Summer Opportunities for Ph.D. Students
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While the mathematics graduate program does not run regular courses for Ph.D. students, students are encouraged to further their studies and professional development. Funding can sometimes be obtained by teaching, working with the DIMACS/Math Reu program, or via NSF grants. Students are encouraged to talk with the graduate director/ professional development coordinators about summer funding opportunities. Summer activities can include:
- Preparation for the written or oral qualifying exam.
- Do independent reading or research with a faculty member. This is an excellent way to explore a potential advisor-student relationship and/or thesis area. This can be done informally, or formally as a reading course (640:615).
- For students who have already passed their oral exam and have a thesis advisor, work on your research! Also, this is a good chance to take research credits; if you were a TA in the previous academic year you can take up to 6 credits at no charge.
- Take a course in another department (such as a foreign language, if you need to prepare for the language proficiency exam).
- There are many summer graduate student workshops, which often provide financial support for participants. Many of these have limited space for students and require advance application. Organizations which run frequent summer programs include: Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and Institute for Mathematics and Applications (IMA), and the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI). As a supporting member of MSRI and IMA, Rutgers is entitled to send some students to selected events; talk to the graduate program director if you are interested.
- In some (usually applied) fields there are summer internships available.