Choosing a Research Group
First, the general situation: If you haven't realized it by now, you are completely on your own. There is no official process at all which helps you become associated with and supported by a faculty member. You simply have to start knocking on doors to learn what people are doing and if they have room for new students. You might want to bring along a resume/curriculum vitae. If you are interested in someone in particular, find out the names of post-docs and grad students who already work for her or him, then go to them to gather details on the work being done and the atmosphere in which it is done. Frankly there are a few professors who are lousy to work with. Some are too busy to work with you, others have few resources and no means of supporting their students with GRAs, and others may outright fire you without warning. Choosing an advisor is an important decision and you should be careful and get many second opinions.

We suggest that you begin considering your options for an advisor immediately. In our opinion, an optimal situation is one in which you begin approaching professors during your second semester here and begin working (on at least a trial basis) with someone over your first summer. On rare occasions, you might even find summer support this way. Even if you're not certain what it is that you want to do, talk to the graduate students and professors in the fields you are at least interested in. For your benefit, this document includes a brief discussion of the opportunities associated with the major research groups in the department.

Getting into a group can involve some delicate maneuvering. In some cases you should plan to offer some time, as much as a semester or longer, volunteering. As one professor put it, "If you become indispensable, we'll keep you around." For some groups or fields not even this may get you in. As mentioned above, for experimentalists, another good way to get to know a group is to do a project in 380N, Experimental Physics. Theorists have the least funding and theory students are often the ones who become career TA's and AI's.

Below are some descriptions and comments about the various research groups. You might use these as a guideline, but the best way to choose a group is to talk to people already in it. Usually you can find email addresses on websites for the groups. Also, attending the general group meetings open to the public will allow you to acquaint yourself with the people there. Check the list of events in the department to see when these meetings happen.

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Theory Group
Surface Physics/Thin Film Magnetism
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Relativistic Heavy Ion Physics
Quantum Optics Group
Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopy
Neutrino Mass Determination and Spectroscopy
Laser cooling and Trapping
Institute for Fusion Studies
Center for Statistical Mechanics
High Intensity Laser Science
Gas-Surface Dynamics
Fusion Research Center
Femtosecond Spectroscopy
Center for Relativity
Center for Particle Physics and High Energy Physics Laboratory
Center for Nonlinear Dynamcis
Condensed Matter Theory
Spintronics