Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2005 APS April Meeting
Saturday–Tuesday, April 16–19, 2005; Tampa, FL
Session H2: Mentoring in Physics Education |
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Sponsoring Units: DNP FEd DPF DAP Chair: Michael Thoennessen, Michigan State University Room: Marriott Tampa Waterside Grand Salon F |
Sunday, April 17, 2005 8:30AM - 9:06AM |
H2.00001: Mentoring minorities in physics Invited Speaker: This talk will present a summary of recruiting and retention programs existing at the University of Texas at El Paso. These programs, which support the participation of students in research, have been successful in increasing the number of minorities in graduate programs. Particular emphasis will be given on cases related to physics majors interested on nuclear physics. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 17, 2005 9:06AM - 9:42AM |
H2.00002: Time to Thrive, Not Just Survive: Accumulating Advantage for Women in Science Invited Speaker: Our departments of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) need more women as faculty, and not only to show their undergraduates that a career in academia is a viable path. Their absence warns us that an unhealthy environment exists: unhealthy to those scientists who want fulfilling lives beyond academe and unhealthy to those women, who once they demonstrate productivity, scholarship, and mentorship, still reap less respect, space, salary, funding, and awards than their male colleagues. The recalcitrance of too many of our research universities toward diversifying their faculty is a national disgrace in that these universities covet a diversified student body, but do not reflect that pool of talent onto their faculty. Similar difficulties are apparent among the staff of National and Federal laboratories. Self-reform is not getting it done, and is especially frustrating in light of the historic opportunity to change the demographics as scientists and engineers hired in the 1960s retire. Is it time to apply the logic of Title IX--the loss of Federal funds--for the entrenched inability to increase the number of women represented on STEM faculties? Such a threat may be the impetus necessary for university administrators to create departmental environments that women are willing to call home. The July 2004 release of the GAO report on Women's Participation in the Sciences (which also surveyed DOE facilities) reminded those Federal agencies that fund scientific research that Title IX is the law and that these agencies must begin Title IX assessments of compliance in the STEM departments and institutions they fund. It is past time that women thrive, not just survive in their career homes. Using the mechanistic philosophy of Title IX--denial of resources to recalacitrant departments and laboratories--may be the start of a truly inclusive scientific enterprise in the United States. We must accept this opportunity to redirect the nature of the research enterprise to one that is inclusive of diversity: both of the humans who will undertake the S{\&}T journey into the 21st century and of the educational and knowledge base they will need to take with them on that journey. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 17, 2005 9:42AM - 10:18AM |
H2.00003: Alternative Careers for Physicists Invited Speaker: It is well known that roughly 50{\%} of the students who earn a bachelor's in physics go directly to graduate school and that the other half goes directly into the work force. Of those who go to graduate school, roughly half enter physics or astronomy departments and the rest enter other science, engineering or other fields. Of those who persist to the PhD in physics, less that half are employed in academic or other traditional physics positions. Hence, the majority of those who earn a bachelors degree in physics are employed in non-physics related fields. How should the undergraduate physics curriculum reflect this reality? Should the undergraduate experience do a better job of highlighting what we like to call alternative pathways but which is in fact, the dominant pathway? While the undergraduate physics education provides a solid background for a wide range of careers, too often students do not know it. More importantly, too often physics faculty is unable to provide career advice on other than academic careers. This paper will provide the author's view of possible approaches to this dilemma. [Preview Abstract] |
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