Open HouseOpen HouseMarch 7, 2013March 7, 2013

Who is the PGSC?Who is the PGSC?

• PPhysics hysics GGraduate raduate SStudent tudent CCouncilouncil• The representative body for the physics The representative body for the physics

graduate students graduate students

• Seven graduate students are elected each Seven graduate students are elected each yearyear

• PGSC facilitates communication between PGSC facilitates communication between department and graduate students on department and graduate students on matters of mutual interestmatters of mutual interest

• Current members: Current members: • Nick Pike, Scott Feister, Rebecca Reesman, Nick Pike, Scott Feister, Rebecca Reesman,

Megan Harberts, Nicolas Scozzaro, Jack Megan Harberts, Nicolas Scozzaro, Jack Brangham, John DraskovicBrangham, John Draskovic

FacilitiesFacilities• State of the art physics State of the art physics

research buildingresearch building• Clean, spacious officesClean, spacious offices

• 11stst-year offices on 3-year offices on 3rdrd floor floor

• Great lab spaceGreat lab space• Fully-equipped Fully-equipped

conference rooms conference rooms throughout the buildingthroughout the building• Whiteboards, chalkboards Whiteboards, chalkboards

and projector screensand projector screens

• Lively meeting spacesLively meeting spaces• Natural sun light Natural sun light

throughout most of the throughout most of the building building

FacilitiesFacilities• Core classes held in Smith Core classes held in Smith

Lab or PRB (This room)Lab or PRB (This room)• Renovated classroomsRenovated classrooms

• Brand new, innovative Brand new, innovative “palet” classrooms/labs for “palet” classrooms/labs for teaching teaching

• Just finishing the Just finishing the planetarium! planetarium!

ResearchResearch• Well-funded and collaborative Well-funded and collaborative

departmentdepartment

• 3 research centers:3 research centers:• ““CCAPP” Center for Cosmology and CCAPP” Center for Cosmology and

Astro-Particle PhysicsAstro-Particle Physics• $5.7M collaboration between astronomy and $5.7M collaboration between astronomy and

physics departmentphysics department

• ““CEM” Center for Emergent MaterialsCEM” Center for Emergent Materials• $17M NSF-funded collaboration between $17M NSF-funded collaboration between

physics, materials science and engineering, physics, materials science and engineering, electrical engineering, and chemistry electrical engineering, and chemistry departmentsdepartments

• ““ENCOMM” Exploration of Novel ENCOMM” Exploration of Novel Complex MaterialsComplex Materials• $ 5.5M Center dedicated to promoting

collaboration between 7 Departments spanning 2 Colleges

AMOAMO• $8M DOE-funded SCARLET laser – $8M DOE-funded SCARLET laser –

one of the most powerful in the worldone of the most powerful in the world

Nano-systems LaboratoryNano-systems Laboratory• World-class NanoSystems Laboratory World-class NanoSystems Laboratory

(NSL) facility in the basement features:(NSL) facility in the basement features:• SEM and FIB with nanomanipulatorsSEM and FIB with nanomanipulators• 2 SQUID magnetometers2 SQUID magnetometers• 2 AFM/MFM’s2 AFM/MFM’s• 3 Quantum Design PPMS’s: 7T, 9T, and 3 Quantum Design PPMS’s: 7T, 9T, and newnew 14T!14T!

• Clean roomClean room• Photolithography labPhotolithography lab• CVD diamond growerCVD diamond grower• Sputtering systemSputtering system• EPR spectrometerEPR spectrometer• Much more!Much more!

Other FacilitiesOther Facilities• Beautiful main library Beautiful main library

• Bustling student unionBustling student union

• Huge gym: “RPAC”Huge gym: “RPAC”• More equipment, courts, pools, More equipment, courts, pools,

and classes than you can and classes than you can imagine!imagine!

• Awesome climbing wallsAwesome climbing walls

General TimelineGeneral Timeline

• Take classes your first 2 yearsTake classes your first 2 years• Core classes + electivesCore classes + electives

• Take the candidacy exam the summer after Take the candidacy exam the summer after your 2your 2ndnd year (typically) year (typically)

• Research for another few yearsResearch for another few years

• GraduateGraduate

• ProfitProfit

• 14-16 hours per week total14-16 hours per week total• 2 hours in recitation2 hours in recitation• 4 hours in lab4 hours in lab• 2 hours in weekly training meetings2 hours in weekly training meetings• 2 hours of Office hours2 hours of Office hours• 1-4 hours prep time1-4 hours prep time• ~~1 hour grading 1 hour grading

• Usually you have two sections of ~25 studentsUsually you have two sections of ~25 students

• Exam grading 1-3 times per semester (4-7 hours)Exam grading 1-3 times per semester (4-7 hours)

Ta informationTa information

• Good social atmosphere among Good social atmosphere among grad studentsgrad students

• Students work togetherStudents work together• Encouraged by the departmentEncouraged by the department• Not cutthroat! Not cutthroat! • Focused, bright peersFocused, bright peers

• Personal situations are diversePersonal situations are diverse• Married, international, like to work Married, international, like to work

late, like to work early… you will late, like to work early… you will find those with shared interestsfind those with shared interests

• Many department events:Many department events:• Weekly colloquia, winter party, Weekly colloquia, winter party,

pizza meetings, picnics, poster pizza meetings, picnics, poster competitionscompetitions

Being a grad student at OSU Being a grad student at OSU

Being a grad student at OSU Being a grad student at OSU

• Columbus is a vibrant cityColumbus is a vibrant city• Tons of festivals: ComFest (hippies Tons of festivals: ComFest (hippies

everywhere), Jazz&Rib Fest, Italian/Greek everywhere), Jazz&Rib Fest, Italian/Greek Fest, Pumpkin FestFest, Pumpkin Fest

• Sports galore: professional hockey, soccer, Sports galore: professional hockey, soccer, baseball, OSU football and basketballbaseball, OSU football and basketball

• Famous zooFamous zoo

• Culture: symphony, theater, botanical Culture: symphony, theater, botanical gardens and conservatory, museums, arts, gardens and conservatory, museums, arts, plays, etcplays, etc

• Several music venuesSeveral music venues

• Community OrchestraCommunity Orchestra

• Columbus MarathonColumbus Marathon

• State FairState Fair

• Gallery Hop Gallery Hop

Living in ColumbusLiving in Columbus• Getting around:Getting around:

› Campus bus and city bus both Campus bus and city bus both free with OSU IDfree with OSU ID

› Don’t need a car, but its nice Don’t need a car, but its nice to have oneto have one

› Bicycle-friendly cityBicycle-friendly city› Olentangy trail – 14-mile bike Olentangy trail – 14-mile bike

pathpath› Alum Creek bike trail ~20 Alum Creek bike trail ~20

milesmiles› Hilliard rails-to-trailsHilliard rails-to-trails

• Inexpensive housing!Inexpensive housing!• Even “High-End” Apartments Even “High-End” Apartments

are affordable on our Stipend are affordable on our Stipend

Social Events at The Social Events at The open houseopen house

• TONIGHTTONIGHT• Bowling after dinner (8:30 departure)Bowling after dinner (8:30 departure)

• TomorrowTomorrow• Social event at house of 4 graduate students Social event at house of 4 graduate students

(7pm-?)(7pm-?)• Walking distance from the PRBWalking distance from the PRB

• Optional side eventOptional side event• Board games at the PRBBoard games at the PRB

QuestionsQuestions

•Email PGSC at: Email PGSC at: PGSC@physics.osu.eduPGSC@physics.osu.edu