EARLY WARNING GRADES

Fred Wellstood

Physics Department

Citation in Theoretical Physics

Proposal for Theoretical Physics Citation 

Description The Physics Department’s Theoretical Physics Citation provides a rigorous foundation in theoretical physics for students who choose not to complete the entire physics major. The citation begins with a set of three introductory courses (9 credits) in mechanics and relativity (PHYS 171), electromagnetic fields (PHYS 272), and waves (PHYS 273). The citation also includes a one-credit introductory laboratory (PHYS 174) to introduce students to techniques of data gathering and analysis. To allow students to gain a deeper understanding of physics, the introductory courses are followed by two upper-level theory courses (7-8 credits), which students can select from quantum physics (PHYS 401, 402), statistical thermodynamics (PHYS 404), classical mechanics (PHYS 410), electricity and magnetism (PHYS 411), modern optics (PHYS 465), computational physics (PHYS 499C), or other courses with approval from the undergraduate director.

Required Courses 

All of the following: (10 Credits)PHYS171: Introductory Physics: Mechanics and Relativity (3)PHYS174: Physics Laboratory Introduction (1)PHYS272: Introductory Physics: Fields (3)PHYS273: Introductory Physics: Waves (3) Two of the following: (6-8 Credits)PHYS374: Intermediate Theoretical Methods (4)PHYS401: Quantum Physics I (4)PHYS402: Quantum Physics II (4)PHYS404: Introductory Statistical Thermodynamics (3)PHYS410: Classical Mechanics (4)PHYS411: Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism (4)PHYS465: Modern Optics (3)PHYS499C: Computational Physics (3) Students may use other 300 and 400 level courses with approval from the citation’s faculty advisor.

Faculty Advisor

Professor Theodore Jacobson

 

Excluded Major

 Astronomy majors will not be eligible for this citation since the citation requirements will overlap significantly with Astronomy major requirements. Astronomy majors desiring to complete more physics courses than required by their department are encouraged to consider a double major in astronomy and physics.

 

Review of Results on the Lab Diagnostic Test for the Entering

Grad Class of Fall 2001

Fall 2001 lab diagnostic test resultserror analysis electrical measurements

Averagemaximum

SCORE out of 100 find averagestdev uncer avg chi2 counting stat circ sketch circ build scope find scope measground total pts1.1 1.2 1.3 2 3 4.1 4.2 5.1 5.2 6

80.0 3 3 4 3 5 5 5 5 5 10 4875.0 3 0 2 10 10 5 5 5 5 0 4560.0 3 3 4 0 10 4 5 4 3 0 3660.0 3 2 2 0 10 4 5 5 5 0 3658.3 3 3 0 3 10 4 4 5 3 0 3558.3 3 2 0 0 10 5 5 5 5 0 3558.3 3 2 4 5 7 5 4 5 0 0 3551.7 3 0 3 0 5 5 5 5 5 0 3151.7 3 3 0 5 0 5 5 5 5 0 3150.0 3 0 4 0 3 5 5 5 5 0 3045.0 3 2 1 3 0 4 4 5 5 0 2745.0 2 0 0 3 5 5 2 5 5 0 2743.3 3 0 0 3 0 5 5 5 5 0 2643.3 3 2 4 0 3 5 5 4 0 0 2641.7 3 2 0 0 7 5 3 5 0 0 2538.3 3 0 4 0 3 3 4 1 5 0 2338.3 3 2 0 0 3 5 5 5 0 0 2338.3 3 2 3 0 5 5 4 0 1 0 2336.7 3 3 4 3 0 5 4 0 0 0 2233.3 3 2 0 8 0 5 2 0 0 0 2031.7 3 0 0 0 0 5 5 1 5 0 1931.7 3 0 0 0 7 5 4 0 0 0 1930.0 3 0 0 0 0 5 5 2 3 0 1830.0 3 2 0 0 0 0 3 5 5 0 1826.7 3 0 0 0 0 5 3 5 0 0 1626.7 3 0 0 2 2 5 4 0 0 0 1625.0 3 2 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 1525.0 3 2 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 0 1521.7 3 0 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 0 1320.0 3 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 0 12

42.5 3.0 1.3 1.4 1.6 3.5 4.6 4.3 3.1 2.5 0.3 25.5100 3 3 4 10 10 5 5 5 5 10 60

student 4

student 30

UMD student

Conclusions

2. UMD student did quite well --- had taken entire sequence including 174

3. Overall, weaker on error analysis than electrical side …. 4. Only one person understood grounding, 5. only one person got full credit for understanding 2.

