Annual Physics Grad Student Progress Overviews for the 2023 - 2024 Academic Year

Dear Physics Graduate Students:

This week, I will start working on the annual student "progress overviews" of all physics graduate students for the 2023 - 2024 academic year. These overviews will consist of a brief summary of each graduate students' progress toward the PhD and suggestions for when relevant academic requirements (e.g., breadth courses, prelim exams, etc.) should be taken. I also encourage all of you to reach out to me directly this summer -- either before or after you receive your annual overview -- if you'd like to meet to discuss any concerns you have!

When my overview of your progress is complete, you will be sent an e-mail message notifying you of the progress overview and asking you to complete a required self-evaluation of your progress during the past year. When completed, links to the student self-evaluations are e-mailed to your advisers, hopefully promoting a discussion of progress towards the PhD degree, career goals, etc. For post-prelim students, links to your self-evaluations will also be sent to your prelim committee chairs. Just a reminder that post-prelim students are required to meet at least once each year with your committee chairs to discuss project updates and career plans.

Physics graduate students are required to complete their student self-evaluations during the Summer 2024 term. Physics PhD students who have already defended or will defend their thesis during Summer 2024 are not required to complete an annual self-evaluation.

The mandatory graduate student self-evaluations help ensure that all physics graduate students discuss their PhD progress and career goals with their advisers and prelim committee chairs at least once each year. I again encourage all of you to reach out to me directly this summer if you'd like to discuss your progress overview, your degree progress, or any concerns you have!

To access and complete your self-evaluations: First, log into MyPhysics, look under Grad Student Toolbox (left side of the page), and click on the link "Ph.D. Self-Evaluation Student Input Screen (Physics)" under Evaluations. This will take you to the on-line self-evaluation form. Before completing the form, it is important that you verify that the thesis advisor listed for you is correct, because this is the person to whom your self-evaluation will be sent. Please let me know as soon as possible if the thesis advisor listed for you is incorrect, and e-mail me the name of your correct thesis advisor so we can correct the record. Note that there is an optional section of the self-evaluation in which you can record comments that are not viewable by your advisors.

Once you've verified that the research advisor listed for you is correct, please complete the self-evaluation at your earliest convenience, but before August 15, 2024. You may want to wait for my overview of your progress before completing your self evaluation, so you can take my suggestions into consideration. You can save your work on the evaluation at any time, without finalizing your self-evaluation, by clicking on "Save Evaluation". This will allow you to return to your evaluation later to make changes or additions.

When you're finished with your Self-Evaluation, click the "Complete" box. This action will create a record of your self-review. If you want to make changes to your self-evaluation after submitting, let me know and I can make your self-evaluation accessible to you for editing. Additionally, clicking on the "Complete" box will cause an e-mail message to be send to your advisor and prelim committee chair (for post-prelim students), which will include a link to the sections of your self-evaluation that are viewable by your advisor and prelim committee chair. You can complete a new self-evaluation each term (Fall, Spring, and Summer), but the Grad College and we require only a yearly evaluation.

If your advisor completes his or her on-line evaluation of you, you will also be sent an e-mail containing a link that will allow you to see those sections of your advisor's evaluation that you are allowed to view. You can also access your advisor's and my progress overviews on your MyPhysics page, under Grad Student Toolbox, using the "Ph.D. Student Evaluation Feedback (Physics)" link under Evaluations. You will have an (optional) opportunity to agree or disagree with the adviser's and/or my overviews via a "PhD Shared Evaluation" link.

Thanks for your help completing this requirement and please let me know if you have any questions.

Best wishes, Lance