Physics & Astronomy Graduate Students (PAGS)

PAGS Organization

Host (President) - Dan Allan
Sergeant at Arms (VP) -
 Stephanie LaMassa
Cookie Monster -
 Matt Walters
Mentoring Coordinators -
 Seamus Riley & Nik Hartman
Beer Baron & Baroness -
 Seamus Riley & Nuala McCullagh
Athletics Coordinators - Seamus Riley & Lucas Bilbro
GRO Representative - Mike Specian
PandA Diversity Co-Chairs - Nuala McCullagh, Bridget Falck, Steph LaMassa


Goals:

The goal is generally to try to keep our lives as pleasant as possible as Physics and Astronomy Grad Students (PAGS).  Eventually, we'd like to tackle issues like how to make the prelim process more fair/consistent, how to have more student input to the curriculum, encouraging first years to do something for April Fools, and making transitions in power for things like happy hour leader, GRO Rep, Softball manager, etc., more smooth and less like pulling teeth.

We'll have meetings roughly once a month.  All are welcome.  Meeting days, times, locations will be sent in advance, with reminder on the day of the meeting.

 Organization:

Right now, the organization has a "Head of Organization, Scheduling, and Tactics" (HOST), who will essentially act as president, and a "SErgeant at Arms" (SEA), who is essentially the vice president.  We just want fancier titles. 

Ideally, the HOST will be a grad student from an upper class who isn't yet trying desperately to get a thesis done (3rd-, 4th-, 5th-year), and the SEA will be a grad student from a lower class (2nd-, 3rd-year).  Hopefully, one year's SEA will be the next year's HOST (although multiple "terms" may be served).  We'd like a balance to be sure that issues affecting the lower classes are being addressed as well as those of upper classes.

We'll probably want a treasurer eventually, as we hope to have some money some time, but that isn't needed yet.  Other duties may also be added to some of the positions below.  We'll see how things go.

Host (President):      Dan Allan

The HOST is the voice of the upper level students.  For the summer, my primary job will be scheduling and emails.  We plan to meet about once a month, at which time we'll have reports from various chairs and scheme about how to get things done.  I'll be the main point of contact with the department.

What you can do?
  • If you know of major conferences (like APS) that are likely to take many people away, let me know so I can schedule around them.
  • Tell me what you wish you'd known when you came to start grad school here.
  • Suggest other projects for PAGS.

    •  Sergeant at Arms (VP):      Sean Cantrell
    For the summer, the SEA's main job will be as a check point and enforcer.  He's to keep the Chairs motivated - by hitting them on the head with his scepter if necessary.  He's also the check point for problems which concern primarily the first, second, and third year students.

    What you can do?
  • If you're a chair, keep the Sergeant at Arms up to date on your progress.
  • If you're not a chair, help the chairs.
  • If you have a concern or suggestion, share it.

    •  Cookie Monster:      Matt Walters

    Having Tea and Cookies for the grad students at 3pm has been a department tradition for many years.  The first-year graduate students will each be assigned a week during the school year, during which he/she will be in charge of putting out tea and cookies.  This year, we’ve decided to extend the tradition.  We’re expending into the summer (with volunteers and iced tea added) and, hopefully, through most of the winter break.

    The Cookie Monster will be making the summer schedule, to continue through the first week or two of classes, as the first-years get adjusted. 

    There have been many complaints about the (yucky) Lipton Tea, and it seems that we have sometimes been successful in getting Red Rose instead.  We’ve also been griping about the poor cookie quality for a long time.  The cookies have been fairly good this summer – Let’s hope it keeps up.

    The Cookie Monster will speak to the incoming students about setting up tea and cookies and will rain fire upon the entering class to make sure they take care of Tea, and hopefully we'll have the schedule week by week posted on the web site, so we can all torture those who fall down in their duty.

    What you can do?
  • Volunteer to put out Tea and Cookies during the summer.

    •  Mentoring Coordinators:      Seamus Riley & Nik Hartman

    Having The mentoring program is like a Big Brother/ Big Sister thing for the incoming students; the department is very keen on the idea, and we really need volunteers.  We'd like to have one grad student, preferably one who has started research, 3rd- and 4th-years would be ideal.  We'll try to match you to someone in your field. And, if incoming students don't have much experience with English, we'll try to match them with someone who speaks their native language.  It's not a big time commitment; it will be helpful for the incoming students; and it will promote some socialization between the years. 

    Responsibilities:
  • Send a little welcoming email in August, possible correspondence about prelims, housing, etc.
  • Meet with your mentoree at least once soon after he/she arrives.  It would be best to do this before they register for classes.  Give advice on classes (often faculty recommend schedules that are too much to handle), whatever. After that it's up to you.

