Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)
The Department of Physics & Astronomy's Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) serves to provide support and advice to all current and prospective graduate students in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Utah, from the application process to course work, research, and graduation. More specifically, GSAC:
- Provides advice and council regarding coursework, research, graduation, and career planning for prospective, incoming, current, and defending graduate students
- Makes recommendations to the department and university in the Retention, Promotion, & Tenure (RPT) process for departmental faculty
- Organizes the Graduate Research Seminar and Graduate Student Socials
- Provides recommendations and support in development of new departmental policy
For more information about GSAC, current and upcoming events, and more, please see below. If you have any questions, please contact us!
GSAC Newsletter
GSAC recently sent out an email to all grads with important information for several start-of-semester activities. For those who were not able to access this email, please see the GSAC Blog for more info!
Introducing Virtual Grad Lounge and Weekly Social Hour!
Beginning Spring 2021, GSAC is excited to offer a virtual graduate student lounge, since the physical lounge space in South Physics is temporarily closed due to CoVID restrictions. This space, hosted via Gather.town, is available for all graduate students 24/7 as a place to study, work together on homework or research, socialize, and more!
As well, GSAC will be using the grad lounge to host weekly Grad Social Hours on Fridays at 5pm, beginning Jan. 29th. These weekly Social Hours will have virtual games, movies/shows, general socializing, and BYO food and drinks. Come join us and socialize with your fellow grads!
Spring 2021 - Grad Social Small Groups
GSAC and the Grad Social Committee is continuing to help organize Grad Social Small Groups! This shift due to CoVID restrictions will allow smaller groups of students to connect over common interests such as rock climbing, hiking, video games, and more!
Graduate Research Seminar
Each semester, GSAC hosts bi-weekly Graduate Research Seminars (GRS). GRS is a great
professional development seminar series for graduate students! Historically, GRS has
been a meeting time for graduate students to prepare and give presentations/talks
in preparations for conferences, qualifying exams, dissertation defenses, etc.
Graduate Student Socials
GSAC is excited to continue partnering with the Grad Social Committee to host Graduate
Student Socials! Because of CoVID restrictions, GSAC and the Grad Social Committee
have shifted gears to provide a new type of social event, the Grad Social Small Groups!
GSAC Leadership
Each year, GSAC holds elections with the entire graduate student body to elect new GSAC leadership and members. Each official position is a one-year term, and graduate students are invited to serve in either official positions or as general officers.
GSAC Blog
Check out our GSAC blog for recent newsletters, graduate program updates, and other information!
Contact GSAC
GSAC always welcomes graduate students to contact us regarding questions, comments, or concerns. We meet with prospective and incoming students to discuss planning and managing coursework, choosing research groups, campus life, and more.
Please email us at physics.gsac@gmail.com or use this Google Form to contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns. If you wish to remain anonymous, please use the Google Form, which has options for anonymity.