Undergraduate Physics

Undergraduate Physics

26-Feb-2011 1

http://www.uiuc.edu/

http://physics.illinois.edu/26-Feb-2011 2

Undergraduate Physics at the University of Illinois

Agenda:•Welcome Dale Van Harlingen•Parallel

• Parents: financial aid David Wilde• Students: university life Matt Feickert, Shannon Glavin

•university housing overview Mari Anne Brocker•physics curriculum Kevin Pitts•lunch – meet students and faculty•Roundtable with faculty Profs. Cooper/Gollin/Greene/Makins•physics careers, research Kevin Pitts•question and answer period •Parallel

• Tour PHYS 403 lab Prof. Eugene Colla• More Q&A

•adjourn


Welcome! Physics at UIUC:

– Ranked #2 in the nation in undergraduate engineering physics

– Ranked #8 overall (two surveys)

– Other national rankings: #2 in condensed matter physics #8 in quantum information #10 in nuclear physics #12 in elementary particle physics

Tony Leggett receiving the Nobel Prize for Physics (2003)


Undergraduate Physics at the University of Illinois

Toni PittsCoordinator of Recruiting, Advising, and Special Programs

and

Kevin PittsProfessor of PhysicsAssociate Head for Undergraduate Programs


Outline

The Department Undergraduate Degree Programs

– Choices of Major– Courses

Extracurricular Activities– Physics Society– Physics Van

Undergraduate Research Opportunities– REU– Senior Thesis

Extracurricular Activities– Physics Society– Physics Van

What can I do with a Physics Degree?


By the numbers

60 faculty 290 graduate students 315 undergraduate students $23M in grant support for research

We award– 60 Bachelor’s degrees/year– 40 Ph.D.’s per year

Average ACT score is 31

Charles Slichter receiving the National Medal of Science (2008)


Areas of Research Astrophysics Atomic and Molecular Optics Biological Physics Complex Systems Condensed Matter Cosmology High-Energy Physics Nuclear Physics Physics Education Quantum Information

Campus centers:– Institute for Condensed Matter Theory – Center for the Physics of Living Cells

Close research ties with:– National Center for Supercomputer Applications (NCSA)– Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory– Argonne National Laboratory


Undergraduate Degree Programs

Engineering Physics– Offered through Engineering College

Science and Letters Physics– Virtually identical to Engineering Physics

Specialized Physics– Most flexible physics curriculum

Physics Teaching Option– Includes secondary education minor

(and teaching certification)


Engineering Physics

Offered through College of Engineering 128 Hours required to graduate Curriculum features: “Elective Options”

– [more on this in a minute]

Graduate school or industry track 3 years HS foreign language or 3

semesters satisfies language requirement


LAS Science and Letters Physics

Offered through College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Curriculum features: “Elective Options” – [more on this in a minute]

120 hours required to graduate Graduate school or industry track 4 years of HS foreign language or 4th-

semester college language satisfies language requirement


LAS Specialized Physics

Offered through College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

126 hours required to graduate 4 years of HS foreign language or 4th-

semester college language satisfies language requirement

“Option-oriented” curriculum (ideal for pre-med, pre-law, and physics related fields)

Very flexible in upper-level courses


LAS vs. Engineering

A: Nothing in the physics + math curriculum.– LAS physics majors must pay the college of

engineering college surcharge. (They utilize all of the same equipment/infrastructure.)

LAS/Engineering have slightly different general education requirements.

LAS requires 4th semester of foreign language. Engineering requires a few more hours. Is one “more prestigious” than another?

– Not for grad school…maybe in the job market?

Q : What’s the difference between LAS Science and Letters and Engineering Physics?


Degree Requirements

“Core” Physics Courses “Core” Math courses

(+2 courses = math minor)

Supporting courses (Chem, CS) General Education requirements Elective Options Free electives


Elective Options

Allows students to tailor curriculum to their needs and interests.

