Prospective PhD Visit Days

Friday

Why do I want to study here?

8:30 AM | Escort to Chamberlin Hall

Meet current graduate students in hotel lobby for escort to Chamberlin Hall. Breakfast snacks available in 5310 Chamberlin.  (wknd 1 – Full breakfast at Fluno at 7am ; wknd 2 –  in Agriculture room, 3rd floor, Union South, 7:30-8:30am).

9:00 – 10:00 AM | Department of Physics Overview

Join us for an overview of the Department of Physics and a discussion of degree requirements and teaching responsibilities (5310 Chamberlin Hall)

• • Kevin Black, Department Chair
  • Keith Bechtol, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies
  • Jim Reardon, Director of Undergraduate Studies
  • Sharon Kahn, Graduate Program Manager

Click here to view the slide deck from this presentation.

10:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Individual Faculty Meetings

Meet with individual faculty in 25-minute meetings to learn more about their research and their role in the Department (see individual meeting schedule for location).

10:15 – 11:00 AM | Research Area Discussions

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Research Area Discussions

12:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Lunch

Join our current students for lunch (Box lunches available outside of 2241 Chamberlin.  Feel free to go outside, if the weather cooperates!)

1:00 – 3:25 PM | Tour and/or Talk with Current Students

Throughout the afternoon, current students will be available to answer questions or just to chat in the Grad Lounge (3339 Chamberlin Hall).

(Campus tour is an option; IceCube is an option. Both are at the bottom of the stack).

1:00 – 3:25 PM | Individual Faculty Meetings

Meet with individual faculty in 25-minute meetings to learn more about their research and their role in the Department (see individual meeting schedule for location).

1:15 – 2:00 PM | Research Area Discussions

2:15 – 3:00 PM | Research Area Discussions

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Physics Department Colloquium

The Department of Physics traditionally gathers on Friday afternoons for Department Colloquium in 2241 Chamberlin Hall. (Coffee and cookies at 3pm)

On March 7, we will welcome Zeeshan Ahmed, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. His talk is titled, “Cosmic Microwave Background: Current Status & Future Prospects”

On March 15, we will welcome Kai-Mei Fu, University of Washington. (NOTE this talk will be at the Discovery building, DeLuca Forum and is co-sponsored with the Wisconsin Quantum Institute.)

4:45 PM | Meet in the lobby outside of 2241 Chamberlin Hall

Walk to the Physics Reception at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

5:00 – 7:00 PM | Reception

Reception with faculty and graduate student volunteers (Wisconsin Institute for Discovery)

7:30 – 9:00 PM | Evening activities

Bowling and Pool at Union South with current graduate students (optional)

Saturday

Why do I want to live here?

8:30 – 10:15 AM | Gender Minorities and Women in Physics (GMaWIP) Breakfast (optional)

Sign up by the Tues before your visit at Noon! (Gather at 8:10 in the lobby to catch the bus together)

10:30 AM – 12:00PM | Student Organization Presentations

Join us for presentations from our student organizations (Fluno Center)

• • Physics Graduate Student Council (PGSC)
  • Gender Minorities and Women in Physics (GMaWiP)
  • Teaching Assistant Association (TAA)
  • Black and Brown in Physics (BBiP)
  • Outreach in UW Physics
  • Current Ph.D. students will discuss life as graduate students in Madison, the city’s affordable cost of living, and navigating the UW-Madison campus B343 Sterling (wknd 1); Industry room, 3rd floor, Union South (wknd 2)

Variable dates in March

Virtual visitors will be invited to sign up for available times for these scheduled activities.

Department Overview

Join us for an overview of the Department of Physics and a discussion of degree requirements and teaching responsibilities.  Click here and enter the code “gDBXL$7f” to view a recording of the session. This was recorded during our in-person visit day on Friday, 7 March 2025. You may also view the slides from this presentation.

Individual Faculty Meetings

Meet with individual faculty in 25-minute zoom meetings to learn more about their research and their role in the Department.  Check your email for your personalized scheduling link.

Online Panel Discussion with current students

Meet current graduate students and other prospective classmates in an online Zoom meeting on Wednesday, 12 March, 10-11am CDT. Click here for a recording of this session.  Enter the code “xMR4s+8B” to view the recording.