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Science Outreach Joan Gladwyn. What good is a physics degree?. Graduate Destination Survey. 22 Australian universities 171 physics graduates responded Following results are from 108 respondents who graduated after 1990 42% graduated after 2000 47% have a postgraduate degree
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Science Outreach Joan Gladwyn What good is a physics degree?
Graduate Destination Survey • 22 Australian universities • 171 physics graduates responded • Following results are from 108 respondents who graduated after 1990 • 42% graduated after 2000 • 47% have a postgraduate degree • Male:female ratio is 2:1 • Funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. (http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/super/ALTC/ )
Would you recommend a major in physics as useful training for your current job? • YES: 75 • NO:22 • Of the 22, 15 of those believe that a smaller physics component would be a useful training for their current job
UC Physics and Astronomy • Review of past physics graduates http://www.phys.canterbury.ac.nz/careers.shtml • Graduate Survey 1998- students from 1976-1996
Graduate Survey 1998 • How relevant have your physics studies been to your employment since graduation? 1----2----3----4----5----6----7 Not at all Very relevant Average rating 4.73
Graduate Survey 1998 • How valuable has your physics degree been to you? 1----2----3----4----5----6----7 Not at all Very valuable Average rating 5.48
American Physical Society • http://www.aps.org/careers
Institute of Physics (UK) Links to career areas • http://www.iop.org/activity/careers/what/index.html Profiles of those who still work in physics and those who trained but have moved into other areas • http://www.iop.org/activity/careers/workinglife/index.html Jobs which can be done by physicists plus physics jobs • IOP’s new jobs website,brightrecruits Publications for different age groups about science and physics jobs • http://www.iop.org/activity/education/Careers/Publications/page_5893.html • 16+ leaflet
Institute of Physics (UK) • “Over half of all physicists work in Research and Development, Engineering, and Information Technology. Some physicists work on problems at the frontiers of knowledge; others tackle the challenging problems which arise in the application of physics to industrial and engineering problems. • If you want to be well paid, a physics degree can help you get a job in finance, telecommunications or the electrical industry. According to a survey of Institute of Physics members, these sector have an average starting salary of about £40K.($100K NZ)”
Institute of Physics “list of typical sectors where physicists are found”
Medical physics • 15 of University of Canterbury’s past Medical Physics (2004-2008) students are currently employed in hospitals around the country contributing to health care service for the community in either Radiotherapy, Diagnostic Radiology or Nuclear Medicine Departments • Plus laser work, depending on hospital • Salaries NZ $75K-95K on qualification, more in US • Or work in research….
Medical physics • Achieve Bachelor of Science with Physics major • Apply for registrar position as medical physicist (one or all of six hospitals) • Simultaneously enrol for Masters in Medical Physics at UC (fees, course books paid by hospital) • Year 1 spent at UC • Years 2 and 3 half time in hospital working, half time in hospital on thesis research. (Earning $25-50K/yr salary) • Years 4 and 5 full time training in hospital • Take exams, become accredited by Australasian College of Physical scientists and Engineers in Medicine • Work anywhere in the world
Biohazard Detection - Rapid biohazard detection and identification • 25 June 2009 • Independent U.S. Study Confirms Veritide's Ceeker™ Handheld Device Detects Anthrax With Outstanding Accuracy and Reliability • Baltimore, MD, and Christchurch, NZ - June 25, 2009
Meteorology • Of last year’s PHYS316 class (geophysical fluid dynamics) 2 out of 12 obtained jobs with Metservice • Around 20 graduates per year, in physics or maths, are taken for training, • 41 week training course, concurrently with VUW postgraduate diploma or certificate in meteorology • More at http://www.metservice.co.nz/public/aboutMetservice/trainee.html
Nanotechnologist Graduate students are needed to work on the following projects: • Novel Electronic Devices Formed by Deposition of Atomic Clusters • Applications of Nano-wire based devices • Cluster Structures formed through Diffusion Limited Aggregation • Electron Diffraction as a Probe of the Structure of Atomic Clusters • Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Atomic Clusters • Electrical characterisation of the properties of cluster assembled nanodevices. • Alloy nanoparticles for growth of carbon nanotubes
Geophysics • Active Tectonics, • Engineering Geology, • Geoarchaeology • Hazards and Paleoclimate programmes, • mapping of bedrock topography; • hydrogeology, • glaciology, particularly glacier thickness and internal structure • hydrology