MORE INFORMATION
Dr. Paul Rybski, chair
Physics Department
Goodhue 323
(262) 472-5766
rybskip@uww.edu
Web site

Admissions Office
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1440
Fax:
(262) 472-1515
uwwadmit@uww.edu
Web site

The Physics program at UW-Whitewater is designed to prepare students for a career of investigating and understanding the principles that govern the world and universe around us. The program has several tracks:

• Graduate school - preparing you for graduate training in physics
• Teaching - preparing you to teach physics or physical science at the K-12 levels
• Industry - preparing you for a career in industrial research and development
• Engineering - preparing you for engineering school

Also available is a program in which a student can earn a physics degree at UW-Whitewater and an engineering degree at UW-Milwaukee in 5 years.

The College of Letters and Sciences is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

UW-Whitewater physics graduates have achieved success in many fields. Physics graduates work in industry (both technical and management positions), teaching, and military service. UW-Whitewater graduates are also pursuing graduate study in physics, astronomy, engineering, computer science, and medicine. Other graduates are conducting scientific research in diverse fields such oceanography for the U.S. Navy, aerostructural test engineering at NASA, nuclear structure research at Caltech, the Human Genome Project at UW-Madison, and X-ray astrophysics at the Harvard-Smithsonian Observatory.

In addition to excellent computer resources and three introductory physics labs, the department's Upham Hall facilities include separate laboratories for optics, electronics and atomic/nuclear physics. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy labs are also available. Metal and wood shop facilities are available for construction of apparatus. The department's observatory features a research-grade, 41 cm aperture reflecting telescope and a light-shielded platform for small telescope use.

The physics faculty at UW-Whitewater are active scholars and dedicated teachers who are committed to training students, engaging in research, communicating science to the public, and serving the university and surrounding communities.

There are ample opportunities to be involved in scientific research under the supervision of a physics faculty member. Research topics include astrophysics, astronomical instrumentation, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, and pedagogical research. There are summer research programs such as those at Argonne, Fermilab, and the National Solar Observatory available to the interested student. Finally, the faculty encourage and support independent research projects by motivated students.

A thorough college-preparatory course sequence in high school is recommended, including as much mathematics and science as possible. Physics is more than mathematics, but good math preparation is very important for success in physics. Familiarity with computers and other academic skills is useful, but motivation and curiosity are some of the most important attributes of good physics students.

Starting salaries for physics graduates are good; according to a recent survey by the American Institute of Physics, the average salary of a 2003 physics bachelor’s degree recipient was $45,000. Recent UW-Whitewater physics graduates' employers reange from government and large corporations to smaller high-technology companies, including:

• Bell Industries
• Fedco Electronics
• Johnson Controls
• Wisconsin Energy
• Motorola
• NASA
• United States Air Force

Many recent graduates are also employed as teachers, and an increasing demand for physics teachers is predicted.

The local chapter of the Society of Physics Students maintains an office adjacent to the Physics Department office and sponsors many activities. Some of its recent endeavors include providing free tutoring in physics for the undergraduate students on campus, assisting elementary school students in making holograms during visits to area schools, sponsoring physics lectures and providing an annual observance of "National Physics Day" on campus. The UW-Whitewater chapter of the Society of Physics Students has been designated as an "Outstanding Chapter" in ten of the last 14 years by the American Institute of Physics. UW-Whitewater also has a local chapter of the national physics honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma.

UW-Whitewater offers bachelor's degrees for Physics majors requiring at least 34 credits in physics. Coursework in mathematics and other disciplines is also required, depending upon the emphasis of your studies. Advanced physics courses include electronics, optics, modern physics, mechanics, electricity & magnetism, and thermal physics.