GRADUATE

STUDENT
HANDBOOK

2019-2020

Department of Physics
University of Toronto

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, 60 ST. GEORGE STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA M5S 1A7
 September 2019

WELCOME MESSAGE
Welcome to the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto. This handbook provides most of the
information needed by new graduate students so that they can rapidly orient themselves to the departmental
environment. It will also be useful as a reference document as you pursue your graduate studies here.

We would appreciate your comments about the usefulness of this booklet and how it can be improved in the future.
We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to this handbook so far.

Best wishes for a productive and enjoyable journey through your studies here!

Young-June Kim Krystyna Biel Beata Kuszewska

Associate Chair, Graduate Studies Graduate Administrator Graduate Secretary
Office: MP 314 Office: MP 315 Office: MP 316
Tel: 416-978-2931 Tel: 416-978-2945 Tel: 416-978-2945
gchair@physics.utoronto.ca kbiel@physics.utoronto.ca grad@physics.utoronto.ca

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Contents
2019-2020 DATES TO REMEMBER........................................................................................................... 5

I. OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT ...................................................................................................... 6

Historical Background ...............................................................................................................................................6
Degrees .....................................................................................................................................................................6
Areas of study ...........................................................................................................................................................6
Research....................................................................................................................................................................6
Faculty.......................................................................................................................................................................6
Departmental Associations .....................................................................................................................................11

II. GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS ..................................................................................................... 12

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................12
The M.Sc. Degree ....................................................................................................................................................12
The Ph.D. Degree ....................................................................................................................................................13
Summary .................................................................................................................................................................15
Glossary of italicize items........................................................................................................................................16

III. Research and Ph. D. Thesis ............................................................................................................... 24

COMMON PRACTICES .............................................................................................................................................24
CHOOSING YOUR RESEARCH SUPERVISOR..............................................................................................................26
MANY-BODY INTERACTIONS ...................................................................................................................................28
GUIDELINES FOR ANNUAL PH.D. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS ..............................................................29
“END GAME” – THE PROCESS FOR APPROVAL OF A PH.D. THESIS..........................................................................29

IV. Financing your degree ........................................................................................................................ 33

Graduate Student Financial Support for 2019-2020 ...............................................................................................33
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS ....................................................................................................................................34
EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIPS.......................................................................................................................................34
Program Level Fellowship (PLF) ..............................................................................................................................35
Doctoral Completion Award (DCA)..........................................................................................................................35
Conference Travel Grant .........................................................................................................................................36

V. Safety ..................................................................................................................................................... 36
General....................................................................................................................................................................37
Laboratory Safety....................................................................................................................................................37
Laser Safety .............................................................................................................................................................37
Personal Safety .......................................................................................................................................................38

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 Traveling Safety ......................................................................................................................................................38

VI. Health and Wellness ............................................................................................................................ 38

Health and Wellness Centre ....................................................................................................................................38
My SSP ....................................................................................................................................................................38
Accessibility Services – St. George...........................................................................................................................39
Academic Success Centre ........................................................................................................................................39
Athletics and Recreation .........................................................................................................................................39

VII. Other Useful Information ................................................................................................................... 40

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................40
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENT SERVICES.......................................................................................................42

VII. WHO TO SEE ABOUT WHAT ............................................................................................................ 43

WHO’S WHO IN THE DEPARTMENT ........................................................................................................................43

VIII. DEPARTMENTAL SERVICES ........................................................................................................... 45

Physics Library .........................................................................................................................................................45
Physics Computing Services (PCS) ...........................................................................................................................46
Undergraduate Learning Services ...........................................................................................................................46
Physics Stores ..........................................................................................................................................................47
Physics Reception ....................................................................................................................................................47
Cryogenics ...............................................................................................................................................................48
Leak Detection Service ............................................................................................................................................48
McLennan Joint Health & Safety Committee ..........................................................................................................48
Physics Technical Services Central Office ................................................................................................................49
Caretaking Services .................................................................................................................................................50
Appendix: Forms .....................................................................................................................................................52
School of Graduate Studies .....................................................................................................................................52
Annual meeting report of the Ph.D. Committee Meeting .......................................................................................53

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2019-2020 DATES TO REMEMBER

SEP. 4 – 6 Registration and Departmental Orientation for new students

SEP. 5 Cross listed fall session courses start

SEP. 9 Most graduate fall session courses start

SEP. 10 Completed applications for NSERC Vanier due

SEP. 19 Completed applications for NSERC CGSD and PGSD due

SEP. 20 Final date by which M.Sc. students in option II must have their M.Sc. oral
examination

SEP. 23 Final date to enrol in full & fall term half courses

SEP. 27 Final date to submit corrected Ph.D. thesis for fall convocation (SGS oral to be
held before this date!)

OCT. 28 Final date to withdraw from a fall-term half course without academic penalty

JAN. 6 Winter session courses start

JAN. 20 Final date to enrol in Spring term half courses

JAN. 24 Final date to submit corrected Ph.D. thesis for degree to be conferred in
absentia in March

FEB. 24 Final date to withdraw from a full or half course without academic penalty

MAR. 1 Completed applications for international OGS due

APR. 17 Final date to submit corrected Ph.D. thesis for June Convocation (SGS oral to be
held before this date!)

APR. 30 Final date by which first year Ph.D. students must have their Ph.D. qualifying
oral

MAY. 1 Completed applications for domestic OGS due

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I. OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT

Historical Background
The first Ph.D. in physics in Canada was given in 1900 to J.C. McLennan, who later made the Department
a major force in the development of physics worldwide. The pioneering work in superfluid 4He and
superconductors (McLennan) and the construction of North America's first electron microscope (Hillier
and Prebus) in the 1930s established the Department's international reputation. In the 1950s, the
Department was pre-eminent in the field of Raman molecular spectroscopy (Welsh). Its faculty now
continue this tradition in most of the important fields of physics. Over five hundred men and women
with doctorates in physics from the University of Toronto are working in government, in industry and in
education within Canada and around the world. Two of them have been awarded the Nobel Prize in
Physics: A.L. Schawlow (1949) was a co-winner in 1981, and B.N. Brockhouse (1950) was a co-winner in
1994.

Degrees
Master of Science
Doctor of Philosophy

Areas of study
Experimental and theoretical research opportunities are offered in the following areas:
Biological Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Physics, Experimental
High Energy Physics, Theoretical High Energy Physics and Quantum Optics.

Research
Research activities in the Department range from macroscopic modelling of global geophysical
characteristics to the microscopic study of the quark and gluon substructure of hadronic matter. The
research activities are both basic and applied, with theoretical and experimental faculty members
providing mutual support. Every week leading physicists from around the world visit, giving seminars
and sharing their results and ideas. Not only is the scope of the research exceptionally broad, but as well
the quality is exceptionally high. Research productivity is equal to that of the best universities: proof is
provided by the number of research publications originating with faculty and graduate students and the
number of prizes and research grants awarded to the faculty.

Faculty
Our faculty members and their individual research interests are listed below. Telephone numbers are
listed as University of Toronto extensions, e.g. 8-xxxx = 416-978-xxxx and 6-xxxx = 416-946-xxxx. All
partial e-mail addresses are within “.utoronto.ca”, e.g. username@physics.utoronto.ca

D.C. Bailey dbailey@physics MP919 8-4993

Measurement uncertainty and scientific reproducibility

V. Barzda virgis.barzda@utoronto UTM SB4047 905-828-3821

Advanced imaging and nano-spectroscopy in biological systems

J. R. Bond bond@cita MP1419 8-6874

Cosmology and particle astrophysics

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D. Curtin dcurtin@physics MP1113 8-4784
Theoretical Particle Physics, Beyond Standard Model theories and signatures, collider
physics, Higgs Physics, interface between cosmology and particle physics.

M. Diamond mdiamond@physics.utoronto.ca MP801A 8-7132

Dark matter and neutrinos

A. Dhirani adhirani@chem LM254 6-5789

Charge transport in nanoengineered materials (quantized charging, quantum coherence,
metal-insulator phase transition , e-e correlations , magnetotransport); micro fabricated
devices and bioanalytical devices (development, fabrication and applications)

D.J. Donaldson jdonalds@chem LM 316 8-3603

Physical chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, heterogeneous chemistry

C. Dyer dyer@astro NU209 6-3044

General relativity, cosmology, gravitational lensing

R. Ghent ghentr@es 22 Russell St 8-0597

planetary scientist who focuses on geological processes on the terrestrial planets at a
number of spatial scales

S. Goyal goyal@physics MP504 6-0672

Evolutionary dynamics and biophysics

C. Gradinaru claudiu.gradinaru@utoronto DV4043 905-828-3833

Expertise: single-molecule spectroscopy, protein folding and recognition, small-
molecule cancer drugs

N. Grisouard nicolas.grisouard@physics MP703 8-6824

Geophysical fluid dynamics

A. Hilfinger andreas.hilfinger@utoronto DV4050, MP516C 905 569-4582

Biological physics, theoretical systems biology, uncertainty bounds for cellular
processes.

B. Holdom bob.holdom@utoronto MP1111 8-4753

Origin of quark and lepton masses in gauge theories, beyond the standard model

N. Ilic Nikolina.Ilic@cern.ch MP803A 8-6404

ATLAS experiment, quantum black holes, heavy neutrinos, gravitons, leptoquarks and
excited leptons

D.F.V. James dfvj@physics MP1014 6-3736

Theoretical quantum optics, quantum information technology

S. John john@physics MP1002 8-3459

Theoretical condensed matter physics and quantum optics, disordered systems,
quantum many-body problem, photon localization, high-T superconductivity

D.B.A. Jones dbj@atmosp.physics MP707B 8-4992

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 Atmospheric physics, effects of anthropogenic pollution on the composition of the
global atmosphere

S.R. Julian sjulian@physics MP086 8-8188

Experimental condensed matter physics, strongly-correlated electron systems,
unconventional quantum materials, high pressure materials science

H-Y. Kee hykee@physics MP1009 8-5196

Theoretical condensed matter theories, highly-correlated materials, unconventional
superconductivity, topological phases, frustrated systems

Y.B. Kim ybkim@physics MP1016 8-5193

Theoretical condensed matter physics

Y.-J. Kim Associate Chair for Graduate Studies MP314 8-2931

yjkim@physics MP1001 8-7868
Experimental condensed matter physics, neutron and x-ray scattering, quantum
materials

P. Krieger Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies MP328 8-6674

krieger@physics MP801 8-2950
Experimental particle physics, electron-positron and hadron collisions, OPAL and ATLAS
experiments, searches for physics beyond the Standard Model

P.J. Kushner paul.kushner@utoronto MP716 6-3683

Theoretical atmospheric physics, models of the atmosphere, land atmosphere
interactions

C. Lee clee@atmosp.physics MP1214 8-4251

Planetary atmospheres

Q. Liu liuqy@physics MP504A 8-5434

Geophysics, seismology

H.-K. Lo hklo@physics BA7108 6-5525

MP1103A 8-0354
Quantum information, quantum cryptography

J. Lowman lowman@utsc MP421 8-3912

Computational fluid dynamics, heating modes and cooling processes in terrestrial
planets, feedback between mantle convection and surface motion

M. Luke luke@physics MP1116 8-2985

Theoretical particle physics, heavy quarks, QCD, weak interactions

R.S. Marjoribanks marj@physics MP1104C 8-6769

Atomic physics & spectroscopy at high-energy densities, laser-plasma interactions,
atoms in ultra-intense light fields

D. McMillen david.mcmillen@utoronto UTM DV4056 905-828-5353

Biological physics, systems biology, synthetic biology, principles of cellular behaviour,
cellular dynamics

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B. Milkereit bm@physics MP504 8-2466
Exploration geophysics, crustal geophysics, 3D seismology

R.J.D. Miller dmiller@lphys.chem MP1103A 8-0354

LM245 8-1528
Femtosecond electron diffraction, coherent control of complex systems,
multidimensional coherent spectroscopy of liquids and biological/molecular systems,
solid state laser development

J.N. Milstein milstein@physics UTM SB4053 905-569-4598

MP313
Single-molecule and single-cell techniques to study fundamental questions of nature of
life

G.W.K. Moore moore@atmosp.physics MP614 8-4686

UTM SB4037 905-828-5368
Geophysical fluid dynamics, baroclinic instability, mesoscale dynamics

S.W. Morris smorris@physics MP505B 8-6810

Experimental nonlinear physics, liquid crystals, convection, fracture, geophysical pattern
formation

N.W. Murray murray@cita MP1402 8-1778

Non-linear dynamics, solar physics, active galactic nuclei, planet, star and galaxy
formation

B. Netterfield netterfield@astro ES1450 6-0946

Balloon-borne astrophysics

R.S. Orr orr@physics MP818A 8-6029

Experimental particle physics, pp collisions at the ATLAS experiment. Superconducting
radio frequency for particle accelerators

A. Paramekanti arunp@physics MP1006 8-8633

Condensed Matter Theory – superconductivity, graphene, ultracold atoms, topological
insulators

A. W. Peet awpeet@physics MP1118 8-3911

Interface between String/M theory and Quantum Black Hole physics

W.R. Peltier peltier@atmosp.physics MP702 8-2938

Geophysical fluid dynamics, planetary interiors, nonlinear atmospheric waves and wave,
mean- flow interaction, hydrodynamic stability, ice-age paleoclimate, global change,
ocean circulation and the carbon cycle

U-L. Pen pen@cita MP1317 8-6477

Astrophysics, cosmology

E. Poppitz poppitz@physics MP1113A 6-7546

Physics beyond the standard model. Nonperturbative gauge theory dynamics

R. Pysklywec russ@es.utoronto ESS 8-3021

deformation of the solid Earth

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H. Rein hanno.rein@utoronto MP1203C 8-4582
Planet formation, stochastic processes, celestial mechanics, high performance
computing

S. Rauscher sarah.rauscher@utoronto DV4055, MP516C 905-828-3805

Molecular simulations, molecular biophysics, protiein physics, intrinsically disordered
proteins, protein folding.