Examples:– Professional Physics (this is the grad school track)– Astrophysics– Biophysics– Bioengineering– Computational Physics– Materials Science– Physical Electronics– Earth Science– Science Writing– Pre-law– Pre-med– User defined

New options coming:•Nuclear physics•Energy/sustainability•Management•Atmospheric science•…

http://physics.illinois.edu/

Recent user defined options– Electrical Engineering Technical Option– Geology/Geophysics – Pre-Optometry – Mathematical Physics – Prep for Grad School in Library Science– Economics – Acoustic Engineering – Atmospheric Sciences– Acoustics – Biomedical Engineering – Nuclear Physics – Sustainable Technology Commercialization

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http://physics.illinois.edu/9-Nov-2010 16

PHYSICS

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PHYSICS

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Teaching Option

Offered through Liberal Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the College of Education

Must complete a secondary education minor

Apply to Science and Letters Physics (then tell us you are interested in teaching option after admission)

Contact advisor Prof. Mats Selen ([email protected])


Introductory Courses Introductory sequence (3 semesters)

– PHYS 211 – Mechanics– PHYS 212 -- Electricity and Magnetism– PHYS 213 -- Thermal Physics (half-semester)– PHYS 214 -- Waves and Quantum Physics (half-semester)– PHYS 225 – Relativity and Math Methods

Notes:– Courses have calculus prerequisites– Take Phys 225 the same semester you take Phys 212– Phys 213 and 214 are two half-semester courses (for practical

purposes, it’s a single four hour course)

What if you change your mind?– Calculus and Phys 211-214 are required for most engineering

majors.


Introductory Courses Introductory sequence (3 semesters)

– PHYS 211 – Mechanics– PHYS 212 -- Electricity and Magnetism– PHYS 213 -- Thermal Physics (half-semester)– PHYS 214 -- Waves and Quantum Physics (half-semester)

Course format:– Lecture, discussion (interactive problem-solving), labs– Lectures are highly interactive using iClickers

New for fall 2011:– Physics major-only discussion sections– Register for one of these if you can, it’s ok if you can’t– Help to build a sense of community with our majors– Cover additional material when appropriate


More About Our CoursesGeneral information:

http://www.physics.illinois.edu/education/undergrad/

Details on programs: Engineering physics:

http://courses.illinois.edu/cis/2009/fall/programs/undergrad/engin/engin_physics.html

LAS Physicshttp://courses.illinois.edu/cis/2010/fall/programs/undergrad/las/physics.html

Course web pages:http://www.physics.illinois.edu/courses/

We will help you choose your courses during summer registration. It helps to review our sample schedule and look at the course material before you come.

Schedule summer registration date through registrar’s office. Their website will be open on March 15.


Discovery Courses

Freshman-only courses

Enrollment limited to 19

Offered in many departments

Spring 2011– “Behavior of Complex Systems”– “Science and Pseudoscience”– “Physics of Electronic Musical Instruments”


Academic Advising

Every major is assigned an advisor and a faculty mentor– Advisor is the expert on

courses/programs/graduation requirements– Mentor is the faculty member, expert on

research/areas of study/careers

Required to meet academic advisor and mentor until PHYS 325 is taken

We are working on some new programs to further aid the mentoring process.


More on Advising

Each student is assigned a faculty “mentor”– Get to meet the mentor during first year– Degree to which you use the mentor is up to you

New for Fall 2011: we are going pair freshmen up with an upperclass student– They can help you learn the “things you need to

know”

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Extracurricular ActivitiesPhysics Van

Physics Society

Society of Women in Physics


Physics Society

http://physoc.physics.illinois.edu/

Speaker meetings Faculty research talks Pizza meetings Informal dinner with faculty Engineering Open House Physics demos for kids and the public


Society for Women in Physics Undergraduate research database Midwestern women in physics conference Social gatherings Seminars (“How to get into grad school”,

“Careers in Physics”)


Physics Van

http://van.physics.uiuc.edu/

Traveling science show for kids Visit regional elementary schools Fun for everyone!

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Teaching Opportunities

Upper-class physics majors might have an opportunity to teach!

It’s a great learning experience It looks great on your resume/cv Teaching assistants receive stipend Typical teaching load is 2 laboratory sections per

semester (~8-10 hours/week) Our TA’s are good…75% are voted as “excellent”

by their students!

