Physics 2400
– Introductory Topics in Physics
(Profession of Physics)
Term: Fall
2009 Credits: 1
Meetings
12:00-1:15 PM on Tuesdays in SER244
Instructor: David Peak
(tel: 797-2884, office: SER240,
email: david.peak@usu.edu)
This short course is designed to provide an introduction to the
discipline of physics as a profession. Among the topics we will discuss
are:
- Resources
on- and off-campus to learn more
- What
do physicists do in their jobs?
- Where
do physicists get jobs?
- How
should you prepare for a career in physics or a physics-related area?
- What
academic degrees do professional physicists hold?
- What
is graduate school? Should
you do graduate work? How
should you prepare for study beyond the BS?
- How do
you write a compelling CV?
- What
are some academic scholarships and awards you might consider applying
for? How do you apply for
such things and what would make your application competitive?
- What
are some of the subdisciplines of physics?
- What
is Òscientific knowledgeÓ and how do physicists attempt to add to our
knowledge of the physical universe?
- What
are some of the ÒhotÓ questions research physicists are currently
exploring?
- What
is the peculiar way in which professional physicists think? What are Òback-of-the-envelope
calculationsÓ (or Òback-of-the-test-tube experimentsÓ) and why do
employers hire people who can do such things?
During the term, several Physics
Department faculty and students will talk to us about research they are doing,
why they find the research interesting, and how you might join them (if you
find what they are doing interesting, too).
We will also visit some of the
research labs in the SER building.
There is no text for the
course. Your grade will be based
on your contribution to class discussions, the development of a personal CV,
and a term-end report.
Downloadable material
Undergraduate
research Opportunities in Physics
AIP
High School Physics Data
AIP
Physics Degrees Data
AIP
Physics Employment Data
Tim
DoyleÕs Physics in Industry talk