Spring 2024 F 2:00-2:50 PM
Howey L2

Instructor: JC Gumbart
Office: Howey W202
Email: gumbart_at_physics.gatech.edu
Office Hours (by appointment)

In this course, you will learn a number of skills in preparation for life post-degree, like how to wake up before noon and which laundry detergent to use. More importantly though, we will discuss how to select graduate schools, what careers are available (with just a BS degree or with a PhD), and how to apply to any and all of them. A portion of the course will also be spent on developing a proposal suitable for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

• learn how to write a résumé (or CV) and apply to jobs
• prepare for the GRE Physics test
• choose graduate schools to which to apply
• learn how to write a proposal

Attendance is mandatory. If you will miss a week for any reason, please let me know why, in advance. Attendance will make up HALF of your grade. In-person attendance is expected, and a sign-in sheet will be present at the front of the room before each class.

Grading will be based primarily on attendance (50%) as well as a few assignments. These will include

• write a résumé (15%)
• write a cover letter for a job OR write a personal statement for graduate school (15%)
• write a research proposal suitable for the NSF graduate fellowship (two pages, including references, in Latex; worth 20%)

See the right-hand side for due dates for each of these.

Attending seminars and colloquia is an important part of being a scientist and a physicist in particular. There are a few ways to find out seminars on campus.

• Read your department emails (haha!)
• Check dept. webpages; Physics, Biosciences, IBB, etc.
• sign up for GT Physics’ slack and join the events channel: slack

Aug. 23: intro, internships
Aug. 30: guest lecture on résumés
Sept. 6: more tips on résumés and the career fair; résumé cross-reading
Sept. 13: alternative assignment (see Canvas)
Sept. 20: NSF GRFP – (see “Fellowship Info” on the right for more)
Sept. 27: no class (Hurricane Helene)
Oct. 4: GRE prep
Oct. 11: “alternative” careers (outside of academia)
Oct. 18: alumni guest talk
Oct. 25: applying to grad schools (APS webinar) 
Nov. 1: personal statements (statement tips)
Nov. 8: Q&A with grad students
Nov. 15: personal statement cross reading
Nov. 22: scientific papers and publishing