First year project

This is a reference page for Graduate student information.

THIS PAGE IS NOT OFFICIAL DEPARTMENTAL POLICY. IT MERELY REPRESENTS THE PEER-ADVICE PROVIDED BY FELLOW STUDENTS AND FACULTY.

What the handbook says

In September of each year we hold ASTROFEST, a full day of talks by faculty, post docs and graduate students on research underway in the Department and at affiliated institutions such as GISS and the AMNH. Also in September, individual faculty each hold one-hour sessions with all interested first-year students to outline the possible first-year research projects he/she has available. By October 1, each first-year student is expected to have selected a research project and a mentor, and to report the arrangement to the Director of Graduate Studies. By September of the following year, students are expected to present a completed written report on their results in the style of a professional journal paper and to discuss their research results with a faculty committee. They are also expected to present a five-minute ASTROFEST talk.

During the course of the year, all students will regularly attend Research Seminar, a meeting of first- and second-year students in which technical and scientific problems are discussed and regular updates are given by each student. In May, each student is expected to meet with a three-person faculty committee to present an informal progress report, along with plans for the summer completion of the project. In addition, it is expected that once or twice throughout the year, students will participate along with faculty and research staff by giving brief (~5 − 10 minute), informal presentations of their work at Pizza Lunch.

Additional information

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