J. Repka repka@math BA6193 8-4692

Group representations, automorphic forms

W. Ryu wryu@physics MP508 8-4285

Experimental biological physics

P. Savard savard@physics MP803 8-0764

Higgs boson and physics beyond the Standard Model

T. Scaffidi scaffidi@physics MP1011 8-5208

Quantum matter, including quantum chaos, electron hydrodynamics, topological
matter, superconductivity"

Dvira Segal dvira.segal@utoronto.ca 6-0559

Quantum dissipative systems, quantum and classical transport, non-equilibrium
dynamics, heat engines, charge and energy transfer at the nanoscale"

P.K. Sinervo pekka@physics MP814A 8-5270

Experimental particle physics, hadron collisions, CDF and ATLAS experiments

J.E. Sipe sipe@physics MP1013 8-4517

Theoretical physics of nonlinear optics, solitons, optical properties of semiconductors,
the quantum/classical interface

A.M. Steinberg steinberg@physics MP1103 8-0713

Experimental quantum optics: ultracold atoms, quantum measurement and quantum
information

K. Strong Chair MP323 8-5205

strong@atmosp.physics MP710A 6-3217
Experimental atmospheric physics, ground-based and satellite remote sounding of the
atmosphere

R.J. Teuscher teuscher@physics MP802 8-1543

Experimental particle physics, ATLAS experiment at CERN, searches for physics beyond
the Standard Model

C. Thompson thompson@cita MP1316 8-8784

High-energy astrophysics

J.H. Thywissen jht@physics MP1109A 8-2941

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 Cold quantum gases, Bose Einstein condensation, superfluid transition in trapped Fermi
gases

W. Trischuk william@physics MP814 8-8095

Experimental particle physics, ATLAS experiment at CERN and SRF accelerator
development

D. Valencia diana.valencia@utoronto MP309 6-7290

Super-earths and sub-neptunes

K. Vanderlinde vanderlinde@di.utoronto AB126 6-5436

Long wavelength (radio, microwave) instrumentation and cosmology

A. Vutha vutha@physics MP1121 6-8503

Precision measurements using atoms and molecules, atomic clocks.

K. Walker kwalker@atmosp.physics MP712 8-8218

Experimental atmospheric physics, satellite and ground-based remote sounding of the
atmosphere, development of new satellite missions, spectroscopy

J.Y.T. Wei wei@physics MP081 6-5943

Unconventional superconductivity, exotic electron pairing states, topological
insulators, complex oxide & intermetallic materials, cryomagnetic scanning tunneling
microscopy, Andreev point contact spectroscopy, epitaxial thin films & heterostructures

M. Wells wells@utsc UTSC SW627C 416-208-4879

Environmental fluid dynamics; Influence of Coriolis forces on geophysical flows; lake and
ocean circulation

D. Wunch wunch@atmosp.physics MP707A 416-946-0408

Atmospheric physics, satellite and ground based remote sensing of the atmosphere,
studies of the global and urban carbon cycle

L. Yang lyang@physics MP1004 416-978-3821

Experimental condensed matter physics, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, quantum
materials.

A. Zilman zilman@physics MP503 416-978-4946

Interface between physics, biology and bio-engineering, quantitative understanding of
biological phenomena on multiple levels, from molecular biophysics to systems biology

Departmental Associations
Although faculty in the Department are involved in many collaborative efforts and institutes worldwide,
nine have a particular impact on our students. Not only are they concerned with interdisciplinary work,
but they are based, in whole or in part, at the University of Toronto and provide novel research
opportunities for our students at their “home base”. They include: CGCS (The Centre for Global Change
Science), CIFAR (The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research), CITA (The Canadian Institute for
Theoretical Astrophysics), CQIQC (The Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Control), CQM
(Centre for Quantum Materials). The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, IBBME (The
Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering), IOS (The Institute for Optical Sciences).

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The Department of Physics participates in Collaborative Graduate Programs in Biomedical Engineering
and Environmental Sciences. Please consult with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for details.

II. GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Introduction
The Department of Physics offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. graduate programs that are directed primarily to
qualified students seeking a career in scientific research, with an emphasis on doctoral-stream studies.
The M.Sc. can be taken both with and without a thesis, the latter being the norm. Highly qualified
students may be offered “direct entry” into the Ph.D. straight from their B.Sc.

It is the policy of the Department to ensure that all students making satisfactory progress are supported
at or above the prevailing minimum rate (see section V of this handbook) for up to five years of graduate
study (one year of M.Sc. and four years of Ph.D., or five years for direct-entry Ph.D.). In accepting a
student, the supervisor accepts the responsibility for ensuring and arranging this financial support which
may come from any combination of external or internal sources, teaching assistantship, and research
grants.

For convenience in this document, the year is divided into three four-month terms; Fall (September to
December), Spring (January to April) and Summer (May to August). The booklet also assumes that
students start at the beginning of the Fall Term (September). Here, a full course means two one-term
(i.e. half) courses.

All items in italics are defined in the next section.

The M.Sc. Degree

The M.Sc. degree may be completed either with or without a thesis. The M.Sc. (without thesis) is the
normal route for students, whereas the M.Sc. (with thesis) is an option for those students who
specifically require a thesis for a professional designation. However, the Department only provides
financial support for 1 year of the M.Sc., so you should consult your supervisor and the Associate Chair
for Graduate Studies before considering this option.

The M.Sc. (without thesis) is generally intended to provide preparatory background prior to the
commencement of Ph.D.-level research; it is intended that this degree be completed within one year
(i.e., three terms). The requirements of this program can be met in one of two ways:

Option I. Three (full) graduate lecture courses and an M.Sc. Report (Option I). Students pursuing Option I
enroll in three graduate lecture courses, in the 6000-series research course appropriate to their field of
specialisation, and in the ‘Report’ course PHY3400Y, which is entitled ‘Selected Topics in Physics’. The
supervisor provides the grade for the 6000-series research course. The grade for PHY3400Y is provided
by an independent faculty assessor assigned by the department on the basis of the written Option I
M.Sc. Report. Option I students need to identify a supervisor by January 15.

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Option II. Two (full) graduate lecture courses and an M.Sc. Research Project (Option II). Students
pursuing Option II enroll in two graduate lecture courses, the ‘Report’ course PHY3400Y (‘Selected
Topics in Physics’), the 6000-series research course appropriate to their field of specialization, and the
appropriate 7000-series seminar course. The supervisor provides the grade for the 6000-series research
course. Grades for PHY3400Y and the seminar course are provided by two independent faculty assessors
assigned by the department to conduct a M.Sc. Oral Examination on the Research project. Option II
students need to identify a supervisor by the first week of October and will be expected to prepare a 1-
page progress report (signed by supervisor and student) by the end of January, unless they take three
graduate lecture courses in their Fall term. In the latter case, the supervisor needs to be identified by
the end of the Fall term and the 1-page progress report is due by April 15.

The two options involve equivalent amounts of work. All requirements, including examination and
grading, must be completed within three terms of initial registration in order that the full assessment of
the M.Sc. work be complete in time for Ph.D. registration and enrolment. That means that if you enroll
in September, we expect you to complete your M.Sc. by September of next year at the latest.

The M.Sc. (with thesis) is intended to provide training in research at the Master's level for a professional
designation. Students who take this option normally do not go on to a Ph.D. degree. The requirements
of this program are:

Option III. Two (full) graduate lecture courses and an M.Sc. Research Thesis (Option III). Students
pursuing Option III enroll in the ‘Thesis’ course, THS9999Y, and must satisfactorily complete two
graduate lecture courses. In addition, each candidate enrolls each year in the appropriate 6000-series
research courses in sequence of the last digit and in the second year, in the appropriate 7000-series
seminar course and PHY3400Y Report Course. Grades for these last two courses will be assigned by two
independent faculty assessors after the M.Sc. Oral Examination. Candidates will be expected to find a
supervisor by the first week of October and will be expected to prepare a 1-page progress report (signed
by supervisor and student) by the end of January. Candidates are expected to complete all
requirements, taken in any order, within six terms of initial registration. The Department only provides
financial support for 1 year of the M.Sc., so you should consult with your supervisor and the Associate
Chair for Graduate Studies before considering this option.

The Ph.D. Degree

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree are normally admitted by the Admissions Committee after satisfactory
completion of the M.Sc. degree or its equivalent elsewhere. Candidates who do not complete the M.Sc.
within three terms will normally not be admitted to the Ph.D. program. Excellent candidates who do not
wish to complete the M.Sc. degree may apply for direct transfer into the Ph.D. program. Such students
are not subsequently permitted to re-register in the M.Sc. program.

Outstanding candidates may be offered direct entry into the Ph.D. program from their undergraduate
studies. A student who commences a direct-entry Ph.D. will normally not be permitted to re-register in
the M.Sc. program. In their first year of graduate studies, direct-entry Ph.D. students are required to
pass a minimum of two full graduate lecture courses, enroll in the 6000-series research course
appropriate to their field of specialization (with the grade given by their supervisor at the end of the
summer), and submit a brief progress report at the end of the summer (which will not be graded) to the
Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. The time by which students must choose a supervisor depends on

13
their lecture course load, consistently with the requirements for M.Sc. students. In order to continue in
the Ph.D. program beyond the first year, direct-entry students must obtain at least a B+ average and
have a willing supervisor.

The key requirement of the Ph.D. degree is the presentation and acceptance of a Ph.D. thesis describing
an original and significant research contribution made to a field of physics by the candidate. A subsidiary
requirement is the satisfactory completion of three full approved graduate lecture courses approved by
the supervisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Credit will be given for all graduate lecture
courses completed in the M.Sc. in this Department. Candidates with a relevant M.Sc. from elsewhere
will receive credit for a maximum of two (full) lecture courses.

At the time of initial enrolment in the Ph.D. program, the candidate must be associated with a qualified
supervisor who will provide academic and financial support. In addition, two other Faculty members
must be named to constitute, with the supervisor, the candidate's supervisory committee. In the case of
direct-entry Ph.D., the timing of supervisor identification is as discussed above, and the supervisory
committee must be identified at the beginning of the second year of graduate studies.

Benchmarks of Progress during the Ph.D. Program

End of Year 1 (Year 2 for direct-entry Ph.D.). All Ph.D. candidates must pass the Ph.D. Oral Qualifying
Examination. The Examination must be taken within two terms of the candidate’s initial enrolment in
the Ph.D. program (five terms for direct-entry Ph.D.). The exams occur before the end of April.

During subsequent years, the supervisory committee must meet with the student at least once a year to
assess the student's progress in the program, and to provide advice on future work. This should
normally occur sometime in the Fall term. The committee submits a report detailing its observations of
the student's progress and its recommendations; the student may append a response if desired. Copies
of the report are given to the student and filed with the Department. At least one week prior to the
meeting, the student should give an outline of their thesis problem and progress made to date to the
supervisor and the two other committee members; the outline is often brief, sometimes as short as one
page, but should be more detailed if desired by either the committee or the student. If progress is
deemed to be unsatisfactory then the committee will request another meeting within a specified time
period, typically within a few months.

End of year 4 (year 5 for direct-entry Ph.D.). Meetings of the supervisory committee after this point are
generally held more frequently, and can be convened by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies or a
member of the Standards and Evaluations Committee. For these meetings the student is typically asked
to prepare a five page scientific report outlining the thesis project and the progress made, along with a
statement explaining the reasons for the delay in completion and the extra time required.

At the completion of the Ph.D. degree the candidate will normally present a thesis with the consent of
their supervisor and supervisory committee. This Ph.D. thesis will be examined first by a Departmental
Ph.D. Oral Examination and, if successful, by a Ph.D. Final Oral Examination of the School of Graduate
Studies.

It is expected that the Ph.D. degree will be completed within four years (twelve terms) of full time
postgraduate study (five years, or fifteen terms, for direct-entry Ph.D.). In no case will financial support

14
be guaranteed by the Department beyond this time, nor will departmental scholarships be made
available.

Typically the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies will meet near the start of each academic year with
students who have not completed their Ph.D. program within the normally expected time, and discuss
the student's plan for finishing the program as well as a schedule for future meetings of the supervisory
committee. The Department's main concern at this point is to ensure that any problem which has
occurred can be resolved quickly and that the student be treated in as fair and reasonable a manner as
possible.

Summary
This is a summary of the requirements for each option for a student who starts in September 2019.
Please note that courses are to be taken in the first two years of the program.

Direct-entry Ph.D. OPTION I OPTION II OPTION III

September 2019 Select at least 2 full Select 3 full Select 2 full Select 2 full
courses courses courses courses
October 2019 Choose Supervisora Choose Choose Supervisor
Supervisora
January 2020 Choose Supervisorb Choose Choose 1-page report
Supervisor Supervisorb
1-page report
April 2020 1-page reportb
August 2020 Present brief Present M.Sc. Present M.Sc.
progress report Report Research Report
August 2020 M.Sc. Oral
Examination
August 2020 Confirm Ph.D. Supervisor, choose Ph.D. Supervisory Committee
September 2020 Select remaining Select 1 full
courses (total of 3) course
April 2021 Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination
5-6 page outline one week in advance
June 2021 Submit M.Sc.
Thesis
August 2021 M.Sc. Oral
Examination
Fall 2021-23 Supervisory Committee Meeting
Progress Report (short) one week in advance
May 2024 Submit Ph.D. Thesis
(there may be a supervisory committee meeting)
June 2024 Departmental Ph.D. Oral
August 2024 Final Ph.D. Oral

15
a
Unless the student is taking three lecture half-courses that term
b
Unless the requirement has already been completed

In addition to these requirements, students must register as necessary with the University and must also
apply for any external graduate scholarships for which they are eligible, e.g. NSERC PGS and Ontario
Graduate Scholarships.

