Graduate students are issued keys to their assigned office and lab spaces, as well as any teaching spaces they will need to access. There is no fee to obtain a key. Copying or altering of keys is not permitted. Loss of a key requires the payment of a $5.00 fine. Additional keys, e.g., for research offices, may be obtained as needed with the proper authorization. This is handled in room 139 Smith Hall. Access to the exterior doors of Smith and Kolthoff Halls is controlled by your U Card. During orientation, your U Card information will be recorded to give you 24-hour access to both buildings.
E-mail communication is critical in our department. Official communication will be sent to your central UMN e-mail address (also referred to as your "Internet ID" or "X.500 address".) Your central e-mail address ends in "umn.edu." You are responsible for all e-mail sent to these addresses and should check your e-mail at least once or twice a day.
All departmental and Graduate School forms requiring the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies should be brought to 115 Smith Hall (rather than put into a mailbox or the faculty office of the DGS) for review and signature by the DGS.
During the weeks leading up to your first semester, a number of Orientation activities will be organized to help prepare you to succeed in our program. The following is a brief list of things to expect during Orientation weeks, although it is not an exhaustive list. More details can be found on the Orientation webpage.
Meeting with your Three Member Committee (TMC)
This advising committee of three members of the Chemistry graduate faculty will have been assigned to each student before the student’s arrival on campus and will meet with the student near the end of the Orientation period (prior to registration) to plan a course program and discuss short- and long-range plans. You should show up with some ideas for what courses you would like to take. Additional details about the role of the TMC are found on the Mentoring page.
Faculty Research Presentations
Faculty will give a brief overview of their research programs. All new graduate students must attend these sessions, as they are particularly useful in helping to identify faculty with whom the student should have a deeper conversation to discuss research and lab climate. Before selecting a research advisor(s), the student should become well acquainted with the research interests of various groups in the department by arranging individual interviews with at least four members of Chemistry’s Graduate Faculty. Additional details about the advisor selection process are found on the Research Advisor Selection page.
Teaching Assistant (TA) Training
TA training will be held for General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry. Students who are ultimately assigned to teach other courses should also participate in this training. Your TA assignment in future terms may be to teach these larger undergraduate lab courses.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
Your admission to our graduate program was based in part on your commitment to support and contribute to the DEI mission of our Department. This initial training will begin to prepare you to work with a diverse set of people at UMN in your role as a TA, researcher, and graduate student.
Mental Health Training
There are a lot of responsibilities and stress as a graduate student and you will also be working with (and teaching) others who are under similar levels of stress. Maintaining your own mental health through these years is important, just as it is important to recognize warning signs of mental distress in those around you. This training will begin to prepare you for these challenges by informing you of the resources that are available to you and others at UMN.