Grad Guide 10

Ma ssa c huse tts Institute o f Te c hno lo gy
De pa r tme nt o f Che mistr y
CHE S RY
© 1986 Ybet
Guide fo r
Fir st- Ye a r Gr a dua te Stude nts
2010 – 2011
2004-2005
GUIDE FOR FIRST YEAR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Table of Contents
Part I. The Academic Program
A. Registration Procedures 3
B. The First-year Academic Program: Courses 4
C. Desk Rotations 12
D. Choosing a Research Advisor 12
E. Thesis Research Outside the Chemistry Department 13
F. Cumulative Exams 13
G. Thesis Committees 14
H. Annual Meeting with Thesis Committee Chairs 15
I. Annual Evaluation of Progress 15
J. The Oral Exam 16
K. Beyond the Second Year Research Proposals and Seminars 17
L. Chemistry Department Mediators 19
M. Chemistry Department Colloquia 19
N. Chemical Hygiene and Safety Training 20
Part II. Chemistry Graduate Student Organizations and Activities
A. Chemistry Graduate Student Committee 22
B. Women in Chemistry 22
C. TGIF Socials 22
D. Intramural Sports Teams 22
E. The Graduate Common Room 22
Part III. Guide for Teaching Assistants
A. First-year Graduate Student Appointments 23
B. Teaching 23
C. Expectations and Workload 25
D. Thoughts on Teaching from a Former Chemistry TA 27
Part IV. General Information
A. First-year Graduate Students, Fall 2010 28
B. Graduate Student Mentors 30
1
C. Who's Who in the Department 32
D. Chemistry Offices (And Other Important Rooms) 33
E. A Word on Numbers 34
2
Part I: The Academic Program
General information about MIT Graduate Program policies and procedures can be found in the
publication "Graduate Education Manual", which can be accessed through the Graduate Student
Office at: http://web.mit.edu/odge/
A. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
Registration Procedure for the Fall Semester
• During the Chemistry Department Orientation Program (Monday, August 30) you will
receive advice on suitable courses for the fall semester.
• On Registration Day (Tuesday, September 7), please go to the Amdur Room (6-233) to
pick up your registration materials, and then go to one or more Registration Officers in
the area(s) of chemistry closest to your interests (see list below) to discuss and select your
program for the fall term. One of the Registration Officers must initial your registration
form to indicate their approval of your program.
• Return to the Amdur Room to submit your registration material and obtain the signature
of either Susan Brighton, Graduate Administrator, or Professor Bob Field, Chair of the
Chemistry Department Graduate Committee.
The following faculty serve as the Registration Officers for the 2010-2011 Academic Year:
Professor Essigmann Biological Chemistry 56-669

Professor Lippard Inorganic Chemistry 18-498
Professor Movassaghi Organic Chemistry 18-292

Professor Silbey Physical Chemistry 6-211
English Evaluation Test (International Students Only)

Facility with both spoken and written English is an important skill for chemical researchers and
especially for Teaching Assistants. All students whose first language is not English are required
to take the English Evaluation Test that will be given on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 from 9 AM
to noon in Room 10-250. Students will also sign up at that time for a brief oral interview given
the same day. International students who believe that they should be exempted from this
requirement should contact Susan Brighton (brighton@mit.edu, 3-1845). All international
students whose first language is not English must take the examination unless they receive an
official exemption letter from Ms. Brighton.
Based on the exam results, students may be required to enroll in, and complete, one or more
courses to improve their English language skills. A student cannot drop this course without
written approval by John Essigmann. Susan Brighton will contact students by e-mail prior to
Registration Day to notify them whether they will be required to register for such a course during
the fall semester. Students who do not enroll in, and complete, English language courses
required of them by the Chemistry Department will not be permitted to serve as Teaching
Assistants. Some courses may be required in the second or later semesters.
3
Registration Procedure for the Spring Semester
Registration Day for the spring term is Monday, January 31, 2011; however, you must pre-
register on-line anytime from December 1 to December 30. First-year students should consult
with their Research Advisor to discuss their spring program prior to meeting with the
Registration Officer in their area. As in the fall semester, registration material should be picked
up on Registration Day in the Amdur Room. After obtaining the approval of the Registration
Officer, students should return to the Amdur Room to submit their registration material and
obtain the signature of either Susan Brighton or Professor Field.
B. THE FIRST-YEAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM: COURSES

The Chemistry Department offers a flexible program that allows students to select courses
tailored to their individual background and research interests. No specific courses are required
for the degree, but keep in mind that your first year courses may affect your preparation for
research in different areas of chemistry and could affect your qualifications to work with a
particular faculty member. In general, candidates for the PhD degree in chemistry are expected
to have completed at least 48 units of subjects approved for this purpose by the department with
a grade of B- or better. "Approved" subjects include H-level graduate courses in chemistry and
other departments, as well as Chemistry 5.04, 5.08, and other subjects approved by the
Registration Officers. Thesis research (5ThG), seminar courses, and other pass-fail subjects are
not counted toward the 48 units generally expected for the degree.
Students must register for a minimum of 45 total units each semester. To reach the required total
of 45 units, students should also register for P/D/F subjects such as the 5.9xx series departmental
seminars. If necessary, students can register in Chemistry 5.90 ("Special Problems in
Chemistry") for whatever number of units is necessary to provide 45 total units for the semester.
The following sections provide you with some general guidance in designing your program
based on the experience of graduate students in the past. Included is a bar chart summarizing the
key graduate courses offered in each area of chemistry as well as a list of the more popular
subjects with key information about each. Bear in mind that a typical fall schedule involves 24-
36 units (half-semester subjects are 6 units; full-semester subjects are 12 units), and that 48 units
(with a grade of B- or higher) of graduate courses approved by the department are normally
expected for PhD degree candidates.
FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Students with interest in this area are strongly advised to take 5.52 (Biological Chemistry
tutorial), 5.54J (Frontiers in Chemical Biology), and 5.921 (Seminar in Biological Chemistry)
during the fall semester. This year's fall semester program could also include 5.062 (Principles
of Bioinorganic Chemistry), 5.70J (Statistical Thermodynamics with Applications to Biological
Systems), 5.77J (Topics in Metabolic Biochemistry), or other subjects from the Departments of
Biology, Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering (see below).
In the spring semester, subjects of interest include 5.50 (Enzymes: Structure and Function), 5.08
(Biological Chemistry II), 5.48J (Protein Folding and Human Disease) and 5.922 (Seminar in
Biological Chemistry), as well as various subjects offered in the Department of Biology,
Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering (see below). Finally, first-year graduate
students are encouraged to enroll in the pass/fail lecture-series course 5.561 (Chemistry in
Industry).
4
COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
Fall Semester
5.062 Principles of Bioinorganic Chemistry (Lippard, Nolan) TR 8:30-10
Delineates principles that form the basis for understanding how metal ions function in biology. Includes the
choice, uptake and assembly of metal-containing units; metal-induced folding of biomolecules; control of
metal ion concentrations in cells; electron-transfer chemistry; atom and group transfer chemistry; protein
tuning of metal properties; and applications to diagnosis and treatment of disease.
5.52 Advanced Biological Chemistry (Klibanov) TR 2:30-4:30 (1st half)

Lab TR 1-5 (2nd half)
Biological chemistry tutorial. Concepts and methods of biochemistry, with emphasis on quantitative
aspects of problem analysis and fundamentals of experimental methods. Intended for first-year graduate
students with a strong interest in biological chemistry. Class held 1st half, lab held 2nd half of semester.
5.54J Frontiers in Chemical Biology (Imperiali) MW10-12

Introduction to current research at the interface of chemistry, biology, and bioengineering. Topics include
imaging of biological processes, metabolic pathway engineering, protein engineering, mechanisms of DNA
damage, RNA structure and function, macromolecular machines, protein misfolding and disease,
metabolomics, and methods for analyzing signaling network dynamics. Lectures are interspersed with
class discussions and student presentations based on current literature.
5.65 Molecular Imaging (Ting) Not Offered

Prereq: One semester of undergraduate biochemistry. Overview of molecular imaging methods used to
study biological systems, ranging from cells to entire organisms. Course begins with micrometer-scale
imaging, dominated by visible light microscopy. Students discuss physics and instrumentation, chemical
probes, and biological applications. The second unit covers imaging at millimeter scales, focusing on PET
and MRI imaging in live organisms. The final unit addresses imaging at the nanometer to micrometer scale:
electron microscopy, AFM, and NSOM.
Additional courses of interest (some require permission of the instructor):