Glossary of italicize items

Committees

Admissions Committee. This committee consists of faculty members whose expertise jointly spans the
research areas of the Department, chaired by the Associate Chair. The Admissions Committee evaluates
candidates’ academic and research potential and preparation for the proposed program of study and
decides on whether or not to recommend that the School of Graduate Studies issue an offer of
admission at either the M.Sc. or Ph.D. level. The offer will usually be contingent upon satisfactory
completion within a designated time interval of some program which is in progress. Candidates who fail
to complete the M.Sc. within one year (three terms) will not normally be admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Ph.D. Supervisory Committee. A supervisory committee will be appointed for each Ph.D. candidate
immediately upon their acceptance into the Ph.D. program (or by the end of the first year, for direct-
entry Ph.D.). This committee will consist of the supervisor and two other Faculty members of the
Graduate Department of Physics who are appointed upon the recommendation of the supervisor, in
consultation with the student, and with the approval of the Associate Chair. It is recommended that the
committee consist of one experimentalist and one theorist, and that, as far as possible, one should be in
the same research field and the other in a related field. The supervisory committee is intended to
monitor the student's progress and be available to provide guidance and assistance to the student.
Informal meetings between the student and individual members of the committee are encouraged.
However, both student and supervisor have the right to call a formal meeting at any time. The Associate
Chair for Graduate Studies, or a faculty member whom the Associate Chair appoints, may attend any
formal meeting of the supervisory committee. The first formal meeting of the supervisory committee
will normally be at the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. (See below.)

Standards and Evaluations Committee. This committee consists of faculty members and is chaired by the
Associate Chair. The committee provides a ranking of students for external graduate scholarships
(NSERC, OGS, etc.). Members of this committee convene all Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations.

Courses

Graduate Lecture Course. A full year graduate course (indicator Y) carries one full academic credit. A
half year graduate course (with indicators F, S, or H) carries one half academic credit.

Course Requirements. For the purposes of fulfilling the lecture course requirements for the M.Sc. or
Ph.D., the Department recognizes any relevant lecture course listed in the current School of Graduate
Studies calendar (please consult with the Associate Chair concerning courses in other departments), or

16
in the Department's current Graduate Course Listings. However PHY 1600Y, “Effective Communication
for Physicists”, and the modular course (PHY2109H) will not count towards course requirements for
M.Sc. or first-year direct-entry Ph.D. students, although they will count towards the course
requirements for the Ph.D. Students will not be given credit for any courses taken during their time as
undergraduates; nor may they take for graduate credit any courses they have already taken as
undergraduates (e.g. courses cross-listed in the Faculty of Arts and Science). Students require the
approval of their supervisor and of the Associate Chair before registering in graduate lecture courses. It
is normally expected that at least 50% of the courses taken by students toward satisfying the
requirements for the M.Sc. or Ph.D. will have a PHY indicator, and that no more than 30% will be
graduate courses that are cross-listed as undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science. The
course requirement specifies only the minimum number of courses which are to be included in the
graduate programs; however, it is expected that all students will audit additional graduate lecture
courses and attend seminars in their area of specialization throughout the period of their graduate
education as well as the weekly departmental colloquium. Additional requirements may also be
imposed by a student’s supervisory committee.

Research Courses. M.Sc. and first-year direct-entry Ph.D. candidates register in these courses, and M.Sc.
(with thesis) students register also in their second year, in sequence of the last digit (i.e. in PHY60x1Y in
their first year of graduate study, in PHY60x2Y in their second year of graduate study.) Grades for these
courses are provided by the supervisor, based on the supervisor's evaluation of the ability and progress
of the student in performing research as evidenced in interactions with the student throughout the year.
The available Research courses are:

PHY6011Y - Research in Atmospheric Physics

PHY6021Y - Research in Biophysics
PHY6031Y - Research in Condensed Matter Physics
PHY6041Y - Research in Geophysics
PHY6051Y - Research in Quantum Optics
PHY6071Y - Research in Subatomic Physics and Astrophysics

Seminar Courses. All M.Sc. (Option II) students enroll in the seminar course appropriate to their area of
research. The grade for this course is provided by a Faculty assessor on the basis of the student's ability
to orally present and defend the results of the Research Project at the M.Sc. Oral Examination. The L
designator for these courses means that although students enroll in these courses upon entry to the
M.Sc. program, the grade needs to be reported to the School of Graduate Studies only after the M.Sc.
oral examination. The available Seminar courses are:
PHY7001L - Atmospheric Physics Seminar
PHY7002L - Biophysics Seminar
PHY7003L - Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
PHY7004L - Geophysics Seminar
PHY7005L - Quantum Optics Seminar
PHY7007L – Subatomic Physics and Astrophysics Seminar

Courses from other Departments. Physics graduate students often find courses offered by other
departments useful in their programs. In this respect, the available resources include the School of
Graduate Studies Calendar and up to date information available at other departments, often through
handbooks similar to ours. In the recent past, our graduate students have taken courses from the

17
Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and
Mathematics, to name a few. Normally no more than 50% of a student’s courses can be from another
department, and not all courses are appropriate. Consult your research supervisor and the Associate
Chair for advice.
Grading of Graduate Courses.

Guidelines 1 through 7 summaries the 'Grading Practices Policy' of the School of Graduate Studies:
guidelines 8 through 11 are specific to the Department of Physics.

Points 1 through 5 below refer to all graduate courses:

1. Letter grades are to be used in all final reporting. The equivalence of these letter grades with
numerical grades is given below for information.

Letter Grade Numerical Letter Grade Numerical

Meaning Meaning Grade Meaning Meaning Meaning

A+ 90-100% B+ 77-79%

A Excellent 85-89% B Good 73-76%

A- 80-84% B- 70-72%

Fz Inadequate 0-69%

2. Whereas a minimum passing grade for an undergraduate in a course is 'D'(=marginal=50%), a

minimum passing grade for a graduate student is 'B-'(=good=70%). However it is not intended that
marks should be awarded more liberally to graduate students. On the contrary, it is intended that
graduates should perform at a higher level to achieve a passing grade. In particular, where graduate
courses are cross-listed in the Faculty of Arts & Science, graduates should be marked to the same
standard as undergraduates. Instructors in other graduate courses might take these cross-listed
courses as providing useful reference levels.

3. A mark in a course is not final until it has been submitted to the Graduate Office and reviewed by the
Graduate Chair for anomalies.

4. Should a dispute over a grade not be resolved in discussion with the examiner(s) and the Graduate
Chair, the student may make an appeal to the Associate Dean of Division III of SGS: further appeal
mechanisms are available should a solution not be reached.

5. Course grades are due in the Graduate Office as follows:

F courses 10 January
S and Y courses 10 May

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 L courses 10 September

Points 6 and 7 below refer to graduate lecture courses:

6. It is recommended that the grading scheme be based on more than one component: research has
shown that the validity and reliability of grades show strong positive correlation with the number of
contributing components. In the event that a significant fraction of the grade is based on a seminar
or an oral examination, it is strongly recommended that the seminar be accompanied by a report
written by the examiner and signed by the student. These reports need not be formal or
comprehensive.

7. As early as possible in each course and no later than the last date to enrol in course, the instructor
will make available to the class the methods by which student performance will be evaluated and the
relative weights of these methods. After the methods of evaluation have been made known, the
instructor may not change them or their relative weight without the consent of at least a simple
majority of the students enrolled in the course. Commentary, appropriate in the instructor's
judgement, on assessed work and time for discussion of it must be made available to the student.

Point 8 refers to the Report Course:

8. The Report Course (PHY 3400Y) is taken by students in the M.Sc. (without thesis -- options I and II)
programme, and consists of a written report of research performed in the M.Sc. year. It need not
meet archival standards, being a document internal to the Department of Physics. The grade for the
report will be assigned on the basis of the following criteria: clarity and correctness of language,
organisations of the material, the thoroughness of the investigation, careful attention to biases and
error analysis (where appropriate), evidence of the candidate's independent contribution and
maturity of scientific judgement.

For many students the report course would be the first serious research experience. The supervisor
should guide the student first and foremost in the scientific research aspects and also help in
organising structure and linguistic aspects of the report at the initial draft stage.

For Option I students the report is to be a written account of an agreed minor research topic of
literature survey carried out with the advice of a research supervisor. It is not expected to involve
extensive calculations or the building of any new experimental equipment. It should be completed
within three terms of full time graduate study where two courses are being taken simultaneously, and
be brought to a point where the quality of the research is demonstrable and the candidate's ability to
carry out independent research can be evaluated. The Research Project is considered to constitute
the same workload as three full lecture courses. The supervisor provides the grade for the Research
course, and the grades for the Seminar course (which consists of the oral presentation and defence
of the report) and for PHY 3400Y are given by the M.Sc. Oral Examination Committee which consists
of the supervisor and two Faculty assessors appointed by the Department.

Point 9 refers to the Research courses:

9. Research Courses. M.Sc. and Ph.D. direct entry candidates register in these courses in their first year
of graduate study, in PHY60x2Y in their second year of graduate study, and so on). Grades for these
courses are due by 10 May (for MSc Option II) and 10 September (for MSc Option I and PhD direct

19
 entry). Grades for the Research Courses will be based on an evaluation of the student's ability to
perform research and to produce effective results appropriate to the stage of postgraduate studies
reached. Included in this evaluation are such things as the student's common-sense, technical
competence, industry and maturity of judgement, the organisations and quality of the research
design, care in data-taking procedures, measurement and calculations, careful attention to the
estimation of errors and biases, the ability to work independently and to take initiative, evidence of
creativity and imagination, and, especially in the senior postgraduate years, evidence of originality.
The grade is provided by the supervisor based on the observation of the student's work.

Point 10 refers to the Seminar Courses:

10. Seminar Courses. M.Sc. (Option II) students enrol in the seminar course appropriate to their area of
research. The grade for this course is provided by Faculty assessors on the basis of the student's ability
to orally present and defend the results of the Research Project at the M.Sc. Oral Examination. The L
designator for these courses means that although students enrol in these courses upon entry to the
M.Sc. programme, the grade need be reported to the School of Graduate Studies only after the M.Sc.
oral examination, which should usually take place in August of the first year of graduate studies.

The Seminar Course will be graded on the basis of the candidate's ability to give a clear, concise, and
well organized oral presentation of the research performed, and to answer promptly and correctly
questions posed by the examination committee on points raised or related to the presentation and
the written report.

Point 11 refers to the Reading Courses:

11. Every year a number of graduate students request permission to fulfil some of their graduate course
requirements (besides the M.Sc. Report course PHY 3400L) by taking a reading course. It is clear that
there are considerable misunderstandings of the Departmental and Graduate School policies in this
matter and this point is intended to correct that situation.

Please note that:

a) There are no reading courses per se in the graduate Calendar.

b) It is not intended that students should restrict their graduate coursework to the direct area of
their research work. Thus the argument that there are insufficient course offerings in a student’s
research area does not normally constitute an acceptable case for a reading course.
c) It is not intended that taking a listed course as a reading course should be an easy option.

d) Students inevitably study many areas of physics in the course of their research. But such
studies are not a substitute for formal courses which should expose the participants to topics they
might not otherwise encounter. The interaction with other students in a course is an essential
part of the graduate education process and the course requirements provide for a minimum of
such interaction and formalized study.
e) It is also important that graduate students enrol in courses with other students to permit
comparisons.

In the light of these observations the Committee on Graduate Studies, Standards and Evaluations has
recommended the adoption of the following policy:

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 “A course can be offered as a reading course only if it is currently listed in the graduate
calendar and if there is a staff member willing to offer the course and to make it available
to any graduate student wishing to take it. The course must have a well-defined syllabus
and grading scheme and be approved by the Associate Chair for inclusion among the regular
course offerings of the department for the academic year in question.”

Examinations

M.Sc. Oral Examination. (Option II and III). Within three terms of their initial enrolment, candidates for
Option II of the M.Sc. (without thesis) will be given an oral examination on the Research Project which
they have been pursuing. The Examination Committee will consist of the supervisor and two Faculty
assessors appointed by the Department, in consultation with the supervisor. The two Faculty assessors
will provide two grades, one based on the written report of the Research Project (PHY3400Y), and the
other on the oral presentation and defence of the Research Project (the 7000-series Seminar course).
For Option III students, this examination will be held within 6 terms of initial enrolment.

Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination. Ph.D. candidates must present themselves for examination within
two terms of enrolment in the Ph.D. program (five terms for direct entry students). The intention of the
Qualifying Examination is to assess the candidate's ability and readiness to promptly carry forward and
successfully complete independent Ph.D.-level research. This assessment will be based on the
candidate's graduate record to date, including three graduate lecture courses and the research
performed, together with the presentation and defence of a research plan for the Ph.D. thesis. The
examination committee will normally consist of the supervisory committee and a Convenor, who is a
member of the Standards and Evaluations Committee who is not a member of the candidate's proposed
supervisory committee. One of the Convenor's important duties is to ensure that departmental
standards are maintained across the wide spectrum of disciplines in the Department. Committee
members should have received a 5-6 page outline of the proposed thesis project at least a week before
the exam. As a full member of the examining committee the Convenor will lead a discussion on the
candidate's academic and research performance to date, as determined by the grades obtained in three
graduate lecture courses, the 6000-series Research course, and the M.Sc. ‘Report’ course (if taken);
members of the supervisory committee will comment on their perception of the candidate's ability to
perform independent research at the Ph.D. level and on the quality of the research carried out by the
candidate. The candidate will then be asked to present, in approximately 20 minutes, a research plan
that will lead to a Ph.D. thesis. The examining committee will then question the candidate, who will be
asked to explain and defend this research plan. Finally, the Convenor will lead a discussion to obtain a
consensus on whether or not the candidate has presented a sufficiently realistic and well-conceived
program of research and has sufficiently demonstrated the academic ability, the required background
preparation, the potential for independent research, and the scientific judgement to be permitted to
continue in the Ph.D. program. The examination committee may permit or deny confirmation of the
candidate in the Ph.D. program. The committee may recommend one or more conditions (e.g. additional
course requirements) that the candidate must fulfill before being allowed to continue. In the event of a
denial, the candidate may be re-examined within four months of the date of the first examination. Upon
a second unsuccessful result, Ph.D. enrolment will be terminated.

