Graduate Student Meeting for Fall 2009: Agenda and Notes

Thursday, 27 August 2009, 4:05pm, Physics 1002

  1. Introductions:
    Professor James Fry (Graduate Coordinator), Professors Detweiler, Hebard, Maslov, Mitselmakher, Sikivie, Stanton (GSAC). Professor Stephen Hagen (Graduate Recruiter). Professors Chan, Cheng, Hirschfeld, Matchev, Mueller, Saab (GRAC). Program Assistant Ms. Pam Marlin. Graduate Student Representative Francisco Rojas. Other faculty members present. Associate Chair Kevin Ingersent, Chair of Physics Department John Yelton. Director of Female Physics Forum Professor Katia Matcheva.

  2. Female Physics Forum: Katia Matcheva

  3. US Students: becoming Florida Residents:
    Congratulations to senior students, who have achieved 100% compliance. New students (US citizens): please apply for Florida residency. Pam Marlin will be contacting you if you qualify.
    Other holds: Emergency Contact Information, Terms of Enrollment

  4. International Students travelling outside the US:
    Since 9-11, we have been issuing letters documenting a student's registration in the Physics Department. In many instances these letters have been helpful when a student seeks reentry to the US. This type of letter is not required, but is suggested by the UF international center. It is your responsibility to see Pam Marlin about obtaining this letter in advance of your departure, We ask that you take this letter with you and keep it with your official documents.

  5. Travel Support for Graduate Students
    The CLAS Travel Support for Graduate Students program for Fall 2009 has been announced. Applications, including the cover page http://www.clas.ufl.edu/forms/travel_grad.pdf and up to two pages of supporting material, should be returned by noon, Wednesday September 9. The top four applications are forwarded to CLAS. In the past, applications have also been considered for a $250 Departmental award, depending on availability of funds. Before applying, discuss your application with your advisor, and Follow The Directions.

  6. Health Insurance for Assistants and Fellows
    See UF Graduate School web page, https://gradschool.ufl.edu/pdf-files/gatorgradcare-faq.pdf
    See UF Human Resources and Benefits, http://www.hr.ufl.edu/benefits/gatorgradcare/default.asp

  7. H1N1 Flu

  8. TA/GA: When do I need to be on Campus?
    You must be on campus early enough to receive your assignment before the beginning of the semester, during the times when classes are in session, and possibly to proctor and/or grade final examinations at the end of the semester. These assignments should be defined near the start of the semester. Failure to be available for your TA/GA assignments and duties at the start and end of a semester may lead to a reduction or loss of your future assignments.

  9. TA Assignments:
    Minimum 0.25 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent), Maximum 0.49 FTE
    0.25 FTE = 20 hrs/wk, 0.30 FTE = 12 hrs/wk, 0.33 FTE = 13.2 hrs/wk, 0.39 FTE = 15.6 hrs/wk, 0.41 FTE = 16.4 hrs/wk, 0.49 FTE = 19.6 hrs/wk

  10. New Graduate Student Orientation and TA Orientation (run by the Graduate School):
    If you did not attend these sessions this Fall, there will be another opportunity in January 2010. The Graduate School takes attendance and has suggested that the TA sessions will, in the future, become a prerequisite for a TA appointment. We want to be prepared for this possibility, which may be implemented instantaneously.

  11. Outreach:
    From time to time, graduate students are asked to participate in "outreach" activities; judging local middle school and high school science fairs are one example. If your schedule allows for it, you are encouraged to participate.

  12. Security:
    See http://www.phys.ufl.edu/department/securityinfo.html
    Football season starts on September 5, and many strangers will be on campus. Also, watch for a change in parking rules on Friday afternoons before home football games. Move your car as indicated, or it will be towed.