Course 5 – Chemistry
5.77J Topics in Metabolic Biochemistry (Brown) MW 8:30-10
Prereq: Undergrad level biochemistry. Special topics include major metabolic pathways for the
biosynthesis of certain cellular constituents and oxidative metabolism. Emphasis is on enzymology and
methods used to understand metabolism and enzymatic processes.
Course 7 – Biology
7.03 Genetics (Reddien, Kaiser, Regev) MWF 11-12
7.06 Cell Biology (Amon, Lodish) MW 9:30-11
7.51 Principles of Biochemical Analysis (Cheeseman et al.) MWF 9-10:30
7.547J Principles and Practice of Drug Development (Allen et al.) R 3-6
Course 10 – Chemical Engineering
10.568 Physical Chemistry of Polymers (Cohen) TR 11 12:30
Course 20 – Bioengineering
20.441 Biomaterials: Tissue Interactions (Spector, Yannas) TR 2:30-4
20.420J Biomolecular Kin. & Cell Dynamics (Tidor, Wittrup) TR 10-11:30
5
Spring Semester
5.08J Biological Chemistry II (Ting, Nolan)
5.48J Protein Folding and Human Disease (Lindquist, King)
5.50 Enzymes: Structure and Function (Stubbe) Not Offered
7.71J Biophysical Chemistry Techniques (Drennan, Schwartz)
5.561 Chemistry in Industry (Danheiser)
Additional courses of interest:
Course 3 – Materials Science and Engineering
3.91 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers (Roylance)
Course 7 – Biology
7.06 Cell Biology (Avon, Lodish) MW 9:30-11(Both)
7.56 Foundations of Cell Biology (Bell, Solomon) (Spring)
7.77 Nucleic Acids (RajBhandary, Bartel) (Spring)
FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Students interested in pursuing research in inorganic chemistry should enroll in 5.04 (Principles
of Inorganic Chemistry II), 5.062 (Principles of Bioinorganic Chemistry), and 5.061 (Principles
of Organometallic Chemistry). Students interested in bioinorganic chemistry should consider
taking 5.52 (Biological Chemistry tutorial). In addition, some students may wish to consider
taking a tutorial course in organic chemistry or a physical chemistry course, depending upon
their interests. Inorganic students enroll in 5.941 (Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry).
In the spring, inorganic students typically enroll in the half-semester subjects 5.068 (Physical
Methods in Inorganic Chemistry), 5.063 (Organometallic Compounds in Catalytic Reactions),
and 5.069 (Crystal Structure Analysis) and 5.05 (Principles of Inorganic Chemistry III). Other
subjects of interest are listed in the sections on biological, organic, and physical chemistry.
Inorganic students enroll in 5.942 (Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry). First-year graduate
students are encouraged to enroll in the pass/fail lecture-series course 5.561 (Chemistry in
Industry).
COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Fall semester
5.04 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II (Nocera, Dinca) MWF 9-10
Prereq: one semester of undergraduate inorganic chemistry. Both undergraduate and graduate students
take this course. A short primer on group theory is presented. The course then ventures into a wide
range of special topics areas on transition metal chemistry with an emphasis on bonding, molecular
orbital theory, solid-state band theory, electronic and vibrational spectroscopy and more advanced
electronic structure theories of consequence to the spectroscopy, magnetism and reaction chemistry of
metal complexes.
5.061 Principles of Organometallic Chemistry Not Offered

A comprehensive introduction to the organometallic chemistry of transition metals with emphasis on
structure, bonding, and synthesis.
6
5.062 Principles of Bioinorganic Chemistry (Lippard, Nolan) TR 8:30-10
Prereq: one semester of undergraduate inorganic chemistry is helpful but not essential. Choice, uptake,
assembly of metal-containing units; control and use of metal ions; metal folding and cross-linking of
biomolecules; electron-transfer proteins; substrate bindings and activation; atom and group transfer
chemistry; protein tuning of metal properties in biology; frontiers of bioinorganic chemistry;
coordination chemistry and the neurosciences.
5.067 Crystal Structure Refinement (Mueller) W 2-4, F 1-4 (1st half)

Prereq: 5.068 and 5.069. Practical aspects of crystal structure determination from data collection
strategies to data reduction and basic and advanced refinement problems of organic and inorganic
molecules.
Spring Semester
5.05 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry III (Cummins)
5.063 Organometallic Compounds in Catalytic Reactions (Schrock)
5.068 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry (Lippard)
5.069 Crystal Structure Analysis (Mueller)
3.074/3.34 Imaging of Materials (Gradecak) (Spring)
3.225 Electronic and Mechanical Properties (Fitzgerald, Ortiz) Not Offered
3.23 Electrical, Optical, Magnetic Properties of Materials (Beach) TR 10-11:30
5.00 Appls of Technol in Energy, Environment (Deutch, Lester) Not Offered
5.44 Organometallic Chemistry (Buchwald) Not Offered
5.675J Computational QM of Molecular, Extended Systems Not Offered
FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

A popular program for students interested in pursuing research in organic chemistry involves
taking 5.47 (Organic Chemistry tutorial), 5.511 (Synthetic Organic Chemistry I), 5.53
(Molecular Structure and Reactivity I), and 5.531 (Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms).
Students with research interests on the interface of organic and biological chemistry will want to
design a program that includes 5.47, 5.54 (Frontiers in Chemical Biology), 5.52 (Biological
Chemistry tutorial), and perhaps either 5.53 (Molecular Structure and Reactivity I) or 5.511
(Synthetic Organic Chemistry I). All organic students enroll in 5.913 (Seminar in Organic
Chemistry).
In the spring semester, subjects of interest include 5.512 (Synthetic Organic Chemistry II), 5.45
(Heterocyclic Chemistry) and 5.46 (NMR Spectroscopy and Organic Structure Determination).
Students with strong interest in organometallic chemistry should also consider enrolling in 5.063
(Organometallic Compounds in Catalytic Reactions). All organic students enroll in 5.914
(Seminar in Organic Chemistry). First-year graduate students are encouraged to enroll in the
pass/fail lecture-series course 5.561 (Chemistry in Industry).
7
COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Fall Semester
5.47 Tutorial in Organic Chemistry (Movassaghi) MWF 9-11
Intensive and fast-paced review of basic principles of organic chemistry. Meets from September 8 to
September 29, during which period workload is comparable to two regular graduate subjects. Generally
requires at least one semester of advanced undergraduate organic chemistry or equivalent as
background. Enrolment is by instructor permission only. Graduate students interested in 5.47 must
submit an application form to Prof. Movassaghi by September 3 and then visit his office on the morning
of September 7 for assignment to a section and to receive problems for the first meetings on September
8.
5.511 Synthetic Organic Chemistry I (Danheiser) WF 8:30-10

Prereq: one semester of advanced undergraduate organic chemistry in addition to 5.47 or permission of
instructor. This class begins meeting on October 1. Students enrolled in 5.511 should check the 5.511
Stellar website during the first week of classes to obtain the reading assignment for September. This
course focuses on strategies and tactics for the design of syntheses of complex organic compounds.
5.53 Molecular Structure and Reactivity I (Fu) TR 8:30-10 (1st half)

Reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry: methods of investigation, relation of structure to reactivity,
and reactive intermediates.
5.531 Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms (Fu) TR 8:30-10 (2nd half)

Discusses the key elementary steps in organometallic chemistry with an emphasis on studies of reaction
mechanism.
5.54 Frontiers in Chemical Biology (Imperiali) MW 10:30-12:30

Prereq: 5.13, 5.07, 7.06, or equivalent, permission of instructor. Introduction to current research at the
interface of chemistry, biology, and bioengineering. The syllabus first covers topics in the areas of
DNA/RNA, then proteins/enzymes and finishes with small molecules/metabolites. Specific topics
include imaging of biological processes, metabolic pathway engineering, small molecules as drugs,
protein engineering, mechanisms of DNA damage, RNA structure and function, macromolecular
machines, protein misfolding and disease, metabolomics, and methods for analyzing signaling network
dynamics. Lectures are interspersed with class discussions and student presentations based on current
literature. Class participation is expected and encouraged.
Spring Semester
5.45 Heterocyclic Chemistry (Buchwald)
5.46 NMR Spectroscopy and Organic Structure Determination (Simpson)
5.512 Synthetic Organic Chemistry II (Jamison)
3.225 Electronic and Mechanical Properties (Fitzgerald, Ortiz) TR 2:30-4
3.91 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers (Roylance) (Spring)
8
10.568 Physical Chemistry of Polymers (Cohen) TR 11 – 12:30
20.441 Biomaterials: Tissue Interactions (Spector, Yannas) TR 2:30-4
FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Graduate students with interest in physical chemistry are strongly encouraged to register for 5.70
(Statistical Thermodynamics) and 5.73 (Introductory Quantum Mechanics). Students with
interest in solid state should consider either the undergraduate (8.231) or the graduate course
(8.511) in solid state physics, in addition to 5.70 and 5.73. Students should also enroll in the
physical chemistry seminar series, 5.931.
In the spring semester, subjects of interest include 5.74 (Introductory Quantum Mechanics II)
and 5.68J (Kinetics of Chemical Reactions). This year, 5.74 is a full semester course, where the
first half of the semester covers material that in the past was covered in the second half of 5.73.
Students also enroll in 5.932, the physical chemistry seminar series.
COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Fall Semester
5.70 Statistical Thermodynamics (Deutch, Chakraborty) TR 11, F 8
Develops classical equilibrium statistical mechanical concepts for application to chemical physics
problems. Basic concepts of ensemble theory formulated on the basis of thermodynamic fluctuations.
Examples of applications include Ising models, lattice models of binding, ionic and non-ionic solutions,
liquid theory, polymer and protein conformations, phase transition, and pattern formation. Introduces
computational techniques with examples of liquid and polymer simulations.
5.73 Introductory Quantum Mechanics I (Griffin, Degen) MWF 9-10 (1st half)
Pre-reqs include undergrad quantum mechanics and differential equations. Fundamental concepts of
quantum mechanics: wave properties, uncertainty principles, Schrödinger equation, operator and matrix
methods. Basic applications to one-dimensional potentials (harmonic oscillator), three-dimensional
centrosymetric potentials (hydrogen atom), angular momentum and spin. Approximation methods: WKB
method, variational principle, perturbation theory.
Spring Semester
5.68J Kinetics of Chemical Reactions (Green)
5.72 Statistical Thermodynamics II Not Offered
5.74 Introductory Quantum Mechanics II (Griffin, Nelson)
The following section lists courses in other departments that are of potential interest to
students studying physical chemistry. These courses cover topics in environmental,
computational, and biophysical chemistry, physics, and mathematics. This list is not
intended to be all-inclusive; please see the Course Bulletin for more information.
Course 1 – Civil and Environmental Engineering