N.B. For candidates who start their Ph.D. studies in September, the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination must
be taken before the end of the April of the same academic year (following year for direct-entry Ph.D.).

21
Departmental Ph.D. Oral Examination. Each candidate for the Ph.D. and their thesis will be examined at
a Departmental Ph.D. Oral Examination upon receipt of a copy of the thesis. The examination committee
normally consists of the supervisory committee, convened by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
As a full member of the examining committee, the Convenor will ensure that the candidate presents a
lucid discussion of the thesis contribution in the time allocated (normally 20 minutes). The Convenor
will, through questioning and by observing the response to questions from other committee members,
confirm that the candidate can defend the work being presented and that the student has a sufficient
mastery of the subject area and research area in general to reasonably expect the candidate to be
successful at the Final Oral Examination. At the same time, the Convenor will ensure that the
examination is conducted in a manner that is completely fair to the candidate. After the examination the
Convenor will lead the discussion to obtain a consensus of the Committee as to whether or not the
candidate may go forward to the Final Oral Examination of the School of Graduate Studies.

Ph.D. Final Oral Examination (FOE) of the School of Graduate Studies. This examination is run under the
auspices of the School of Graduate Studies by a committee which includes, besides members from the
Department of Physics, one member from outside the University of Toronto, who provides an external
appraisal of the thesis. The Final Oral Examination will be scheduled not sooner than eight weeks after
the Department Ph.D. Oral Examination. This time cannot be reduced due to the time required to
organize the meeting and the time required for the committee and the examiner to read the thesis.
Students are strongly advised to allow for this time when planning their completion exercises. The
Graduate Office has further information on the timeline and at the appropriate time, you should get the
latest information from them.

Reports and Theses

Archival. An archival document is departmental approved and made available in the University’s digital
library repository where it becomes a matter of public record. Accordingly it must be written in a clear
and comprehensible manner in acceptable scientific language, free of both major and minor errors, well
organized, and professionally bound and presented. It should provide a complete and accurate record of
the research which has been performed. All references and sources must be carefully and
comprehensively listed, and full details of calculations, experimental procedures, and equipment should
normally be included (often in appendices). Theses are generally archival documents, reports are not.

M.Sc. Report. (Option I). The written account of an independent examination by candidates for Option I
of an agreed minor research topic or literature survey carried out with the advice of a research
supervisor. It is not expected to involve extensive calculations or the building of any new experimental
equipment. It should be completed within three terms of full time graduate study in which three full
lecture courses are also being taken. The report need not meet archival standards. It is considered to
constitute the same workload as two full courses, with one full-course grade being given by the
supervisor for the supporting research as the research course grade, and one full-course grade being
given by an independent Faculty assessor for the M.Sc. report, which is listed as PHY3400Y on the
candidate’s transcript. The format and length of the report are given below.

N.B. For candidates who start their M.Sc. studies in September, the M.Sc. Report must be submitted to
the Graduate Office before the end of the third week of the following August.

22
M.Sc. Research Report. (Option II). Research carried out by candidates for Option II under the
supervision of a faculty member resulting in a written report. The research should attack a significant
scientific question, but need not involve extensive calculation or the construction of any new piece of
experimental equipment. It should be capable of completion within three terms of full time graduate
study where two courses are being taken simultaneously, and be brought to a point where the potential
of the research is demonstrated and the candidate's ability to carry out independent research can be
evaluated. The written report is not expected to meet archival standards. The format and length of the
report are given below. The Research Project is considered to constitute the same workload as three
full lecture courses. The grade for the Research course is given by the supervisor based on the student's
work during the first two terms. Then, upon completion of the written report, the candidate will be
given an oral examination by a committee consisting of the supervisor and two Faculty assessors
appointed by the Department. The Faculty assessors will provide the remaining two grades at this
examination: one based on the quality of the oral presentation and defence by the student of the
Research Project (the appropriate ‘Seminar’ course) and the other based on the quality of the written
report (PHY3400Y).

N.B. For candidates who start their M.Sc. studies in September, the written report must be submitted
electronically to the Graduate Office before the end of the third week of the following August, and the
oral examination must be taken before the end of the second week in September.

M.Sc. Research Thesis. (Option III). The written report of research carried out by candidates for Option III
under the supervision of a faculty member. The thesis is to be of archival quality and should attack a
scientific question of publishable significance. The investigation undertaken should be much less
extensive than for a Ph.D. and need not be carried out in such an independent manner. It should be
capable of completion within six terms of full time graduate study while two lecture courses are also
being taken. It is considered to constitute the same work load as four full lecture courses. The format
and length of the thesis are given below. The thesis will be assessed by the supervisor and two
independent Faculty assessors assigned by the Department; the thesis may be accepted, accepted with
minor changes, or rejected (see also M.Sc. Oral Examination). The Research thesis is indicated on the
student’s transcript by the indicator THS9999Y; no grade is assigned.

Ph.D. Thesis. The written report of original research carried out by the candidate in an independent
manner, but under supervision as to quality and correctness. The research should result in one or more
contributions to the scientific field of sufficient importance to be publishable in the scientific literature.
The written thesis is to be of archival quality, and must represent the candidate's own work. The format
and length of the thesis are given below. The thesis and the candidate will be examined at a
Departmental Ph.D. Oral Examination, by a committee that will normally consist of the supervisory
committee, convened by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. This committee will recommend
whether or not the candidate should proceed to the Final Oral Examination.

Report and Thesis Formats:

Technical Requirements. Good-quality white bond paper, thick enough to be opaque, should be used (20
lb. base is acceptable). The size of the pages should be 8 1/2" x 11" (21.5 cm x 28 cm), the text reading
across the 8 1/2" (21.5 cm) dimension. The left-hand margin should be at least 1 1/4" (32 mm), and the
remaining three margins should be at least 3/4" (20 mm) to the main text. “Times New Roman” or
“Helvetica” or similar typeface is preferred. Font size must be a minimum 10 points and 1015 characters

23
per inch. (Note: Font size of 12 points is recommended.) You may use a smaller font size for graphs,
formulas, and appendices (avoid italics). The spacing of the printed lines must be at least one-and-a-half
spaces, on one side of the paper only. Single spacing may be used for long quoted passages and
footnotes. Decisions as to the form and location of footnotes and the presentation of references and
bibliography are to be made by the student and the supervisor at an early stage in the writing of the
report or thesis. The preferred location for footnotes is either at the bottom of the page or at the end of
the chapters to which they refer.

Size Limits. In all cases size limits refer to the main body of the document, excluding prefaces,
references, indexes, diagrams, tables, appendices and the like. However the document shall be
examinable without reference to text other than that contained in the main body of the document. The
current limits are as follows:
M.Sc. report – Option I 6,000 words
M.Sc. report – Option II 12,000 words
M.Sc. thesis − Option III 25,000 words
Ph.D. thesis 45,000 words

Reports or theses which exceed the limits above will not normally be accepted for examination. Explicit
evidence of compliance with size limits will not normally be required, but will be requested by the
Graduate Office as necessary.

Format. Check that all pages are present, in sequence, and correctly numbered. There shall be an
integrated reference list and/or bibliography for the entire report or thesis. Diagrams and tables shall
be integrated with the text in an appropriate manner.

For Ph.D. students, please see http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/Producing-Your-

Thesis.aspx regarding formatting and submitting your thesis to the School of Graduate Studies.

III. Research and Ph. D. Thesis

COMMON PRACTICES
Different research groups in the department go about their activities in very different ways. Some of
these differences result from the types of research being done. The dichotomies of theory vs.
experiment, in-house research vs. research done at international facilities, laboratory research vs. field
research, and highly independent work vs. collaborative work are just four that are present in our
Department. As well, the personalities of the supervisor and the graduate students inevitably help set
the pattern for how research is done. Constraints that follow from the research funding a group receives
also play a role. So it is impossible to identify any set of “universal policies” that describe how all the
research groups in the Department function. Nonetheless, there are certain common practices that
many, if not all, research groups follow. While in any given case there may be deviations from these
with good reason, students can at least take them as a starting point for what they can expect during
their time in the Department.

An important issue for all students is their level of financial support. The Department has guidelines for
graduate student financial support, during the period of guaranteed support, which all faculty members

24
must follow. These are listed in the Student Handbook and can be accessed from the Department’s web
site; any questions about them can be addressed to the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies or the
Graduate Administrator. While the guidelines specify annual levels of support, graduate students are
paid at different rates during the year depending on how much of their income is earned from teaching
assistantships, awarded in scholarships, and provided from their supervisor’s research grant. Because
the funding comes from different sources, it is reported to the student separately and it is the student’s
responsibility to keep track of their income streams and tuition obligations. With respect to research
grant support, students and supervisors should discuss when this support is to be paid. From the
student’s point of view, it may be preferable to have this funding in a lump sum at the start of the year
to help, for example, cover first- and last-month’s rent. From the supervisor’s point of view, it may only
be possible to pay this support at a certain time due to the availability of funding. Beyond the period of
guaranteed support, all funding normally comes from teaching assistantships and the supervisor’s
research grant. Supervisors are encouraged to maintain their students at the level of the guidelines
(provided program is satisfactory) and most do, but often different arrangements are made depending
on the particular circumstances. Most supervisors discuss funding issues with each of their students at
least once a year, just to “touch base” and make sure there are no misunderstandings. But students
should certainly feel free to bring this issue up for discussion with their supervisor if their funding level
and schedule is not clear. In case of difficulties, they should talk with the Associate Chair.

Students are generally provided with computing facilities and email resources through their research
group. In most cases, students have a PC, workstation, or terminal at their desks. In some groups these
facilities are maintained by Physics Computing Services, in others by computer technicians hired by the
group, and in others by a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who is paid from the supervisor’s
research grant for the time such maintenance requires. Most supervisors provide their students with
access cards for photocopying and for checking out supplies from the Departmental Stores, and
supervisors are responsible for authorizing the issue of keys to graduate students as well. Office
arrangements, and the accessibility of filing cabinets, bookshelves, and the like are usually addressed
when a student joins a research group. But students often raise concerns about these matters with
their supervisor in the course of their research program, as their needs and patterns of work change.

A crucial part of a physicist’s professional life is the presentation of research results. Attendance at
conferences is important not only for students to have a chance to discuss their research results with
the larger physics community, but also for them to have the opportunity to meet other researchers in
their field and hear first-hand about the latest developments. Patterns vary across the Department, but
most graduate students find themselves attending conferences during the course of their Ph.D. work,
with their travel, housing, and registration costs covered by their supervisor’s research grant. Some
supervisors follow a general rule that their students can attend such a conference at least once a year if
they have results to present. Travel grants are available from the Department as well as from the School
of Graduate Studies (See Section IV). Publications in the scientific literature are also important for both
the promulgation of research results and the career development of the student. Often students
publish results as their work progresses; these papers form the basis for the student’s Ph.D. thesis. In
some case the thesis is completed first and manuscripts are constructed from the thesis shortly after the
student passes the Departmental exam.

Monitoring the pace of work and ensuring that the research is progressing at a reasonable rate are
important responsibilities of the supervisor. (See below for more about choosing supervisors) While by
definition the outcome of any research project is unknown, short-term goals, and even mid-term
milestones, can be set. Students have the responsibility to try and meet these, as supervisors have the

25
responsibility to return drafts of manuscripts and other written material in a timely manner with
comments and suggestions for changes. Professors who supervise more than a couple of students often
have group meetings once a week where administrative matters can be discussed, and students can
present recent progress or problems for informal discussion within the group, or present an overview of
an interesting recent publication. These group meetings are also a good opportunity for students to
make appointments to see their supervisor one-on-one to talk about recent results or research
difficulties. In the kind of collaborative work between student and supervisor that is common in the
Department, weekly or biweekly one-on-one meetings between students and supervisors are common.

The Ph.D. program of any student is necessarily a mix of intense research on a particular project and the
continuation of a general education in a subfield of physics and, indeed, in physics as a whole. The
balance of these components is often one of the most difficult issues that students and supervisors must
confront. A student and supervisor can hold quite different views on what this balance should be and,
although they may be meeting regularly to talk about research progress, these and other differences can
remain hidden until the student and supervisor find themselves at loggerheads. To avoid this, some
supervisors set up particular opportunities for addressing possible areas of disagreement, such as a
lunch meeting with each student once a year specifically to discuss the general progress of the Ph.D.
program. As the student moves towards the completion of the degree, such a meeting also gives the
supervisor and student the opportunity to talk about the student’s career plans and prospects. The
yearly meeting of a student’s supervisory Ph.D. committee, involving two faculty members in addition
to the supervisor, provides another opportunity to review research progress, and to consider general
concerns involving the direction of the thesis, the nature of the research and the research program, and
the student’s career plans. (See below for more about the Guidelines for the supervisory committee
meeting.) Sometimes differences between student and supervisor can arise in the expectations of what
is required for the Ph.D. These expectations should be made clear in the written report of the annual
supervisory committee meeting, especially towards the end of the program. A student may choose to
exceed what is required for an acceptable Ph.D., especially if they intend to pursue an academic career.
However, that choice rests with the student, not the supervisor.

