The Department of Physics at Lawrence University strives to be one of the best undergraduate physics departments in the country. To that end, we teach physics and practice it. In teaching physics, we aim to acquaint students with the basic laws, fundamental principles, major accomplishments, special character, historical development, current challenges, various applications, and contemporary tools of both theoretical and experimental physics. In practicing physics, the faculty aims to engage regularly, enthusiastically, and energetically in scholarly activities that contribute new knowledge to the discipline, maintain our currency in the field, keep the curriculum up to date and vital, and involve students in the practice of physics alongside faculty.

More specifically, we aim

1. to help students
   • develop skills in applying physical principles and in working with the tools of physics;
   • appreciate the unity of physics, unfettered by the artificial division of the subject into courses;
   • appreciate developments in the field;
   • demonstrate good use of English;
   • recognize the breadth of activities for which skills in and understanding of physics are valuable resources for productive, satisfying lives of service; and, most of all,
   • pursue scientific studies intensively, effectively, and independently

2. to graduate majors who are well prepared
   • for advanced study and careers in many areas (physics, other physical sciences, engineering, law, medicine, public service, ...),
   • for direct entry into careers in science (secondary school teaching, research positions in industrial and government laboratories, ...), and
   • for pursuit of any careers for which the substantive knowledge and/or skills of a physicist are pertinent;

3. to pursue research opportunities in selected areas of contemporary physics and to engage in curricular development and pedagogical innovation;

4. to provide opportunities for students majoring in other sciences to learn physics and applications of physics to their primary areas of study;

5. to encourage all students at Lawrence to study physics in their efforts to become scientifically literate; and

6. to participate in the affairs of the University as a whole.

1. To maintain a curriculum that
   • provides physics majors with introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses in central areas of the discipline, specialty courses in the areas of each faculty member, and a rich spectrum of opportunities for tutorials and independent studies;
   • provides science majors in areas other than physics with introductory courses at an appropriate mathematical level; and
   • provides the entire student population with a spectrum of outreach courses.

2. To encourage and support faculty involvement in scholarly research, curricular development, professional meetings and organizations, consulting, writing, refereeing papers and proposals, writing proposals, writing annual reports, reading journals, and perusing trade journals.

3. To develop special signature programs and faculty research activities that maintain faculty enthusiasm, keep the departmental program up to date, provide numerous opportunities for student projects and summer appointments, and enhance the identity and visibility of the department.

4. To acquaint students with on-going scholarly work at Lawrence and with current developments in fields not represented at Lawrence by conducting departmental colloquia---three or more per term---given both by in-house speakers and distinguished visitors.

5. To maintain an up-to-date assemblage of equipment, both instructional equipment for the introductory and advanced laboratories and equipment used for faculty scholarship.

6. To encourage student projects, independent study, undergraduate research, and Senior Capstone Experiences. We expect each major to engage in research or independent study during at least part of the senior year (Senior Capstone Experiences), and we aim to engage roughly half a dozen students each summer in full time collaborative work with faculty members.

7. To encourage the development of a friendly, open, supportive departmental atmosphere through departmental teas and other gatherings of faculty and students. These activities provide an opportunity for informal interactions between students and faculty and among students and, even more, provide a forum for faculty and students to discuss such topics as the departmental curriculum, the role of students in faculty searches, the role of student laboratory assistants, course evaluation, ....

8. To encourage and support student participation in regional and national research symposia (Pew, NCUR, Argonne Symposium, APS meetings, ...).

9. To help students not offered summer positions at Lawrence to find other scientifically satisfactory summer activities (REU, government laboratories, industrial laboratories, internships, ...).

10. To engage in organized recruiting of students with strong interests in physics and/or careers for which the study of physics provides good preparation.

11. To advise students regarding their academic programs at Lawrence and the wide variety of career paths open to those with degrees in physics at whatever level.

12. To carry our share of university obligations (participation in Freshman Studies, service on committees, meeting with prospective students during campus visits, supervising the machine shop, ...)

Last updated: 11 August 1998