Senior Seminar

Catalog description

This is a half-unit course required for physics majors. Students meet weekly with faculty to discuss recent research findings in physics as well as career paths open to students with a major in Physics, and practice in skills needed for future careers. Students are required to attend all colloquia and student research presentations hosted by the Bryn Mawr College Physics department. Prerequisite: Senior Standing. Seminar one and a half hours. Current topic description: This is a 0.5 credit seminar required for senior physics majors. Students meet weekly with faculty to discuss recent research findings in physics as well as career development and pathways open to students with a major in physics. Students are required to attend all colloquia and student research presentations hosted by the BMC physics department and to contribute to an online forum for the course. Student learning goals: • In reading current literature in physics, students will synthesize the material learned in previous coursework. • Students will develop their skills in leading discussions of recent research findings in physics and communicating with general audiences. • Students will learn about the diverse variety of career paths open to physics majors and the cultural and ethical contexts of being a scientist. Course format: We will meet about 1 hour each Monday (detailed meeting time can be adjusted to fit everyone's schedule). Each student will keep an online blog detailing our weekly activities and students will be expected to invest approximately 6 hours a week in total. During each meeting we will engage in one or more of the following activities: • Recent research findings in physics: One of the goals of this course is for students to synthesize the variety of concepts, ideas, and mathematics that they have learned in their physics coursework. This will be done in the context of discussions of recent research findings in physics. The task of identifying a topic, collecting relevant papers and materials for study, and leading the discussion on this topic will rotate among participants in the class. • Preparation for colloquia: Each semester the physics department hosts two or three colloquia and one or two student research presentations. Attendance at these events is required for students enrolled in this Senior Seminar. In the week prior to each colloquium, the topic for discussion will be that of the colloquium. This "colloquium preparation" will allow students to more actively engage with the colloquium speaker during his/her visit. • Career paths: Our majors go on to a diverse range of careers involving physics including graduate school in physics or related fields, professional degree programs such as medical or law school, industry, teaching, and many more. Part of our time in this seminar will be spent exploring the vast array of career options available to physics majors. • Presentations (a short elevator speech) Students will also comment on each other's work during the discuss time. This seminar has an open format. The role of the instructor is a facilitator, who suggests discussion topics and guides the discussion when necessary. Students take the lead in each activity and the content of the class can be changed according to student needs.