There is a booklet entitled “GRADUATE SUPERVISION: Guidelines for Students, Faculty, and
Administrators” produced by the School of Graduate Studies that contains much useful information and
advice. It is available in paper form from the Graduate Office and on the web at
http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/Documents/Supervision+Guidelines.pdf.

CHOOSING YOUR RESEARCH SUPERVISOR

No single decision you make in your graduate studies is as important as your choice of research
supervisor. Not only will this choice affect what you do and who you work with over the next several
years, but it will also have a profound impact on the direction of your career. The right choice can make
your graduate studies an enjoyable and very rewarding experience, but a poor choice can be
devastating. It is the intent of this section to give you guidance in making this crucial decision by
relaying some of the knowledge (and mistakes) of older students. It is particularly relevant to incoming
M.Sc. and direct-entry Ph.D. students who are about to begin the selection process for their supervisor.

Perhaps the most important advice, which almost every graduate student at Toronto agrees with, is that
you should not rush into making such an important decision as this one. If you feel you have been
‘pushed’ to choose a supervisor before you arrive, you have been misled. Many students do, but there
is absolutely no benefit to doing so. All the preliminary things that you do before and when you arrive

26
(register, get a computer account, etc.) can be done completely through the department. This is not to
say that you should not come down to Toronto before September and talk to all the professors you
wish. Just remember that most students here believe that you should not rush into a decision before
you arrive at school.

So what should you do before you arrive? Check the Research Section on our website where all
professors are listed. Make a list of the professors whose research sounds even remotely interesting. If
you wish to study in a specific field, this list may be quite short. Many new students, however, are not
sure what field they wish to work in, and this list may seem very long. Don't worry! It's better to start
with a large number of choices and narrow it down than to start narrow and not find what you want.
Next, you should go online and look up selected publications of the professors on your list. Read them
over, but don't get bogged down in the details (and don't be surprised if you don't understand much of
them). Try to get an idea of what they are doing and whether or not it appeals to you. At this point, you
may wish to strike some names from your list or mark some as being 'particularly interesting', but try
not to use their publications to cut down the list too much; in many cases the professor's current
research is very different. The idea of reading is to have some background for when you interview
prospective supervisors.

Interviewing should be your next step. You can come to the department before September if you wish,
but there will be plenty of time when you arrive to talk to all the professors you would like (and they are
much more likely to be around in September once classes have started). Make an appointment to talk
to every professor on your list, even if there are a lot of them. Professors enjoy talking to prospective
students about their research, and this process is an excellent opportunity to meet the faculty and to
discover their current research interests. Before you talk to each one, read their selected publications
again and think of the questions you would like to ask them. Some important questions you should ask
everyone you interview are:
• Is the professor taking on new students?
• Would I work on my own project, or on the professor's?
• How many students are currently working for the professor?
• How many students have graduated under the professor in the last few years? Where are they
now?
• How many students left before graduation? Why did they leave? Where are they now?
• How long does it typically take for a student to graduate under the professor's supervision? What
is the funding policy in the group, especially after year five?
• What conferences would I have the opportunity to attend? Which of your students have recently
attended conferences?
• Would I have the opportunity to publish papers? Who is typically first author?
• What does the professor expect for a Ph.D. in terms of publications?
• What is the source of the professor's funding? How stable is it? Are the resources sufficient and
available for the work I want to do, especially if it is a new project? How are resources shared in
the research group?
• Is the professor retiring soon, or leaving for an extended period?

27
 • Would I be required to travel abroad? How often and for how long?
• What prospects would I have in this line of research after I graduate?

Remember, at this stage you are interviewing the professor, and not the other way around. Find out
everything you want to know, and don't be embarrassed to ask probing questions.

Along with interviewing the professors on your list, you should also talk to their graduate students. It is
from these students that you will find out what it is really like to work for this person. While the
professors will likely talk about the research, the students will talk about what it is like to do the
research. Take their opinions seriously, but also with a grain of salt. Not every graduate student has the
same interests and goals as you do, so don't be swayed too much by a single glowing recommendation
or bitter comment. However, if all the students in a group agree on a certain opinion, they are likely to
be correct. Another good idea might be to talk to students in other groups about your potential
supervisor's group as they might be able to provide more impartial insight. As always in physics, you can
never ask too many questions!

You should try and do all of your interviews in September, before your course work gets hectic. After
you have completed this process, think for a while about all that you have heard. If you have been wise
and spent a lot of time researching and interviewing, don't jump to a decision. It is likely that one or two
professors have stood out as being particularly interesting. Talk to them again if you wish; you cannot
have too much information. After a month or so of being in the department, most entering students are
confident enough to select a supervisor. If you are still unsure after all your interviewing, talk to the
Associate Chair for Graduate Studies about your difficulties.

Once again, it should be stressed how important choosing the right supervisor is. Do not rush into it;
take your time to be confident of your decision. Remember, those of you in the 3-course option will be
too busy with courses for the first eight months to begin the M.Sc. research project. The other
important observation is that your first-year supervisor need not be the same as your ultimate Ph.D.
supervisor. All of you should use your first year to learn about the department and the faculty, so that
when you do make your final decision about your Ph.D. supervisor, it is done with confidence and
enthusiasm.

Good luck!

MANY-BODY INTERACTIONS
One of the great things about being part of a large Physics Department is the variety of people that you
can meet who share your enthusiasm for Physics – and other things. Here are a few of the ways in
which you can participate in the broader aspects of the life of the Physics Department.

Physics Colloquium
Every Thursday during the academic year at 4:10pm, the Physics Colloquium is held in MP 102. These
colloquia offer an outstanding roster of well-known speakers who provide an expert view of research
advances in the various fields of Physics. The lecturers are requested to aim their presentation to Physics
graduate students and senior undergraduate students. Regular attendance at these colloquia is strongly
recommended as part of all students’ education, and even the faculty can benefit! Coffee and cookies
are served in the Physics lounge before the colloquium from 3:45pm onwards. (If, in the course of your

28
activities, you hear someone and think “they would be really good as a colloquium speaker”, then let the
Colloquium Committee know so that they can invite them.)

Group Seminars
Many of the research groups in the department organize their own seminar series, with outside
speakers and/or internal speakers.

GUIDELINES FOR ANNUAL PH.D. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Ph.D. supervisory committee must meet with the student at least once a year to assess the
student’s progress in the program, and to provide advice on future work. At least one week prior to the
meeting, the student should distribute a written report, typically about 5 pages long, which gives an
update on their thesis problem, the progress made to date, and future plans. At the meeting the student
will present a 20-minute overview of the status of their research, with an emphasis on where the major
problems and challenges lie. The committee will then help the student assess the nature of the
problems encountered and suggest ways ahead. It will also assess the overall appropriateness of the
research scope of the thesis. The committee submits a report detailing its observations of the student’s
progress and its recommendations (See Appendix for the form); the student may append a response if
desired. If any member of the committee is unsatisfied with the situation, then the consensus view
should reflect this. In the case of unsatisfactory progress, details must be provided and another
supervisory meeting scheduled. Copies of the report are given to the student and filed with the
Department.
Questions that should be addressed by the supervisory committee include:

• Is there a viable thesis topic and research plan?

• What is the timeline for the thesis?
• Are the necessary resources available?
• What concrete progress has been made in the last year?
• What is the research plan for the coming year?
• Are there any known risks or impediments to the completion of this plan?
• Is the candidate making satisfactory progress towards a Ph.D.?
• Has the candidate done enough research to begin writing up?

Meetings of the supervisory committee once the student is outside the funded cohort (after 4 years for
regular students, after 5 years for direct-entry students) are generally held more frequently, and can be
convened by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies or a member of the Standards and Evaluations
Committee. For these meetings the student is typically asked to prepare a statement explaining the
reasons for the delay in completion and the extra time required, in addition to the usual report.

“END GAME” – THE PROCESS FOR APPROVAL OF A PH.D. THESIS

(Specific to the Department of Physics of the University of Toronto)

After a number of years of research – it is finally done! You have a Ph.D. thesis to be examined. This is
the timetable to be followed for the approval of your thesis at the Final Oral Examination (FOE). It takes
at least 9 weeks and usually more like 10 weeks from possession of a “final” copy of the thesis to
completion of the examination process. These times are non-negotiable. They cannot be shortened
because a number of necessary steps have to be followed carefully in order that the procedure be fair to

29
all and be seen to be fair to all. If you have a specific date by which you must have completed the FOE,
then it is your responsibility to ensure that the other parties can meet their timetables as well.

When What Who

At least 9 Submits a copy of the thesis as pdf to the Graduate Office and Student
weeks before requests the Departmental Oral Exam at the Graduate Office
the FOE
Schedules the departmental exam, distributes the thesis, notifies Grad Office
committee members and student in writing. It is reasonable to
expect that this will take about two weeks to schedule - longer at
holiday times.
At least 7 Departmental Oral Exam
weeks before
the FOE
Departmental Suggests two additional FOE Committee members: a member of the Committee
Oral Exam Physics or related department and recommends an External
Examiner

Confirms willingness and availability of the External Examiner to Supervisor

participate in the FOE and informs the Graduate Office

(If it takes time to identify an external examiner, the seven weeks

will be lengthened by the time it takes to identify the external. The
FOE cannot be finally scheduled until the external examiner has
been agreed to by the School of Graduate Studies)
At least 6 Informs Grad Office of their FOE preference: public vs closed Student
weeks before Submits the corrected thesis as pdf to the Grad Office
the FOE
Schedules FOE, distributes thesis to all FOE committee members, Grad Office
books room and AV equipment, notifies in writing SGS PhD Oral
Office, the student, all FOE committee members and requests thesis
appraisal from the External Appraiser
At least 2 Receives the External Appraisal. Sends External Appraisal and the Grad Office
weeks before FOE program to the SGS PhD Oral Office, the student, and all
the FOE committee members including the Chair
Immediately Provides the student with information on final thesis submission, SGS PhD
after the FOE tuition fee assessment deadline, graduation ceremony timelines Orals Office

Within 1 Informs SGS PhD Oral Office in writing that all minor corrections Supervisor
month of the have been completed satisfactorily
FOE
(minor
corrections)
Submits the thesis electronically according to SGS instructions. It is Student
considered courteous to consult with your supervisor about
requirements for additional copies for other colleagues. Physics
Library does not require but appreciates a bound copy of the thesis
for its collection.

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Thesis Format
Full instructions about the thesis format are available on the SGS website and the regulations specific to
the Physics Department are in the Graduate Handbook. Read the instructions carefully and in particular
make sure you have permission from the publisher to include any previously published material.

External Appraiser
The External Appraiser should be a recognized expert on the subject of the thesis and should be external
to the University and to its affiliated research institutes. Such an individual must be an Associate or Full
Professor at their institution or, if they come from outside of the academic sector, must possess the
qualifications to be appointed to an academic position at this level. (A CV of the External Examiner will
be necessary for review by the School of Graduate Studies.) The External Appraiser should not be a
close collaborator of either the candidate or the supervisor and should not have more than an academic
interest in the result of the examination. If there is some ambiguity in this area, please consult the
Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, as soon as possible. The External Examiner usually attends the FOE in
person but a teleconference is acceptable.

Expenses of the External Appraiser

The School of Graduate Studies pays an honorarium to an External Appraiser and provides up to $500
for the associated travel expenses. The remaining costs of the visit should be covered by the supervisor.

External Appraisal
The external appraisal is the comments of the external examiner on the thesis. It will hopefully be
constructive and will recommend acceptance, perhaps with some conditions and will almost certainly
have some quite specific questions and comments about the thesis. It may say that some of these
queries need to be answered before the thesis is acceptable. These questions and comments will
certainly provide part of the discussion at the FOE. You and all members of the FOE should receive a
copy of the external appraisal two weeks before the FOE to ensure that you have time to respond to the
comments and queries at the FOE.

It is an SGS regulation that the contents of the External Appraisal cannot be discussed with the External
Examiner prior to the FOE.

Membership of the FOE Committee

The Chair, who is not a member of the Physics Department, but is usually from the sciences and is
appointed by the School of Graduate Studies.
• Two members of the supervisory committee of the candidate.
• Two other members from the Physics or related Department.
• External Examiner
A quorum for the examination is four voting members and at least two of whom were not members of
the student’s Ph.D. supervisory committee.

Conduct of Examination
The conduct of the FOE is broadly the same as all other oral examinations: After a short recess for the
committee to examine the file and organize itself, the candidate is invited to give a 20-minute summary
of the main results of the thesis after which the candidate is examined on the thesis and the oral

31
presentation. There are usually several rounds of questions and the questions may vary from particular
questions about points in the thesis to general questions about the context of the research, the subject
area and the research area in general. Both the thesis and the oral defense must be judged acceptable
in order for the candidate to pass the examination. It is our general observation that candidates are very
well informed about their research, but less forthcoming about the more general areas of questioning.
You have been warned!

Public presentation
As of January 2016 the Physics Department has adopted the option for a public presentation of the
thesis work to be given before the remainder of the FOE. This presentation is open to any member of
the department as well as friends/family invited by the Candidate. The presentation will last for about
45-minutes and should include the ‘expert summary’ that is normally given in the first 20-minutes of the
FOE. All members of the examination committee (including the External Examiner but not, necessarily
the SGS chair) are expected to attend the public presentation as this will not be repeated. The
committee will refrain from asking questions in public. Instead the candidate and committee members
will move to a smaller room, where they will be joined by the SGS chair to complete the FOE with the
questioning and conclude with a deliberation on the result of the FOE. The Candidate will be asked if
they want to pursue the public presentation option with the FOE is being scheduled and the Graduate
Office will make the arrangements for the rooms and inform the committee members at that time.

