Starting your final independent study project

RJW, Jan 2020

1. Browse the Research tab on the Physics Department website
https://phys.washington.edu/research

Look for research groups doing work that is of interest to you and relevant to your goals. Look up personal web pages of individual faculty members in groups of interest.

2. Contact the Faculty Coordinator (J. Wilkes) to discuss your list of potential mentors. We can arrange an introduction to the faculty member(s) you have identified.  

OR: If you choose to simply email professors directly, be sure to identify yourself as a graduate student in PMSP, and send emails to one person at a time. Most faculty receive a large number of requests from undergraduates and high school students seeking mentoring, and we do not always reply promptly (or at all, especially if the query is clearly a broadcast to multiple recipients). Requests from grad students are treated more carefully.

3. Keep in mind professors motivations for taking you on as a student. First priority is someone who can start to contribute immediately to their research program. Emphasize your relevant skills and experience (programming? technical design and construction skills? etc). Your job related experience and skills give you an advantage over most PhD students in this regard - also, you work for free!

4. It is always best to try out your relationship with a research group by taking a 1 or 2 credit independent study course with them. You can demonstrate your ability to contribute, and find out if the work they can offer is really what you want for your final project. Summer quarter is a good time to do this.

5. If you have difficulty finding a mentor, contact the Faculty Coordinator for advice.

6. Once you have an agreement with a faculty mentor, be sure to notify the Graduate Program Advisor (Catherine Provost) and the Faculty Coordinator (J. Wilkes).