Incoming students must rotate through three different laboratories during the first year, for about 10 weeks per rotation. The student may select laboratories affiliated with the Graduate Group, or select a lab outside the Group to learn a particular skill. Students explore opportunities for rotations with the relevant faculty and the Graduate Advisor.

The rotations give students an opportunity to explore an area of research in which they may have an interest, but no direct experience.

In most cases the rotations will involve laboratory work. However, sometimes a rotation could take the form of reading and discussion. Although some incoming students may have interest in particular faculty for thesis research, students need rotations for exposure to research outside their immediate area of interest.

The Research Advisor gets chosen after completion of the student's third rotation. Students have the freedom to investigate different opportunities for a suitable major advisor. Whereas students may express interest in any particular laboratory at any time, they may not establish firm commitments before completing all three rotations.

The student generally chooses a Research Advisor after the third rotation. In exceptional cases the student may take a fourth laboratory rotation. After formalizing the choice of a research advisor, the student initiates a research project in the Advisor's laboratory.