Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2010
Volume 55, Number 1
Saturday–Tuesday, February 13–16, 2010; Washington, DC
Session P6: Developing Exemplary Undergraduate Physics Programs: The SPIN-UP Regional Workshops |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd AAPT Chair: Ruth Howes, Ball State University Room: Washington 5 |
Monday, February 15, 2010 10:45AM - 11:21AM |
P6.00001: SPIN-UP Ten Years Later: What's Still Solid and What's New Invited Speaker: Seven years ago, the SPIN-UP Report produced by the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics identified several key characteristics of undergraduate physics programs that were thriving amid a general decline in the numbers of physics majors. Since that time, the number of physics majors graduating has increased each year. Nevertheless, the rate of growth has slowed in the last several years, and many departments are threatened in the current financial crisis because of low undergraduate enrollments. All undergraduate programs face challenges of the growing use of computation in physics, the pressure from administrators and funding agencies to participate in interdisciplinary work, the lack of gender and ethnic diversity in physics, and changes in students' math preparation as well as the standard issues of large service enrollments and scarcity of resources. Therefore, this is an appropriate time to revisit the conclusions of the SPIN-UP report and consider its recommendations and new ideas to continue the growth of robust undergraduate physics programs. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, February 15, 2010 11:21AM - 11:57AM |
P6.00002: Growing Physics and Astronomy at James Madison University Invited Speaker: James Madison University is a public, primarily undergraduate institution with a student enrollment of over 18,000. We have a 10.8\% minority population and a 60:40 female/male ratio. Drawing 29\% of its students from other states, JMU serves a diverse student body. Since the mid '90's, the Department of Physics and Astronomy has grown to ~110 majors. There are 15 tenured/tenure-track and 6 non-tenure-track full-time faculty in the department. Graduation rates have grown from five or fewer/year to typically 15-20/year. Eleven faculty are currently engaged in externally funded research with undergraduates. In the 2007-2008 academic year, 45 students were engaged in research. We produced a total of 89 publications and presentations that included 27 students as authors or co-authors. The growth of our department over the last decade is due to a variety of reforms. Foremost among the changes under the control of the department are the initiation of our multi-track BS and BA degree programs and a renewed focus on undergraduate research. These and other significant factors contributing to our success such as student recruiting, outreach, teaching and research integration/balance, promotion of a department culture, visibility on-and off-campus, and university support will be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, February 15, 2010 11:57AM - 12:33PM |
P6.00003: A Strong Sense of Belonging Invited Speaker: The SpinUP Project Report (2003) describes a thriving department as having ``A supportive, encouraging, and challenging environment for both faculty and students characterized by professional and personal interactions among faculty and students and among students both in class and outside class. The students expressed a strong sense of belonging to the professional physics community'' (page 15). This paper will present various views of individuals (administrators, faculty, and students) who support this statement and offer methods by which a department might assess progress toward the establishment of such an environment. Often an active Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter plays one of the important roles in this environment. Time will be allotted for questions, comments, and interaction. [Preview Abstract] |
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