1.018J Ecology I: The Earth System (Chisholm) TR 11-12:30
9
1.725J Chemicals in the Environment (Hemond, Shanahan) TR 11-12:30
1.76 Aquatic Chemistry (Seewald) (Spring)

3.225 Electronic and Mechanical Properties (Fitzgerald, Ortiz) TR 2:30-4
3.91 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers (Roylance) (Spring)
5.00 Appls of Technol in Energy, Environment (Deutch, Lester) Not Offered
5.675J Computational QM of Molecular, Extended Systems (Trout) Not Offered
Course 6 - Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
6.071J Electronics, Signals, and Measurement (Hutchinson, White) (Spring)
6.336J Intro to Numerical Simulation (Daniel, White) TR 1-2:30
6.631 Optics and Photonics (Fujimoto) MW 3-4:30
6.634J Nonlinear Optics (Ippen, Fujimoto) (Spring)
6.730 Physics for Solid State Applications (Orlando, Ram) (Spring)
Course 8 - Physics
8.07 Electromagnetism II (Belcher) MWF 3-4
8.231 Physics of Solids I (Wen) MW 2:30-4
8.311 Electromagnetic Theory (Staff) (Spring)
8.321 Quantum Theory I (Jackiw) MW 10-11:30
8.333 Statistical Mechanics I (Kardar) MW 2:30-4
8.511 Theory of Solids I (Lee) MW 1-2:30
10.568 Physical Chemistry of Polymers (Cohen) TR 11 – 12:30
Course 12 – Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science
12.306 Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry (Prinn) (Spring)
Course 18 - Mathematics
18.075 Adv. Calculus for Engineers (Cheng) (Spring)
18.085 Math. Methods for Engineers I (Strang) MWF 11-12 (Both)
20.441 Biomaterials Tissue Interactions (Spector, Yannas) TR 2:30-4
10
MIT Chemistry Graduate Courses
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
5.54J Frontiers in Chemical Biology 5.08 Biological Chemistry II
5.52 Biological Chem Tutorial 5.063 Organometallic Chem 7.71 Biophysical Chem Tech
5.062 Bioinorganic 5.069 Crystal Str. Anal. 5.068 Physical Inorganic
5.04 Inorganic Chemistry II 5.512 Organic Synthesis II
5.067 Crystal Str. Refine. 5.46 NMR Spectroscopy 5.561 Chem in Industry
5.531 Orgaometallic 5.74 Quantum Mechanics II

5.53 Molecular Struct
Reaction Mechanisms
5.64 Biophy Chem 5.05 Principles of Inorg Chem

5.47 Org Tut 5.511 Organic Synthesis I
I
5.70 Statistical Thermodynamics
5.73 Quantum Mechanics I
Seminar and thesis research subjects are not listed.

Labels describe course content and are not official subject titles.
Subjects are roughly grouped by chemistry area and do not represent typical
programs.
Longer bars represent 12 unit subjects; shortest bars are 6 unit subjects.
11
C. Desk Rotations
Many research labs have made desks available to you for the first 9 weeks of the fall semester,
prior to your choosing a research group. Each rotation will be three weeks in duration. The
purpose of this program is to enable a more in depth interaction with senior graduate students
and to provide you a place to work and "hang your hat" (in addition to your locker in the
graduate student lounge). THIS PROGRAM IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
The labs participating are Bawendi, Cao, Ceyer, Cummins, Danheiser, Dinca, Field, Fu, Griffin,
Imperiali, Jamison, Lippard, Nelson, Nolan, Schrock, Stubbe, Swager, Ting, Tokmakoff and Van
Voorhis. Some research groups are not participating in the rotation program. The faculty and
students of these groups, however, are available and happy to meet with you to discuss research
and group life.
Your desk assignment schedule is included in your folder. You will have key card access to the
lab to which you are assigned for the period Aug. 30 - Sept. 19, Sept. 20 - Oct. 10, and Oct. 11 -
November 14, 2010. Please contact the group contact listed on the schedule for more
information.
D. Choosing a Research Advisor

Graduate students in chemistry generally select a research advisor during the first semester of the
program and begin thesis research by the beginning of the spring semester. Choosing an
advisor is one of the most important decisions you will make during your graduate career. To
assist you, the department has prepared the following program based on input from the
Chemistry Graduate Student Committee.
Beginning in early September, most faculty members expecting to accept new students will
present an informal evening lecture for first-year graduate students designed to provide an
overview of their research program. After each lecture, refreshments are usually served and
first-year students will have an opportunity to meet members of that professor's research group.
First-year students are urged to attend as many of these presentations as possible, because they
provide an excellent means of learning about the research going on in the department. Copies of
the schedule of evening research presentations will be distributed on Registration Day and will
also be posted outside the Chemistry Graduate Office (2-204) and on the chemistry website
(http://web.mit.edu/chemistry/).
In addition to attending these evening research talks, you should also make appointments to meet
individually with those faculty whose work is of interest to you in order to learn more about
specific research underway in their laboratories. Many labs hold weekly research group
meetings, and first-year students are welcome to attend these meetings. All students are
expected to explore research opportunities with at least five different faculty members by
either meeting individually with the professor or by attending one of their research group
meetings (in addition to attending the introductory evening research talk for first-year students).
Having desk space in a research group's lab does not replace our requirement of having had
serious interaction (speaking in depth with a faculty member about research or attending a
faculty member's research presentation) with five different faculty members prior to making
decision about joining a group.
12
In addition, at any time during the semester (even before a professor's research talk), you are
encouraged to visit labs to meet informally with graduate students and postdocs in the groups in
which you are interested. Page 30-31 of this guide has a list of advanced graduate students in
each group who are available to serve as contacts to facilitate your visits to their laboratories.
The last step is for you to decide which groups are your top choices for graduate research. In
order to minimize pressure on students to make a decision prematurely, no faculty member is
permitted to accept a student into his or her research group prior to the week of November
1, or to make any advance commitments about joining his or her research group. In
addition, no student is permitted to conduct research during the fall semester prior to the week of
November 8.
Please note that although it is not necessary for you to arrive at a first choice by November 1,
many faculty commit all of the available openings in their lab that week. Therefore, you should
be sure to check with the faculty members in whom you are potentially interested to determine
whether or not you will need to make a decision by November 1 in order to be considered for
admission into that group. In order to remain in good academic standing, all chemistry graduate
students must be officially accepted into a research group by the end of their second semester.
As soon as you have come to a decision about which groups are your top choices, you should
inform those professors of your decision. On or before November 1, you must provide Susan
Brighton (Chemistry Graduate Administrator) with a list of five research groups that you have
explored. You must indicate which groups are your first, second, and third choices.
All graduate students submitting lists on November 1 will be notified of their research group
assignments during the week of November 8 by Professor Field, Chair of the Graduate
Committee. No student will receive an assignment to a research group prior to notification from
Professor Field.
E. Thesis Research Outside the Chemistry Department

