Orientation: Q&A Session

1. Orientation: Q&A Session 29 August 2013 * Thanks to previous MetoGrad officers for compiling this information!

2. Who to Go to For Help • We recommend that you ask a graduate student first before you go to the following faculty/staff. We can often help you more readily or direct you to the proper personnel.

3. Who to Go to For Help • Jim Carton: Department Chair – sets agenda, goals, and atmosphere of the department (CSS 3413) • Da-Lin Zhang: Graduate Student Coordinator – questions about the academic graduate school program are his concern. He is also the best person to talk to if you wish to bring concerns to the faculty (CSS 2419) • Tammy Hendershot: Graduate Program Management Specialist – anything which is graduate student specific is her job. Registration paperwork, assistantship paperwork, or general questions about the administration side of the graduate school program (CSS 3409) • Tameka Jones:Executive Administrative Assistant – handles the daily needs of the department. Talk to her about keys, departmental projection equipment (CSS 3417)

4. Who to Go to For Help • David Yanuk/Marty Burdette: Computer Resources – deal with hardware problems and software installation. Rather than talk to them directly, it’s best to send an email (CSS 2425) • They are busy, so everyday questions should be investigated on the helper web site or addressed to other graduate students first • Sonja Junek: Business Manager (CSS 3405) – payroll, tuition remission, and insurance • June Sherer: Director of Administrative Services – responsible for department funds. She receives expense reimbursement forms (CSS 3407) • Bernadette Gatewood: Payroll Office (CSS 3411) – payroll, tuition remission, and insurance

5. Useful AOSC Web Sites • For computer issues: • www.atmos.umd.edu/~helper • Username and password: aosc • Email: helper@atmos.umd.edu • For academic/department information (i.e., curriculum, seminars): • www.atmos.umd.edu • For information on social/student-run events, student seminars: • www.atmos.umd.edu/~gcm/

6. Overview of the Next Few Years • First year: • Take 6 core courses • Many students will then take comprehensive exams in June 2014 • Written exams – 610, 620, and 617 • First summer – delve into research, if haven’t started already • Second year: • Take 3 or 4 additional courses (electives)

7. Overview of the Next Few Years • For those seeking a M.S., you will likely complete requirements in May 2015 • Courses and scholarly paper • For those seeking a Ph.D., it usually takes 4-6 years total on average • Can take less time if you already have M.S. or more if you are a part time student • Must defend prospectus (research plan) first, then write and defend dissertation

8. First-Year Courses • Fall 2011 • AOSC 610: Dynamics of the Atmosphere & Oceans I • AOSC 620: Physics & Chemistry of the Atmosphere I • AOSC 680: Introduction to Earth System Science • OR take an elective in place of AOSC 680 • Spring 2012 • AOSC 611: Dynamics of the Atmosphere & Oceans II • AOSC 621: Physics & Chemistry of the Atmosphere II • AOSC 617: Atmospheric & Oceanic Climate

9. Fall courses details • AOSC610 • Basic conservation laws; circulation & vorticity; planetary boundary layer; synoptic scale motions • AOSC 620 • Thermodynamics; cloud microphysics; basic atmospheric chemistry • AOSC 680 • General earth science topics including ENSO, carbon cycle, volcanoes, paleoclimate, ecosystems, climate change, and the cryosphere

10. How Do I Get to AOSC 680?

11. How Do I Get to AOSC 680? CSS ESSIC

12. First year book program • Part of UMD start of the year program • You get a free book! • This year is Nate Silver’s “The Signal and the Noise: Why so many predictions fail – but some don’t” • Marie Mount Hall, room 2110 • If they ask, you’re TA-ing • http://wp.fyb.umd.edu/2013/

13. Seminar Schedule Remember etiquette! ** You are required to attend student and AOSC seminars! **

14. Getting to and from Campus • Parking • Can register online, check registration hours • $239/yr, $143 fall, $120 spring; Fees charged to your student account or can be deducted from your paycheck before taxes • Note restrictions on games nights (football and basketball) • UMD Shuttle Service • Shuttles through campus, downtown College Park, and other • WMATA Metro • Best way to access DC, NOAA in Silver Spring, Nationals Stadium • Green Line stop in College Park; Can take a shuttle from campus to this station • Check web sites for schedules, rules and maps

15. What to do on Campus • Stamp Student Union • TerpZone (pool, video games, bowling) • Hoff Theater (movies, not usually new releases) • Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center • Plays, concerts, free shows • Eppley Recreation Center • Intramural sports, swimming, exercise classes, instructional lessons, gym • Free membership when you pay activities fee • UMD Athletics • www.tickets.umd.edu • Free when you pay activities fee

16. Where to Eat • On campus • Stamp Student Union: • Food court (fast food) • Co-Op • Subway • Adele’s • Convenience Store between AOSC and Eppley • Diner • Off campus • Downtown College Park: Looney’s, Applebee’s, Potbelly, Barking Dog, Noodles & Co., Ledos, Plato’s Diner • Anywhere else in the DC-MD-VA area (see Washingtonian)

17. What to do Off Campus • Silver Spring, MD • Movies (mainstream and independent), dining, shopping • Washington, DC • Touring, museums (most are free), dining, shopping, nightlife, Verizon Center, Nationals Park • Baltimore, MD • Inner Harbor area, Camden Yards/M&T Stadium • MD Eastern Shore/Delaware beaches • Annapolis, Ocean City, Dewey and Rehobeth

18. Graduate Student Government • Organizes events with other departments (i.e., kickball) • Grad Pub every other Friday (payday) at Adele’s in the Stamp Student Union • Free food, drink specials • http://www.gsg.umd.edu

19. MetoGrads • The department graduate student organization/local D.C. American Meteorological Society chapter • Undergraduate AMS chapter • Events include: NCEP tours, Maryland Day exhibits, Outreach events, Science and Engineering Festival, PhD parties, student seminars, and various social events/trips throughout the year • We hope you will have an opportunity to be involved during your time at UMD!

20. MetoGrads Officers • Adam Greeley: President – chief liaison between the department and the graduate students, and the person to talk to if you have ideas to improve life as a graduate student; agreeley@atmos.umd.edu(CSS 4339) • Katie Lukens: Vice President – assists the President in performing their duties; organizes and procures food for PhD parties; takes the lead for the organization of several of the MetoGrads events; klukens@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 3110) • Allison Ring: Treasurer – manages finances for the graduate student committee; aring@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 2108) • Fang Zhao: AOSC Graduate Student Government Representative – maintains communication between the University graduate student government and our own departmental organization; fzhao@atmos.umd.edu(CSS 4114C) • Dave New: Facilities Coordinator – arranges graduate student offices. If there are problems with your office or a need to change offices, go through him. Go to Tameka for keys; dnew@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 3122) • Dan Goldberg: Student Seminar Coordinator – organizes graduate student seminars; dgoldb@atmos.umd.edu(CSS 4363) • Scott Ozog: Fundraising Committee – organizes and procures food for PhD parties; sozog@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 3111) • Travis Sluka & Guo-Yuan Lien: Computer Resources – maintains web page, brings student computer concerns to faculty; tsluka@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 3122)& gylien@atmos.umd.edu(CSS 4114A) • Austin Hope: Facebook Page/Publicity – helps maintain the department Facebook page and publicize department/MetoGrads events; ahope@atmos.umd.edu(Jull 3111)

21. Thanks for listening! • Questions or concerns? • Contact us • Adam (agreeley@atmos.umd.edu), Katie Lukens (klukens@atmos.umd.edu), or any of the other MetoGrads officers • We’re more than happy to help!