1. Overall, very weak experimentally The level of the exam was Physics 174 (Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5) (25%ok,3%ok,75%ok,27%ok) Physics 275 (Q1, Q2, Q3) (25%ok,3%ok,16%ok) Physics 276 (Q5,Q6) (50% ok, 3% ok)

…they don't know elementary experimental concepts

SURVEYMasters? Theory/expsubj Adv lab? research months?P/F computer future background

N E nonlinear DynY 6 P average researcher averageN T Quantum Y 10 P strong postdoc aboveN T Quant CompY 0 P strong researcher undecidedY undecided cond. MatterNo 0 P average researcher averageN E cond. MatterY 0 P weak researcher belowN undecided undecided No 0 P strong undecided belowN T particle Y 0 P strong academic aboveN E Nuclear/partY 9 undecided strong undecided aboveN undecided nonlinear Dyn/part/quantY 0 P average academic averageN undecided undecided Y 18 P very strongresearcher very strongN T gravity Y 15 P strong academic aboveN undecided nonlinear Y 0 P strong researcher averageY T Gen Relat. Y yes P strong other belowN E cond. MatterY 0 P weak undecided belowN T Nuclear Y yes F average academic belowY T part and nuclearNo 0 P average researcher averageN undecided high energyNo 0 P strong researcher averageN E nonlinear No 4 P average undecided averageN T Qaunt stat Y yes undecided average researcher undecidedY T Gen rel and astrophysno yes P average academic averageN E undecided Y 2.5 F average researcher averageN E Nonlinear Y 8 F strong not academiaaverageY T/E Education No 0 P strong teach undergradsbelowN T String Y 2 P average researcher averageY T Plasma No 0 P average academic belowN T quant compNo 0 P very strongundecided averageN T chaos No 0 P average researcher undecidedN E undecided Y 10 P strong academic aboveY T string Y 0 P average postdoc averageN E cond. MatterY 9 F average academic below

Fall 2001 lab diagnostic survey resultsSCORE out of 100

80.075.060.060.058.358.358.351.751.750.045.045.043.343.341.738.338.338.336.733.331.731.730.030.026.726.725.025.021.720.0

academic

academic

academic

academic

academic

academic

academic

academic

Review of Teaching Interviews for the Spring 2002 Searches

candidate search score Chant Hammer Lobb Redish WellstoodDeutsch Amo 95 A ADrummond Amo 95 AWells Part Th 93 A A A-Alford Lattice QCD 90 A- A-Holland Amo 90 A-Kaplan Part Th 90 A-Robicheaux Amo 90 A B+ A-Lin Nano 87 B+/A- A- A- B+Barker Nano 85 B+ B+ B+Chacko Part Th 85 B+Shirman Part Th 85 A- BNarayanan Lattice QCD 81 B/B+ B BDamle Cond M Th 80 B+ A- C+Fogler Cond M Th 80 B BTchernyshyov Cond M Th 80 B B B BBlum Lattice QCD 78 B+ B-Madhavan Nano 78 B- B+Originas Lattice QCD 72 B- B+ CBali Lattice QCD 63 C+ C

STRAW MAN VERSION OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS

TRACK

Professional Physics TrackPHYS 171 (3 credits), Introductory Physics: Mechanics and RelativityPHYS 174 (1 credits), Physics Lab IntroductionPHYS 272 (3 credits), FieldsPHYS 275 (2 credits), Experimental Physics I: Mechanics, Heat, and FieldsPHYS 273 (3 credits), WavesPHYS 276 (2 credits), Experimental Physics II: Electricity and MagnetismMATH 140 (4): Calculus IMATH 141 (4): Calculus IIMATH 240 (4) Introduction to Linear Algebra or MATH 461 (3) Linear Algebra MATH 241 (4): Calculus IIIMATH 246 (3) Differential Equations or MATH 414 (3) Differential EquationsPHYS 401 (4): Quantum Physics IPHYS 402 (4): Quantum Physics IIPHYS 410 (4): Classical MechanicsPHYS 411 (4): Intermediate Electricity and MagnetismPHYS 374 (4): Intermediate Theoretical MethodsPHYS 375 (3): Experimental Physics III: Electromagnetic Waves, OpticsPHYS 404 (3): Introduction to Statistical ThermodynamicsPHYS 405 (3): Advanced Experiments lab

Computation Physics Area of Concentration PHYS 171 (3 credits), Introductory Physics: Mechanics and RelativityPHYS 174 (1 credits), Physics Lab IntroductionPHYS 272 (3 credits), FieldsPHYS 275 (2 credits), Experimental Physics I: Mechanics, Heat, and FieldsPHYS 273 (3 credits), WavesPHYS 276 (2 credits), Experimental Physics II: Electricity and MagnetismMATH 140 (4): Calculus IMATH 141 (4): Calculus IIMATH 240 (4) Introduction to Linear Algebra or MATH 461 (3) Linear Algebra MATH 241 (4): Calculus IIIMATH 246 (3) Differential Equations or MATH 414 (3) Differential Equations

MATH 462 (3) Partial Differential Equations PHYS 374 (4): Intermediate Theoretical MethodsPHYS 401 (4): Quantum Physics IPHYS 410 (4): Classical MechanicsPHYS 411 (4): Intermediate Electricity and MagnetismPHYS 165 (3): Introduction to Programming for the Physical Sciences PHYS 426 (3): Mathematica for Scientists and EngineersPHYS 499C (3): Computational Physics

-- need CMSC courses?

Undergraduate Admissions

Fall 2002 - 76 admittedFall 2001 - 56 admittedFall 2000 - 74 admitted

Significant increase over last year(maybe because we mailed about 1000 packets out to AP physics students)

Slightly more than in 2000, even though Maryland admitted significantly fewer people this year(expect yield near 50%, could be higher because of rising reputation)

Final Issue:We have reduced the number of TA’s

Allowed us to increase stipendResulted in more load on the Ta’sResulted in many “split” TA assigments We need to reassess the TA workload in different courses