With the approval of the Chemistry Department Graduate Committee, students may carry out
thesis research under the supervision of a faculty member in another department and receive a
Ph.D.. degree in chemistry. To obtain approval for such an arrangement, you must prepare a
one-page “Summary of Proposed Research Project” for evaluation by a Chemistry Department
Graduate Committee, and also satisfy certain other requirements. Please note that approval of
such proposals is not automatic. If the “chemistry content” of the proposed research is not
sufficient, the department may recommend that the student transfer to the graduate program of
the outside advisor. Beginning in the fall of their second year, students working with advisors
outside the department will not be permitted to enroll in 5.ThG (“Graduate Thesis”) unless they
have had their “Summary of Proposed Research Project” approved by the Chemistry
Department. Further information on thesis research outside the department can be obtained from
Susan Brighton in the Chemistry Department Graduate Office (2-204).
F. Cumulative Exams
Cumulative Exams are the written component of the General Examination for the Ph.D.. degree.
The cumulative exams are written by the faculty on a rotating basis, and examine general
knowledge in each area of chemistry, including recent developments as reported in the current
literature and in Departmental Colloquia. However, if a faculty member does write a question on
13
the subject of a recent seminar, the faculty member must provide enough information so that
students whose TA responsibilities prevented attendance at the seminar do not suffer any
disadvantage. Copies of previous exams are available on the chemistry website. Students must
pass a total of six exams to complete the requirement. To pass an exam, you must receive a
grade of A or B; however, a grade of C will be paired with a grade of A to yield two "passes".
Many students begin taking cumulative exams in the fall term, while some wait until the second
semester. The exams are given once each month, totaling eight exams each academic year. At
each session, four exams are available (in biological, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry),
and you are free to choose which exam to take. Although you need only take one exam per
session, you are welcome to attempt more than one exam during the 90 minute examination
period. Note, however, that at least three of the six cumulative exams that you pass to satisfy the
requirement must be in your principal area of study.
The Cumulative Exam Schedule for the 2010-2011 academic year is listed below. Exams are
generally given in Room 6-120 from 7:00-8:30 pm. Graded exams can be picked up at Susan
Brighton's office (2-204), usually within two weeks of the exam date.
Monday, October 4, 2010 Monday, February 14, 2011

Monday, November 8, 2010 Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010 Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011 Monday, May 9, 2011
G. Thesis Committees
A Thesis Committee composed of the research advisor and at least two other faculty members is
appointed at the beginning of the second year for each graduate student in the program. The role
of the Thesis Committee includes monitoring progress toward the Ph.D. degree, participating in
the second-year oral examination, and conducting the final evaluation of the doctoral
dissertation.
As the first step toward selecting a Thesis Committee, second-year students meet with their
research advisors early in the fall to discuss which faculty might be appropriate as members of
their committee. Thesis committees must be composed of at least two other MIT faculty besides
your advisor, at least one of whom must be from the department and in the area of chemistry
(biological, inorganic, organic, or physical) in which you will be receiving your degree. After
consultation with your advisor, the next step is to submit a copy of the Thesis Committee
Nomination Form to the Chemistry Graduate Office (Susan Brighton). This form is available at
https://web.mit.edu/chemistry/www/departmentonly/gradstudents
It is required that you propose at least three faculty members as candidates for your committee in
addition to your advisor. The form must be signed by your research advisor to confirm that he or
she agrees that the faculty members listed are appropriate. The Thesis Committee Nomination
Forms are due by September 15 and are then reviewed by the Chair of the Chemistry Graduate
Committee and a faculty advisory group who assign final committees based on the faculty you
and your advisor have proposed. They will also choose one of these faculty members to be your
Thesis Committee Chair. This process is necessary to avoid the past problem of some faculty
being assigned to an inordinately large number of committees. Students wishing subsequently to
change their thesis committee, for reasons including significant changes in the direction of their
14
research topic, can apply by submitting a new form (signed by their advisor) to the Chemistry
Graduate Office with a cover letter explaining the reason for requesting a change. Students must
receive a positive response from the Chemistry Graduate Office in order for the change in
committee to take effect. Since changes in Thesis Committee membership can only be granted
in unusual circumstances, students should contact the members of their committee to schedule
the date for their oral defense well in advance of when they expect to complete their dissertation.
In the second year, each student's research progress and intellectual development is evaluated
through the Oral Examination, and no other meeting with the Thesis Committee is normally
required. However, students (and research advisors) may arrange a meeting of the Thesis
Committee in special circumstances by contacting the Chair of the committee.
H. Annual Meeting with Thesis Committee Chairs

Although your relationship with your Research Advisor is of primary importance in your
professional development as a chemist, interactions with other members of the faculty can be of
great benefit in providing additional advice and perspective during the course of your graduate
studies at MIT. To ensure that all graduate students develop a meaningful intellectual
relationship with at least one other member of the faculty in addition to their advisor, the
following system has been created with the assistance of the Chemistry Graduate Student
Committee. Beginning in the second year of graduate study, each student meets with the Chair
of his/her Thesis Committee at least once during the fall semester. At these meetings, students
update the Thesis Committee (TC) Chair on their research progress and general intellectual
development in an informal and relaxed setting. The time, place, and format for this discussion
is arranged between the student and Thesis Committee Chair. These meetings aim to encourage
productive and stimulating discussions of science and to facilitate the development of further
interactions between students and other members of the faculty besides research advisors.
Students should keep in mind that these meetings are intended to focus primarily on academic
and scientific matters, and that Thesis Committee Chairs are not bound by the same obligations
with respect to privacy as are the Chemistry Department Mediators.
Following the fall meeting, students and TC Chairs are responsible for signing the Annual Thesis
Committee Chair Meeting Confirmation Form confirming that the obligatory annual meeting has
taken place. This form must be completed by January 21, 2011. This form can be found at
https://web.mit.edu/chemistry/www/departmentonly/gradstudents/
I. Annual Evaluation of Progress

The following system has been developed to ensure that every graduate student in the Chemistry
Department receives a substantive evaluation of their progress toward the doctoral degree from
their research advisor at least once each year. The aim of this system is to improve
communication and sharpen goals in a manner that does not increase stress.
Under this system, research advisors are required to meet with each graduate student in their
group who is in their second or later year to discuss the student’s intellectual and professional
development over the past year and progress toward the degree. By January 21, 2011, an Annual
Research Advisor Conference form signed by the student and his/her advisor confirming that this
meeting has taken place must be submitted to the Chemistry Graduate Office. This form can be
found at https://web.mit.edu/chemistry/www/departmentonly/gradstudents/.
15
Note that a written evaluation or report by the advisor is not required, just the signed form
attesting to the fact that the required discussion has taken place. It is left to research advisors to
devise a plan for the annual evaluation. For example, research advisors may wish to provide
their students with written evaluations, or alternatively, may wish to require their students to
prepare a written "self-evaluation" of progress that they would submit to their advisor as a basis
for initiating and focusing the annual discussion.
Interlude: Some advice to you from the Chem Refs

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE HAVING YOUR SECOND-YEAR
MEETING WITH YOUR ADVISOR
Second year students (and beyond) must meet with their advisors and their thesis
committee chairs (in two different meetings) each year. The goal of these
meetings is to assess your progress (in research, cumes, classes, etc.) and address
potential problems before they get too big. These meetings are for YOU. This is
your chance to step back and think about your research on a more global scale
instead of the nitty-gritty details of day-to-day experiments. It is also your chance
to think about your progress towards your degree in general, and about your
preparations for your second year oral exam in the spring.
You may want to bring a few slides to your meeting that summarize what you
have done and what you would like to accomplish. Use this meeting to discuss
the future of your project. Before your meeting, you may want to think about:
• Where is your project going?
• What experiments are most important to complete before your oral exam?
• Are there any big-picture sorts of questions that you feel are not being
addressed?
• You might want to update your professor on how your cumes and classes
are going. Even if you are not happy with your cume progress, it is
important to talk with your advisor about cumes, because you can get a
feel for how important your cume progress is to your research advisor.
• What should you be focusing on in the next few months to help you
prepare for orals? For example, research progress, background
information related to your project, general chemistry knowledge?
• Bring up any other concerns you have regarding your project, labmates
and/or collaborators, your responsibilities within the group.
J. The Oral Examination

The oral part of the General Examination for the Ph.D. in Chemistry must be passed by the
beginning of a student’s fifth semester. Students who have not completed the oral examination
requirement by this time will be denied further registration as a graduate student in the
department. This component of the general exam, required by MIT for all Ph.D. candidates,
focuses on research progress and general knowledge in your field of study. In your second year,
the registration officer for each subdiscipline will provide you detailed information specific to
16
the scheduling and format for the exam. A brief description of the current procedures for each
subdiscipline is given below.
Biochemistry –A written document describing the thesis research is due to the oral examination
coordinator (Prof. JoAnne Stubbe) one week prior to the oral exam.
Inorganic – The faculty schedules inorganic oral exams for the end of February of the students’
second year. The oral presentation consists of a 20 minute summary of the research you have
accomplished, followed by questions about research goals, methods, and any other area in
inorganic chemistry. Review the content of MIT undergraduate and graduate inorganic courses
as a guideline for preparation. The oral presentation takes place at the blackboard. Slides and
other visual aids may not be used, but supplementary materials can be provided as handouts. A
written summary of the research, not to exceed ten double spaced pages including synthetic
schemes and figures, but not including references, must be provided to the committee. It should
contain a statement of research goals, methods employed, and a concise summary of research
that has been accomplished. Differentiate what you have accomplished from that of prior
workers and concisely summarize what you plan to do next.
Organic – The faculty schedules organic oral exams in May of the students’ second year. The
one-hour oral examination focuses on your understanding of the essential principles of organic
chemistry and progress in doctoral research. You will be permitted 5 minutes to present any new
results obtained after you submitted your written report and to mention any corrections. A
written summary of your research progress must be submitted about a week prior to the exam
and should be no longer than 10 pages, double-spaced, including structural drawings, tables, and
references. Outline the objective of your research and briefly discuss the background of your
research problem.
Physical - Several months before the intended date of your oral exam, contact your thesis
committee chair, research advisor and third committee member and schedule the exam. Allow
90 minutes for the exam. About a week before the exam, submit a document to your committee
that succinctly describes the goal of your thesis project, procedures, experimental set-up,
progress to date, and importance of the result. This document should be no more than 5 pages,
excluding figures and references. If you are continuing a project started by a co-worker in your
group, acknowledge his/her contribution and distinguish your contribution. Prepare an oral
presentation that may include slides for a maximum of 30 minutes. The oral presentation should
describe the project goal, methods, progress to date and importance of your anticipated results.
During your oral presentation, your committee members will interrupt to ask questions about
underlying physical principles of your thesis project. Use of a chalkboard in answering
questions is encouraged.
K. Beyond the Second Year – Research Proposals and Seminars

