Resources for Students
Graduate Student Jennifer Fehrenbacher adjusting the electron microprobe.
Students working in the 4th floor computer lab.
Sometimes life can get a little crazy, it is nice to know there are resources to help!
Windows into new labs make students wonder if they are the experiments.
Steve Simon working on the Scanning Electron Microscope. Students have access to this and other precision instruments.
Sometimes other graduate students are your best resources for information.
Sunrise over Lake Michigan.
Students in this department have both the freedom and the responsibility to mold their education around their needs. This section has some information and links that will help you.
- Computer Resources
- Libraries
- TA Guide Book
- Dissertation Information
- Funding Sources
- Finding a Job
- Outside Advice on Graduate Life
not everyone will need the information here and many of you will not be able to find the information you are looking for. If you find something you think should be on this page, let us know!
Computer Resources
We are all dependent on computers. Your laptop or desk top may not suffice for all of your computing needs. There are many option available if you do not have the computing power, or software you need.
Department
There are two computer rooms in Hinds Laboratory. The computer located on the 4th floor has several linux terminal for access to workstations, a few Macs and PCs. Students have access to Acrobat Pro, ArcGIS, Illustrator, Matlab, Mathematica, Latex editors, and other useful software packages on these machines. There is a computer lab on the 2nd floor also. Both computer labs have communal printers, both color and black and white, and the computer lab of the 4th floor houses the department's ploter!
The department has several high performance computing clusters available for general use, and many research groups have their own clusters. For more information on in-house computing resources, check out the geocomputing page, or ask Richard.
University
The university has a plethera of computing labs. They have both Windows and Apple machines. For a complete list of computer resources, see the univeristy's page on computing.
The building just to the the west of us is the science library, in the basement is the Crerar USITE computer lab, which is the closest university lab. The computers have most of teh software you will need, including Matlab, Python, Mathematica, Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe Professional, ArcGIS, and more.
Libraries
Crerrar is University of Chicago's Science library. It is the build just to the west of us (walk out the back loading dock, its straight in front of you). The library stacks are open 24/7, so you can always run over and look something up, but can only check out books during regular library hours. We have subscriptions for online materials for most Journals, and it is all linked through both the online card catalog, and through web of science.
TA Guide Book
Chances are good you will have to be a Teaching Assistant at least part of the time you are here. Your responsibilities will vary from class to class, but these are some useful hints compiled by several students for a teaching seminar organized in the spring quarter of 2008.
Dissertation Information
It is never too earlier to start thinking about your dissertation. A recent graduate suggested even if you think there is a chance you will want to defend next quarter, start talking to David Leslie.
Links at the university
LaTex tutorials
Not everyone writes their Dissertation in LaTex, but if you are going to have a bunch of figure and equations, it might be worth learning. Here are some links that other students have found helpful.
The Not so Short Introduction to LaTex
Latex Template
This is an un-official LaTex template. It is essentially the EasyThesis template with some changes.
Astronomy and Astrophysics Thesis Template
Funding Sources
Many students's Advisors have some money for research grants, some have lots, but it is always nice to have more monetary support. Bellow is a list of funding agenciencies students have had luck getting funding from in the past, you can also find similar university wide information from the Office of Graduate Affairs.
Doolitttle Harrison Fellowship
Women in Science
NSF Graduate Student Fellowship
Geological Society of America
American Museum of Natural History
Society for Sedimentary Geology
Paleontological Society
Hinds Fund (Committee on Evolutionary Biology)
Institute for Cambrian Studies
EPA
Finding a Job
As much as we would all love to stay here as students for ever, eventually we will have to move on. These links have helped students either find jobs, or have helpful information on interviews or applying for jobs in academia.
Outside Advice on Graduate Life
Graduate school isn't always going to be easy, and you will get frustrated, everyone does. Here are some links to information and advice Other students and faculty have found useful in there journey through the process.