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Undergraduate Research

On campus:– Work in a research lab

can earn individual study credit– Summer research through senior thesis project

Off campus– Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)– 10 week summer research program– Offered at many schools


Senior Thesis Sequence Co-taught by Professor Lance Cooper and technical writing expert Celia

Elliott, Director of External Affairs and Special Projects


Intro to Physics Research

Explore research fields Presentations Journal Club Introduction to scientific communication Oral presentations Scientific writing Introduction to research basics Collaborations Ethics


Senior Thesis

More emphasis on Communication Skills How to design a scientific poster More practice giving presentations Learn specifics on formatting your thesis Journal Club continues


Other Research Opportunities

http://physics.illinois.edu/undergrad/research.asp

Can get credit for work (PHYS 199 or 497, Individual Study)


We return to the big question….

What the heck can I do with a physics

degree???


The Answer…

ANYTHING YOU WANT!

~50% of UIUC Physics graduates go to graduate school– Mostly in Physics– Some related fields (Astronomy, Engineering)

Others find employment in a variety of fields.



Graduate School: Who/What/How?

Grad school may be for you if you want to…– do research and development– work at a national laboratory– teach/research at the college/university level.

Duration– 1-2 year Master’s, 5-6 year Ph.D.

Grad school– Typically get remitted tuition + ~$20k per year– Two years of course work (+ teach + research)– Three-four years of research + dissertation


Graduate Schools

Where do UIUC students attend graduate school?

School Field

Berkeley PhysicsBoston University High Energy PhysicsCaltech PhysicsCornell Engineering, Physics, Harvard Applied PhysicsMichigan EngineeringNorthwestern Engineering (Quantum Information)Oxford (UK) PhysicsStanford Applied PhysicsUniversity of Chicago Physics, AstrophysicsUniversity of Illinois Physics, Engineering, Education….


Post Graduate (Ph.D.) Employment 50% get postdocs

40% get permanent jobs 10% other

Overall employment rate for Ph.D.’s is *very* high.

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Jobs!

Fuji Machine America Corporation GMS / Vedior Greenlight Planet, Inc. Highland Engineerin, P.C. Imaje Leo Burnett Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman Orchid Tree WEb Solutions Quantum Design S&C Electric Company Sargent & Lundy United Conveyor Corporation Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing

Corporation Wellpoint, Inc. Zurich North America

Accenture Aerotek Scientific Aisin Electronics Illinois, LLC Analysts, Inc. Argonne National Lab Army Corps of Engineers Beckman Institute (University of

Illinois) Caterpillar, Inc. CONTAX, Inc. Creative Thermal Solutions CSG Systems Delcross Technologies, LLC Deloitte Consulting, LLP Exelon Fermi National Lab

This is only a portion of the employers who hired recent physics bachelors into technical positions. Source: AIP Statistical Research Center, Initial Employment Surveys, classes 2007 thru

2009.Incomplete list of employers and positions (2000-2003)

Employers in Illinois that recently hired new physics bachelor recipients

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Skills Knowledge and skills rated as important

by physics bachelors 5-8 years after graduation

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What WE are doing1. Working with industry to market our majors and

explain the value of physicists!

2. Working with our majors (and Engineering Career Services) to make sure they market themselves and seek out opportunity.

3. Seek out intership opportunities for our students. (separate from research opportunities discussed last week)

4. Surveying our alumni to find out what careers they are in and create ties for future graduates.

5. Getting input from students, parents…

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More Career Data

Illinois companies that hire physics bachelors:http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/states/state.html

Education and Employment Trends:http://www.aip.org/statistics/

American Institute of Physics collects the most data on Physics Trends

You can find the pot of gold with a physics degree!


Summary

It’s all about opportunity! Opportunities for variety in your physics

curriculum Opportunities to supplement your

education (working on those “people skills” employers love) with extracurricular activities

Opportunities to do research as an undergraduate

Opportunities for your future!


Contact InformationToni PittsCoordinator of Recruiting, Advising, and Special ProgramsEmail: [email protected]: 217-244-2948

Professor Kevin PittsEmail: [email protected]

Department of PhysicsUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign1110 West Green StreetUrbana, Illinois 61801-3080

Documents

Undergraduate Physics