College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona

Student Website for the Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam

(aka Prelims)

The purpose of this website is to help Ph.D students prepare for their prelim exam at the College of Optical Science.

Current Exam policy

 

Plan for Summer 2007

Last summer one student organized a series of hour-long preparatory sessions with various professors.  In these sessions a professor would typically answer student questions regarding a particular area of optics, work through an old written prelim problem and discuss typical questions asked during orals.  Most students who attended these sessions said they were valuable.

Based on student and professor feedback from last summer I've decided to modify the format of these sessions.  This summer any student or professor is welcome to organize a meeting, lecture, presentation, game, practice orals test, lunch, dinner, stress relieving session, party, practice written test, or whatever else someone might come up with.  Just send me the date, time, location, and purpose and I'll post it to the calendar below.

For example if a single student or group of students have questions for a particular professor they are welcome to plan a meeting with that professor and post it to the calendar below. 

To start this summer off, Professor Burge is going to work through a few example prelims problems and talk about typical orals questions in the areas of optical systems, radiometry and aberrations. As most of us know, all faculty members are invited to write prelim questions.  This means that we may be asked questions by professors that we haven't taken a class from.  It will certainly help to meet these professors and understand how they approach optics.

If you have something you want me to post please email me at sgibb@optics.arizona.edu.  If you want to be on the email list to be notified of future events send me an email as well.

Scott Gibb

 

Calendar

Date Time Location Professor Purpose
June 29 1pm Rm. 408 Prof. Burge Work through written and orals questions in optical systems, radiometry and aberrations.  Discuss strategy.
         
August 17 12pm Rm. 408 Prof. Anderson Discuss prelims in general, example written and orals questions.  Mock oral.  Answer specific student questions regarding Opti 511 material.
September 7 12pm Rm. 408 Prof. Milster  
         
A few weeks prior to prelims       Orientation Meeting with Dr. Shoemaker Regarding Prelims
         
         
Sept. 25&26       Prelims

 

Miscellaneous Info