonlinear Dynamics
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Our research funding
External funding = $11.2 million per year
Per faculty member, this is one of the best in the
Big Ten
• Funding is important because:
• It’s a measure of peer review
• It pays for stipends, travel & labs
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Typical courses the first year of grad school
Fall Semester
• Classical Mechanics
• Electricity and Magnetism I
• Quantum Mechanics I
Spring Semester
• Statistical Mechanics
• Electricity and Magnetism II
• Quantum Mechanics II
This sequence prepares a student for the Qualifying Exam
(beginning of your second year)
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Financial support
STIPENDS (AY05-06)
Nine months
Teaching Asst. $18,000
Research Asst. $18,500
Summer
$2,000 - $2,055 / month
up to 3 months
HEALTH INSURANCE
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Teaching assistants
Most 1st year
students are
supported as TA’s
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Choosing a research advisor
Research Seminar
for 1st year students
Meeting faculty
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Student research experience
in the lab
with advisor
giving a talk at an
American Physical Society
meeting
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Astronomy
Theory
Observation
• Radio & X-ray telescopes
• Spacecraft
• Our own optical telescopes in Arizona
Faculty: Gayley, Gurnett, Kaaret, Lang, Mutel, Scudder,
Spangler, (plus search for new faculty member)
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Atomic & Molecular Physics
We’re interdisciplinary you may choose an advisor in:
•our department
•or the Department of Chemistry
Faculty:
Physics & Astronomy: Kleiber, Skiff
Chemistry:
Grassian, Jensen, Young
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Condensed Matter
We’ve grown:
> 11 labs
Quantum-mechanical topics:
semiconductor spintronics & optoelectronics,
superconductivity, magnetism
Soft-condensed-matter topics:
colloidal crystals
Faculty:
Boggess, Flatté, Goree, Prineas, Pryor,
Schweitzer, Smirl, Wohlgenannt
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Medical Imaging
We’re part of the largest research hospital in the USA
• Positron Emission Tomography
• Nuclear Medicine
Faculty:
Hichwa, Madsen
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Particle & Nuclear Physics
Experiments at:
Fermilab Higgs particle search
SLAC
CP-violation studies
Theory
Faculty:
Klink, Mallik, Meurice, Newsom, Onel,
Payne, Polyzou, Reno, Rodgers
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Photonics & Quantum Electronics
Experiment & theory
Topics:
spin & exciton dynamics
nano-scale structures
optoelectronic devices
nonlinear optics
Faculty:
Andersen, Boggess, Flatté, Prineas, Pryor, Smirl,
Wohlgenannt
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Plasma Physics
Experiments & Theory
We have the largest number
of plasma physics faculty
members among all physics
departments in the USA
Faculty:
D'Angelo, Daughton, Goree, Gurnett, Kletzing,
Lonngren, Merlino, Scudder, Skiff, Spangler
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Space Physics
Exploration of the solar system
Instruments on major spacecraft
Prof. Van Allen :
winner of the Craaford prize
= Nobel prize in Astronomy
Faculty:
D'Angelo, Daughton, Gayley, Gurnett, Kletzing,
Merlino, Mutel, Scudder, Spangler
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Some of our graduate students
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
How to apply
Exams
• GRE General Exam
• GRE Physics
Application deadline
February 1
More info:
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
You are welcome to visit us
We will help
pay your local
expenses in
Iowa City
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Astronomy
Space Physics
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Atomic & Molecular
Physics
Plasma Physics
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Condensed Matter
Photonics &
Quantum
Electronics
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Medical Imaging
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate
Particle & Nuclear Physics
www.physics.uiowa.edu/graduate