Download ppt - Nicholas ChantDepartment of PhysicsMarch 2005 - P1 Graduate Program Spring 2005 - 200 registered grad students –Support –Entering class 2/3 US, 1/3 International

Nicholas Chant Department of Physics March 2005 - P1

Graduate Program

• Spring 2005 - 200 registered grad students– Support– Entering class 2/3 US, 1/3 International– Qualifying Examination– Time to degree, attrition, placement

• Research – in Physics, IPST, Materials – NASA, NIH, NIST, NRL, LPS (lab for physical

sciences [NSA])


Support

• Entering students– 2 years as TA or Fellow, a few RA’s– Most have RA support after 1 – 1.5 years

• CY Stipends TA/RA– 2001 $16k– 2002 $18k– 2005 $19k – (fewer TA’s, use some faculty as TA’s) – Stipends are probably still low


Support

• Some theory students continue as TA’s – Support in year 3 or later is very uncertain– We do try to maintain a balance between

theory and experiment on admission• Need assistance with TA support & stipends• Fellows

– 5 Grad School ~ TA + $5k (2 years)• Fellowship + ½ TA/RA

– 8 GAANN Fellows (Fall 2003 3 years )• Need more Fellowships


Composition of entering class

• Entering class 2004• 7 females, 36 males• 1 Asian-American, 1 African-American

Entering Class US International Total

2004 26 16 42

2003 30 14 44

2002 27 11 38

2001 19 19 38

2000 19 19 38


Entering class - applications

Starting in 2001 we wrote to all US applicants who had not already applied to UMCP and offered to pay $50 application fee

List from GRE / ETS of physics students reporting A/A- gpa )

USA CHINA OTHER TOTAL

2005 257 185 194 636

2004 262 184 158 604

2003 258 235 176 669

2002 209 175 140 524

2001 182 129 113 424

2000 98 140 104 342


Recruited US students

Women and Minorities -Additional Phone / email contact from faculty

Enteringclass

Students contacted

Applied Offers Accept

2004 438 76 39 9

2003 695 101 39 7

2002 590 112 57 13

2001 369 47 28 4


Composition of entering class

• Entering class 2004• 7 females, 36 males• 1 Asian-American, 1 African-American

Entering Class US International Total

2004 26 16 42

2003 30 14 44

2002 27 11 38

2001 19 19 38

2000 19 19 38


Entering Class - scores

# Starting in 2004 most students submitted results for thenew Analytical test scored out of 6

GRE#

Q+V+A

GREPhysics

Total gpa

(US only)

2004 1367 766 2133 3.70

2003 2086 750 2836 3.80

2002 2091 730 2821 3.69

2001 2008 770 2778 3.70

2000 1956 762 2718 3.71


Graduate Program

• Academic Requirements– Qualifier Examination

• 3 tries after 1, 1.5 and 2 years• Exam is “easier” – pass each part separately• “Free try” on arrival

– A graduate lab– 2 courses outside area of specialization– 2 credits seminar, 12 credits research– Many body or Relativistic QM for theorists– Scholarly paper– Preliminary Research Presentation


Qualifier Exam - Aug. 2004

• 2003 entering class • 32 took the exam + 4 already passed

– 20 passed entire exam 55.5%– 7 orals (all passed) 19.4%– 4 passed one Part 11.1%– 5 failed 13.9%

• Success rate – 31 had some success 86.1%– 5 had no success 13.9%

• These 5 took the exam January 2005– All Passed


Issues

• Stipends probably still low– Need assistance with TA support & stipends– Need more Fellowships

• Would like to teach more Graduate classes– Rotation, at least 3 survey courses are taught– Despite our size, not enough faculty, buy out’s,

etc.• Quality of Office Space for TA’s (mostly 1st and 2nd

year students.– 6 students /office– 2 PC’s

• Grad Student Lounge– Uninviting & too small


Graduate Program

• Time to degree– 6.25 years

• Monitoring Progress– Annual Questionnaire to students and advisors

• Placement– See data in Internal review report