Preparing your Graduate School Application
October 26 and November 2, 2021
This is a new workshop for 3rd and 4th year physics students who have questions about applying to graduate school.
The virtual workshop was facilitated by PhD candidate and mentor in the Physics Mentorship Program, Jesse-Velay Vitow and was attended by about 50 undergraduate physics students.
Students learned about determining which graduate schools to apply to, how to message potential supervisors, obtaining quality reference letters and more.
We asked Jesse why he decided to run this workshop:
"When I was applying for graduate school, I couldn't find any good resources explaining what I should do or how applications were judged. By providing these resources, I hope to make a stressful situation a little bit more manageable for undergraduate students."
Physics Mentorship Program
Launch Event
October 14, 2021
The virtual launch event for the Physics Mentorship Program took place on Thursday, October 14, 2021. The event was attended by about 50 program participants.
This year, the program has 49 pair of mentors and mentees and they will meet throughout the academic year.
Mentees consist of 3rd and 4th physics students and mentors consist of physics alumni, graduate students and faculty.
Mentees in this valuable program get advice on careers, academics and more. Mentors have the opportunity to meet the current crop of students, stay connected to and give back to the Department of Physics.
When mentors from the 2020.2021 program were asked what they like most about the program, they said:
- "It is a chance to help undergraduates find their place after they graduate"
- "Being able to help a student who at the beginning of this was quite lost on where to go, and by the end, she had a much better idea. I can't take all credit, but I do feel that I helped."
- "A great opportunity to get to know and help a physics student."
- "Getting to know a talented UofT undergrad."
More information on the Physics Mentorship Program can be found here:
https://www.physics.utoronto.ca/undergraduate/physics-career/mentorship/
physCAP Professional and Graduate School Event
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
2nd, 3rd and 4th year physics students heard from a panel of physics alumni who pursued professional or graduate degrees after their bachelors degrees. Students had the opportunity to find out what is possible with their degrees in physics. The panel of alumni took a variety of career paths including: architecture, education, law and PhDs. The panel was moderated by Rory McKeown from the School of Graduate Studies.
Speakers:
Sharon Brown
Assistant Director, Cross-Disciplinary Programs Office, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto
BSc (1992) – Specialist Environmental Science, Major Zoology, Minor Physics
MEd (2014) – Higher Education, Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Collaborative Program in Comparative, International and Development Education
Jonathan Gotfryd
Set Designer - Directors Guild of Canada
HBSc (2004) – Specialist Physics, Specialist Philosophy
MArch (2011) – Master of Architecture
Zvi Halpern-Shavim
Partner, Commodity Tax and Customs - Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
BSc (2004) - Physics and Literary Studies(U of T)
MA (2006) - Political Theory (Boston College)
JD (2009) - Law (U of T)
Fei Ye
Senior Manager, Model Risk - BMO Financial Group
HBSc (2006) – Applied Physics Specialist & Mathematics Major (U of T)
MSc (2008) – Photonics (U of T)
PhD (2013) – Photonics (U of T)
More information physCAP Career Events can be found here:
https://www.physics.utoronto.ca/undergraduate/physics-career/physics-career-fair/