    • What you can do?
  • Volunteer!  Email to do so.  Write 3 or 4 sentences on your research interests, research experience, maybe teaching experience, who you have (and have had) as an advisor, and a link to your personal web page (if you have one), and if you speak a language besides English, let us know.

    •  Beer Baron & Baroness:      Seamus Riley & Nuala McCullagh

     Another of our unifying and fun grad student traditions is having Happy Hour at 5 on Fridays.  One person (the MOB) is in charge of getting beer, hard cider, hard lemonade, and soda and chips and keeping our mini-fridge stocked.  Then he brings it out for happy hour, and we all reimburse him on a bottle-by-bottle basis, fair prices, no profits, and hopefully no loses.  It is the case that some people will take refreshments without paying into the co-op.  Don’t be one of those people.

    What you can do?
  • Come to Happy Hour - It's fun.
  • Try to keep up to date with payments.
  • Occasionally donate a little extra cash, some liquids, or some snacks.

    •  Athletics Coordinators:      Seamus Riley & Lucas Bilbro

     The Athletics Coordinator is the manager of the Space PandAs softball team.  Aside from being softball manager, he should keep track of what other teams there are from the department.  There's usually at least one volley ball team going, and many people play soccer, or even pick up games of basketball.  There have also been group outings to sporting events (like Os games) that might be arranged.

    What you can do?
  • If you're on a team (esp. an intramural), let the Athletics Chair know.  Include the names of other PandAs on the team, and contact info.
  • If you're interested in getting a team together or just want to let people know what kind of sports you'd like company in, email this.
  • If you want to take charge of getting a group together to go to a sporting event, email this.

    •  GRO Representative:      Mike Specian ()

    Our department has a representative in the Graduate Representative Organization.  Most of us don't pay much attention to this, and maybe we should.  Hopefully, we'll get updates at our meetings ~once a month and maybe give some more input.

    What you can do?
  • Ask all your GRO related questions.
  • Read the GRO newsletter.

    • PandA Diversity Co-Chairs:      Nuala McCullagh, Bridget Falck, Steph LaMassa

         This is an effort led by a few grad students at JHU to promote awareness of diversity issues in Physics and Astronomy and to engage the community with open discussion. We plan to have one or two meetings a semester, each focusing on one of a wide variety of topics such as: statistics on gender and racial equality, work/life balance, the leaky pipeline, unconscious bias, maternity and childcare policies, etc.

    For more information click here.

    Curriculum Committee:
    Chair
    		 - Dan Allan
    Astronomy
    		 -
    		 Stephanie LaMassa
    High Energy/Particle Theory
    		 -
    		 George Bruhn
    Condensed Matter
    		-
    		 Stuart Kirschner
    Exams
    		 -
    		 Dan Richman

    The Curriculum Committee is a group of students (one rep from each of the three main sub-disciplines) and professors (again, one from each discipline) who meet to discuss the graduate curriculum.  The meetings occur roughly twice per school year.  In recent years, the committee has worked on getting the "thesis committee / report" idea implemented, worked on revamping the rules for GBO's, and made some minor changes to the course offerings and requirements.  But, more might be able to get done, if more of us are aware of what's happening.  If you have suggestions for changes to the course offerings and curriculum please contact one of the representatives above.  The recent reformation of PAGS and the new process for appointing student representatives should improve the usefulness of this committee.  It might also help for the faculty to be clear that the grad population is aware of and supports recommendations made by the student members.

    What you can do?
  • Tell your Curriculum Committee representative of all your curriculum concerns.
  • Volunteer to be on the Curriculum Committee when one of the existing people leave.

    • WebMaster:      John Graham ()

    To be added.

    What you can do?
  • Inform the webmaster of broken links and other things that are not working properly.
  • Send info and suggestions.
  • Send pictures especially from department events (appropriate-ish please).
  • Write up some advice for incoming students, or about prelims, POEs, GBOs, etc.
  • Make a page that doesn't exist yet.
  • Send me content.
  • Write 3 or 4 sentences on your research interests, research experience, maybe teaching experience, who you have (and have had) as an advisor, and a link to your personal web page (if you have one) for the students section soon the be added.

    • Content ideas:
  • Pictures (from Halloween parties, Stella's Birthday Party, Dept. Christmas, Dept. Picnic, old April Fools decor, etc.).
  • Announcements (athletic events, IGWAD shows, birthdays, etc.).
  • GRO updates.
  • Advice to incoming students.
  • Advice on Prelims, POEs, GBOs, finding advisors, life in general, etc.
  • Info on mentoring (more to follow).
  • Advice on research (interests, experience, advisor, and maybe teaching experience).