Welcome to UWO

1
Welcome to UWO!

• Introduction to Graduate Students

2
Faculty and Staff

• 16.5 Research Professors
• 4 Lecturers John Mereu
• 2 Administrators Jennifer and Jane

• 6 Actuaries
• Several statisticians
• Research interests are listed on the department
  webpage

3
Facilities

• Statistics and Actuarial Science occupies all of
  the 2nd floor of the Western Science Centre
  except for Room 240.
• Room 240 is a nice location to watch a movie on
  Friday night
• Most of your classes will be in Room 248 (here)
  and in Room 266 (near Jane's office).

4
Other Features of the 2nd Floor

• Kitchen with refrigerator, sink and microwave
  (please make use of this facility but clean up
  after yourself)?
• Meeting room you are welcome to reserve this
  with Jane for group study purposes, etc. Local
  telephone is available here. Use a calling card
  for long distance.
• Lounge your mailboxes are here. Check them
  often

5
Computer Facilities

• Every student has a PC on the desk in their
  office
• report any problems to Jennifer via email
• Undergrad Computer Lab (WSC 256)?
• (No Food or Drink in the Lab)?
• 2 printers are located here
• Beowulf Cluster --- Please use this for
  large-scale simulations instead of tying up the
  computers in the undergraduate lab

6
Security

• Please ensure that corridor doors are locked
  securely after 430PM
• Do not prop doors open for extended periods of
  time
• WSC is locked at nights and on weekends, but you
  have a key to access.
• The undergraduate lab is locked at 430, but you
  can access it with your code if you don't
  recognize an individual as a fellow grad student,
  don't let them in!

7
Communication

• read your U.W.O. email this will be the official
  form of communication from the Department and
  University
• check your mailbox in the lounge area
• check the grad bulletin board in the hall
• talk to
• your supervisor
• your instructors
• your TA supervisor

8
Office Etiquette

• make your office a pleasant and productive place
• respect your office partners
• if you hold office hours for a course, please
  choose hours that do not cause disruptions
• if you meet friends and visitors please do not
  disturb your office partners

9
Advisor/Supervisor

• new students have been assigned an interim
  advisor
• the interim advisor will help you select courses
  and answer any questions
• normally your advisor will become your supervisor
• confirmation of your supervisor will be requested
  by January

10
M.Sc. Students

• All courses should be completed in Terms A and B
• All M.Sc. Students work on a research project in
  the summer term
• Late July, 2010 All M.Sc. Students will present
  their research
• Project report drafts are due at that time
• Final completion deadline August 25

11
Ph.D. Students

• all incoming Ph.D. students write a comprehensive
  exam in May, 2010
• Current format is three questions probability,
  inference, regression
• passing grade 100 out of 150
• please see the Departments Graduate website for
  the exam syllabus

12
PhD Students

• 2nd year students are required to prepare and
  defend a thesis proposal
• 3rd year students are required to give a
  presentation that reflects the progress of their
  research

13
Funding

• Most graduate students in this department are
  funded, and most have a teaching assistantship
  (normally for 9 hours/week)?
• You are expected to work no more than 18
  hours/week in any given week
• You are not allowed outside employment
• Funding is contingent on performance in your
  research and in your courses a 78 average (per
  term) is required to maintain full funding
• Failure of a course (i.e. lt 60) or a term
  average below 70 will result in automatic
  withdrawal from the program.

14
Academic Accommodation

• The Student Development Centre has facilities to
  assist any student who requires special
  consideration
• Please inform your supervisor, course instructor
  and graduate chair of any special needs that
  arise at the beginning of term. These issues
  need to be verified by the SDC.
• These matters will be treated confidentially.

15
Elections

• Nominations required for the following
• Department representative
• invited to department and GAC meetings to express
  the student point of view
• SOGS rep
• represents our students in the Society of
  Graduate Students
• GTA Union steward
• represents our TAs in the GTA Union

16
Colloquium

• Mark Thursday 330-430PM on your calendar (4-5
  PM in B term)?
• These weekly seminars are an important
  opportunity for you to learn about other aspects
  of statistics and actuarial science.
• Please be good representatives of your department
  and provide an attentive audience to our guest
  lecturers.
• There is a PhD level course based on the
  colloquium series. Sign up for it!

17
Holidays

• Ph.D. students
• three weeks per year, usually in the summer
• must be arranged three weeks in advance in
  conjunction with supervisor and T.A. supervisor
• must be recorded with the Grad Coordinator
• M.Sc. Students
• one week, taken after the project is finished
• If holidays not prearranged, assumed to be the
  last 3 weeks (1 week) of August may not be
  accumulated