Undergraduate Physics

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Undergraduate Physics
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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 QA
• adjourn

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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)
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Undergraduate Physics at the University of
Illinois
Toni PittsCoordinator of Recruiting, Advising,
and Special Programs and Kevin PittsProfessor
of Physics Associate Head for Undergraduate
Programs
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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?

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By the numbers

• 60 faculty
• 290 graduate students
• 315 undergraduate students
• 23M in grant support for research
• We award
• 60 Bachelors degrees/year
• 40 Ph.D.s per year
• Average ACT score is 31

Charles Slichter receiving the National Medal of
Science (2008)
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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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LAS vs. Engineering

• Whats the difference between LAS Science and
  Letters and Engineering Physics?

• 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 schoolmaybe in the job market?

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Degree Requirements

• Core Physics Courses
• Core Math courses
• (2 courses math minor)
• Supporting courses (Chem, CS)
• General Education requirements
• Elective Options
• Free electives

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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

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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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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
  (mats_at_illinois.edu)

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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, its a single four hour
  course)
• What if you change your mind?
• Calculus and Phys 211-214 are required for most
  engineering majors.

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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, its ok if
  you cant
• Help to build a sense of community with our
  majors
• Cover additional material when appropriate

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More About Our Courses

• General information
• http//www.physics.illinois.edu/education/undergra
  d/
• Details on programs
• Engineering physics
• http//courses.illinois.edu/cis/2009/fall/program
  s/undergrad/engin/engin_physics.html
• LAS Physics
• http//courses.illinois.edu/cis/2010/fall/program
  s/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
  registrars office. Their website will be open
  on March 15.

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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

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Academic Advising

• Every major is assigned an advisor and a faculty
  mentor
• Advisor is the expert on courses/programs/graduati
  on 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.

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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 Activities
Physics Van
Society of Women in Physics
Physics Society
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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

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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)

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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!
• Its 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 TAs are good75 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

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Senior Thesis Sequence

• Co-taught by Professor Lance Cooper and technical
  writing expert Celia Elliott, Director of
  External Affairs and Special Projects

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Intro to Physics Research

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

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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

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Other Research Opportunities

• http//physics.illinois.edu/undergrad/research.asp
  
• Can get credit for work (PHYS 199 or 497,
  Individual Study)

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We return to the big question.

• What the heck can I do with a physics degree???

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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.

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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 Masters, 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

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Graduate Schools

• Where do UIUC students attend graduate school?

School Field Berkeley PhysicsBoston
University High Energy PhysicsCaltech PhysicsC
ornell Engineering, Physics, Harvard Applied
PhysicsMichigan EngineeringNorthwestern Engine
ering (Quantum Information)Oxford
(UK) PhysicsStanford Applied
PhysicsUniversity of Chicago Physics,
AstrophysicsUniversity of Illinois Physics,
Engineering, Education.
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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!

• Employers in Illinois that recently hired new
  physics bachelor recipients

• 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
• SC 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)

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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 doing

1. 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
  bachelorshttp//www.aip.org/statistics/trends/st
  ates/state.html
• Education and Employment Trendshttp//www.aip.or
  g/statistics/
• American Institute of Physics collects the most
  data on Physics Trends
• You can find the pot of gold with a physics
  degree!

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Summary

• Its 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!

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Contact Information
Toni PittsCoordinator of Recruiting, Advising,
and Special ProgramsEmail tpitts_at_illinois.eduPh
one 217-244-2948 Professor Kevin PittsEmail
kpitts_at_illinois.edu
Department of PhysicsUniversity of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign1110 West Green StreetUrbana,
Illinois 61801-3080