Your fellow grad students would like to welcome you to the Penn State Department of Geosciences. We think that you made an excellent choice. On the assumption that you have some questions about State College and the program, we, the graduate representatives, hope to provide some answers on this page.

Students, Faculty, and Staff

The Department of Geosciences graduate students elect representatives each year who attend faculty meetings and are often called upon to represent the interests of the other graduate students. To find out the names of your current representatives please contact Shari Walczak.

Dr. Kate Freeman is the faculty member assigned the position of graduate officer. Dr. Freeman can provide information about the department, the Graduate School, and the University, and she can also assist with academic problems or concerns.

Shari Walczak is the Graduate Programs Assistant. Teresa Craig, Tracy Bernier and Lou Klindienst can help you with more general questions.

Housing

Most students secure housing several months before the semester starts. You should start looking for housing as soon as possible. Here is a list of housing resources:

The Centre Daily Times is the local newspaper: (814) 238-5000 (office); (888) 237-3801 (delivery) http://www.centredaily.com

The State College web site lists classifieds. Consider looking for a sublet or a roommate: http://www.statecollege.com

Penn State's Housing web site offers several on-campus apartment options with meal plans to accommodate single students, couples, or students with families: http://www.hfs.psu.edu/graduates/default.stm

Some students choose to live outside of State College in
Bellefonte, Boalsburg, Lemont, or Houserville.

There is bus service (often hourly) to many areas within a fifteen-mile radius of State College.

TA/RA responsibilities

If you have a research assistantship (RA), you probably already know who you're working with and what you'll be working on.

TA assignments are determined at the end of the summer. If you have TA course preferences, speak to Linda Altamura.

Returning grad students are generally given priority in TA assignments, which will at least work to your advantage next year. Professors structure their courses differently and responsibilities vary from class to class: some students teach three or four labs that last one or two hours every week, others attend lectures and grade papers. Many do both.

When you find out your TA assignment, you should meet with the professor to discuss what is expected of you.

Entry Interview

You will have an entry interview during the first week of the semester. Be advised that you should wait until after this interview to schedule your courses, for you may come out of the meeting with new insights and plans with regards to your program.

This interview is a chance for your temporary advisor and two other faculty members to get to know you, your background in Geosciences, and your interests. The goal of the interview is to begin to map out a program of study.

The entry interview is not an exam; it is a conversation between you and three faculty members to discuss a possible course of study. If the faculty members make recommendations that you believe may be unnecessary, feel free to discuss your reservations or concerns with them. State your intentions and plans for your studies here at Penn State. If you aren't sure, be assured that many graduate students do not have discrete plans before our entry interviews.

Caffeine and Carbohydrates - Mondays, 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Join members of the Geosciences Department for a quick coffee to shake off that case of "The Mondays". Coffee and treats are served at 541 Deike Building. Please sign up to bring snacks for future Coffee Breaks on the list posted in the mail room.