1 / 16

Physics, Applied Physics, and Astrophysics

Physics, Applied Physics, and Astrophysics. Student-Faculty Conference April 5, 2007 Sarah Stokes, Micha Fireman, Michael Forte, Michael Inadomi, Christopher Klein, David Zeb Rocklin, Steven Wang Harry Atwater, Lynne Hillenbrand, Kenneth Libbrecht, Robert McKeown.

felicia-korbin
Download Presentation

Physics, Applied Physics, and Astrophysics

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Physics, Applied Physics, and Astrophysics Student-Faculty Conference April 5, 2007 Sarah Stokes, Micha Fireman, Michael Forte, Michael Inadomi, Christopher Klein, David Zeb Rocklin, Steven Wang Harry Atwater, Lynne Hillenbrand, Kenneth Libbrecht, Robert McKeown

  2. PhysicsTopics Discussed • Overwhelming enrollment in upper division classes. • Not enough Faculty-Student interaction. • Freshman lab quality improvement. • Allow more math and astronomy courses to be taken as electives. • Other Topics

  3. PhysicsOverwhelming enrollment • Ph125a:71 enrolled32 undergraduate physics majors • Ph 106a:50 enrolled31 undergraduate physics majors • It is ridiculous that less than half of the students in Ph125a are physics majors! Ph125 is serving as a work horse course for the entire institution. Many of the students are graduate students from other departments.

  4. PhysicsOverwhelming Enrollment • Suggestions to alleviate the stresses put on the physics classes: • More TAs (funding sources needed): • In a survey of undergraduates, regarding Ph125 and Ph106: • 38 (70%) say it needs more TA and/or recitations5 (9%) say it doesn't need more help11 (20%) unsure • Create APh125: Quantum Mechanics with an emphasis on solid state physics • This will take much of the strain from Ph125 because APh undergraduates and many graduate students will find an APh quantum mechanics class more appealing to their academics pursuits.

  5. PhysicsFaculty-Student Interaction • Many physics students feel that the faculty is unapproachable for various reasons. • We would like to foster a community feeling within the department by: • Establishing a seminar course aimed at junior physics students. • Encouraging more undergraduates to attend weekly department seminars. • Softball game and barbeque 

  6. PhysicsClass Quality • Issues regarding Physics 3 lab course quality have been discussed in preliminary SFC meetings. Since then, faculty attention has been brought to the issue. • In general regarding class quality: • Talk to the professor • Fill out the course surveys (Prof. Libbrecht promises he reads them) • Be proactive

  7. PhysicsExtra Electives • Allow Ay20, Ay21, Ma5 to count for 9 units towards the 90-unit elective requirement within the PMA division. • Ay20 is a prerequisite to take 100-level Ay courses, so it should be counted towards the physics major. • Math is applicable to many aspects of physics, and Ma5 is a tough course. C’mon. • If you want other math courses to count, petition to Prof. Libbrecht.

  8. PhysicsOther topics discussed • The course catalog should recognize that the Ph1 analytical track prepares you better for upper level physics courses. • Matlab and Mathematica are essential tool for physics, but not covered specifically in any class. It is the responsibility of the student to become fluent is using this software.

  9. Applied PhysicsTopics Discussed • Redundancy of APh 17 a and c • Possibility of additional electives • Update model schedule in catalog • New course to fulfill APh communications requirement • Emphasis and size of Ph 125

  10. Applied Physics APh 17 a and c • APh 17 a is meant to cover thermal physics from a statistical mechanics perspective • APh 17 c is meant to do so from the viewpoint of classical thermodynamics • Students felt the two classes were too similar and that they were not learning anything new in APh 17 c • APh 17 c will cover new topics

  11. Applied Physics Additional Electives • Examined the possibility of instituting a requirement for a lower-level elective • Looked at the possibility of cross-listing more courses to fulfill the upper-level requirement

  12. Applied Physics Model Course Schedule • Recommend Ph 1 analytical track for Ph/APh/Ay majors • Recommend ACM 95 to be taken sophomore year • Recommend Ph 12 instead of Ph 2 for APh majors

  13. Applied Physics Other Issues Discussed • Examination of communications requirement • Possibility of creating a course similar to Ay 30 • More student-faculty interaction • Adequacy of Ph 125 • Need more TA’s to hold recitation due to class size. • APh 125 that will focus on applications of quantum mechanics; in the past, APh 125 has been offered. • If not possible, two different tracks (Ph 125c or APh 125c) can be offered third term.

  14. AstrophysicsTopics Discussed • Astrophysics department is awesome. • Decreased enrollment in Ay20 and Ay21. Not as many physics majors take it for fun. Maybe the enrollment will increase with the electives change in the course catalog.

  15. Physics, Applied Physics, AstrophysicsSummary of Major Recommendations • Reinstatement of APh125. • Allow Ay20, Ay21 and Ma5 to count as physics electives. • Cross list several courses for APh. • Allow for lower-level courses to be taken for credit in APh. • Oral requirement for APh.

  16. DATA FOR PH125A

More Related