The PhD at a crossroads

Event Date:
2025-09-18T16:00:00
2025-09-18T17:00:00
Event Location:
HENN 201
Speaker:
James Fraser, Queen's University
Related Upcoming Events:
Department Colloquia
Intended Audience:
Everyone
Local Contact:

Georg Rieger (rieger@phas.ubc.ca) and Brett Gladman (gladman@astro.ubc.ca)

All are welcome to this event!

 

Event Information:

Abstract 
The Physics PhD, built on the time-immemorial apprenticeship model, has long been the gold standard for scientific training. As UBC marks the 75th anniversary of its first PhD, this milestone invites a critical question: is the degree still fit for purpose? The landscape for today's graduate students looks nothing like what newly minted Dr. Thomas LeGear Collins faced in 1950. Today’s students face a hyper-competitive academic job market and the rise of (supposedly) transformative technologies like generative AI. Deep technical expertise is still required but is not sufficient to succeed - students also need a diverse set of professional skills.
We will explore the tensions and opportunities in current graduate programs.  The data helps us understand the gaps and suggest some possible ways forward. We will discuss strategies for integrating professional development, fostering student well-being, and adapting supervision models to better equip physicists as innovators, leaders, and problem-solvers in academia, industry, and government. Please be prepared to contribute. My hope is that every participant will leave with one actionable item they can implement, to help build a more responsive and relevant graduate education experience.

Bio


James M. Fraser is a Professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy at Queen’s University where his research team explores laser applications ranging from fundamental searches for dark photons to new manufacturing practices for e-mobility. He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals ranging from PRL to Additive Manufacturing. He served as the project leader for the 6-yr NSERC-funded HQP training program CREATE-MAPS, and co-founded Laser Depth Dynamics (now IPG Photonics (Canada) Inc.). Prof. Fraser has won numerous teaching awards including the 2016 Canadian Association of Physicists Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2017. Prof. Fraser currently serves as the Associate Dean (Graduate) in the Faculty of Arts and Science overseeing program development and support structures for 1800 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He also serves as a director with the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Administrators and as the Director for Science Policy and Advocacy with the Canadian Association of Physicists.

 

Learn More:

Add to Calendar 2025-09-18T16:00:00 2025-09-18T17:00:00 The PhD at a crossroads Event Information: Abstract The Physics PhD, built on the time-immemorial apprenticeship model, has long been the gold standard for scientific training. As UBC marks the 75th anniversary of its first PhD, this milestone invites a critical question: is the degree still fit for purpose? The landscape for today's graduate students looks nothing like what newly minted Dr. Thomas LeGear Collins faced in 1950. Today’s students face a hyper-competitive academic job market and the rise of (supposedly) transformative technologies like generative AI. Deep technical expertise is still required but is not sufficient to succeed - students also need a diverse set of professional skills.We will explore the tensions and opportunities in current graduate programs.  The data helps us understand the gaps and suggest some possible ways forward. We will discuss strategies for integrating professional development, fostering student well-being, and adapting supervision models to better equip physicists as innovators, leaders, and problem-solvers in academia, industry, and government. Please be prepared to contribute. My hope is that every participant will leave with one actionable item they can implement, to help build a more responsive and relevant graduate education experience. Bio James M. Fraser is a Professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy at Queen’s University where his research team explores laser applications ranging from fundamental searches for dark photons to new manufacturing practices for e-mobility. He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals ranging from PRL to Additive Manufacturing. He served as the project leader for the 6-yr NSERC-funded HQP training program CREATE-MAPS, and co-founded Laser Depth Dynamics (now IPG Photonics (Canada) Inc.). Prof. Fraser has won numerous teaching awards including the 2016 Canadian Association of Physicists Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2017. Prof. Fraser currently serves as the Associate Dean (Graduate) in the Faculty of Arts and Science overseeing program development and support structures for 1800 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He also serves as a director with the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Administrators and as the Director for Science Policy and Advocacy with the Canadian Association of Physicists.   Learn More: See his faculty page at Queen's University: https://www.queensu.ca/physics/people-search/james-fraser Tour the ultrafast photonics lab with James Fraser: https://www.facebook.com/SmithEngineeringQueens/videos/tour-the-ultrafast-photonics-lab-with-professor-james-fraser/1646632288731248/ https://cap.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/J.-Fraser-Updated-Bio-2427.pdf.pdf  Event Location: HENN 201