Welcome to the University of Chicago Department of Physics!
We are excited for you to join our department and the university community. We have developed a schedule to facilitate your transition to graduate school, combining a welcome by the Department of Physics, information sessions, advising meetings, and research talks. As graduate students, you are an important part of the Department of Physics and we hope to do everything we can to help you transition into our community.
This year orientation will take place in-person.
Newly Admitted Student Resources
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Students
Step-by-step instructions to upload proof of vaccination
Orientation Week One: Monday, September 12, 2022 - Friday, September 16, 2022
Week One will consist of an introduction to the department, advising meetings, HR onboarding and information sessions. All sessions will be held in-person and mandatory, unless specfied.
Orientation Week Two: Monday, September 19, 2022 - Friday, September 23, 2022
Week Two will consist of required workshops and faculty presentations. All sessions will be held in-person and mandatory, unless specfied.
Campus tour is Thursday September 15th. Location and details will be emailed. Here is the campus video tour as well as the neighborhood highlights (created by Louis Varriano).
WEEK ONE
Monday, September 12, 2022
All sessions from 10:30 am - 11:30 am will be in KPTC 206.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Welcome from the Chair of the Department of Physics, Peter Littlewood
Peter Littlewood holds a BA and PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge. He was member of technical staff, and later head, of the theoretical physics research group at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. He moved to Cambridge in 1997 as head of the Theory of Condensed Matter group, and later became head of the Cavendish Laboratory and Department of Physics. He came to UChicago in 2011 as Associate Lab Director and then Lab Director, at Argonne National Lab, returning full time to the University in 2017. He serves on the advisory boards of several institutes, including the Faraday Institution, the Simons Foundation, the Paul Scherer Institute, the Carnegie Institute for Science, and the Max Planck Institutes at Halle and Hamburg.
KPTC 206
11:00 am - 11:15 am Physics Department Welcome
- Zosia Krusberg, Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Senior Instructional Professor
- Stuart Gazes, Undergraduate Program Chair and Senior Lecturer
- David D. Reid, Lecturer
- Savan Kharel, Assistant Instructional Professor
- Shadla Cycholl, Assistant to the Chair
- Mark Chantell, Director of Instructional Laboratories
- David McCowan, Instructional Laboratory Staff
- Kevin Van De Bogart, Instructional Laboratory Staff
- Lucas Baralt-Nazario, Lecture Demonstrator
- Tiffany Kurns, Undergraduate Affairs Administrator
- Putri Kusumo, Assistant Director of Graduate Affairs
KPTC 206
11:15 am - 11:30 am Overview of Week One and Two
KPTC 206
11:30 am - 1:00 pm Information Session with Putri
This session will provide graduate students with information about the services and resources provided by the University, give an overview of the University of Chicago Physical Science Division policies and funding structures, and give an opportunity for students to ask questions about it all.
KPTC 206
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Advising Meetings (via Zoom)
Zosia will reach out about your scheduled meeting time and location.
Via Zoom
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Staff Office Pop-in (optional)
Meet with staff in KPTC by visiting their offices.
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
10:30 am - 2:00 pm HR Onboarding Event
One-on-one appointment based event. Sign up instructions will be made available via email in the coming weeks.
KPTC 206
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Crerar Library Tour with Jennifer Hart (optional)
In addition to the general tour of the library by Jennifer Hart, you will be shown some areas which are normally inaccessible to students.
The Library offers access to physics journal subscriptions, books and other resources, most available online. We also offer services such as paging and scanning of materials and assistance with questions about finding information and how to organize your work and data. More information about what is available and how to access our collections and services (both on and off campus) is in our physics guide.
5730 S. Ellis Ave, Library Atrium. The library is diagonally across the Science Quadrangle from KPTC.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Lunch with Current Students
Introductory meeting with some current students over lunch.
KPTC 206
1:00 pm - 1:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with David Miller (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in MCP 201.
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Advising Meetings (via Zoom)
Zosia will reach out about your scheduled meeting time and location.
Via Zoom
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
11:00 am - 11:30 am GradInfluences (optional)
The GradInfluences program is a graduate student organized program that pairs incoming physics graduate students with experienced students in the department who can help guide them through their first year. In addition to pairing mentors and mentees, GradInfluences also hosts social events for all mentors and mentees to meet together, in order to introduce first years to the wider physics graduate social life.
KPTC Courtyard (west side of KPTC) or KPTC 206 (in case of inclement weather).
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Lunch with Current Students
Introductory meeting with some current students over lunch.
KPTC 206
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Lab Safety Orientation with Chandra Man Karki and Ian Hoppie
Overview of the safety departments as well as complete summary initial training that will be required to work in the labs.
Please find more information on Lab Safety here.
Meeting location will be sent via email.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
10:00 am - 11:00 am Advising Meetings (via Zoom)
Zosia will reach out about your scheduled meeting time and location.
Via Zoom
11:00 am - 1:00 pm Campus Tour with Current Graduate Students (optional)
Here is the campus video tour and neighborhood highlights (created by Louis Varriano).
KPTC Courtyard (west side of KPTC)
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm LGBTQIA+ Physicists Group (optional)
The LGBTQIA+ Physicists Group, formed in 2020, meets occasionally for social events and is in the process of planning what other types of events and advocacy we want to do. The purpose of this group is to provide a space to socialize within the department and to advocate for the needs of LGBTQIA+ members of the physics community. This session will provide incoming students with a chance to meet some current LGBTQIA+ graduate students to learn about opportunities that exist within the department and university. You can join the mailing list here. Mailing list: lgbtqia_phys@lists.uchicago.edu
Louis Varriano is a 6th-year graduate student in nuclear physics at Argonne National Lab. He works on radioactive ion traps for precision measurements of fundamental symmetries; his current work is on measuring the beta-neutrino angular correlation in the beta-decay of Li-8 and B-8 to place limits on the tensor contribution to the weak interaction.
