HDR overview

HDR information for students and supervisors in Physics

Resources

The following resources are maintained by the ANU’s Graduate Research School and are the source of all up-to-date information about the higher degree by research programs.

HDR Handbook – information for PhD and MPhil students to help navigate your program, including all those things you didn’t know you needed to know until you needed to know.

The ANU’s Graduate Research School – the home of all aspects of research student services from admissions to examinations, research student development, and supervisor support and development.

The research student development team run regular workshops to help students develop many aspects of academic skills. Check out the current offerings here.

Supervisor resources are available here

Research Internship information is available here (ANU) and here (APR Intern).

People

Who’s who in HDR administration and how to contact them.

The Physics HDR convenor team

The Associate Director (HDR) is Vanessa Robins. She is assisted by the convenors

All are experienced supervisors available to support students and their supervisory panels through all stages of the program.

Student representatives

These students have generously volunteered to be points of contact within each department. They also provide a valuable student perspective at the School executive meetings and on other committees.

Milestones

Milestones include training requirements, and annual plans and reports to record progress, reflect on the work you’ve completed, and to assess if any additional support may be required to enable successful and timely completion.

Details on all the required milestones are provided in the HDR Handbook.

Students can check the status of their Milestones by logging in to ANUHub.

Supervisors can also check the Milestone due dates of their students in ANUHub.
[After logging in, select the compass symbol at top right, then Menu -> ANUHub Administration -> My Students]

Confirmation of Candidature

Content for undergraduate students.

The Physics requirements are documented in full here. In short:

  • The CoC review is due about 12 months after the student commences their program.
  • The CoC review meeting starts with a 20-30 minute presentation by the student followed by 10-15 minutes of scientific discussion with the panel.
  • The HDR convenor and Head of Dept have a 5 minute conversation with the student (supervisors not present).
  • The HDR convenor and Head of Dept have a 10-15 minute conversation with the supervisory panel and decide on an outcome (student not present).
  • The student returns and the outcome is discussed.

Arranging your Confirmation of Candidature Review

The chair of your supervisory panel is responsible for ensuring the CoC milestone is completed on time by following these steps:

  1. 9-10 months after the student commences their program, (i.e., 2 months before the CoC is due) the student and panel identify a time for the CoC review to be held. All members of the supervisory panel must be able to attend. The duration of the meeting is typically 1 hour but may run slightly longer.
  2. The supervisor/student invite one of the HDR convenors (incl Assoc Dir, HDR) to act as Chair of the review panel and ensure they are available at the nominated time.
  3. The supervisor/student invite their Head of Department to attend. If the Head is unavailable (or on the panel) they nominate a suitable replacement.
  4. The supervisor/student sends a Calendar invitation with a suitable room booking to the full review panel at least one month prior.
  5. The student arranges to meet with the Chair of review panel (HDR convenor) about one month before the CoC review.
  6. The student and supervisor ensure the thesis proposal document is sent to the full review panel at least one week before the CoC review meeting.

Annual Plans and Reports

These document your work habits, candidate-supervisor agreement, academic progress, and should also report any issues that have caused a delay. See the HDR Handbook information here.

Expectations for academic progress will differ by department and group, but will likely include the following:

  • contributing to your research group activities
  • giving department seminars
  • giving poster or oral presentations at conferences
  • drafting and submitting papers to journals and/or conference proceedings
  • visiting and collaborating at other universities or industry partners

Delays to progress can include significant illness or injury, broken lab equipment, changes in supervision.

Physics community

The weekly newsletter is the Event Horizon and contains important information about upcoming events and opportunities. If you read one newsletter each week it should be this one. It is archived here.

HDR students are expected to attend the school colloquiums and distinguished lectures that are held each month to broaden their experience in all areas of physics.

All HDR students are invited to connect with the LinkedIn account ANU Physics HDR (Associate Director HDR Physics at The Australian National University).

Funding opportunities

Below are links to funding opportunities that can assist students to attend conferences, make an extended collaborative visit or help with difficult life circumstances.

  • Vice-Chancellor's HDR Travel Grants
  • Robert and Helen Crompton Award - a generous award established by Professor Robert Crompton and Mrs Helen Crompton. The Robert and Helen Crompton Award of up to A$15,000 will be available each year to assist postgraduate research students enrolled at the Research School of Physics (RSPhys) to undertake part of the research program overseas or make a collaborative visit to an overseas institution, for 3 to 6 months. It is the intention of the Research School and the donor that the Award is used to enhance career opportunities and experience of students. Nominations for this award are usually called for in March each year.
  • The Boswell Technologies HDR Award for Space Exploration, Moon and Mars – nominations are usually called for in April each year.
  • The Brian Robson award to support students and ECRs working in Theoretical Physics.
  • Physics students who are experiencing difficulties and need financial support to complete their studies can apply for the Ben Williams Student Support Grant.

Awards and Prizes

Hone your presentation skills and compete for prize money at:

  • The John Carver Student seminar series: one of the major physics student events held in September each year. There are valuable prizes on offer.
  • The annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

Student achievements are celebrated and recognised by thesis prizes awarded annually:

  • JG Crawford prize – for best thesis in Science and Engineering at ANU.
  • Jagadishwar Mahanty Prize for the best thesis submitted by an ANU Physics PhD or MPhil student between 1 July of the previous year and 30 June of the current year.
  • Bragg Medal for best PhD thesis awarded by the Australian Institute of Physics.

Responsible officer

Postgraduate Research enquiries - admin.physics@anu.edu.au