Training and practice in developing original research ideas and expressing them in a formal
written proposal is an important part of training for the Ph.D. degree. Toward this end, several
vehicles have been established to ensure that every student interested in obtaining training and
experience in this area has an opportunity to do so. The registration officer in your research area
and your research advisor will provide you with more information on the details and scheduling
of this exercise in your third or fourth year, but a brief summary is given below.
17
Students also need to develop good oral and written communication skills in order to function as
effective scientists. As part of the graduate program in chemistry, each student receives training
and practice in developing oral communication skills and has the opportunity to present a
seminar to the department on his or her thesis research. The faculty in each research area
determines the timing and format of the research seminar. More information on the scheduling
of this seminar is provided in your third or fourth year, but a brief summary is given below.
Biochemistry – Proposal outside of immediate research area - During the third year,
biochemistry students prepare a written proposal on a subject outside of his/her area of research.
The proposal should be in the NIH format. An oral presentation of the proposal is also given.
Biochemistry – Seminar - During the third or fourth year, the student may give a seminar in the
Biochemistry seminar series. If such a public seminar does not take place, then the student must
have a public thesis defense.
Inorganic – Proposal outside of immediate research area - During the third year, inorganic
students prepare a written proposal on a subject outside of his/her area of research and outside of
the research area of any MIT inorganic group. Consult with the registration officer to ensure a
topic’s acceptability. The proposal should not exceed ten double spaced pages including
synthetic schemes and figures, but does not include references. The oral presentation begins
with a 20 minute summary, followed by questions. The presentation takes place at the
blackboard. Slides and other visual aids may not be used, but supplementary materials can be
provided as handouts.
Inorganic – Seminar - Inorganic students present a public seminar in their fourth year as part of
the regular Inorganic Seminar Series.
Organic - Proposal outside of immediate research area – By December of the fourth year,
organic students prepare an original proposal on a research problem in organic chemistry that is
not related to the subject of your thesis research, research you were associated with prior to
coming to MIT, or specific research under investigation in the department. The scope and nature
of the problem should be such that it would be an appropriate subject for a proposal as part of a
postdoctoral fellowship application. Your proposal should be written using the format of a NIH
postdoctoral fellowship application. An oral presentation is scheduled for January. The
presentation must not exceed 15 minutes, after which you will be asked to elaborate on aspects
of your proposed research plan, and you will be given an opportunity to respond to any criticism
or concerns.
Organic - Seminar – Organic students present a seminar in the fourth year at one of the annual
Organic/Bioorganic Chemistry Graduate Research Symposia.
Physical - Proposal outside of immediate research area – Physical chemistry students should
consult with their research advisor.
Physical - Seminar – Physical chemistry students can present a seminar in the student-organized
seminar series, the physical chemistry seminar series or as the open part of their thesis defense.
L. Chemistry Department Mediators
18
It is the sincere goal of the Chemistry Department to maintain an environment in which a spirit
of collegiality and mutual respect prevails, for such an environment fosters optimum productivity
and satisfaction among its members. To provide graduate students, postdocs, and staff with a
well-defined mechanism for conflict mediation, the Chemistry Department has appointed two
members of the faculty, Professors Tim Jamison and Troy Van Voorhis, as "Department
Mediators". The Department Mediators provide a resource for the chemistry community to
assist with a wide range of problems that may arise. One key role of the mediators is to offer
advice to students, postdoctoral personnel, and staff who find themselves in conflict with other
members of the department, including their faculty supervisors. Such conflicts with co-workers
could include harassment, concerns over safety, and disagreements over authorship and over
what constitutes an acceptable unit of work for publication or for the award of a degree.
Although the mediators will help individuals deal with most problems locally, they are also well
informed on the many services that MIT offers to members of the community who find
themselves in distress. The mediators will maintain confidentially in most matters, but in cases
where they cannot, they can refer individuals to resources where confidentiality can be
guaranteed.
In addition to the Chemistry Department Faculty Mediators, the chemistry program at MIT has a
mediation program run by chemistry graduate students. This program is geared towards helping
students cope with many potential stresses and pressures of graduate life, especially those
involving working as a member of a research team. Whether the concern is about a disrespectful
labmate or a difference of opinion, the Chemistry REFS (Resources for Easing Friction and
Stress) can help. All members of the mediator program have received training in conflict
resolution and are certified by the State as mediators. The Chemistry REFS maintain complete
confidentiality within the bounds legally mandated by MIT, and know what it is like to be a
graduate student at MIT. This combination creates a safe and helpful environment to discuss any
level of concern. Feel free to contact any of the current mediators; a list of Chemistry REFS can
by found at http://web.mit.edu/drignat/www/mediation.html. This website also has useful
information if you are interested in becoming a student mediator.
In those cases where the mediators believe that an individual's needs are best served by referral
to another resource, the mediators will help in the transition to another office for assistance. MIT
is fortunate to have an outstanding Ombuds Office and a network of counseling deans. In
addition, an excellent medical department with a dedicated staff is available. These individuals
are professionally trained to assist in the many diverse conflict situations that may arise in the
workplace.
The MIT publication "Dealing with Harassment" provides a detailed description of MIT's system
for handling concerns or complaints with respect to harassment; this publication can be accessed
on the web at: http://web.mit.edu/communications/hg/.
M. Chemistry Department Colloquia

The Chemistry Department Colloquia provide an opportunity for you to learn about exciting
research at other universities and in industrial laboratories. Graduate students should begin
attending seminars in one or more areas of interest beginning during their first semester, as their
19
teaching responsibilities allow. Listings of scheduled seminars can be found posted in the
Chemistry Department website (http://web.mit.edu/chemistry/) and in Chemformation (the
monthly Chemistry Department newsletter). The following seminar series are scheduled for the
2010-2011 Academic Year:
• Seminar Series in Biological Chemistry (5.921) Monday 4 pm

• Seminar Series in Physical Chemistry (5.931) Tuesday 4:30 pm
• Seminar Series in Inorganic Chemistry (5.941) Wednesday 4:15 pm
• Seminar Series in Organic Chemistry (5.913) Thursday 4:15 pm
• MIT/Harvard Seminar Series in Inorganic Chemistry Wednesday 4.15 pm
• MIT/Harvard Seminar Series in Physical Chemistry Thursday 5 pm
In addition, several special "named lecture series" featuring distinguished scientists are
scheduled each year, and graduate students are encouraged to attend all of these lectures
regardless of research area.
N. Chemical Hygiene and Safety Training

The Chemistry Department has developed a comprehensive training program in chemical
hygiene and safety to protect graduate students from the hazards that may be encountered during
the course of their research. All graduate students working with chemicals and other hazardous
materials must complete the Training Needs Assessment, which is accessible through the
Envoironmental Health and Safety (EHS) Office’s training web site
http://web.mit.edu/environment/training/. As dictated by the Training Needs Assessment,
virtually all graduate students (with the exception of some theoretical chemists) will be required
to complete the following steps prior to beginning work in areas where hazardous chemicals are
in use.
(1) Read and understand the Chemistry Department Chemical Hygiene Plan and Safety (CHS)
Manual, and study any materials provided by their supervisor concerning hazardous substances
in use in their laboratory. The Chemical Hygiene Plan can be obtained from Jim Doughty
(Room 4-469).
(2) Attend the Chemical Hygiene and Safety Lecture. The presentations of the CHS Lecture are
scheduled for Friday, December 10, 2010 and Wednesday, January 5, 2011. Copies of the latest
edition of the Chemical Hygiene Plan and Safety Manual will also be available at this lecture.
Students who cannot attend must view a recording of the EHS Lecture available through the
Training Needs Assessment.
(3) After reading the Chemical Hygiene Plan and Safety Manual and attending the safety
lecture, new personnel must meet with their supervisors (or a designated Group EHS
Representative) to review specific hazards associated with the research in their laboratory.
(4) Complete the web-based course Managing Hazardous Waste available as a link through the
Training Needs Assessment.
(5) When all of the above steps are completed, new members of the Department must submit a
signed copy of the EHS Clearance Form to Jim Doughty (Room 4-469).
20
New graduate students are required to submit their EHS Clearance Form by the end of January of
their first year or whenever they first begin laboratory work (whichever comes first). In the
event that a completed form is not submitted on time as required above, then the student and
their supervisor will be notified in writing by the Department Administrative Officer that the
individual is not authorized to work in areas where hazardous substances are in use.
Additional training is required for researchers working with lasers, radioactive materials, and
biologically hazardous materials. Further information on training procedures is available in the
Department of Chemistry "Chemical Hygiene Plan and Safety Manual", copies of which can be
obtained from Jim Doughty (Room 4-469).
Finally, in addition to the training listed above, some graduate students may also be required to
attend certain other safety training sessions. For example, Teaching Assistants assigned to
laboratory courses are required to attend Chemistry Department safety trainings in the beginning
of the fall and spring semesters along with undergraduate students that they will be assisting.
Additional questions should be directed to the Chemistry Department EHS Coordinator, Jim
Doughty, at x4-6132 or jdoughty@mit.edu.
21
Part II: Chemistry Grad Student Organizations and Activities
A. Chemistry Graduate Student Committee

