2023 BFY4 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: |
Sustainable laboratory experiences spanning the physics curriculum to address diverse students and career preparation |
| Abstract: |
Physics careers require diverse skills: working on a team, design and testing, technical writing, and project management. In contrast, physics undergraduate programs primarily focus on content knowledge, with potentially detrimental consequences. Students with strong professional skills and interest in real world applications sometimes leave physics. Students who "fit well" with physics undergraduate education may struggle in transitioning to jobs. Since 2012, NC State Physics has experimented with adding short (1-2 week) career-focused, hands-on activities occurring frequently in freshman-junior years capped by a term-long senior design course intended as a bridge to the workplace. Mini-labs introduce real-world applications for freshman and later add an experimental component (a single lab innately associated with the course content) to theory-only classes. Physics senior design is a mock-work experience where small groups of students design and construct a scientific apparatus for a sponsor in 10 weeks, while weekly presenting their progress to a rotating group of observers. Graduate tracking provides detailed pertinent career information for students. I will discuss implementation and assessment of these innovations. |
| Abstract Type: |
Plenary
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Author/Organizer Information |
| Primary Contact: |
Laura Clarke
Department of Physics, NC State University
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Co-Author(s)
and Co-Presenter(s) |
Dana Thomas [Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, NC State University], Joy Gayles [Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, NC State University]
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Presentation Documents |
| Invited Presentation: |
Download the Invited Presentation
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