Illinois URM Physics Workshop Series

Graduate students in physics attending Illinois institutions who identify as under-represented minorities (URM) are invited to a virtual workshop hosted by the University of Chicago.  This workshop is designed to help URM graduate students succeed in their career goals, and network with other URM students with whom they can share experiences, advice, and ideas.

First URM workshop group photo

First URM workshop group photo at U.Chicago


3rd Illinois URM Physics Workshop 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 5pm - 9pm

Virtual workshop, hosted by the University of Chicago

Click here to register, or click here to see a list of current attendees

A zoom link for attendees will be provided at a later date.  See info below about updating your zoom client before the workshop.

Schedule (Presentations here):

  • 17:00-17:30: Introduction with quick icebreaker activities, Young-Kee Kim (U.Chicago)
  • 17:30-18:20: 3' Lightning Presentations by Graduate Students - Part 1
    • Alex Beach (UIUC), Hugo Becerril Gonzalez (UIC), Nina Bielinski (UIUC), Julian Cuevas-Zepeda (U.Chicago), Luis de Jesus Astacio (UIUC), Asrat Demise (U.Chicago), Rita Garrido Menacho (UIUC), Juan Pablo Gonzalez-Aguilera (U.Chicago), Robeson Graham-Bailey (UIUC)
  • 18:20-18:50: Keynote Presentation, Cecey Bester (Swarthmore College)
  • 18:50-19:20: Break and Chat
  • 19:20-20:10: 3' Lightning Presentations by Graduate Students - Part 2
    • Jelani Hannah (U.Chicago), Giancarlo Jusino Sanchez (NW), Jordan Kemp (U.Chicago), Edgar Marrufo Villalpando (U.Chicago), Katrina Miller (U.Chicago), Rachel Nguyen (UIUC), Francisco Restrepo (UIC), Anabel Romero Hernandez (UIUC), Garrett Williams (UIUC)
  • 20:10-20:50: Roundtable conversations between students and faculty
    • Three Zoom breakout rooms hosted by Nadya Mason (UIUC), Cacey Bester (Swarthmore), Cecilia Gerber (UIC) 
  • 20:50-21:00: Closing remarks, Michael Schmitt (NW)


We will be using breakout rooms during this zoom meeting. In order to select which breakout room session you want to attend, you must be running version 5.3 or greater of the zoom client.


2nd Illinois URM Physics Workshop at UIUC


1st Illinois URM Physics Workshop at UChicago