New Student Orientation

Agenda

Monday, August 10

PHY 047, Physics Building

8:30 - 9:00 am: Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 10:45 am: Assessment Exam: Classical Mechanics (Mandatory)

10:45 - 11:15 am: Break

11:15 am - 12:45 pm: Assessment Exam: Statistical mechanics (Mandatory)

12:45 - 2:00 pm: Lunch Break (Independent)

2:00 - 3:30 pm - Assessment Exam: Mathematical Methods  (Mandatory)


Tuesday, August 11

PHY 047, Physics Building

8:30 - 9:00 am: Continental Breakfast 

9:00 - 10:45 am: Assessment Exam: Quantum Mechanics (Mandatory)

10:45 - 11:15 am: Break

11:15 am - 12:45 pm: Assessment Exam: Electrodynamics  (Mandatory)


Wednesday, August 12

PHY 298, Physics Building

8:30 - 9:00 am: Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 am: Welcome to the Department — Prof. Divine Kumah, Director of Graduate Studies, Charles H. Townes Associate Professor of Physics

9:30 - 10:15 am: Human Resources & Payroll Overview — Terrika Outing, Administrative Coordinator, DGSA

10:15 - 10:30 am: Break

10:30 - 11:45 am: Computing Practices, Policies, and Account Setup — Salim Shaw, Analyst, IT Trinity Technology Services

11:45 am - 12:15 pm: Introduction to Library Resources — Brittany Wofford, Natural Sciences and Engineering & Librarian for Mathematics, Physics and Statistical Science

12:15 - 12:30 pm: Physics Colloquium — Renaye Frazier, Administrative Assistant and Prof. Eve Vavagiakis, Assistant Professor of Physics

12:30 - 1:30 pm: Lunch with Graduate Student Organization (GSO) Representatives 


Thursday, August 13

PHY 050, Physics Building

11:00am - 12:15 pm: Physics Instrument Shop &  Light Refreshments — Justin Fox, Research & Dev Engineer II


Friday, August 14


Monday, August 17

Individual Meetings

9:30 am - 2:05 pm: Individual Advising Meetings (Mandatory) — Prof. Divine Kumah – PHY 077, Physics Building 

10:00 am - 2:00 pm: Open Office hours with IT Trinity Technology Services (sign up available Wednesday August 12)

11:30 - 3:35 pm: Individual meeting to Discuss TA Qualifications and Preferences (Mandatory for TAs) with Michael Troxel, Associate Chair for Teaching, PHY 265, Physics Building  

5:30 - 6:30 pm: Evening Workshop for Incoming Domestic Ph.D. Students: Understanding Income Sources & Tax Reporting Information, Graduate School will send additional information


Tuesday, August 18

10:00 am - 12:20 pm: Orientation Information Session for new Master's and Ph.D. students, via Zoom; Graduate School to send link

12:30 - 2:30 pm: New Graduate Student Resource Fair, Abele Quad (located in front of Duke Chapel)


Wednesday, August 19 

PHY 298, Physics Building

11:00 - 11:30 pm: Duke@Work and Department Orientation  – Amy Feistel, Sr Business Manager and/or Laura Copeland, Financial Mgmt Analyst I

11:45 - 12:00 pm: Student Photos — Jimmy Dorff, Sr Analyst, Linux Tech Lead, Physics Building Foyer

12:00 - 1:00 pm: Lunch with Professor Christopher Walter, Department Chair

1:30 - 3:00 pm: Mentoring and Graduate Student Success: A Workshop for Incoming Ph.D. Students, Holsti Family Assembly Room, (rm 153), Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library 


Thursday, August 20

9:00 am - 12:00 pm: RCR Orientation for Ph.D. Students in Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering (Required), via Zoom; Graduate School to send link


Friday, August 21

TA Training & Orientation (Mandatory), PHY 047, Physics Building

8:30 - 9:00 am: Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 am: TA Expectations and Responsibilities, Michael Troxel

9:30 - 11:45 am: How to Teach Discussions, Arya Roy

11:45 am - 12:30 pm: Lunch with Current Grad Students

12:30 - 2:30 pm: Prep for Lab Sessions & Practice Lab Session, Ken McKenzie, PHY 141, Physics Building

3:30 - 5:00 pm: Welcome Reception for New & Returning Students, Duke Graduate School, 2127 Campus Drive


Wednesday, August 26

TA Training & Orientation (Mandatory), PHY 298, Physics Building

3:00 - 4:30 pm: Grading Workshop — Prof. Arya Roy & Ken McKenzie PHY 141, Physics Building