Physics

Physics is the study of the properties of matter and energy, so it's no surprise that WPI's Physics Department is a dynamic place. The excitement that propelled physicists toward some of the most dramatic scientific breakthroughs of the last century – radar, lasers, fiber optics, the transistor, semiconductors and medical imaging – continues to invigorate today's physics faculty and students.

At WPI, faculty members are developing optical tweezers and scissors that can pick up a virus particle and insert it into a living cell. Others are studying how materials behave at the molecular level using scanning probe microscopy. Still others are studying polymers that can self-assemble into complex structures that may be used in adhesives and drug-delivery systems. In these and many other fields of research, physicists at WPI are expanding our understanding of the world around us.

With 60 undergraduates and 14 faculty members (a 4:1 ratio), the Physics Department is perfectly equipped to foster close connections. Classes are small, all courses are taught by professors (not teaching assistants) eager to share their knowledge and love for the science, and students are encouraged to meet with their professors after class and during office hours.

Most important, students are likely to have many opportunities to work with faculty on research projects. They might even see their names on journal publications before they graduate.

Programs

Because graduates can go on to careers in computer science, engineering, biology or research and development, physics is sometimes referred to as technology's liberal arts degree. The department offers majors in traditional physics and in engineering physics (pure physics mixed with engineering and applied science). Flexibility is the defining principle of each program.

Students are encouraged to choose from a wide range of theoretical, experimental, fundamental and applied subjects of study and to embrace courses that will provide them with the combination of intuitive ideas and a penetrating style of logical and mathematical problem solving that are the heart and soul of physics.

At WPI, all physics majors begin their studies by focusing on the fundamental principles of classical and modern physics: matter, motion, forces, energy, and the nature and concepts of electricity and magnetism. From there, students work with their academic advisor or with the engineering physics coordinator to build on that basic knowledge. Together, they create a program that meets the studentŐs individual needs and interests, with either a traditional program of physics study or one that has engineering applications to such areas as computational or thermal physics, optics, electromagnetism, or nuclear science.

Projects

Physicists love to test and bend the properties of the universe to advance science. WPI's students are no exception. The Major Project, one of three projects required by the innovative, hands-on WPI Plan, provides exceptional opportunities for students to take part in theoretical, computer-aided or experimental research in such fields as nuclear and particle physics, modern and classical optics, statistical and solid-state physics, electromagnetism, astrophysics and field theories. Projects are completed locally in conjunction with industries, hospitals, government agencies or research institutions, or off-campus in conjunction with such sponsors as NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Some recent project topics:

Facilities

The Physics Department supports laboratories dedicated to research in such areas as light-scattering spectroscopy, nonlinear and quantum optics, quantum engineering, and liquid-crystal and polymer dynamics. A recent exciting addition is an atomic force microscope, which can see features as small as individual atoms. A machine shop and an electronics shop are also available for physics courses and project work.

Careers

Physics majors are sought after for their versatility - some in industry even call the science "the Swiss Army knife of majors." Their combination of experience and education has enabled students with a B.S. in physics from WPI to secure berths in the nation's top graduate schools, including MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, Stanford, the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley.

While a physics degree is often the key to traditional fields like teaching or research, it can also be an entree to positions in management, engineering, computer science and technical writing. In recent years, WPI alumni have applied their physics education to positions as technology analysts, or as radar, software, commodities, biomedical, quality-assurance, imaging-development and technical support engineers. They have been hired by such companies as Analogic, Accenture, Deka, Genzyme, Lincoln Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MathWorks, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Teradyne and many other firms and organizations. Salaries for physics majors with bachelor's degrees are typically at the mid-point of the top-10 engineering and science careers, with some positions offering more than $60,000 per year.

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Last modified: November 09, 2006 09:52:35