The program in Physics is designed to provide opportunities for the undergraduate to develop the skills essential for graduate school, industry, government service and teaching. In addition, the Department realizes its role in relation to other departments and attempts to give the undergraduate the broad fundamentals of Physics so that they may serve as a foundation for the other sciences. A broad range of Physical Science courses are offered as electives.
Graduates of the Physics Department at SBU have gone on to graduate study and/or employment in a variety of scientific and engineering fields. These include Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electro-Optics, Systems Engineering, Biophysics, Medicine, Computer Programming, Oceanography, and Financial Engineering. A sampling may be seen on the Physics Alumni page and on the News page .
All courses offered by the Physics Department are normally taught by full-time faculty members. Physics and Pre-Engineering classes are small. In addition, departmental majors each may receive individualized attention from the faculty on academic matters outside of the classroom.
All departmental faculty have the Ph.D. and have conducted research in computational physics, nuclear structure, solid state physics and theoretical physics.
Advanced Physics Majors have the opportunity to serve the Department as Teaching Aides in the Introductory Physics Laboratory and Astronomy Laboratory classes. Undergraduate teaching aides receive a small amount of monetary compensation. This provides the students with valuable professional experience and helps reinforce their own mastery of the subject.
Physics Majors also are encouraged to participate in the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, or to participate in some form of summer internship. One such REU or internship experience can serve as a Physics elective course. Often, during an REU or internship a student makes contacts which lead directly to employment or to admission to a graduate program. Reports from the most recent summer REU or internship experiences are: Kevin and Amalie .
Physics and Pre-Engineering Majors have available to them a study room and several networked microcomputers. In addition, the Observatory is available for use by any interested student.
A chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) is maintained with membership open to all interested students.
A chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma, National Physics Honor Society, has been established to give recognition to outstanding students.
Entering freshmen are invited to apply for the Physics Department Scholars Program. Department Scholars receive a stipend which is awarded over and above any other financial aid or other awards received by the student. Contact Dr Neeson for more information.