The Chemistry Graduate Student Committee (CGSC) organizes periodic forums for graduate
students and post-docs in the department to discuss a wide range of topics including academic
program concerns, laboratory issues, and aspects of graduate student life. These meetings are
designed to gauge student opinion and brainstorm new ideas on these and related topics.
Committee members meet regularly with the Department Head and Associate Head to provide
feedback to the faculty and Chemistry Department administration on the concerns of graduate
students and postdocs. The CGSC sponsors extracurricular events like the TGIF, student led
journal clubs, the summer picnic, and intramural sports teams.
For more information on the Chemistry Graduate Student Committee, contact Rachel Buckley
(rbuckley@MIT.EDU) or Peter Goldman (pgoldman@MIT.EDU). For an overview of recent
work of the committee, see the web site at http://web.mit.edu/cgsc/. If you have any concerns or
issues that you think should be addressed by the committee, please feel free to contact any
member; contact information is listed on the website.
B. Women in Chemistry
Women in Chemistry is a group of graduate student and postdoctoral women in the Chemistry
Department. Lunch meetings are held monthly (usually the second Wednesday of each month)
to discuss various matters of interest and to plan special events such as dinners with Chemistry
Department alumna. For more information about the activities of Women in Chemistry, contact
Katie White (whitek@mit.edu, x4-0182) or the WIC organizing committee at
WICadmin@mit.edu.
C. TGIF Socials
TGIF Socials are held regularly in the department, usually the last Friday afternoon of each
month. All graduate students, postdocs, and faculty are cordially invited to enjoy refreshments
and interact informally at these events. Watch Department bulletin boards for announcements of
the time and place of TGIFs.
D. Intramural Sports Teams

Chemistry Department graduate students organize a number of teams each year to compete in the
MIT Intramural Athletics Program. Announcements concerning intramural sports teams can be
found in the Chemistry Department.
E. The Graduate Common Room

The Chemistry Graduate Common Room is located in Room 2-208, next to the Chemistry
Education Office. This lounge provides a place for graduate students to relax, get to know each
other, and meet informally. The Graduate Common Room has lockers that students can use to
store personal items during the fall semester before they have joined a research group. Access to
the Graduate Common Room can be obtained from Sarah Fowler, sfowler@mit.edu, in 2-204.
Combination locks are also available. Please note that graduate students should not schedule
TA office hours in the Graduate Common Room.
22
Part III: Guide for Teaching Assistants
A. First-Year Graduate Student Appointments

Students serve as teaching assistants for two semesters as partial fulfillment of the department’s
requirements for a Ph.D. degree. Usually, this requirement is fulfilled in the first year.
Fellowship holders receive a supplement for their services and whenever possible, will be able to
select their teaching assignment.
Incoming graduate students are assigned to a fall semester undergraduate lab or lecture subject
during the summer before entering MIT. Although the department tries to accommodate specific
requests, TA appointments are primarily determined by a student's previous experience,
academic focus, and the teaching faculty's needs.
TAs are required to attend a TA training program the week prior to the start of the semester.
This four half-day workshop provides a lively program designed to introduce new teaching staff
to the department’s teaching philosophy, to build unity among the teaching teams, and to help
the individual TA begin to create an effective, personal teaching style.
Graduate students assigned to a lab subject are required to arrive on campus two weeks prior to
the start of the semester to attend a "lab boot camp.” During this time, lab TAs will complete all
experiments and procedures that will be performed by the students during the semester. There is
a similar boot camp during the month of January for the Spring semester TAs.
TA assignments for the spring term are made in early January and are based on enrollments and
faculty requests. Graduate student requests are also taken into consideration when making these
assignments. In early November, graduate students will be asked to meet with Melinda Cerny to
discuss the spring teaching opportunities and to make their specific requests.
Attendance at the TA Training Program is required of all Teaching Assistants.
B. Teaching
Effective teaching is not easy, and like any other skill it can only be developed with practice. A
good understanding of the subject matter is important, but teaching is more than just a process of
transferring information from your notes to the students' notes.
As an experienced chemistry student, you have been able to take a body of knowledge and
organize it logically in your mind; you are now able to fluidly use concepts that you struggled
with in the past. Using language and arguments that you now see as obvious may prove
meaningless to students who have not developed the same into their working knowledge. As a
teacher, you should consider how your instruction could help lead a novice chemistry student
through the same untangling of chemical ideas that you encountered.
Teacher-Student Interaction
As a teaching assistant you will work with students to help them understand material presented
through lecture and/or laboratory work; you will be asked to help them work through the
concepts, problems, and data, but not to present new information.
23
For this instruction to be beneficial, you will need to interact with your students. Get to know
your students, and let them get to know you. Students will respond to you if you are
approachable, and make it clear from the beginning of the semester, in words and actions, that
you are interested in their mastery of the subject. A dedicated and non-intimidating TA can
mean much more to a student's success than an excellent lecturer, a well-written problem set or a
textbook.
Here are few ideas to consider in developing a successful relationship with your students:
• If you have high expectations for your students and believe in them, they will rise to your
challenge.
• Be yourself. Your students will be at ease with your classroom atmosphere if you are.
• Humility goes a long way. Do not be afraid to make mistakes in front of your students
(although too many mistakes due to a lack of preparation is not beneficial to your students).
• Let your students know about yourself. Why did you come to MIT? Why do you find
chemistry interesting? Why did you decide to make chemistry your career?
• Come early to class, and do not run out immediately following class. This will give you a
chance to talk to your students informally and answer questions students are not willing to
ask in front of their peers.
• Know your students by name.
• Smile.
• Encourage students to e-mail you with questions (make sure it is clear how quick of a reply
they should expect from you), and make appointments with students who cannot attend your
office hours or need extra help.
• Do NOT date your students – ever! Besides being a bad idea for what we hope are obvious
reasons, it is an Institute policy.
Promoting Active and Collaborative Learning
I hear, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.
-- (Chinese Proverb)
The more you involve your students in recitation, the more successful they will be in mastering
the subject. Keep your students active participants in your recitation, as they will have minimal
possibility for doing so in the lecture. Get your students up to the board. If that approach seems
like too much for your students at first, you can also put a problem up on the board and have
them solve it while you walk around the room and look at what they are doing.
Another method of successful teaching involves asking your students to solve problems during
recitation in small groups of 3 or 4. This technique of collaborative learning will help students
put concepts into their own words. If a student can successfully and accurately explain a concept
to someone else, then the student fully understands the concept.
24
Note that while collaborative learning is encouraged, all MIT courses define certain limits to the
extent of collaboration that is acceptable on material turned in or presented for a grade. Be sure
to know the standards that are in use in the courses you TA.
Your first meeting is the most important meeting of the semester. If you encourage the students
to talk and interact from the start, chances are they will feel more comfortable participating in
later sessions.
Teaching in the Laboratory

The Chemistry Department undergraduate program includes a sequence of laboratory subjects
that is distinct from the lecture subjects.
Laboratory TAs have the unique opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with their
students, serving as mentor and instructor. In laboratory courses, where students are learning
new skills that they have never used before, it is absolutely essential to be helpful and supportive.
Students may be shy about asking for assistance or reassurance. It is essential that you go to the
students rather than expecting them to approach you.
In the introductory lab courses, most of the students have had little or no experience in reducing
theory to practice. This makes your help the most important factor contributing to their
successful acquisition of those skills required of a good experimental chemist. Promote active
thinking by asking questions that force the student to make the connection between what they
observe and the chemistry behind the observation.
C. Expectations and Workload

The Department of Chemistry is responsible for a number of large lecture subjects, as well as for
highly sophisticated undergraduate laboratories. Our staff of graduate and undergraduate
teaching assistants plays a very important role in presenting these subjects and helping students
understand course material. Our students' success is partly based on the professionalism of the
teaching staff. As such, it is imperative that TAs fulfill the responsibilities with which they are
charged.
Recitation TA responsibilities include:

• Attending all class lectures
• Attending periodic TA staff meetings
• Leading recitation sections that meet once or twice a week (depending on subject)
• Grading problem sets and exams
• Providing review sessions and individual help when requested
• Holding regular weekly office hours
• Helping with maintenance of course web site
• Informing faculty instructors of problems and students having special difficulties
• Always interacting with students in a professional manner (Do NOT date your students –
ever!)
Laboratory TA responsibilities include:

• Attending and participating in "lab boot camp" at the beginning of the semester
• Attending class lectures
• Introducing students to each experiment
25
• Actively providing advice and assistance to students as they conduct work in the lab
• Monitoring and enforcing safety rules
• Evaluating students' performance by observing them while they carry out experiments
• Grading laboratory reports and exams
• Helping with maintenance of course web site
• Informing faculty instructors of problems and students having special difficulties
• Always interacting with students in a professional manner ((Do NOT date your students –
ever!)
Prior to the beginning of the semester, lab TAs are given a copy of the Chemistry Department
Undergraduate Laboratory Safety Manual. You will be required to read this document carefully
and be prepared to monitor the compliance of your students with all safety rules. Be prepared for
emergencies! In particular, strictly enforce eye protection safety rules; compliance tends to
become lax after a month or so. Students do make inadvertent mistakes, so always be on the
lookout for unsafe situations.
Workload
The workload for a graduate teaching assistant should not average more than 16-18 hours per
week. This estimate includes time devoted to attending class lectures, supervising recitation
sections, preparing for recitations, grading problem sets and exams, attending staff meetings, and
holding office hours.
If any teaching assistant feels that he or she is being required regularly to devote more time than
this to their teaching duties, then they should contact Melinda Cerny or Associate Department
Head John Essigmann who will work with the faculty member(s) responsible for the course to
adjust the TA responsibilities to conform to the department guidelines.
Questions also occasionally arise concerning the relative priority of teaching responsibilities and
attendance at events such as departmental seminars, group meetings, etc. It is Chemistry
Department policy that regular TA responsibilities take precedence over other activities such as
these. For example, laboratory subject teaching assistants may not leave the lab during their
assigned hours without the express permission of the faculty member in charge of the class.
Teaching assistants can take several steps to minimize conflicts with events such as special
seminars they wish to attend. Occasionally, it may be possible to avoid conflicts by arranging
for another TA to substitute for you during your assigned hours (this requires approval in
advance from the faculty instructor for the course). Also, teaching assistants should inform
faculty in advance of anticipated special events they wish to attend, so that staff meetings,
grading sessions, etc. can be scheduled in such a way as to minimize overlap, if it is possible to
do so.
26
D. Thoughts on Teaching from a Former Chemistry TA
“I would like to relate to you my reflections on my first year of teaching. Although, I do not
have all of the answers to your questions and concerns about teaching, I hope these thoughts will
help you prepare for the coming semester.
The most important task before you is to develop a style that fits your personality, and allows
you to convey the information that you will be expected to cover. In formulating this style you
should evaluate the teachers that you have had. Try to incorporate what you think made them
effective into your own teaching style. Rarely will you be able to emulate exactly those teachers,
but their examples should continue as you work at M.I.T. Look for people who are teaching well
and see what works for them. More importantly, determine what is working for you. This
constant searching will undoubtedly help you find the way in which you can excite your students
about chemistry.
Your evaluations and development as a teacher will inevitably require assistance. When you
come to M.I.T. this fall, get to know the resources you have available to you. First, talk to all of
the helpful people in the Chemistry Education Office. The people in this office can help you
with everything from getting paper and pencils to answering pedagogical questions. Also, talk to
the outstanding professors and teaching assistants you find. Many of them would love to help
you become a quality teacher, and would engage you in a dialogue that would benefit you both.
These connections will challenge you to do better, and make your efforts more productive.
Once entering the classroom, I encourage you to challenge your students to work for a greater
understanding than "what is on the test." This higher level of coverage will give your students
the opportunity to develop stronger thinking skills, and will increase their expectations of the
class and you. Likewise, you do not want to completely dismiss your authority and become
everyone's friend. Your friendship with the students should be seen relative to your goal of
letting them in on the excitement of the subject. With whatever style that suits you, expect your
students to be prepared, to participate in class discussions, and to formulate and ask questions.
Finally, I hope that you spend some time and draw up some realistic goals for yourself, now, and
again after you have taught for a while. As an example, the suggestions I give above are a partial
listing of my goals for teaching in the future. These goals reflect my new understanding of the
difficulty of teaching well. Unlike when I started last fall, I understand that teaching is an art
that requires patience and practice. If you would like to add to this art form, you have chosen a
wonderful school to begin your development. Take advantage of all that M.I.T. has to offer. In
the end, create excitement, inspire belief, think often, and teach well.”
27
Part IV: General Information
A. First-Year Graduate Students, Fall 2010
Name Undergraduate Institution Area of Interest
Bryce Anderson University of Utah Phys/org
Jonathan Axtell Villanova University Inorganic
Darin Bellisario Tufts University Physical
Nicholas Bencivenga University, New Hampshire Organic
Andrew Beyler Hamilton College Physical
Thomas Bischof University, California Berkeley Physical
Megan Brophy Baker Reed College Biological
Carl Brozek University of Chicago Inorganic
Nicholas Bruno St Marys College Md Organic
Haritha reddy Chileveru Indian Inst Of Tech Biological
Luigi De Marco Mcgill University Physical
Joseph Elias Reed College Inorganic
Jeffrey Eliason Concordia College Physical
Owen Fenton College, Holy Cross Organic
Kelvin Frazier Savannah State University Materials
Aaron Gell Gell Brandeis University Inorganic
John Goods Colby College Org/Materials
Daniel Graham Brandeis University Inorganic
David Grimes Amherst College Physical
Tamara Halkina Harvard Organic
Philip Hamzik Northeastern University Organic
Ggoch Ddeul Han Pohang University Inorganic
Hieu Hoang University Of San Diego Inorganic
Tomas Holguin Northern Arizona University Biological
Eric Hontz Temple University Physical
Michael Huynh California Institute Tech Inorganic
John Issa University, California Irvine Organic
Hyangsoo Jeong KAIST Inorganic
Bon Jun Koo Stanford University Inorganic
Daniel Kozera University of Winnipeg Inorganic
Meiyi Li Fudan University Inorganic
Minyuan Li University Of Iowa Physical
Alexandria Liang New College Of Florida Inorganic
Yufan Liang Peking University Organic
Harris Liu Univ Calif Santa Barbara Biological
Phillip Milner Hamilton College Organic
Mikael Minier University Pacific Inorganic
Bradley Moores University of Waterloo Physical
Shannon Morey Michigan State University Inorganic
Anna Mork Carleton College Org/materials
Tarun Narayan Harvey Mudd College Inorganic
28
Qing Zhe Ni Florida State University Physical
Nootaree Niljianskul University of Waterloo Organic
Amy Rabideau Syracuse Biological
Kanchana Ravichandran Brandeis University Biological
Michael Reppert Kansas State University Physical
Rachel Shaver University of Texas Physical
Eric Standley Boise St University Organic
Colby Steiner University, California Berkeley Physical
Mingjuan Su National University of Singapore Organic
Yongbao Sun Univ. of Sci and Tech China Physical
Sarah Tasker Calvin College Organic
Samuel Teitelbaum University of Maryland Physical
Hengfeng Tian Oberlin College Inorg/materials
Allison Tovo-Dwyer University of Chicago Physical
Austin Travis Boston College Biological
Ekaterina Vinogradova D Mendeleev Univ Chem Technol Organic
Jonathan Weis Case Western Reserve University Org/materials
Rong Zhu Peking University Organic
29
B. Graduate Students Mentors
The following advanced graduate students have all expressed interest in helping first-year graduate
students with any questions they might have about graduate student life in the MIT Chemistry
Department. Please do not hesitate to call or email any of them if you have any questions or
problems.
Name Phone # Room # E-Mail Advisor Undergrad.
NW14-
Loren Andreas x3-8392 5119 andreasl@mit.edu Griffin Oberlin
Kurt Armbrust X3-0206 18-544 kwa@mit.edu Jamison Brown
Mike Blair x3-6964 6-128 mrb81582@mit.edu Ceyer Fordham Univ.
Rachael
Buckley x3-0084 18-523 buckley@mit.edu Stubbe Grinnell College
Matt Chambers x8-7268 2-301 matthewc@mit.edu Nocera Cornell Univ.
Joey Cotruvo x3-0084 18-523 jcotruvo@mit.edu Stubbe Princeton
Jonathan
Fischer x3-6964 6-128 drgroovy@mit.edu Ceyer U. Mass Lowell
Margaret Flook x2-2449 6-420 mflook@mit.edu Schrock Tufts Univ.
Montana State
Brett Fors x3-8893 18-306 fors@mit.ede Buchwald Univ.
Marcus Gibson x-7021 68-695 migibson@mit.edu Drennan Berkeley
Meredith
Hartley x3-0206 18-543 mhartley@mit.edu Imperiali Dartmouth College
Tim Johnstone x3-2031 18-425 johnstonet@mit.edu Lippard McGill Univ.