Liza Mulder is a 6th year graduate student working in the Esser-Kahn Lab in the PME. She works on a project that seeks to probe the fundamentals of the innate immune system by using Fluidic Force Microscopy (FluidFM) to target single immune cells in culture. She is excited to be working on a project with the potential to both elucidate the fundamentals of a complex system and inform more applied research in the field. In addition to research, Liza is involved in several student groups in the physics department and on campus.
KPTC Courtyard (west side of KPTC) or KPTC 206 (in case of inclement weather).
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Advising Meetings (via Zoom)
Zosia will reach out about your scheduled meeting time and location.
Via Zoom
Friday, September 16, 2022
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (WAGMIP) (optional)
Please join us for the Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (WAGMIP) welcome session for female-identifying and other gender minority students. This is a great time to meet current grad students and share ideas for the upcoming year!
Lauren Weiss is a third-year graduate student in Professor Cheng Chin's lab and one of the GRIT physics cluster reps. Outside of physics, she enjoys playing on the physics softball team (go Bingo!) and swimming at Ratner.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Tom Witten (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Karri DiPetrillo (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
WEEK TWO
Monday, September 19, 2022
10:00 am - 12:00 pm PHYS 300 Workshop on the Teaching and Learning of Physics
This workshop will provide students with tools to developing and utilizing skills to be a more effective Teaching Assistant. It is required for all Teaching Assistants to participate. Research Assistants and Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend so that you will be eligible to hold Teaching Assistantships in the future.
KPTC 103
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Kick-off Launch Party
KPTC Courtyard (west side of KPTC)
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Jeff McMahon (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Carlos Wagner (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
9:00 am - 10:00 am Dean of Students (In-person event) (optional)
The Division plans to host an in-person orientation event at the Logan Center for the Arts (915 E 60th St) on September 20, 2022 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am. Students will have the opportunity to meet Dean of Students Office staff and other faculty and staff from the Division. This event is not required, but attendance is encouraged.
This event is open to all invitees regardless of vaccination status and, because of ongoing health risks to the unvaccinated, those who are unvaccinated are expected to adopt the risk mitigation measures advised by public health officials (masking and social distancing, etc.) Public convening may not be safe for all and carries a risk for contracting COVID-19, particularly for those unvaccinated. Participants will not know the vaccination status of others, including venue staff, and should follow appropriate risk mitigation measures.
Online Dean of Students Orientation Session
The Division will provide online orientation materials (via Canvas) that incoming graduate students can review at their own pace. Incoming students should have received an email invitation to access the Canvas materials in early August.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT) (optional)
The Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT) is a team of graduate students committed to building a diverse and strong community of scientists at UChicago. We focus on recruiting and retaining students from marginalized, underrepresented, and non-traditional backgrounds and work to promote equity, inclusion, and justice for these researchers by holding events and advocating for student interests. We operate with an explicitly and enthusiastically intersectional approach. Join us for a session to take a look at some aspects of navigating grad school.
Elise Hinkle is a third-year graduate student doing research with Professor Ed Blucher on experimental neutrino physics and is one of the GRIT physics cluster reps. Her favorite Chicago pandemic activities have been trying out/making up new recipes, going on morning runs along the lake, and learning to skateboard.
Lauren Weiss is a third-year graduate student in Professor Cheng Chin's lab and one of the GRIT physics cluster reps. Outside of physics, she enjoys playing on the physics softball team (go Bingo!) and swimming at Ratner.
KPTC 206
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Aaron Esser-Kahn (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm PHYS 300 Workshop on the Teaching and Learning of Physics
This workshop will provide students with tools to developing and utilizing skills to be a more effective Teaching Assistant. It is required for all Teaching Assistants to participate. Research Assistants and Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend so that you will be eligible to hold Teaching Assistantships in the future.
KPTC 103 and 105
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Juan Collar (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
10:00 am - 12:00 pm PHYS 300 Workshop on the Teaching and Learning of Physics
This workshop will provide students with tools to developing and utilizing skills to be a more effective Teaching Assistant. It is required for all Teaching Assistants to participate. Research Assistants and Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend so that you will be eligible to hold Teaching Assistantships in the future.
KPTC 103 and 105
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with David DeMille (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
1:00 pm - 1:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Shuolong Yang (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Tian Zhong (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with William Irvine (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
10:00 am - 12:00 pm PHYS 300 Workshop on the Teaching and Learning of Physics
This workshop will provide students with tools to developing and utilizing skills to be a more effective Teaching Assistant. It is required for all Teaching Assistants to participate. Research Assistants and Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend so that you will be eligible to hold Teaching Assistantships in the future.
KPTC 103 and 105
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Hannes Bernien (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Alex High (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Ivar Martin (Department of Physics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
Friday, September 23, 2022
10:00 am - 12:00 pm PHYS 300 Workshop on the Teaching and Learning of Physics
This workshop will provide students with tools to developing and utilizing skills to be a more effective Teaching Assistant. It is required for all Teaching Assistants to participate. Research Assistants and Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend so that you will be eligible to hold Teaching Assistantships in the future.
KPTC 103 and 105
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Andrew Ferguson (Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.
1:00 pm - 1:50 pm Faculty Research Presentation with Leslie Rogers (Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics)
Presentation will be held in KPTC 206.