Advising

Advising

First year students have a program advisor selected by the department to advise on course selection and rotations until settling into a research group. Students typically join a research group during or near the end of the first year. This Dissertation Research advisor will direct the research program for the remainder of the student’s graduate career.

Professor Patrick Hayden is the Chair of the Physics Graduate Study Committee for the 2025-26 academic year. He is available (by appointment) to consult with students about any graduate student related matter, including degree progress.

Research Advisors/ Advisor of Record & Physics Advisor

Physics graduate students have a wide range of research choices available to them, including working on a Physics- related program in a different department, with a Research Advisor who is not a member of the Physics Department. Students working with advisors outside Physics/Applied Physics/SLAC* must have a “Physics Advisor” who is a faculty member in the Physics Department whose sole function is to verify that the work of the dissertation is appropriate for the physics PhD. (in particular, this person carries no financial responsibility for the support of the student).

*Students with SLAC PPA and Photon Science faculty advisors do not require a Physics Advisor

Students may work with and be funded by a  senior scientist who is not a member of the Academic Council in a manner similar as they would with a Research Advisor. This situation most often, but not exclusively, arises at SLAC.  However, University policy requires that an Academic Council member be listed as the Advisor of Record. To have a SLAC staff scientist serve as their co-advisor, students must complete a Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members form and submit it to the Student Services Manager.

A Physics Advisor serves two main roles: (i) acting as an official liaison for the student to the Physics Department and (ii) ensure that the student's dissertation has a physics component that is sufficient to allow granting of a Ph.D. in Physics. The Physics Advisor also serves as the student's contact to the department for any academic issues that would be more appropriately dealt with by Physics, rather than a faculty member in another department.

Students should select the Research Advisor as soon as they are no longer on rotation and have decided on a research program with an advisor. Students should complete the Advisor Declaration Form and submit it to the Student Services Manager

During the third year the student submits a one-page dissertation proposal on their research, including a description of the physics components, to the Physics Student Services Manager. The proposal should have been reviewed, approved, and signed by the student's Research Advisor, Advisor of Record, and Physics Advisor (if applicable) 

From then on, the student should meet with their advisor as frequently as necessary and certainly at least monthly.  In addition, if they also have an Advisor of Record or a Physics Advisor, the student should meet with them at least yearly. During that annual meeting, the student should submit a one-page progress report on research for Advisor of Record or the Physics Advisor approval and signature. The form is given to the Physics Student Services Officer for placement in the student's file.

If, during the annual meeting, the Physics Advisor determines that the research no longer contains a significant physics component, the student will be warned that a Ph.D. in Physics may not be merited, and they may need to transfer to the relevant department. 

Advising Guidelines

Physics First Year (Program) Advisor

Stanford Physics program advisors are responsible for welcoming incoming students to the Physics Department, meeting with the students and helping them to navigate the graduate program. The program advisor is expected to be aware of and to support the students’ progress through the rotation system.

Rotation and Dissertation Research Advisor

The advisor-student relationship will be, in most cases, the student’s central academic relationship during their time at Stanford. It represents a serious commitment for both parties and should not be entered into without careful consideration.

The students admitted to the Stanford Physics graduate program are among the best-prepared and most motivated scientists in training throughout the world. These students will best explore their creative potential and develop their intellectual and analytical skills through frequent collegial interactions with faculty.

Dissertation advisors are responsible for the intellectual and professional mentoring of graduate students. Sustained, meaningful communication between the advisor and student is key for achieving shared goals, including the student’s mastery of the subject material and ultimate career success and satisfaction, inside or outside of academia.

The advisor is expected to be aware of and support the student’s progress towards Physics PhD milestones, including the Oral Qualifying Exam (2nd year), the Thesis Proposal (3rd year), Oral Presentation to Reading Committee (4th year) and final thesis defense and submission.

Co-Advisor

Students who are working on a project jointly funded by two faculty members (with at least one being in Physics) may declare one as the Co-Advisor. 

Advising Forms: 

  • Advisor Declaration Form (due by the end of the 2nd year of the Ph.D.)
  • Stanford Physics Individual Development Plan. The Department encourages students to meet with their research advisor at the least once per year to discuss development for the remainder of the Ph.D. below are forms that were designed by the Graduate Studies Committee to facilitate productive discussion between Research Advisors and advisees. Please select the form for the years that are relevant for you.  

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR GRADUATE ADVISORS:

Back to Top