Transcript New Student Q&A Session 2013 - Atmospheric and Oceanic Science

Orientation:
Q&A Session
29 August 2013
* Thanks to previous MetoGrad officers for
compiling this information!
Who to Go to For Help
 We
recommend that you ask a graduate
student first before you go to the following
faculty/staff. We can often help you
more readily or direct you to the proper
personnel.
Who to Go to For Help

Jim Carton: Department Chair – sets agenda, goals, and
atmosphere of the department (CSS 3413)

Da-Lin Zhang: Graduate Student Coordinator – questions
about the academic graduate school program are his
concern. He is also the best person to talk to if you wish to
bring concerns to the faculty (CSS 2419)

Tammy Hendershot: Graduate Program Management
Specialist – anything which is graduate student specific is
her job. Registration paperwork, assistantship paperwork,
or general questions about the administration side of the
graduate school program (CSS 3409)

Tameka Jones: Executive Administrative Assistant – handles
the daily needs of the department. Talk to her about keys,
departmental projection equipment (CSS 3417)
Who to Go to For Help

David Yanuk/Marty Burdette: Computer Resources – deal
with hardware problems and software installation. Rather
than talk to them directly, it’s best to send an email (CSS
2425)

They are busy, so everyday questions should be investigated on
the helper web site or addressed to other graduate students first

Sonja Junek: Business Manager (CSS 3405) – payroll, tuition
remission, and insurance

June Sherer: Director of Administrative Services –
responsible for department funds. She receives expense
reimbursement forms (CSS 3407)

Bernadette Gatewood: Payroll Office (CSS 3411) – payroll,
tuition remission, and insurance
Useful AOSC Web Sites

For computer issues:




For academic/department information (i.e.,
curriculum, seminars):


www.atmos.umd.edu/~helper
Username and password: aosc
Email: [email protected]
www.atmos.umd.edu
For information on social/student-run events,
student seminars:

www.atmos.umd.edu/~gcm/
Overview of the Next Few
Years

First year:


Take 6 core courses
Many students will then take
comprehensive exams in June 2014
 Written


exams – 610, 620, and 617
First summer – delve into research, if
haven’t started already
Second year:

Take 3 or 4 additional courses (electives)
Overview of the Next Few
Years
 For
those seeking a M.S., you will likely
complete requirements in May 2015

Courses and scholarly paper
 For
those seeking a Ph.D., it usually takes
4-6 years total on average


Can take less time if you already have M.S.
or more if you are a part time student
Must defend prospectus (research plan)
first, then write and defend dissertation
First-Year Courses

Fall 2011




AOSC 610: Dynamics
of the Atmosphere &
Oceans I
AOSC 620: Physics &
Chemistry of the
Atmosphere I
AOSC 680:
Introduction to Earth
System Science
OR take an elective in
place of AOSC 680

Spring 2012



AOSC 611: Dynamics
of the Atmosphere &
Oceans II
AOSC 621: Physics &
Chemistry of the
Atmosphere II
AOSC 617:
Atmospheric &
Oceanic Climate
Fall courses details

AOSC610
 Basic conservation laws; circulation & vorticity;
planetary boundary layer; synoptic scale motions

AOSC 620
 Thermodynamics; cloud microphysics; basic
atmospheric chemistry

AOSC 680
 General earth science topics including ENSO,
carbon cycle, volcanoes, paleoclimate,
ecosystems, climate change, and the cryosphere
How Do I Get to AOSC 680?
How Do I Get to AOSC 680?
CS
S
ESSIC
First year book program

Part of UMD start of the year program

You get a free book!
This year is Nate Silver’s “The Signal and the Noise: Why
so many predictions fail – but some don’t”
Marie Mount Hall, room 2110
If they ask, you’re TA-ing

http://wp.fyb.umd.edu/2013/



Seminar Schedule
Monday
ESSIC Seminar
12-1 PM (lunch
provided)
M-Square
Tuesday
Student
Seminar
Wednesday
Thursday
AOSC Seminar
3:30-4:30 PM
3:30-4:30
PM
CSS 2400
CSS Bldg.
Friday
Atmos.
Chem. Brown
Bag
12-1 PM
CSS 3425
Remember etiquette!
** You are required to attend student and AOSC seminars! **
Getting to and from Campus