Results of the Examination

There are broadly four results that can come out of the examination:
1. Pass as is
2. Minor corrections – corrections of typographical and similar errors. Before the thesis is
acceptable, the supervisor writes a letter to the School of Graduate Studies with a copy to the
Graduate Office, that the corrections have been made
3. Minor modifications – larger corrections. These have to be examined and regulated by a
committee chosen (usually) from the FOE committee and reported back when the corrections
have been made
4. Fail
In the event of minor corrections or minor modifications, it is the responsibility of the candidate to “get
a move on” with getting the corrections done!

Further details on all of these can be found in the School of Graduate Studies Graduate Calendar and if
that is not enough, then come to the Graduate Office and we will try and answer any other questions
you might have.

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IV. Financing your degree

Graduate Student Financial Support for 2019-2020

The following guidelines for levels of graduate student support in the Department of Physics are in effect
as of September 1, 2019. It is intended that these guidelines should apply for 1 year of a M.Sc. and the first
4 years of the Ph.D. or in case of Ph.D. direct entry students for the first five years of the Ph.D. program.
Scholarship support is limited to 5 years in total.

LEVEL 1: NSERC SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS CGSM PGSD

T.A. (100 hours)* $ 4,714 $ 4,714

NSERC/FRQNT B1, B2 Scholarship $ 17,500 $ 21,000
Scholarship/Research Assistantship $ 10,386 $ 8,886

Total $ 32,600 $ 34,600

PLEASE NOTE: NSERC CGSD and Vanier recipients will NOT receive a topup but are eligible for T.A. assignment.

LEVEL 2: OGS/QEII-GSST/ SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS

T.A. (120 hours)* $ 5,657

OGS/QEII-GSST $ 15,000
Research Assistantship $ 11,543

Total $ 32,200

LEVEL 3: ADMISSION AWARD HOLDERS

T.A. (140 hours)* $ 6,600

Admission Award $ 3,000
Scholarship/Research Assistantship $ 25,251
________
Total $ 34,851

LEVEL 4: NON-SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS

T.A. (140 hours)* $ 6,600

Scholarship/Research Assistantship $ 25,251
_______

Total $ 31,851

Notes:
- NSERC Scholarships are currently worth: CGSM-$17,500, PGSD-$21,000, CGSD-$35,000, Vanier
- $50,000. The OGS is $10,000 plus $5,000 university matching. The QEII-GSST is $15,000.
- Level 4 support is $24,000 + tuition fees. Example above shows domestic STG campus fee of
$7,851. International PhD students without other sources of funding receive an additional fee

33
differential of $636 and M.Sc. students an additional $17,560. UofT and departmental fellowships are
worth $13,200 for continuing students ($7,000 for those in the last year of the funded cohort) and
$21,500 for new students.
- Students are responsible for payment of tuition fees. More information is posted at
www.fees.utoronto.ca
- Students must inform Graduate Office in writing if they are awarded any external scholarships.

*This is a guaranteed minimum of TA hours. More hours may be available on request and will be
assigned on application.

Notes:
- NSERC Scholarships are currently worth: CGSM-$17,500, PGSD-$21,000, CGSD-$35,000, Vanier -
$50,000. The OGS is $10,000 plus $5,000 university matching. The QEII-GSST is $15,000.
- Level 4 support is $23,230 + tuition fees. Example above shows domestic STG campus fee of
$8,490. International PhD students without other sources of funding receive an additional fee
differential of $624 and M.Sc. students an additional $15,740. UofT and departmental fellowships are
worth $12,500 for continuing students ($6,500 for those in the last year of the funded cohort) and
$19,500 for new students.
- Students are responsible for payment of tuition fees. More information is posted at
www.fees.utoronto.ca
- Students must inform Graduate Office in writing if they are awarded any external scholarships.
*This is a guaranteed minimum of TA hours. More hours may be available on request and will be
assigned on application.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
During their pursuit of an M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree, most graduate students work as Teaching Assistants in
an undergraduate or graduate course offered by the Department of Physics (or, much less frequently, a
cognate Department). Available Teaching Assistant positions are: Tutor (tutorial), Demo (laboratory),
Practical Leader (special activities in some undergraduate service courses), or Marker. Details of these
positions including responsibilities and teaching tips are covered in "The Teaching Assistants'
Handbook"; information may also be obtained from the Undergraduate Office in room MP301 as well as
the Physics Teaching Assistant Coordinator. Candidates normally apply each year via a personal online
account created for them when they join the Department. The Coordinator offers them one or more
positions, based on qualifications of the applicant, suitability for the position, preferences expressed in
their online TA account, as well as the needs of the Department. 140 hours of TA employment are
guaranteed to students without major external scholarships (see Section IV). Also, employment
conditions are governed by the Collective Agreement between the Teaching Assistants’ Union (CUPE
3902 Unit 1) and the University of Toronto. The website of CUPE 3902 is at: www.cupe3902.org.

Teaching Assistantships offer several benefits for graduate students and develop teaching and
interpersonal skills that will serve well in almost any future career. Also, a Teaching Assistantship
provides income for work performed in an area directly related to one's interests, namely Physics!

EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Physics graduate students are expected to apply for any external graduate scholarships for which they
are eligible. These are NSERC scholarships – Doctoral (Vanier, PGSD, or CGSD), and Master (CGSM) – and
the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). The Vanier scholarship requires additional materials and the

34
departmental deadline is earlier than the other two doctoral scholarships. Doctoral scholarships are
typically for 3 years that can be held while you are in the funded-cohort (first five years in the MSc or
PhD program). You can apply to the CGSM either as an undergraduate or 1st year MSc student. First-year
student in the Direct Entry PhD program is also eligible for the CGSM. The OGS is also open to
international students, but will be adjudicated separately from domestic applicants. The following table
shows a summary of useful information for these scholarships. Details will be announced throughout
the year using the student mailing list.

Scholarships Eligibility Duration Internal deadline

NSERC Doctoral Domestic Funded 2-3 years Mid September
cohort (usually first 1-3
years)
NSERC Vanier Domestic and 3 years Early September
International Funded
cohort
NSERC CGSM Domestic MSc or DE1 1 year Early December
OGS – International Visa student* 1 year Early March
OGS – Domestic Domestic* 1 year Early May
* OGS can be awarded to students outside the funded-cohort (i.e., beyond 5 years)

Applying to these external scholarships are strongly encouraged (some departments make these
mandatory). The funding level of the NSERC CGSD or Vanier scholarship is significantly higher than the
guaranteed minimum. Note that OGS can be held while you are outside the funded-cohort, meaning
that you have financial security even after the guaranteed funding period is over. In addition, these
scholarships are usually considered as clear marks of excellence in Canadian academia, and will help
boost your chance of getting your next position. In addition, all these applications require you to write a
research statement targeted for non-experts, which is an excellent opportunity for you to think about
the ‘big picture’ question. In order to provide help with the application, the Department of Physics offers
“Grant Writing Workshop”, specifically targeting physics students. These workshops are held in early
September and mid April to prepare for the NSERC Doctoral and OGS applications. Students can also
take advantage of various writing support provided by Graduate Centre for Academic Communications
(GCAC) http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/GCAC.aspx.

Program Level Fellowship (PLF)

In their final year in the funded cohort (4th year for 4-year PhD students and 5th year for Direct Entry
students) students will be eligible for a program-level fellowship that provides financial support
equivalent to about half of the number of TA-hours required to meet their funding package guarantee
giving them the opportunity to finish up their thesis research and/or concentrate on the drafting of their
final publications and thesis document. Students will still be required to perform the other half of their
TA hours in their final year to receive our minimum guaranteed funding. Students are eligible to receive
this fellowship only once during their graduate program. Receipt of this support does not prevent them
from taking on additional TA hours in their final year.

Doctoral Completion Award (DCA)

The Doctoral Completion Award (DCA) program is intended to support full-time PhD students who are
beyond the funded cohort and within the time-limit for their degree. At the Department of Physics this

35
includes Ph.D. students in years 5 & 6 and direct entry Ph.D. students in years 6 & 7. The full value of the
award for 2019-20 is $3,100 for both domestic and international students. The award will be paid to
eligible students in two equal instalments: September and January. September DCA instalment will be
remitted to the student and will not be applied to the student’s fees account, unless the student has
arrears. January instalment will be applied to the student’s fees account first. The remaining balance, if
any, will be remitted to the student. There is NO application process for this program.

DCA Eligibility requirements:

For each session the award is held, DCA recipients must be:
• registered as a full-time PhD;
• beyond the program’s funded cohort;
• within time limit for the degree (students on an approved program extension are ineligible); and
• in good standing in their graduate program and making satisfactory progress toward the
completion of their degree requirements.

Conference Travel Grant

Most graduate students will attend conferences during the course of their PhD work, with their travel
costs covered by their supervisors’ research grant. In addition, the Department of Physics runs a grant
program that provides additional funds for doctoral students traveling to participate in scholarly
conferences. All doctoral students are eligible for an award up to $1,000 for conference travel.

• Apply through the graduate office (grad@physics) with the following information: conference
dates and location, and whether the presentation is oral or poster. Summer school attendance
approved by the research supervisor is also eligible.
• There is a limited amount of funds each academic year, and the grant is distributed first come,
first served. So apply early.
• The department tries to ensure that every Physics PhD student receives one travel award during
their time at the University of Toronto, so preference will be given to senior PhD students who
have not yet received this grant.

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) runs, in parallel, a Conference Grant that is separate from the
departmental one. More information is posted at:
http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/SGS-Conference-Grant.aspx

In addition, UofT Graduate Students’ Union has a travel bursary program. Details are posted at:
https://utgsu.ca/funding-2/conference-bursary/

V. Safety
We intend that you should have a safe time in the Department of Physics. Our safety procedures take a
number of forms some of which are legal requirements and all of which are designed for your
protection. It is your right to have a safe workplace. It is your duty to ensure that you follow the
required procedures and do what you can to ensure your safety and that of and your friends' and
colleagues'. The Physics Health & Safety committee members meet 4 times a year to deal with any

36
safety concerns within the McLennan laboratories and the department H&S website is at
http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/physics-at-uoft/services/health-and-safety/?searchterm=safety.

General
All accidents must be reported immediately to the Safety Officer, Peter Hurley or to the McLennan
Health & Safety Office at 8-2231. In the event of any life-threatening emergency on campus, call 9-911
for ambulance, fire, or Metro Police services and then notify the local campus Police (St. George campus
8-2222) All injuries must be recorded on http://ehs.utoronto.ca/report-an-incident. Thefts have occurred,
so we strongly recommend you keep your door locked whenever you leave the office, even for a few
minutes.

Many graduate students here in the Department of Physics work in their office or lab late into the
evening, on weekends and statutory holidays. During these quiet hours you could easily be the only
person on your floor or in your laboratory, and your personal safety could be at risk. The Campus
Community Police at the University of Toronto have thus initiated the Working Alone Program to
augment the personal safety of anyone working late here at the St. George Campus. To register for the
Work Alone Program, come by the University of Toronto Campus Police Office. For more information
contact the University of Toronto Campus Police at 416-978-2323.

Immediately below is the link to the Campus Community Police's web site. Take particular note of the
range of Community Service Programs available at the University including Travelsafer (416-978-7233), a
service where building patrol or constables from Campus Police will walk you to any location on the St.
George Campus and surrounding TTC stations: http://www.campuspolice.utoronto.ca/

Laboratory Safety
Safe operating procedures are mandatory in the laboratory environment. Potential hazards such as high
power laser beams, magnetic fields, compressed gases and toxic chemicals all require specific training
procedures. Supervisors have an obligation to ensure that employees work in a safe manner and with
the protective devices and procedures required by the Occupational Health & Safety Act and its
regulations. The Safety committee has information posted on the departmental H&S website about
laboratory safety procedures. There is also a machine shop training course for students who need to use
the technical facilities. We also conduct annual workplace inspection of the entire building. The
university Office of Environmental H&S at the following website, http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca, offers
safety programs such as WHMIS training, Laser Safety training, Radiation Protection, Fire Safety and
Emergency procedures as well as providing resource material such as MSDS data, Emergency/Accident
Reporting policies and service personnel.

Laser Safety
The university Laser Safety Committee oversees a laser safety program that applies to all Class 3b and
Class 4 lasers and laser systems in controlled areas (indoors) and to all those identified as principal
investigators, laser supervisors and laser workers. It is responsible for the registration of all Class 3b & 4
laser and laser systems, requirements for inspection and worker training and education on potential
laser hazards and links to other additional resources. It controls the reporting of related
accident/incident, administrative and procedural guidelines, provision of medical surveillance,
requirements for personal protective equipment and engineering controls. If you are going to use such
laser systems, consult your supervisor to arrange appropriate training.

37
Personal Safety
Students with personal safety concerns may wish to contact the Community Safety Office. For more
information check the website: http://www.communitysafety.utoronto.ca. They should be aware that
graduate student office location and phone numbers are normally available in the departmental
directory on the physics web pages (www.physics.utoronto.ca). Students who wish to restrict access to
this information should contact Krystyna Biel, in Office MP315. Teaching assistants with safety concerns
should notify Dr. Peter Krieger, Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies.

Traveling Safety
Students who have to travel outside the province or country to do field research or even attend a
conference must follow the requirements for “Reasonable Care”. The Safety in Field Research website:
http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca/field-research-safety is available to assist in assessing risks, and documenting
the precautions that should be taken. It also contains information on topics such as Health Insurance
Coverage, continuance of University and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Benefits as well as
Requirements for Reasonable Care.

