Management Contacts

Department Chair

DR. Pablo laguna                        PABLO.LAGUNA@AUSTIN.UTEXAS.EDU            PMA 5.206         512-471-4488

Assistant Director for Administrative Services

VirGinia Hoskins                           voviedo@austin.utexas.edu              PMA 5.216         512-475-7784

Associate Chair for Graduate Education

Professor sonia Paban                  paban@physics.utexas.edu           PMA 9.208A         512-471-3898

Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education

Professor Greg Sitz                  gositz@physics.utexas.edu           PMA 10.313         512-471-0701

Associate Chair for Foundational Physics Education

Professor john Markert                  markert@physics.utexas.edu           PMA 13.314         512-471-1039

Graduate Advisor

professor john keto                 keto@physics.utexas.edu               PMA 10.315         512-471-5059

Special Service to the Department:

Minority Bridge Liason

Sonia Paban

Physics Library Liason

Christina Markert

Administrative, Student, HR, and Financial Contacts

Administrative Contacts by Unit

• Department of Physics, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics (CNLD), Center for Particles & Fields (CPF), and Center for Gravitational Physics (CTGP): Maria Tway
• Center for Complex Quantum Systems (CQS): Jane Ann Parker
• Center for High Energy Density Science (CHEDS): PhysicsABS@physics.utexas.edu
• Institute for Fusion Studies (IFS): Teresa A. Garza
• Weinberg Theory Group: AJ Bunyard
• Front Office: Eric Hayes Patkowski
  • Receipt and distribution of packages and mail, website updates, Kodosky & Chair conference room reservations
  • Notary services
  • Record Retention Specialist and Docusign DUC

Building Manager

• Email: john.estes@austin.utexas.edu

Executive Assistant

• Email: Maria Tway
• Administrative support to the Assistant Director, Department Chair, and Directors of CTGP, CPF, and CNLD
• Event coordinator for public relation & outreach, conferences, colloquiums, workshops, seminars, departmental events and other. Includes all logistics, reimbursements, OOEF and budget & expense tracking
• Official Occasion Expense Form: all requests must route for signature by Physics Assistant Director
• Record and disseminate minutes for departmental and committee meetings

Finance

• Email: finance@physics.utexas.edu
• Fund transfers (VTA), Workday Costing Allocation, Account Requests (New or changes to existing), Document Corrections
• Monthly reporting – ad hoc, transactional, and personnel
• Service Centers: machine shop and cryo shop rate proposals and billing
• Signature Desk and Electronic Office Management Requests/Updates

Purchasing, Travel, & Payment Processing

Purchasing

• Email: purchasing@physics.utexas.edu
• Purchasing Request System - used to request PO, UT Market, or Web Orders. Select "Purchase Request" from Expense Request Menu
  • Procedures to use Physics Request form: (link)
• Physics Purchasing Request Form – used to request PO, UT Market, or Web Orders
• Effective 03/11/2021, UT Market Ordering Procedures
• Assistance with Exclusive Acquisition Justification for purchases above $15K, manufacturer maintenance & repair, software maintenance, or if using purchasing using federal funds
• Establish Vendor Identification Set-up (VID)
• ProCards – related policies found here

Travel

• Email: travel@physics.utexas.edu
• Travel Authorization Request System – used to request travel authorization (RTA).  Must be requested at minimum, two weeks prior to travel. Select, "Travel Authorization Request" from Expense Request Menu
• Travel Reimbursement Request System – used to process reimbursement for travel. Select "Travel Reimbursement Request" from Expense Request Menu
• Information on domestic and international travel, refer here
• Corrections (VT6) – process correction for travel charges

Payment Processing

• Email: Dale Campbell
• Processing documents: travel (VP5), gift/cash deposits (VC1s), reimbursements (VPE), corrections (VT6), PBU, VP1s, VP2, and VP7s
• H1B1 Visa Fees
• Payee Information Form (PIF)

Grants & Contracts Specialist

• Email: grants@physicis.utexas.edu
• Development, preparation, create budgets & justifications, verify compliance, and submission of research proposals to federal, state, local, foundation, or industry sponsoring agencies and organizations
• Roles & Responsibilities for G&C Support
• Liaise with the Office of Sponsored Projects, sponsors, and CNS Research & Facilities Office
• Assist with effort certification, no-cost extensions, credit requests,
• Prepare progress, performance, or ad hoc reports as requested by sponsor or PIs
• Use of the following systems: Research Management System (RMS), eRA Commons, FastLane, ORCID, NIH Commons, Cayuse, SciENcv, etc

Human Resources

• Email: hr@physics.utexas.edu
• Recruiting, hiring, and reclassifications
• Payroll, insurance, and timesheets
• Faculty HR matters
• Visa Processing and Renewals
• Visitor/Affiliate Assignments

