From Near Extinction to Modeled Excellence:The UW La Crosse Physics Program

Gubbi SudhakaranDepartment of Physics

University of Wisconsin-La Crossewww.uwlax.edu/physics/

SPIN-UP Regional Workshop Marquette University

June 19th 2009

Brief History

• In the early 90’s, the Department of Physics had a total of 6 physics majors, 5 faculty and a graduation rate of one physics major every two years. Research was virtually nonexistent.

• The Department had received poor reviews from the Academic Program Review committee and UW-System had recommended phasing out the UW-L Physics Program due to low graduation rates.

The Department was on the verge of becoming extinct!

Fall 2008

• There were 120 majors, 8 faculty and 21 graduating physics majors in the 2007-2008 academic year.

• For the fall 2008 semester, 38 freshmen entered UW-L as physics majors.

• Academic Programs• Emphases and Concentrations• Dual Degree Program• Undergraduate Research• Seminar for Credit• Recruitment• Assessment

Factors Contributing to Success

Introduction of New Academic ProgramsOne of the important additions in attracting new physics majors was the introduction of a set of emphasis programs that could be packaged along with course and career information.

Physics major with:a) Astronomy emphasisb) Computational physics emphasis

c) Optics emphasisd) Business concentratione) Biomedical concentration

1) Student interest2) Faculty expertise3) Employment opportunities

Dual Degree Program

This is a collaborative program between UW-L and four engineering colleges (UW-Madison, Milwaukee, Platteville and U. Minnesota). The students spend three years at UW-L studying physics and then transfer to an engineering college for two years. The student receives a B.S. degree in physics (along with a math minor) from UW-L and a B.S. degree in engineering from the engineering college.

The dual degree program combines the richness of a traditional liberal arts education with scientific and technological skills so much in demand today.

Undergraduate Research

One of the major facts that leads to high student satisfaction with our program is a strong set of research experiences for the undergraduate physics majors.

Incentive for Faculty and StudentsStudent PresentationsStudent Awards

StudentPresentations

• Annual UW-L Undergraduate Research Symposium

• Annual UW-System Undergraduate Research Symposium

• Annual Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Conference

• National Council on Undergraduate Research Conference

• Annual Undergraduate Research Poster Session on Capitol Hill

Incentive for Faculty

• Teaching Credit for involving Undergraduate Students in Research

• Reduce Teaching Load for new Faculty

• Humane Teaching Assignments for new Faculty

• Schedule free time for Research

• Bring new Faculty in one month early

Student Scholarships/Grants/Awards

• Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Scholarship

• Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Research Fellowship

• American Physical Society, Division of Laser Science Summer Research Fellowship

• Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid Research Award• NASA Academy Summer Research Fellowship• Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship • Strzelczek Award• Murphy Award• Homeland Security Scholarship

External Funding

1. National Science Foundation $1,194,090

RUI $613,672MRI $404,906ILI $88,162CRIF $69,950International $17,400

• Research Corporation $156,071

• NASA (Astronomy) $172,301

• Educational Grants $180,000

Total $1,702462

Seminar for CreditThis was designed to provide a meeting place for the majors and faculty. Students must attend all seminars and either present a seminar or write a report on one of them at the end of the semester.

1) Speakers from various fields2) Showcase undergraduate research3) Talks on research topics, careers, and engineering

programs4) Physics Club-SPS events5) Distinguished Lecture Series in Physics

2002 DLS speaker:1996 Nobel Laureate in Physics Douglas D. OsheroffStanford University

2001 DLS speaker:1997 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsSteven ChuStanford University

2000 DLS speaker:1997 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsWilliam D. PhillipsNational Institute of Standards and Technology

The Annual Distinguished Lecture Series in Physics

2003 DLS speaker:1996 Nobel Laureate in Physics Robert RichardsonCornell University

2004 DLS speaker:1993 Nobel Laureate in Physics Joseph H. TaylorPrinceton University

2005 DLS speaker:1998 Nobel Laureate in Physics Horst L. StormerColumbia University

2006 DLS speaker2001 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsWolfgang KetterleMassachusetts Institute of Technology

2007 DLS speaker; 2001 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsEric CornellNIST, Boulder, CO

2008 DLS speaker;2004 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsFrank WilczekMIT

2009 DLS speaker;2002 Nobel Laureate in PhysicsRiccardo GiacconiJohn Hopkins University

Recruitment Tools

• High school Recruitment• Campus Close-Ups• Department Tours• Physics Demos/Laser Shows• Freshmen Scholarships

AssessmentOverview

• A 3-member assessment committee is responsible for the oversight of the department’s assessment activities.

• All department members participate in the assessment effort at the course level. – An annual meeting dedicated to assessment is required by

our bylaws.– Results of assessment are discussed. Action Item(s)

identified for the following year

Program Goals

1. Understand basic and advanced concepts of classical and modern physics.

2. Understand and be able to use high-level mathematics to solve physics problems.

3. Compete successfully for graduate schools and/or jobs, and perform well therein.

4. Design and conduct experiments, to make careful and accurate measurements using many different kinds of equipment and to correctly analyze and interpret experimental data

5. Use symbolic and numerical computer software to solve physics problems, and to acquire, plot, and analyze data.

6. Effectively communicate (oral and written) using conventional scientific style.

AssessmentCapstone Course

• Major Field Test in Physics (ETS) • Presentation of material in a paper from the

primary literature, to an audience of Physics faculty & students

• Short write-up (“Ask a Physicist” newspaper-column style) of a physics topic chosen by the students

• Fermi Questions (process & estimation skills emphasized) Test

• Math Skills Test designed by faculty in our department

AssessmentClosing the Feedback Loop

• Introduced presentations on contemporary topics into sophomore-level physics classes.

• The Department introduced several new courses (PHY 320: Statics, PHY 334: Circuits, PHY 432: Advanced E & M, and PHY 470: Advanced QM).

• Based on both direct and indirect measures, the department introduced Computational Physics in a sophomore level lab.

• Department developed a Capstone Course.

Recognition

• Listed in the Top Ten of The AIP Statistical Research Center, Enrollments and Degrees Annual Report

• UW System Regents Teaching Excellence Award

The UW La Crosse Physics Department receiving the 2004 UW System Regents Teaching Excellence

Award From Governor Jim Doyle