In addition, the Safety Abroad Office (SAO) offers information on logistics, safety and cultural issues for
the student’s time away. To register for a mandatory pre-departure information session and join the
Safety Abroad database, visit www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/cie/safety-abroad at least one month before
departure.

VI. Health and Wellness

Health and wellness of students, in particular promoting and ensuring mental-health is a priority of the
University and the Department. There are many resources. The SGS Graduate Wellness Directory
provides a comprehensive list: http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/Graduate-Wellness-
Directory.aspx. Some of the major resources are listed below.

For immediate help, call 1-866-925-5454 (Good2Talk Post-secondary 24/7 helpline)

Health and Wellness Centre

The Health and Wellness Centre at 214 College Street offers a wide range of services for U of T students
and their partners. Physician services include comprehensive medical care, counselling and referrals.
Nurses provide health-related information and a range of services including dressing care,
immunizations and travel education. Diagnostic lab services are also available. Most services are free of
charge provided you have an OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) number or UHIP (University Health
Insurance Plan) coverage. For further information, call 416-978-8030 or visit the Health and Wellness
Centre website at http://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/hwc.

My SSP
My SSP provides international students with immediate and/or ongoing confidential, 24-hour support
for any school, health, or general life concern at no cost to you. You can call or chat with a counsellor
directly from your phone whenever, wherever you are. My SSP support is available in many languages.

38
The number is 1-844-451-9700 and they even have a smartphone app. For more information, see
http://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/cie/myssp.

Accessibility Services – St. George

For those eligible, Accessibility Services provides advocacy and support for students with hidden or
obvious disabilities and works to facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities into all aspects of
university life. Services include assessment for a learning disability, alternative test and exam
arrangements, note taking, on-campus transportation, adaptive equipment and assistive devices,
information and resource materials, and liaison within the University and with off-campus agencies. For
further information, call 416-978-8060 (TDD: 416-978-1902) or visit the AS website at
http://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/as

Academic Success Centre

U of T and Academic Success Centre offer a variety of services and supports specifically for graduate
students. For example, you can book an appointment to talk to a Learning Strategist. For further
information, call 416-978-7970 or visit https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/asc/graduate-students. They also
have online chats regularly.

Athletics and Recreation

The Athletic Centre, Goldring Centre, Varsity Centre and Hart House offer a wide range of athletic
activities throughout the year. Hart House also organizes a variety of social and cultural events, including
concerts, shows and art exhibitions. For more information on the multitude of programs, classes,
facilities and services available to U of T students, contact any of the facilities:

Athletic Centre at 416-978-5845

(http://www.physical.utoronto.ca/FacilitiesAndMemberships/Athletic_Centre.aspx)

Hart House at 416-978-2452 (http://www.harthouse.utoronto.ca/)

Goldring Centre at 416-946-0400 (http://physical.utoronto.ca/FacilitiesAndMemberships/goldring-

centre-for-high-performance-sport.aspx)

Varsity Centre: (http://physical.utoronto.ca/FacilitiesAndMemberships/Varsity_Centre.aspx) Ice Skating,

Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball. Ultimate Frisbee is in Back Campus East Field.

There are Physics teams in various intramural leagues on campus, including winter ice hockey, summer
soccer, volleyball, basketball and autumn ultimate Frisbee.

The Graduate Student Union (GSU) gymnasium is also available for bookings by any graduate student for
one hour periods. For further information, please visit http://www.utgsu.ca/athletics.

We now have a ping-pong table in the Graduate Student Lounge (MP110). For more information, please
contact PGSA.

39
VII. Other Useful Information
PHYSICS DEPARTMENT RESOURCES

Graduate Student, Faculty and Staff Lounge

MP 110 on the 1st floor (behind the elevators) is the Department’s lounge available to graduate
students. The lounge has a kitchenette with a refrigerator and a microwave. A place to relax, it is also
used for various events such as the start-of-year and end-of-year parties. And a game of pingpong!

Physics Graduate Students Association (PGSA)

The Physics Graduate Students Association (PGSA) aims to foster a sense of community within the
Physics graduate student body through the organization of social events and opportunities for student
interaction. The PGSA also works closely with other committees, representatives and the department
administration to maintain a high quality of academic experience for graduate students within the
Physics Department. The PGSA Executive is made up of four people: the president, a vice president, a
secretary and a treasurer. During the year the PGSA organizes various activities such as: movie nights,
pub nights, the annual Physics Formal, and various BBQ/picnic events. It also runs daily coffee hours in
the Physics lounge. Elections are held at the end of the summer and everybody is encouraged to run.
Email address is pgsa@physics.utoronto.ca

For 2019- 2020 the new PGSA members are:

President: Vincent Mackay
VP External: Jesse Velay Vitow
VP Internal: Joey Carter
Treasurer: Jared Barron
Communications: Laura Saunders
Constitution: Dylan Jow
Secretary: Alexandre Audette

PGSA Coffee hour

The PGSA organizes a coffee hour which is also frequented by some of the Faculty members, every day
after lunch (1:10pm) in the Physics lounge. Bring your own mug and come along and get to know some
of the other students from outside (or even inside) your research group.

Graduate Liaison Committee (GLC)

The Physics Graduate Liaison Committee is comprised of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies and
graduate students in all years of enrollment from each subsection of the department (QOCMP,
Subatomic Physics, and Planetary Physics). Its function is to provide the department with feedback on
departmental issues of relevance to graduate students and to voice student concerns about issues such
as funding, committee meetings and graduation timelines. The student members of the GLC meet
independently and, approximately, a few times each year with the Associate Chair of Graduate
Studies. Please contact the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies if you would like to get involved. For
2019-2020 year’s committee members:
Joey Carter
Laura Saunders

40
Haruki Hirasawa
Vincent Mackay
Alexandre Audette

Physibility
Physibility is a group of graduate students named for our goal of increasing the visibility of people who
are traditionally underrepresented in physics. We are new this year and will be hosting several social
events throughout the coming semesters.
Look out for our welcome event in September! Participation is not limited – we welcome anyone who is
interested in equity, diversity, and inclusivity initiatives
or just wants to hang out with some friendly faces. If you would like to join the organizing committee,
please feel free to contact us at physibility@physics.utoronto.ca
Liz Cunningham and Laura Saunders

PHYSU (Physics Students Union)

The office for this association of Physics undergraduate students is located at MP 217. There is also a
mailbox in MP 306.

Physics Bicycle Facility

The Department of Physics has a secure Bicycle Facility/Lock-Up (in the parking garage of the McLennan
Physical Labs). Physics Department (Faculty, staff and student) who opt to bike to the Department will
now be able to use the Lock-Up free of charge. A $25 refundable deposit for the facility key is required.
The facility can accommodate up to twenty bicycles. Spaces will be allotted on a "first come, first
served" basis. A "wait list" will be maintained and periodically updated. Note that users of the Bicycle
Facility have to provide their own bike lock to secure their bike in the cage. If you are interested in this
opportunity please go to the Physics Main Office/Reception across from the elevators on the third floor,
MP302.

Exit Interviews
As a student finishes the Ph.D. (or the M.Sc., if not proceeding to the Ph.D.) the Chair (or Associate Chair
for Graduate Studies, if the Chair is the student's supervisor) requests an interview with the student. The
interview is an opportunity for students to share their views on all aspects of the graduate student
experience. It is completely confidential, and any notes taken by the Chair remain in their possession
and are not placed in Departmental files. For more information, consult the Chair or the Associate Chair
for Graduate Studies.

Course Evaluations
Course evaluations are conducted each year for all of the graduate courses offered in the physics
department. If you are interested in the results, see the Graduate Secretary in MP 316 for the full course
evaluations report.

41
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENT SERVICES
The Office of Student Services offers all U of T students support and counselling in the areas of career
development, housing, learning skills, health, personal/emotional development, family concerns and
support for Aboriginal and international students. For further information, please visit
https://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca. Some services and resources of interest to graduate students are
highlighted below.

Career Centre
The Career Centre at 214 College Street provides services and resources to assist Masters and Ph.D.
students in planning, developing and managing their careers. It also administers the Graduate Dossier
Service (GDS), a confidential depository of letters of reference, transcripts and a C.V. for U of T doctoral
students seeking advertised academic positions. The Career Centre operates a summer, part-time and
temporary employment service for students enrolled at the University of Toronto. For further
information, call 416-978-8000 or visit the Career Centre website at http://www.careers.utoronto.ca/.

Student Housing Service

The Student Housing Service at 214 College Street provides information on U of T and independent
residences, maintains a registry of off-campus housing, offers information on landlord and tenant rights
as well as emergency housing referrals, and functions as the admissions office for Student Family
Housing on the St. George Campus. (The term "family" refers to students residing with their dependent
children and to childless couples in a permanent relationship for a minimum of twelve months.) For
further information, call 416-978-8045 or visit the Student Housing website at
http://link.library.utoronto.ca/StudentHousing/.

Graduate Professional Skills (GPS) Program

The Graduate Professional Skills Program (GPS) is a program of workshops, social events and online
resources designed to enhance the graduate student experience. The program teaches the skills
necessary for a wide range of careers, both within and outside of academia. Workshops and seminars
address: choosing academic vs. non-academic careers, learning entrepreneurial skills, thesis and grant
writing, managing the supervisory relationship, balancing school and life, dealing with stress, settling
into a new city, writing literature reviews and more. For further information, visit the GPS website at
https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/international/Pages/Graduate-Professional-Skills.aspx

Student Web Service (ACORN)

Graduate students are able to access the Student Web Service (SWS) to change personal information
(addresses and telephone numbers), view their academic and current courses, enrol in, request or drop
courses, and order transcripts. The SWS can be accessed via ACORN website at
http://www.acorn.utoronto.ca/. Instructions are located there.

42
Graduate Students’ Union
Every graduate student at the University of Toronto is automatically enrolled as a member of the
Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) at 16 Bancroft Avenue. The GSU (Member Local 19 of the Canadian
Federation of Students) represents your interests during your time as a graduate student at U of T and
provides services such as health insurance, confidential advice, and a voice for the graduate student
body on the various committees of the University. In conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs, GSU
also operates Grad Escapes: a program of social, cultural and recreational events designed for busy
graduate students. For further information, consult the GSU Handbook/Dayplanner you received at
orientation, phone the Main Office at 416-978-2391/6233, or visit the GSU website at
http://www.gsu.utoronto.ca/.

VII. WHO TO SEE ABOUT WHAT

Question About? Name Office Telephone

Network connection, computer advice and Steve Butterworth MP805 8-2746

accounts Greg Wu MP805A 8-6452

General administration, services, space, Peter Hurley MP327 8-0627

furniture

Expense Reports Aloma Namasivayam MP320 8-2937

Purchase requisitions

Health and Safety Peter Hurley MP327 8-1726

Keys (office and building) Liz Glover Main Office MP302 8-2231

Student Affairs Krystyna Biel MP315 8-2945

Teaching Assistantships Teresa Baptista MP301 8-7057

TA Payments

Telephone, Building Repairs Sheela Manek MP328A 8-3307

WHO’S WHO IN THE DEPARTMENT

Name and Position Office Telephone Responsibilities

Kimberly Strong MP323 8-5205 General department policy

Acting Chair

Young-June Kim MP314 8-2931 Graduate programs; scholarships

(Associate Chair)

Peter Krieger MP328 8-6674 Undergraduate programs; teaching assistantships;

(Associate Chair) departmental services; laboratory and office space

43
Peter Hurley MP327 8-1726 Non-academic affairs; policy and procedures;
(Administrative Officer) personnel; facilities management; communications.
Support services: technical, computing, cryogenics,
stores-receiving and shipping
Ilda Cunha MP322 8-5223 Departmental finances/academic affairs and policy;
(Administrative Assistant, administration of payroll for academic/non-academic sta
Finance) post-doctoral fellows and research associates; research
grants administration
Christopher McGugan MP324 8-3944 Chair's and Administrative Officer's Assistant, assisting
(Administrative Assistant to Chair and AO with administrative duties and
the Chair) appointments

Krystyna Biel MP315 8-2945 Graduate administration; scholarships; conflict

(Administrative Assistant, resolution and counselling
Graduate Program)

Beata Kuszewska MP316 8-2945 Secretarial services for graduate office; graduate
(Graduate Program student registration
Assistant)
Teresa Baptista MP301 8-7057 Undergraduate programs; undergraduate enquiries;
(Administrative Assistant, registration; course office bookings; teaching
Undergraduate Program) assistants' payroll, lecture/tutorial offices

April Seeley MP129 6-0531 Secretarial services for undergraduate office; First Year
(Secretary, Undergraduate Undergraduate Office
Program; First Year
Undergraduate Office)

Lisa Jefferson MP318 8-2951 Accounting policy and procedures, grant

(Administrative Assistant, reconciliation; accounts receivable; cost recovery units
Accounting)
Aloma Namasivayam MP320 8-2937 Purchase requisitions; purchase orders; personal
(Administrative Assistant, expense reimbursements; receiving reports; Physics
Purchasing) Computing Services accounting; purchasing policy;
payment of invoices; accounts payable

Sheela Manek MP328A 8-3307 Main Office administration; facilities and services
(Facilities and Special assistance; building maintenance and repairs (lights,
Projects Coordinator) power, floods, etc.)