  13. Academic Honesty and Plagiarism:
    These policies have always been in place. For the Student Honor Code and Student Conduct regulations and procedures, see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial. For anti-plagiarism resources, see the turnitin@UF page at http://www.at.ufl.edu/~turnitin/resources.html. Plagiarism issues are now amplified by ETD (electronically transmitted dissertation), and the author must have permission to use previously copyrighted material; see the Graduate School's Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations at http://gradschool.ufl.edu/editorial/introduction.html. Permissions are the responsibility of the author of the thesis; do not depend on the thesis supervisor to be aware of these details. Buried in the materials available in the Editorial web pages and forms is the following link to help guide the process, http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/copyright/.

  14. Professional Behavior:
    1. Sexual Harassment and related issues:
      Is it Conflict or Harrassment, http://www.hr.ufl.edu/eeo/harassment.htm
      Preventing Sexual Harassment training online: http://www.hr.ufl.edu/infogator/2008/november/expanded.htm
      myUFL → My Self Service → Training and Development → Online Learning, "Preventing Sexual Harassment"
    2. Disclosure of Tutoring and Outside Activities (Conflicts of Interest)
      http://www.admin.ufl.edu/ddd/default.asp?doc=6.8.969.11
      Pam has the necessary paperwork.
    3. Suggestions/Guidelines for Lecturers and Leaders of Discussion Sections
      http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~meisel/Lecture-Discussion-v15Dec04.doc
    4. Responsible Conduct in Research: authorship, data, mentor-student interactions, ...
      http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4917 (National Academies Press, "On Being A Scientist")
    5. Timing of Requests and Return of Paperwork:
      For: Visas, Official Transcripts, Paperwork for Qualifying and Final Exams, Appointments ("official" and "yellow" sheets), Official Evaluations, Registration ("blue" sheets), and other requested documents — Please return on time and/or with plenty of advance notice. Do. Not. Wait. Until. The. Last. Moment.

  15. Tentative list of advanced graduate courses for 2009–2010:

    Course Number Title Instructor
    Fall 2009
    PHY 6648 Quantum Field Theory 1 Ramond
    PHY 6905 Optical Effects in Solids Tanner
    PHY 7097 Advanced Topics — Condensed Matter Hirschfeld
    PHZ 6358 Standard Model 1 Sikivie
    PHZ 6426 Solid State 1 Cheng
    MAP 6505 Math Methods in Science and Engineering Klauder
    Spring 2010
    PHY 6555C Cryogenics Ihas
    PHY 7097 Advanced Topics — Quantum Optics Mueller
    PHY 7097 Advanced Topics — Introduction to Supersymmetry Ramond
    PHZ 5155C Modeling and Simulation Cheng
    PHZ 6359 Standard Model 2 Sikivie
    PHZ 7427 Solid State 2 Ingersent

    See also courses in the Astronomy Department, http://www.astro.ufl.edu/graduateprogram/courses.html

  16. Appropriate use of e-mail (~@phys.ufl.edu):
    Please check your phys.ufl.edu email regularly (daily). Please maintain a professional and courteous tone in email messages. Threatening or intimidating comments, even if meant in a joking manner, can be misinterpreted and may lead to a loss of computer privileges. "Delete" is a better option than a nasty reply. If you are troubled by messages that you are receiving, discuss it with your mentor and peers, or see me so we can discuss it. Finally, a test message will be sent to the grad alias to be sure new students are linked. If you are a new student, please reply to verify that you have received the message.

  17. etc.:
    1. Offices: Do not move office without discussing the situation with Pam Marlin. There are checksums and "boundary conditions."
    2. The copying machine in the student services offices should be used only for teaching materials, never for personal items. Be gentle, the machine is old and reaching the end of its useful life.
    3. Due to budget constraints, the printers in the computer lab will be supplied 2000 pages per month. After that, students will have to provide their own paper.
    4. Receive one year free membership to the American Physical Society, http://www.aps.org/membership/student.cfm. The trial membership includes a free online journal subscription and three free APS units (DCMP, DAP, DBP, ...)
    5. Department Poster Session, with food and cold drinks, plus announcement of awards, Scott Memorial Award, Hooper Memorial Award, Teaching Assistants of the Year...

  18. Graduate Student Representative: Francisco Rojas