Graduate Students

The Borys Lab is constantly looking for talented and motivated graduate students to join the group.

process

The typical recruitment timeline of new group members starts each Fall semester, although deviations are certainly allowed. Following an initial meeting with Nick, junior graduate students are invited to attend our group meetings and journal club for a semester. If appropriate, some prospective students may also be assigned a trial project. Through the group meeting and journal club, prospective group members are expected to familiarize themselves with the current research activities of the group, the instrumentation and capabilities in our labs, and the state-of-the-art of research in our field. At the end of the first semester, prospective junior graduate students will be asked to propose an area and topic of research in which they are most interested based on their experience over the semester. Students who demonstrate engagement with the material and a potential to succeed will be invited to join the group for a second semester during which a research project will be developed.

Qualifications

The Borys Lab welcomes prospective students from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds including (but not limited to) physics, chemistry, materials science, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.

Mandatory proficiencies: Several skills are mandatory in our group. Any prospective student who does not have proficiency in these mandatory skills is expected to take course work and independently study material to gain proficiency as soon as possible. The mandatory proficiencies are:

  1. Fundamentals of optics including geometric optics, imaging systems, diffraction, etc. (for example 1 semester of coursework with a lab)

  2. Quantum mechanics (for example, 1-2 semesters of upper-division coursework)

  3. Modern physics (for example, 1 semester of coursework with a lab)

  4. Computer programming (for example, 1 or more semesters of coursework preferably in Python, C, or C++)

  5. Solid state physics (for example, 1 semester of upper-division course)

Desired experience: Our group is very interdisciplinary, with research activities that span from laser spectroscopy to nanofabrication to development of advanced materials characterization techniques, measurement tools, and data analysis procedures. Graduate students can expect (and are expected) to gain experience in many of these areas over the course of their projects. For junior graduate students, any prior experience in the following areas is desired:

  1. One or more materials characterization techniques (AFM, SEM, XRD, Auger, Raman, fluorescence, etc.)

  2. Micro and/or nanofabrication experience in a cleanroom environment

  3. Designing and machining custom parts in a machine shop

  4. Data analysis (for example, curve fitting, advanced plotting and imaging, etc.) in Python or a similar analysis platform

  5. Device automation in Python (or LabView)

  6. Development of software with graphical user interfaces

  7. Numerical modeling (COMSOL, Lumerical, etc.)

  8. Basic electronic design and fabrication

Professional conduct: Our group strives to operate as a professional and productive research enterprise. All participants are expected to come to the group with a foundation of professional skills and be prepared to continually improve these skills. Members of the Borys Group should:

  1. Have a strong work ethic and high degree of discipline

  2. Be able to manage their schedule to meet professional obligations and deadlines

  3. Be punctual

  4. Effectively communicate both orally and in writing

  5. Be self-motivated and independently work on a project

  6. Regularly interact with colleagues and peers to seek assistance and provide assistance

  7. Interact with peers, mentors, mentees, staff, etc. respectfully at all times

NSF Graduate Student Fellowships

The Borys Lab seeks to support 1 to 2 graduate student applications for an NSF Graduate Fellowship every year. These are very prestigious fellowships that can kick start a very exciting career in scientific research. Currently, graduate students must apply for this fellowship within the first few months of their graduate career, so the application must be developed over the course of summer prior to or the early fall of the first year of graduate studies. New and potential graduate students at Montana State University who are interested in applying to become an NSF Fellow should contact Nick to discuss potential project ideas.

Postdoctoral Scholars

Currently, we do not have any open postdoc positions. However, we are happy to support fellowship applications if you are interested in working with the group. Please contact Nick to discuss possibilities.

Undergraduate Students

The Borys Lab supports several undergraduate positions each year to expose motivated students to cutting-edge research in quantum materials and nano-optics. Contact Nick for more information and available opportunities.