Liz Glover MP302 8-2231 Key issue; bulletin boards; Booking conference rooms,
(Departmental office, and lounge; assists with administrative
Receptionist) functions

Steve Butterworth MP805 8-2746 Computing services for research, teaching and
(Manager, Physics administration. Network management, system
Computing Services) administration, internet services and application
development
Phil Scolieri MP128 8-2957 Departmental and university safety policies and
(Safety Officer) procedures
David Rogerson MP070 8-0626 1st-4th year undergraduate laboratories and lecture
Office support. Technical support services

44
 (Director Physics Learning
Research Services)
Dylanne Dearborn MP211C 8-5188 Department of Physics library
(Librarian)
Alex Cui MP060/062 8-5232 Stores; shipping/receiving; chemical disposal
(Stockroom Operations
Coordinator)

Group Offices

Research Area Office Telephone Contact

Theoretical Physics, Quantum Optics MP1109 8-7135 Helen Iyer
and Condensed Matter Physics
Experimental Physics, Quantum Optics MP1109 6-7640 Joanafel Magnaye
and Condensed Matter Physics
High Energy Physics and Geophysics MP804 8-1543 Crystal Liao

Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Physics-Atmospheric MP716A 8-2933 Ana Sousa

VIII. DEPARTMENTAL SERVICES

Our department is large and may appear complex. A wide variety of services is offered in aid of teaching
and research. This section summarizes and gives you an introduction to their use. In almost all cases,
there is a charge (subsidized by the department) for the use of these services which is usually debited to
your supervisor's research account. For further information, please visit the Physics Services website at
http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/physics-at-uoft/services.

Physics Library

Contact: Dylanne Dearborn (Librarian)

Office: MP 211C • Tel: 8-5188
http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/physics-at-uoft/library
dearborn@physics.utoronto.ca or library@physics.utoronto.ca.

Collection
The Physics Library is one of several departmental libraries at the University. Our collection of
books and journals reflects the Department's teaching and research interests. A complete
collection of the Department of Physics theses/dissertations forms an integral part of the library
holdings. Links to electronic resources commonly used in Physics can be found on the Physics
Library website (http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/physics-at-uoft/library). Searchable records for our
collection appear in the Library Catalogue through the University of Toronto Libraries website
(www.library.utoronto.ca).

45
Circulation Policies
To borrow materials from the library, you must present a valid TCard. After hours, books can be signed
out manually by filling out a card at the desk. If a book is already checked out, a hold can be placed by
clicking on 'request' while viewing the book record in the Library Catalogue. An email notice will be sent
to you when the book becomes available. Course Reserves/Short Term Loan books are due back by 10
a.m. the following morning. Journals and other periodical publications do not circulate and are for in-
library use only.

If a book or article is not available through the UofT library system, it can be ordered through
RACER (available on the Library website).

We encourage you to pay any overdue fines at the Physics Library, as you may be exempt from
fines for Physics material. For fines that are charged, the money will go to new material for the
library that receives the payments. Be sure to register your UofT email address with us in order
to receive any due date reminders, fine/overdue or on-hold notices.

Library Services
Printing is available in the library using your TCard. Note that you cannot add value to your TCard in the
Physics Library. Reference services are available – to book a consultation, email
dearborn@physics.utoronto.ca.

Please refer to the Physics Library website for detailed information. We are your home library
and we act as your liaison with all libraries at the University of Toronto. If you require assistance
with any library matters or have any book recommendations, please speak to our library staff.

Physics Computing Services (PCS)

Contact: Steve Butterworth, PCS Manager

Office: MP 805 • Tel: 8-2746
bworth@physics.utoronto.ca

Physics Computing Services (PCS) provides a variety of IT services to Physics Department faculty, staff,
and graduate students, and supports undergraduate computing needs in conjunction with the Physics
Learning Services group. Core PCS services include email, web services and application development,
secure remote sessions, central file storage, hardware consulting, operating system installation and
support, and general network infrastructure management.
World-class high performance computing (HPC) resources are available through the SciNet Consortium
for High Performance Computation (http://www.scinethpc.ca/).
Support requests and problem reports related to system and network problems should be directed to
our general support address: pcs@physics.utoronto.ca.

Undergraduate Learning Services

Contact: Larry Avramidis, Senior Learning Services Specialist, Physics Learning Resources Centre
Office: MP 128 • Tel: 8-1992
avramidi @physics.utoronto.ca

46
Undergraduate Learning Services staff members provide technical support to faculty, teaching
assistants, and students in the Department’s undergraduate learning laboratories. Classroom support is
provided by assisting with physics demonstration experiments and with audio-visual, multimedia, and
specialized learning technologies installed in lecture rooms. Staff are involved in the ongoing
development and implementation of new experiments, demonstrations, and learning technologies, and
welcome requests and suggestions.

Staff:
Supervisor Phil Scolieri MP128 8-2957 scolieri@physics.utoronto.ca
Advanced Labs Larry Avramidis MP234 8-1992 avramidi @physics.utoronto.ca
2nd year labs Larry Avramidis MP234 8-1992 avramidi@physics.utoronto.ca
1st year labs Lilian Leung MP128 8-2961 lfan@physics.utoronto.ca
Demos Pius Santiago MP128 8-0669 santiago@physics.utoronto.ca

Support:
Physics Lecture MP128 8-2961 demo@physics.utoronto.ca
Demonstrations

1st Year Lab Support MP128 8-2961 first.year.labs@physics.utoronto.ca

2nd Year Lab Support MP229 8-1992 second.year.labs@physics.utoronto.ca

Advanced Physics Lab MP229 8-1992 avramidi@physics.utoronto.ca

(3rd & 4th year) Support
Electronics and MP229 8-1992 elect.comp.labs@physics.utoronto.ca
Computer labs

Physics Stores
(Shipping and Receiving/Mail/Couriers)

Contact: Alex Cui

Office: MP 060/062 • Tel: 8-5232
stores@physics.utoronto.ca

A wide variety of supplies and materials for teaching, research, and administrative use are available. For
the items and materials that are among the inventory items, special orders can be made. The commonly
used items may be procured through the use of a billing card (which is obtainable from the Physics
stores) or by debit and credit card. Out-going mail and shipping/receiving services are also provided. A
supervisor's name must be indicated on out-going mail and an appropriation number is needed for
courier services.

Physics Reception
(Incoming Mail/Keys/Physics Directory)

Contact: Liz Glover

47
Office: Main Office MP 302 Tel: 8-2231
reception@physics.utoronto.ca

Mail is sorted and distributed every morning to various group, alphabetic, or personal mail boxes
located in the mailroom, MP 306. Remember to check for your mail frequently. As the Physics Directory
and Mail Recipients list are maintained by the receptionist, please ensure that receptionist is kept
informed of any changes in locations, additions, or departures. Keys and Authorization Forms (to be
signed by your Supervisor) to various Offices within McLennan Physical Labs are available in the Main
Office. Please note that restrictions may apply to certain keys. A cash deposit is required ($25 for
room/lab keys and $50 for the building key). You will be reimbursed when the keys are returned. The
reimbursement is via cheque (in Canadian funds) issued by the University's Financial Services and is
mailed to the address you provide.

Photocopiers are located as follows: basement lounge MP053; mailroom MP306; QOCMP and
Theoretical Physics and Nuclear Physics offices MP1109; High Energy Physics office MP804; Atmospheric
Physics office MP716A. Photocopiers are accessed through an assigned code available from the group
secretary. Copy units are charged against faculty grants or departmental accounts, cash is not
accepted. Please see your group administrative assistant if you need access to photocopying services.

Cryogenics
Contact: Robert Henderson
Office: MP 063B • Tel: 8-8510
hender@physics.utoronto.ca

A cryogenics facility is located in Room MP 063. Liquid nitrogen is available to all members of the
University community. Liquid Helium is also available for use within Physics. The facility can also provide
advice on such matters as dewar selection, gas recovery and the safe use of cryogenic equipment and
products.

Leak Detection Service

Contact: Paul Woitalla
Office: MP067 • Tel: 8-3533
woitalla@physics.utoronto.ca

See Paul to borrow leak detector.

McLennan Joint Health & Safety Committee

Contact: Peter Hurley, Co-Chair (Management)
Office: MP 302 • Tel: 8-2231
Phil. Scolieri, Co-Chair (worker)

The Joint Health and Safety Committee consist of representatives from the departments and
organizations within the building including Physics, Astronomy, CITA, and the Impact Centre. The
committee serves graduate students, technical/laboratory and office staff and faculty, with staff holding
a majority on the committee. Under the Occupational H&S Act, the H&S Committee is responsible for

48
implementing legislative and University safety policies as well as identifying and addressing
departmental health and safety concerns. Research and teaching laboratories and technical facilities
represent significant challenges in ensuring a safe working environment, and demand close attention to
risks and awareness of responsibilities. Each September new graduate students are expected to take the
Health and Safety training seminar which takes place during orientation week. They must subsequently
pass a Health and Safety quiz recorded by the McLennan Health and Safety Committee. Contact
eglover@physics.utoronto.ca regarding H&S meetings or any safety information requirements.

Physics Technical Services Central Office

For all technical Services

Contact: David Rogerson
Office: MP 070 (Basement, north wing) • Tel: 8-0626
rogerson@physics.utoronto.ca

The central office provides general support to the Department’s learning activities and research
projects. This includes assistance and advice about budget estimation, scheduling, purchasing and other
management-related activities. The office provides similar management services to all PTS groups, and
will usually be involved in all medium and large projects done by any of the PTS groups. The PTS
manager can also provide advice and design support in most aspects of PTS activities and can provide
assistance in locating and obtaining materials or instruments that you require. The PTS manager will also
assist with expediting the repair of instruments that must be sent out.

Precision Fabrication Services

Main Shop/Student Shop Contact: Paul Woitalla, email: woitalla@physics.utoronto.ca
Office: MP 067E (Basement, north wing) • Tel: 8-3533

The main task of the Mechanical Workshop is to fabricate, modify, and repair experimental apparatus. A
wide variety of equipment is available for this purpose, and the staff is experienced in meeting the often
exotic demands of physics researchers. The staff is comprised of Paul Woitalla (Supervisor), Masahiro
(Mark) Aoshima and Rolyn Benedicto. If you have work for the shop, or need advice of a mechanical
nature, please contact Paul. There is also a mechanical workshop for students connected to the main
shop.

The Department maintains a machine shop specifically for use by students. It is equipped with a band
saw, drill presses, lathes and milling machines. Machinists from the main shop will help students deal
with the mechanical problems that arise in the course of their research, and assist students who choose
to use the student shop to manufacture and modify equipment for themselves. The Student Workshop
Supervisor, Rolyn Benedicto, can help students with their projects. Before using the shop, students must
take a course, and demonstrate that they can work safely. The course is offered in the spring, to
accommodate summer students, and in the fall. It may also be provided at other times, with sufficient
demand. To take the course, or to use the shop, please contact Rolyn at rolynb@physics.utoronto.ca or
416-978-3533. Safety rules must be followed at all times or shop privileges will be withdrawn.

49
Electronics Support Services
Contact: Robert Morley rmorley@physics.utoronto.ca or Shuqing Li li@physics.utoronto.ca
Office: MP 072 (Basement, north wing) • Tel: 8-2969

Electronics is a rapidly changing field that has become an essential element in most experimental
work. The PERC staff (Shuqing Li and Robert Morley) make every effort to provide state-of-the-art
solutions to the problems that are brought to them. Their expertise covers a broad range of
technologies including digital, analogue, and interface circuitry. They will also make every effort to
repair commercial instruments where support from the original manufacturer is not available. PERC
maintains the Departmental site license for Labview, and can provide assistance with Labview
applications. To access PERC services or to get further information, please contact Robert Morley or
Shuqing Li.

Graphics Support Services

Contact: Raul Cunha
Office: MP 070 (Basement, north wing) • Tel: 8-2960
raulc@physics.utoronto.ca

Raul Cunha provides scientific visualization services to the Department. This includes the use of
CorelDraw and other computer-aided tools to produce presentation quality slides, posters, etc. Raul can
also help in the development of graphical content for web pages. The facility has a variety of hardcopy
devices, including large format colour poster printers, a high quality colour inkjet printer, and a high
resolution tabloid size laser printer. Raul has a digital camera which he uses for basic photographic
services; the camera is also available for loan. More advanced still or portrait photography services are
available from the Earth Sciences Photographer and can be arranged by Raul. For assistance in any of
these areas, please call Raul Cunha

Caretaking Services

Office: MP 116 Tel.: 8-2962

Caretaking and Lost and Found.

If you have any questions about the Graduate Student Handbook, please feel free to
drop by the Graduate Office in MP 315/316.

50
51
Appendix: Forms

School of Graduate Studies

Please go to http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/Student-Forms-and-Letters.aspx
for forms relating to:

• Awards and loans

• Change in Program Status
• Confirmation Letters
• Exchanges and Agreements
• Master’s and Doctoral Thesis and Doctoral Forms
• Registration and Enrolment
• Supervision

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 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO – DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

Annual meeting report of the Ph.D. Committee Meeting

Date: _____________________________

Student: _____________________________

Supervisor: _____________________________

Ph.D. Committee Members: _______________________ and __________________________

Ph.D. first enrolment date: ___________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
Course work completed: � yes � no

• Is there a viable thesis topic and research plan?

• What is the timeline for the thesis?

• Are the necessary resources (including financial support) available?

• What concrete progress has been made in the last year?

• What is the research plan for the coming year?

• Are there any known risks or impediments to the completion of this plan?

• Is the candidate making satisfactory progress towards a Ph.D.?

• Has the candidate done enough research to begin writing up?

PLEASE TURN OVER -->

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After meeting with the student and assessing their progress in the research, we recommend that:

�The student continue their Ph.D. programme, with the next committee meeting to be held on ______

�The student proceed with their present programme, but that the following conditions should be met by
____________________ (date), at which time another Ph.D. Committee meeting should be held.

Conditions:

�That the student not proceeed in their present programme.

Reasons:

________________________ ______________________ _______________________

Supervisor’s signature Committee Members’ signatures

_________________________________
Student’s signature

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE GRADUATE OFFICE: � The Student has been sent a copy of
this report

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