Faculty Affairs

• Email: Virginia Oviedo
• Faculty recruitment, reviews, leaves, merit, and human resources

PMA Project Specialist

• Email: costello@utexas.edu
• Lab Supply Group Supervisor
• Scientific equipment setup
• Training for teaching labs
• Inventory, surplus, office & laboratory moves, and telephone services
• Electronic and mechanical lock access
• Space coordinator

Students

Undergraduate Program

• Email: ugaffairs@physics.utexas.edu
• Prospective Undergraduate Student information found here
• Current Undergraduate Students information found here
  • Learning Assistants (LAs) Program
  • Assist with registration, course scheduling, waitlists, general undergraduate student questions
  • Student employment, onboarding, & payroll: onboarding@physics.utexas.edu

Graduate Program

• Prospective Graduate Students
  • Email: admissions@physics.utexas.edu
  • Physics admissions information found here
  • Admissions FAQs
• Onboarding (admitted Graduate Students)
  • Email: onboarding@physics.utexas.edu
  • Assistance with I-9s, background checks, F-1 Renewals/Issues, tuition bills and waivers
  • New Graduate Student Orientation and Events
• Current Graduate Students
  • Email: graduate@physics.utexas.edu
  • In guidance from the Graduate Advisor, provide assistance with: advising, registration, fellowships/awards, Teaching Assistant and Assistant Instructor assignments, Graduate School petitions, final defense, graduation process
  • Current Physics Graduate information found here
  • Graduate Community

Organizational Chart

Administrative Staff Org Chart (As of 6/16/21)

Business Forms, Policies & Procedures

Travel

• Refer to Texas Global on travel restrictions on University-sanctioned travel.
• Familiarize yourself with Covid Travel Guidelines including domestic and international travel requirements that must be completed PRIOR to traveling.
• Effective 6/24/21: Domestic travel no longer requires Dean approval
  • All air travel and rental cars must be booked through UT Contracted travel agencies or Concur.
  • A rental car is recommended for use with business-related travel. If you drive a personal vehicle, the vehicle owner - NOT THE UNIVERSITY – is liable for any injury or damage to your person, car, and any injury or damage to other vehicles, property, or persons outside your vehicle which may occur as a result of an accident.
  • For rental car options which include the insurance coverages: https://travel.utexas.edu/travelplanning/rentalcars
  • The university will not provide reimbursement without an exception from your Dean/VP for travel booked outside of the university’s contracted rental car and travel agencies or UT Concur.
• Travel Authorization Request System: used to request travel authorization (RTA). Must be requested at minimum, two weeks prior to travel. Select, "Travel Authorization Request" from Expense Request Menu. Ensure you’ve met all steps and forms required by Texas Global. Physics administrative staff are not responsible for completing required procedures on a traveler’s behalf
• Travel Reimbursement Request System: used to process reimbursement for travel. Select "Travel Reimbursement Request" from Expense Request Menu
• Faculty Travel Grants
  • The Graduate School offers a Faculty Travel Grant. Eligible faculty will be guaranteed up to $1,200 per academic year for travel expenses to present original papers at scholarly and professional meetings. This includes reimbursement for all allowable travel related expenses (such as lodging, meals, transportation and registration, which are non-taxable reimbursements), and can also be used to cover extra childcare expenses incurred because of the travel (a taxable reimbursement). An approved RTA must be on file prior to making the travel. Funds may be used for foreign or domestic travel. For more information, please visit the Faculty Travel Program

Purchasing

• As stewards of University funds, we are all expected to comply with purchasing guidelines as described in the University's Handbook of Business Procedures
• Purchasing Request System: used to request PO, UT Market, or Web Orders. Select "Purchase Request" from Expense Request Menu
  • Procedures to use Physics Request form: (link)
• Effective 03/11/2021, UT Market Ordering Procedures
• Assistance with Exclusive Acquisition Justification for purchases above $15K, manufacturer maintenance & repair, software maintenance, or if using purchasing using federal funds
• Establish Vendor Identification Set-up (VID)
• ProCards – related policies found here

CNS Business Affairs Procedures

• Budget & Accounting - Requests for accounts (new and updates), service centers, TxShop, reconcilliation
• Business Contracts - co-sponsorship
• Document Approval - Procurement, travel, and payments
• CNS Official Ocassions and Entertainment Policy

UT Austin Policies & Procedures

• Handbook of Business Procedures (The HBP contains fiscal policies and procedures and is designed to provide information and guidance to departments regarding the appropriate handling of financial matters.)
• Handbook of Operatiing Procedures (HOP contains University Policies designed to communicate institutional rules for operation, organization, and programming of the university, including policy relating to students.)

UT Austin Resources, Forms, & Training

• Financial Reporting Applications (includes financial and payroll reports)
• Training Resources
• Forms
• Administrative Applications  (Includes a list of the administrative applications and tools supported by the Office of the SVP-CFO.