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coillah

Tue Jul 27 2010, 12:04AM

Registered Member #1517 Joined: Wed Jun 04 2008, 06:55AM
Location: Chico CA
Posts: 304

Hi guys,

I am entering into my last year at CSU Chico. I am going to start my applications for grad schools this fall. I have decided that I want to be involved in either fusion or photovoltaic research. I would want to go to school for a PhD. program, I need financial aid.

I have developed into a pretty good student. My overall GPA is not stellar (3.2 when it's all said and done), but my last two years here at school show dramatic improvement. Especially last year, damn near got straight A's all the way through (one B right now, but I have plans to get it fixed). I am studying for the GRE, hopefully I can do pretty well on it.

Anyways, I was hoping some people on here could suggest some potential schools for those two areas mentioned above. So far I have a list of about 4 schools. I'd like to increase it.

Thanks guys!

Tue Jul 27 2010, 01:11AM

Registered Member #2372 Joined:
Location:
Posts: 62

For fusion try Wisconson (magnetic), MIT (magnetic), Michigan (inertial), Texas (inertial), Cornell (inertial), Imperial (inertial), Princeton (magnetic) off the top of my head. The departments that do fusion stuff are usually either physics, electrical engineering, or nuclear engineering. The way a PhD program works is that you either get a fellowship (you must apply for these) or you get a research or teaching assistantship from the department that covers your tuition and pays you a salary (up to $30k per year). No one pays for their own PhD in a science field.

And also, do some research in some lab and get a professor to give you a letter of recommendation that talks about your research. That will trump GPA, GRE, etc.

Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Tue Jul 27 2010, 03:16AM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

Might as well, the job market is really sucking out here in CA! I just barely got my job back at TRW putting junk into space.
If you can delay getting into the job market for 2-4 years you would be much better off, and don't let anyone talk you into less then $70K a year if your living expenses are expected to be more then $1800/mo. for rent alone.

just my $200 worth,

Matt

Carbon_Rod

Wed Jul 28 2010, 10:45AM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

Grad studies are good for the mind, but generally bad for the pocket book.

1. Do not attend the same institution where you did your undergrad.

2. Depending on the faculty and school you may still have to do a qualifying year.

3. Masters and Doctorate programs differ from country to country.
(in some places an incomplete Phd leads to a Masters.)

4. Grad students are generally treated like Zombies, lab mice, or projectiles.

5. Start "friend'ing" professors in the area you wish to work in, as you will need 2 to 3 references on your application.

6. Publish or perish.... you will live by this...
get involved in related groups/labs/talks and maybe someone will cite you in a Paper.

coillah

Wed Jul 28 2010, 07:42PM

Registered Member #1517 Joined: Wed Jun 04 2008, 06:55AM
Location: Chico CA
Posts: 304

This is going to be challenging. I am not attending a research school. I do know a professor who seems interested in programming a model for the second harmonic mechanism in frequency doubling crystals. This might be my only chance at research. Apart from that I have a senior project under my belt... building a vacuum chamber and thermal evap system.

It should be interesting to see if I can't squeeze some time to work with that professor...

MinorityCarrier

Thu Jul 29 2010, 06:18PM

Registered Member #2123 Joined: Sat May 16 2009, 03:10AM
Location: Bend, Oregon
Posts: 312

The CSUC Alumni Association called last night, and because of the hardships I've been hearing about, I just donated some $$ to CSUC. California used to have a very strong economy, it's a bloody tragedy what's happening there now. Best of luck to the graduates in finding jobs.

Mattski

Thu Jul 29 2010, 09:31PM

Registered Member #1792 Joined: Fri Oct 31 2008, 08:12PM
Location: University of California
Posts: 527

coillah wrote ...

This is going to be challenging. I am not attending a research school. I do know a professor who seems interested in programming a model for the second harmonic mechanism in frequency doubling crystals. This might be my only chance at research. Apart from that I have a senior project under my belt... building a vacuum chamber and thermal evap system.

It should be interesting to see if I can't squeeze some time to work with that professor...

Creating models, creating software that can simulate systems based on said models, and extracting model parameters from measured data are all very useful skills in the research world. Getting involved in a project like that can only increase your value to a graduate admissions committee, and at the very least give you a useful skill.

Dr. Who

Sat Jul 31 2010, 02:23PM

Registered Member #326 Joined: Sat Mar 18 2006, 01:12PM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 66

If you're thinking about going down the PhD route, take time to thoroughly investigate your potential supervisor, as they vary enormously in quality, competence and attitude. My supervisor was a disaster, however I had a pretty decent second supervisor. It is well worth spending time talking to a potential supervisor's current and former postgraduate students to find out what you can expect.

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