Parking




UMD Shuttle Service


Shuttles through campus, downtown College Park, and other
WMATA Metro



Can register online, check registration hours
$239/yr, $143 fall, $120 spring; Fees charged to your student
account or can be deducted from your paycheck before taxes
Note restrictions on games nights (football and basketball)
Best way to access DC, NOAA in Silver Spring, Nationals Stadium
Green Line stop in College Park; Can take a shuttle from
campus to this station
Check web sites for schedules, rules and maps
What to do on Campus

Stamp Student Union



Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center


Plays, concerts, free shows
Eppley Recreation Center



TerpZone (pool, video games, bowling)
Hoff Theater (movies, not usually new releases)
Intramural sports, swimming, exercise classes,
instructional lessons, gym
Free membership when you pay activities fee
UMD Athletics


www.tickets.umd.edu
Free when you pay activities fee
Where to Eat

On campus

Stamp Student Union:







Food court (fast food)
Co-Op
Subway
Adele’s
Convenience Store between AOSC and Eppley
Diner
Off campus


Downtown College Park: Looney’s, Applebee’s, Potbelly,
Barking Dog, Noodles & Co., Ledos, Plato’s Diner
Anywhere else in the DC-MD-VA area (see
Washingtonian)
What to do Off Campus

Silver Spring, MD


Washington, DC


Touring, museums (most are free), dining,
shopping, nightlife, Verizon Center, Nationals
Park
Baltimore, MD


Movies (mainstream and independent), dining,
shopping
Inner Harbor area, Camden Yards/M&T Stadium
MD Eastern Shore/Delaware beaches

Annapolis, Ocean City, Dewey and Rehobeth
Graduate Student
Government
 Organizes
events with other departments
(i.e., kickball)
 Grad Pub every other Friday (payday) at
Adele’s in the Stamp Student Union

Free food, drink specials
 http://www.gsg.umd.edu
MetoGrads

The department graduate student
organization/local D.C. American
Meteorological Society chapter



Undergraduate AMS chapter
Events include: NCEP tours, Maryland Day
exhibits, Outreach events, Science and
Engineering Festival, PhD parties, student
seminars, and various social events/trips
throughout the year
We hope you will have an opportunity to be
involved during your time at UMD!
MetoGrads Officers

Adam Greeley: President – chief liaison between the department and the graduate students, and the person to
talk to if you have ideas to improve life as a graduate student; [email protected] (CSS 4339)

Katie Lukens: Vice President – assists the President in performing their duties; organizes and procures food for PhD
parties; takes the lead for the organization of several of the MetoGrads events; [email protected] (Jull 3110)

Allison Ring: Treasurer – manages finances for the graduate student committee; [email protected] (Jull 2108)

Fang Zhao: AOSC Graduate Student Government Representative – maintains communication between the
University graduate student government and our own departmental organization; [email protected] (CSS
4114C)
Dave New: Facilities Coordinator – arranges graduate student offices. If there are problems with your office or a
need to change offices, go through him. Go to Tameka for keys;
[email protected] (Jull 3122)


Dan Goldberg: Student Seminar Coordinator – organizes graduate student seminars; [email protected] (CSS
4363)

Scott Ozog: Fundraising Committee – organizes and procures food for PhD parties; [email protected] (Jull
3111)

Travis Sluka & Guo-Yuan Lien: Computer Resources – maintains web page, brings student computer concerns to
faculty; [email protected] (Jull 3122)& [email protected] (CSS 4114A)

Austin Hope: Facebook Page/Publicity – helps maintain the department Facebook page and publicize
department/MetoGrads events; [email protected] (Jull 3111)
Thanks for listening!
 Questions
 Contact

or concerns?
us
Adam ([email protected]), Katie
Lukens ([email protected]), or any of
the other MetoGrads officers
 We’re
more than happy to help!