PSI Lunches

Contact us: psi@austin.utexas.edu

The Baldini group at UT Austin, in collaboration with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, sponsors and organizes a series of diversity-centric outreach events called Physicists Supporting Inclusion (PSI). During the Spring 2023 semester, we are hosting the “PSI lunches”, which are catered lunches between a physics professional and a small group (~15 or fewer) of UT physics undergraduates who are underrepresented in the field. This semester, there will be four lunches, all with UT physics professors from underrepresented backgrounds. The speakers will engage in career-focused discussions with the undergraduates, with the following three goals:

• Help underrepresented undergraduates in physics gain access to career information and resources they may not otherwise have
• Forge connections between underrepresented undergraduates and physics professionals
• Create an environment where underrepresented undergraduates feel comfortable sharing their own experiences and learning about the experiences of others

We strive to keep the atmosphere of these lunches informal, and we encourage everyone present to share their stories and challenges. Attending the PSI lunches is only an option for UT Austin undergraduates who identify as a member of a group that is underrepresented in physics (for example, gender and ethnic minorities in physics), as these are the communities we aim to serve.

Schedule for Spring 2023 PSI Lunches:

1. Elaine Li: UT Austin, Condensed Matter Physics
   February 20^th, 2023: 12:00-1:00pm
   Location: Welch Hall
   Flyer: click here
   RSVP: click here

2. José Alvarado: UT Austin, Biophysics
   March 31^st, 2023: 12:00-1:00pm
   Location: PMA
   Flyer: click here
   RSVP: click here

3. Anna Tenerani: UT Austin, Plasma Physics
   April 4^th, 2023: 12:00-1:00pm
   Location: Welch Hall
   Flyer: click here
   RSVP: click here

4. Christina Markert: UT Austin, Heavy-Ion Physics
   April 25^th, 2023: 12:00-1:00pm
   Location: Welch Hall
   Flyer: check back later
   RSVP: check back later

RSVP Procedure:

In order to promote discussion, student attendance at each of these events is limited to 15. You must RSVP to attend, and separate RSVPs are required for each event. The procedure is as follows:

1. First, follow the RSVP link above corresponding to the event you are interested in and fill out the Google form – the earlier the better.
2. Approximately a week before the event, we will send out confirmation emails to the first 15 people who RSVPed. The email will contain the room number and a few other details. Those who receive this email must attend the PSI lunch.
3. In the event that someone is unable to attend, there will be a waitlist and spots will be filled as they are vacated.

In addition, there will be a mailing list for those who filled out the google form after the first 15. Those people will receive an email with the RSVP link for the following PSI lunches as soon as it is available.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at psi@austin.utexas.edu