Justin Kim x4-0394 18-243 j_kim@mit.edu Movassaghi Harvard Univ.
Christopher
Leon x3-6964 6-128 ccleon@mit.edu Ceyer Univ. Of Waterloo
Alejandro
Lichtscheidl x2-2449 6-420 alichtsch@mit.edu Schrock UC Irvine
Daniel Liu x3-0218 18-423 dsliu@mit.edu Ting Berkeley
Jose Lobez x2-5097 18-014 jlobez@mit.edu Swager Univ. De Zaragoza
Emily
McLaurin x8-7268 2-301 emacluri@mit.edu Nocera UC San Diego
Jonathan
Medley x8-8806 18-225 jmedley@mit.edu Movassaghi Harvard Univ.
Chris Morten x4-1994 18-205 cmorten@mit.edu Jamison Columbia Univ.

Ben Ofori-Okai x4-0929 Ben_okai@mit.edu Degen Yale
Barratt Park x2-1975 6-022 barratt@mit.edu Field Davidson College
Krupa Univ. Wisc.
Ramasesha x3-7372 6-030 Krupa_r@mit.edu Tokmakoff Madison
Daniel
Rowlands x3-6964 6-128 rowlands@mit.edu Ceyer CalTech
Christina Stock x8-7021 68-688 cstock@mit.edu Drennan UC Berkeley
Andy Smith X3-8756 14-3103 smithaa@mit.edu Griffin Mt. Union College
30
Stephanie
Tumidajski x3-1836 18-244 tumidajs@mit.edu Danheiser Perdue Univ.
Tao
Uttamapinant x4-0182 18-406 uttamap@mit.edu Ting Harvard
Univ. Wisc.
Eric Victor x3-2031 18-425 evictor@mit.edu Lippard Madison
Brian Walker x4-1528 18-080 bwalkr@mit.edu Bawendi Cornell
Darcy Wanger x3-7239 18-082 Darcyw@mit.edu Bawendi Univ. Puget Sound
Alisha Weight x3-3015 56-570 aweight@mit.edu Klibanov Wellesley College
Johanna Univ. Wisc.
Wendlandt x3-1956 6-026 johannaw@mit.edu Nelson Madison
Kit Werley x3-1956 6-026 kwerley@mit.edu Nelson Stanford Univ.
Katie White x4-0182 18-406 whitek@mit.edu Ting St. Mary’s College
Tom Univ. Colorado
Willumstad x3-1836 18-244 willumst@mit.edu Danheiser Boulder
Mikhail E19- Univ. Wisc.
Wolfson x2-1744 534 wolfsonm@mit.edu Chakraborty Madison
Susan Zultanski x3-0058 18-363 szultan@mit.edu Fu Univ. of Rochester
31
C. Who's Who in the Department
Chemistry Headquarters
Sylvia T. Ceyer, Department Head 6-217 x3-1801
John Essigmann, Associate Dept. Head 56-669B x3-6227
Richard Wilk, Administrative Officer 18-390 x3-1802
Karen Fosher, Personnel Administrator 18-392 x3-1804
Elizabeth McGrath, Comm. & Develop. Coordinator 18-393 x3-4080
Jack Defandorf, Fiscal Officer 18-396 x3-1805
Fionnuala Coary, Financial Coordinator 18-394 x3-1808
James Doughty, EHS Coordinator 4-469 x4-6132
Anne Hudson, Assistant to the Dept. Head 18-393 x8-7492
Scott Wade, Operations/Facilities Manager 18-393b x4-0145
Chemistry Education Office

Melinda Cerny, Asst Dir of Chem Ed 2-204 x3-0909
Susan Brighton, Graduate Administrator 2-204 x3-1845
Sarah Fowler, Administrative Assistant 2-204 x3-1851
Mary Turner, Administrative Assistant 2-204 x3-7271
Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories

Mariusz Twardowski, Director of UG Labs 4-449A x3-1846
John Dolhun, Instructor, UG Labs 4-449B x8-6848
Randall Scanga,Technical Associate 4-450 x3-4540
Instrumentation Facility (DCIF)

Jeffrey Simpson, Instrumentation Facility Director 18-0090 x3-2016
Anne Gorham, Operations Manager 18-0090 x3-4856
Li Li, Research Specialist 18-0090 x3-9354
X-Ray Lab
Peter Mueller, Principal Research Scientist 2-325B x3-1884
Electronics Senior Technician

Gang Liu 4-069 x3-2109
5.11x Chemistry Coordinator

Dr. Patti Christie 24-604 x4-1945
32
D. Chemistry Offices (And Other Important Rooms)
33
E. A Word About Numbers – Majors, Buildings
If you hadn't noticed already, lots of things at MIT are referred to by numbers. Buildings, rooms,
classes, departments... all have a number! For instance, an MIT student might not say, "I am a
Physics major", but rather "I am Course 8." As a Chemistry Student, you are in Course 5 (you
may have noticed that all chemistry classes begin with the number 5). For your enlightenment,
and to facilitate communication between you and your students, we provide you with a list of the
MIT academic departments by number.
COURSE DEPARTMENT
1 Civil and Environmental Engineering

2 Mechanical Engineering
3 Materials Science and Engineering
4 Architecture
5 Chemistry
6 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
7 Biology
8 Physics
9 Brain and Cognitive Sciences
10 Chemical Engineering
11 Urban Studies and Planning
12 Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
14 Economics
15 Management
16 Aeronautics and Astronautics
17 Political Science
18 Mathematics
20 Biological Engineering
21 Humanities
22 Nuclear Engineering
24 Linguistics and Philosophy
CMS Comparative Media Studies
ESD Engineering Systems Division
HST Health Sciences and Technology
MAS Media Arts and Sciences
STS Science, Technology and Society
34

Grad Guide 10

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Grad Guide 10

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Grad Guide 10

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ma ssa c huse tts Institute o f Te c hno lo gy

De pa r tme nt o f Che mistr y

Professor Essigmann Biological Chemistry 56-669

Professor Movassaghi Organic Chemistry 18-292

English Evaluation Test (International Students Only)

B. THE FIRST-YEAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM: COURSES

FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

5.52 Advanced Biological Chemistry (Klibanov) TR 2:30-4:30 (1st half)

5.54J Frontiers in Chemical Biology (Imperiali) MW10-12

5.65 Molecular Imaging (Ting) Not Offered

Additional courses of interest (some require permission of the instructor):

FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

5.061 Principles of Organometallic Chemistry Not Offered

5.067 Crystal Structure Refinement (Mueller) W 2-4, F 1-4 (1st half)

FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

5.511 Synthetic Organic Chemistry I (Danheiser) WF 8:30-10

5.53 Molecular Structure and Reactivity I (Fu) TR 8:30-10 (1st half)

5.531 Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms (Fu) TR 8:30-10 (2nd half)

5.54 Frontiers in Chemical Biology (Imperiali) MW 10:30-12:30

FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PRINCIPAL INTEREST IS PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

COURSES IN THE GENERAL AREA OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Course 1 – Civil and Environmental Engineering

Course 3 – Materials Science and Engineering

Fall 2010 Spring 2011

5.54J Frontiers in Chemical Biology 5.08 Biological Chemistry II

5.062 Bioinorganic 5.069 Crystal Str. Anal. 5.068 Physical Inorganic

5.04 Inorganic Chemistry II 5.512 Organic Synthesis II

5.531 Orgaometallic 5.74 Quantum Mechanics II

5.64 Biophy Chem 5.05 Principles of Inorg Chem

5.70 Statistical Thermodynamics

5.73 Quantum Mechanics I

Seminar and thesis research subjects are not listed.

D. Choosing a Research Advisor

E. Thesis Research Outside the Chemistry Department

Monday, October 4, 2010 Monday, February 14, 2011

H. Annual Meeting with Thesis Committee Chairs

I. Annual Evaluation of Progress

Interlude: Some advice to you from the Chem Refs

J. The Oral Examination

K. Beyond the Second Year – Research Proposals and Seminars

L. Chemistry Department Mediators

M. Chemistry Department Colloquia

• Seminar Series in Biological Chemistry (5.921) Monday 4 pm

N. Chemical Hygiene and Safety Training

A. Chemistry Graduate Student Committee

D. Intramural Sports Teams

E. The Graduate Common Room

A. First-Year Graduate Student Appointments

Attendance at the TA Training Program is required of all Teaching Assistants.

Promoting Active and Collaborative Learning

Teaching in the Laboratory

C. Expectations and Workload

Recitation TA responsibilities include:

Laboratory TA responsibilities include:

Tim Johnstone x3-2031 18-425 johnstonet@mit.edu Lippard McGill Univ.

Chris Morten x4-1994 18-205 cmorten@mit.edu Jamison Columbia Univ.