Physics Department - Ripon College

Academics | Physics

Physics Department

In the classroom and the laboratory, physics students and teachers work together to answer questions posed by nature. We come to understand just how matter and energy behave and we come to appreciate the beauty and subtlety of the universe. The more we work on problems, the more coherent our understanding becomes and, paradoxically perhaps, the more “interesting” problems we discover to solve.

The skills students develop – mathematical ability, experimental techniques, expertise in communication – are valuable in every area, not just in physics. Physics students adapt easily to many situations on campus and off where there are problems to be solved. They are valuable assets to any team working toward local or global solutions. Our graduates pursue everything from industrial research and teaching to technical writing and aeronautical engineering.

Faculty

Courses & Requirements

We offer introductory courses which give, in two semesters, an overview of the basic concepts in the field. Intermediate and advanced courses go back to these concepts and develop them in more sophisticated mathematical models. By the time students have completed a physics major, they are well acquainted with mechanics, statistical physics, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics and are ready to apply their knowledge and analytical skills to significant problems.

Course Requirements – Physics

Advising

Ripon College encourages all students to embrace a Four-Year Career Development Plan. This plan is based on the premise that career planning is a development process that involves learning and decision-making over an extended period of time.

First Year

Incoming students are assigned a Faculty Mentor based on their interest area(s). Please see the FACULTY tab under your major area;
All Freshman are required to enroll in a First-Year Seminar, which is designed as a transition from high school to college learning, providing an interdisciplinary introduction to the liberal arts and the pursuit of in-depth study;
Freshman are encouraged to meet the career development staff early on and complete interest and skills inventories, and self-assessment tools; and,
Attend the pre-Fall Break “Major Fest” to explore the various major options and career tracks.

Third Year

Assume leadership positions in on-campus clubs and organizations;
Participate in mock interviews with the Career Development Office;
Attend the Wisconsin Foundation of Independent Colleges Job Fair in February and other relevant career fairs;
If relevant, begin to research potential graduate school programs and take the appropriate entrance exam(s);
Continue to meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor;
Continue to build a solid network and a list of work references, and build your resume;
Consider off-campus study: Semester and/or alternative Spring Breaks;
Continue to job shadow; and,
Gain further career experience associated with your education during the academic year and as part of a summer job or internship.

Second Year

Get involved with on-campus clubs and organizations, athletic teams and/or intramural sports;
Attend the pre-Fall Break “Major Fest” to explore the various major options and career tracks;
Declare a major;
Meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor or match your interests with a faculty member in your major department. Determine which professors have areas of expertise most similar to your interests. Talk to people in the academic department to find out about faculty research, scholarly, and creative interests;
Attend on-campus career workshops;
Work with the Career Development Office to create an approved resume;
Job shadow people involved in various careers and professions of interest; and,
Gain further career experience associated with your education during the academic year and as part of a summer job or internship.

Fourth Year

Complete a Senior Capstone/Thesis in your major area(s);
Continue to meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor;
Perfect your interviewing skills;
Expand your existing network of contacts;
Finalize your resume and prepare cover letter;
Build a credential file in the Career Development Office;
Interview with on-campus recruiters;
Set-up informational interviews with target companies;
If relevant, apply to graduate school programs, and if necessary, re-take entrance exams; and,
Practice career goal-setting.

What can I do with a Physics major?

Physics can lead to careers in research and teaching in university and lab settings. It can also lead you to roads less-traveled, including game design and nuclear engineering.

Recent graduates have taken many paths, including graduate school programs in Math, Engineering, Physics and Education at schools including the University of Notre Dame, California University-Berkeley, the University of Wisconsin; and careers as mechanical engineers, project managers, and public school teachers.

Recent graduates of our program work for…

BASF
Eastern Michigan University
Illumina, Inc.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Ohio State University
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Risk Management Solutions
UW-Madison

Job titles of recent graduates include…

Research Associate
Research Assistant
Regional Admissions Manager
High School Physics Teacher
Nuclear Engineer
Product Manager
Finish Manager

Unique Opportunities

Independent Study

Independent study in physics offers students the opportunity to receive college credit for work on individual projects. These projects may be research collaborations with faculty or problems of particular interest to the student. Outside support is available for some areas of study. For example, the NASA Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Scholarship Program provides support for qualified students taking part in aerospace studies.

Physics FUN Force

Students of physics are encouraged to be active in the local, regional and national Society of Physics Students organization. One of the Society’s local projects has been the creation of the Physics Fun Force, a group of students that visits area elementary schools to do exciting physics activities and investigations with children.

If you would like the Physics FUN Force to visit your classroom, please contact Dr. Mary Williams-Norton, the group’s advisor, via e-mail at williamsnorton1858@centurytel.net. Please send your name, school, grade level, phone number, e-mail address, which activity you would like us to bring to your classroom, and a brief summary of the kinds of activities the children have already done in this area. Also suggest times of the day and dates that might work for you. Because the students are busy with classes, scheduling a visit may require some flexibility. We’ll bring most of the necessary materials with us, but we may ask you to provide everyday materials such as papers, pens or pencils, markers, water, etc. There is no charge for a visit BUT we love receiving thank-you notes from classes we visit.

Off-Campus Study

By Flickr User Mags D (http://www.flickr.com/photos/msrd/474409421/) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Swansea University: Digital Technium

Off campus studies, either in summer programs at a number of industrial or university laboratories or as part of the Oak Ridge Science Semester program, offer students the opportunity to research in experimental or theoretical physics.

Physics students can also study physics abroad at Swansea University in Wales or St. Andrews University in Scotland. In addition to providing students with research experience, these programs help students broaden their contact with eminent physicists around the world.

Learn more about opportunities to study abroad: HERE.