SPIN-UP: How to Increase the Number of Physics and Astronomy Majors in

Your Department

Robert C. HilbornAmherst College

Support fromAmerican Association of Physics Teachers,American Physical SocietyAmerican Institute of PhysicsThe ExxonMobil Foundation

New Faculty in Physics and Astronomy Workshop November 6-9, 2003

Outline

Some statistics on physics and astronomy degrees

The scientific environment for P&A SPIN-UP: site visits and survey What makes a department thrive? Take home lessons

Some Statistics 27-28% of high school students take physics.

The % is growing! 50:50 men/women!! 70-75% of US high school students go on to 2-

year, 4-year colleges and universities. BS degrees awarded in math, physical

science, engineering declined dramatically beginning in 1985.

The number of life science students going on for careers in basic research declined.

Physics Bachelor’s Degree Production

Source: AIP Statistical Research Center: Enrollments and Degrees Report, and NCES Digest of Education Statistics

Astronomy Degrees

of Astronomy Degrees% of Women in Astronomy

Two-year averages

ConcepTest 1

In the US, what is the most probable number of BS/BA physics graduates per year per department?(1) 1-2(2) 3-6(3) 7-10(4) 11-15(5) 0Some data: 760 BA/BS physics depts.

About 4000 BA/BS physics degrees per year

National Statistics

The Changing Place of Physics

Physics

20th Century 21st Century

Summary of theNew Environment

Changing role for physics in the universe of science

Changing student population demographics preparation interests

Changing National Focus emphasis on K-12

A Puzzle

Why and how did some physics departments increase the number of undergraduate majors during the 1990s while most experienced substantial declines?

National Task Forceon Undergraduate Physics

Sponsored by

American Association of Physics TeachersAmerican Physical SocietyAmerican Institute of Physics

ExxonMobil Foundation

National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics

J. D. Garcia (U. Arizona)

S. James Gates (U. Maryland)

Robert Hilborn (Amherst College), Chair

Ruth Howes (Ball State), Co-Chair

Ken Krane (Oregon State)

Elizabeth McCormack (Bryn Mawr)

Laurie McNeil (U. North Carolina-Chapel Hill)

Jose Mestre (U. Massachusetts)

Tom O’Kuma (Lee College)

Doug Osheroff (Stanford)

Carl Wieman (U. Colorado)

Joseph H. Taylor (Princeton)

Ex Officio:AIP- J. Stith, J. HehnAPS-J. Franz, F. SteinAAPT-B. Khoury, W. HeinPKAL – J. Narum

Strategic Programs for Innovations in Undergraduate Physics

Supported by ExxonMobil FoundationAmerican Institute of PhysicsAmerican Association of Physics TeachersAmerican Physical Society

Site Visits to 21 “thriving” undergraduate physics programs.

Survey (with AIP) all 761 bachelor’s degree granting physics programs in the US (74% response).

Report and Analysis: Available through AAPT web page (Projects -> National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics)

Physics Today, September 2003

ConcepTest 2

What is the median number of physics bachelor’s degrees awarded per Ph.D.- granting department in the U.S.?

(1) < 6(2) 6 N 12(3) 13 N 20(4) >20

Physics Department Statistics

Department Type

AverageDegrees per Dept.

Median

Bachelor’s 3.2 2

Master’s 4.7 4

Ph.D. 10.7 8

“Thriving” Undergraduate Physics Programs

Produce > 4-5 times the national average of physics bachelor’s degrees (for their type of institution).

Actively engage students in the life of the department, including research.

Are viewed as excellent departments for both majors and non-majors.

Site Visit Departments

Angelo State University

University of Arizona

Bethel College

Brigham Young University

Bryn Mawr College

Colorado School of Mines

Cal State San Luis Obispo

Carleton College

Grove City College

Harvard University

University of Illinois

University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

Lawrence UniversityNorth Carolina State Univ.North Park UniversityOregon State UniversityReed CollegeRutgers UniversitySUNY-GeneseoUniversity of VirginiaWhitman College

Site visit teams employed about 65 physics volunteers.

Could have done another 20 +/-

Trial Site Visit 2000PhysTEC Site Visit 2000SPIN-UP Site Visit 2001-02

What is a physics program?

•Recruitment, advising, mentoring students.•Engaging students in research.•Providing appropriate and excellent courses for

all students, not just majors.•Talking to and getting feedback from your students and to faculty in their home departments.•Building a sense of community among physics

students and faculty?•Informing students about and preparing them for

diverse careers.

What Makes an Undergraduate Physics Program

Thrive?

Strong and sustained departmental leadership Well-defined sense of mission Recruit and retain students

Challenging and supportive program Career information - alumni Introductory courses Prof. development and mentoring Multiple-tracks/options Research experiences – early and often

Emphasis on the entire program of the department, large fraction of the faculty engaged.

I was hired to do research. My evaluations are great – of

course my students are learning! “Reform” is just dumbing down the

curriculum. (see quote from Lloyd Taylor, 1938)

The Resistance

Some SPIN-UP Survey Results 500/759 physics departments graduate < 5 majors/year

54 Ph.D.-granting42 masters-granting394 bachelors-granting

The undergraduate program is remarkably “standard” across institutions.84% of the departments offer several alternative “tracks.” Some correlation (with exceptions) between recruitment, community-building, career and professional development and number of bachelors degrees awarded.60% report “significant” changes in curriculum over the last several years.

28 “Big Losers”tend to blame “external factors”

7 “Big Gainers”Recruitment, retention effortsReformed curricula and pedagogy, particularly at introductory levelMulti-track, flexible majors’ program

The Physics Teacher, March, 1999

Bob Ehrlich’s Survey ofDepartments with Large N/N

Connections

Sheila Tobias “Revitalizing Undergraduate Science” (1992)

Alan Tucker, “Models That Work,” MAA site visits to undergraduate math programs – 1995.

Jim Collins “From Good to Great” (2001).

Take Home Messages

A physics program is more than the courses.

The department is the critical unit for change.

All reform is ultimately local. One size does not fit all.

“Revitalization” is never finished.