Handbook
For
Physics Majors
2014-2015
PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY
WHERE WE ARE
Physics and astronomy department offices, classrooms, introductory lab, and lecture hall
are on the third floor of the Searles Science Building; teaching labs, research labs and the
machine shop are located in the basement. The Mathematics and Computer Science
Departments occupy the first and second floors. Searles underwent a major renovation
in 1998-99, and is now a bright and welcoming home for the department.
Classes in other departments also are scheduled in Searles classrooms and the lecture
hall on the third floor.
Searles 304
Searles 320
Searles 319
Searles 322
Searles 303
Searles 305
Searles 321
Searles 302
Searles 123
Searles 123
Searles 022
Bowdoin College
Mark Battle
Thomas Baumgarte
Department office (Emily Briley)
Gedanken Lab
Madeleine Msall
Stephen Naculich
Dale Syphers
Karen Topp
Gary Miers
Kenneth Dennison
Elise Weaver
1
x-3410
x-3605
x-3308
x-3818
x-3625
x-3606
x-3611
x-3506
x-4315
x-3369
Physics & Astronomy
RESOURCES
The Gedanken lab (room 322) is intended for use by physics majors as a collaborative
study space. Students in intermediate and upper level physics classes are granted swipe
card access for evening and weekend use. Gedanken contains 5 PCs running Linux for
student and faculty use. For computationally intensive work, students are also able to
use the Bowdoin Computing Grid, a group of Linux servers which appear as one big,
multiprocessor server.
The physics and astronomy department is well equipped for both research and
instructional experiments. Highlights include: Superconducting magnets and optical
access cryostats designed for solids state physics research at magnetic fields up to 13.5
tesla and temperatures down to 2 Kelvin; a class 1000 clean room with a
photolithographic mask aligner for patterning microscale circuits; high resolution
intrinsic-germanium detectors for nuclear spectroscopy; a high power, cavity-dumped
argon ion laser system and a high frequency ultrasound system for the study of nonequilibrium thermal transport; a 10-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and six
90mm Meade Maksutov-Cassegrains telescopes for astronomical observation; and a 500
Watt demonstration solar panel system.
The college machine shop is housed in the physics department. The two machine shop
staff members are highly skilled in precision realizations of faculty and student designs
for research apparatus. The shop's major equipment includes three lathes, one of which
is a computer-controlled multi-axis machining station, and two computer-controlled
milling machines. Its resources are available for student instruction.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
CREDIT INFORMATION
Individual academic departments at Bowdoin vary widely in how they award credit for
students who have taken Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.
For full details, please consult the college catalog.
In general, all AP and IB exam scores must be submitted to Bowdoin before the end of the
sophomore year for regularly admitted students or by the end of the first semester for
transfer students. AP/IB credit will not meet a distribution or division requirement, even if
the Bowdoin course equivalent does.
In Physics, students who received a score of 4 or higher on the Physics B exam will not receive
an AP credit, but are exempt from taking Phys 1130 and do not need to take an additional
course to replace Phys 1130 for major requirements. Minors are also exempt from taking Phys
1130, but must take at least four Bowdoin Physics courses.
AP credit will be granted if students earn a score of 4 or above on the “Physics C: Mechanics”
exam and successfully complete Phys 1140 with a grade of C- or better. In order to receive AP
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credit, students should complete their course requirements before the end of their junior
year. No AP credit will be awarded if a student takes Physics 1130.
No AP credit will be awarded for the Physics C: E & M exam.
The AP contact person in the Physics Department is Emily Briley, dept. coordinator
(725-3308)
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PLACEMENT
Students who have taken Higher Level IB Physics without the Optics Option and earned
a score of 6 or 7 on the IB exam may receive one IB credit upon the successful
completion of Phys 1140 with a grade of C- or better. Counts toward the major; majors
are exempt from taking Phys 1130 and do not need to take an additional course to
replace 1130. Minors are also exempt from taking Phys 1130 but must take at least four
Bowdoin Physics courses.
Students who have taken Higher Level IB Physics with the Optics Option and earned a
score of 6 or 7 on the IB exam may receive two IB credits upon the successful completion
of Phys 2130 with a grade of C- or better. Counts toward the major; majors are exempt
from taking Phys 1130 and 1140 and do not need to take an additional course to replace
1130/1140. Minors are also exempt from taking Phys 1130 and Phys 1140 but must take
at least four Bowdoin Physics courses.
In order to receive IB credit, students should complete their course requirements before
the end of their junior year. Any student who takes Physics 1140 is only eligible for one
IB credit. Students who take Physics 1130 are ineligible for IB credit.
REQUIREMENTS
The major program depends to some extent on the student’s goals, which should be
discussed with the department. Those who intend to do graduate work in physics or an
allied field should plan to do an honors project. For those considering a program in
engineering, consult page 7. A major with an interest in an interdisciplinary area such as
geophysics, biophysics, or oceanography will choose appropriate courses in related
departments. Secondary school teaching requires a broad base in science courses, as well as
the necessary courses for teacher certification. For a career in industrial management, some
courses in economics and government should be included. All students are held to the
major requirements in the catalog at the time that they declare the major.
Requirements for a Major in Physics:
§ Mathematics 1600, 1700, Physics 1130, 1140, 2130, 2140, 2150;
§ One 3000-level Methods course (either Physics 3000, 3010 or 3020)
§ Two more approved courses above 1140, one of which may be Mathematics 1800 or
above, or Computer Science 1101 or above.
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§ At least 5 Bowdoin physics courses are required.
Requirements for Honors in Physics:
§ Mathematics 1600, 1700, Physics 1130, 1140, 2130, 2140, 2150, 3000, 4050;
§ Mathematics 1800;
§ Four additional physics courses, three of which must be at the 3000 level or above.
Requirements for a Minor in Physics:
Four Bowdoin physics courses numbered 1130 or higher, one of which must be Introductory
Physics 1140.
Requirements for a Major in Chemical Physics:
§ Chemistry 1102 or 1109, 2510; Mathematics 1600, 1700, and 1800, Physics 1130, 1140,
2130, 2150;
§ Either Chemistry 2520 or Physics 3140;
§ Two courses from Chemistry 3100, 3400 or approved topics in 4000 or 4001; Physics
2250, 3000, 3130, 3810 (same as Earth and Oceanographic Science 3050 and
Environmental Studies 3957) or approved topics in 4000, 4001. At least one of these
must be at the advanced level (numbered 3000 or above). Other possible electives
may be feasible. Interested students should check with the departments.
Requirements for a Major in Earth and Oceanographic Science and Physics:
The department does not participate in a formal interdisciplinary program with Earth and
Oceanographic Science (EOS). However the departments of Physics and EOS have identified
major/minor pathways for students majoring in physics with an interest in EOS (i.e. Physics
major/EOS minor) and students majoring in EOS with an interest in physics (i.e. EOS
major/Physics minor).
Students pursuing the Physics major/EOS minor with interests in the solid earth discipline
would be best served by selecting EOS 1105, 2005, and two of the following EOS courses:
2125,2145, 2165, 2215; those with interests in the surface earth discipline should select EOS
1305, 2005 and two from: 2335, 2345, 2315, 2355; those with interests in the oceanography
discipline should choose EOS 1505, 2005 and two from: 2525, 2575, 2585, 2605, 2635.
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CORE COURSE SEQUENCE FOR PHYSICS MAJORS & MINORS:
Students can begin their core physics courses in spring or fall.
Sequence for students who begin by taking Physics 1130 in the spring:
Fall Course
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Spring Course
1130 Introductory Physics I
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
2150 Statistical Physics
1140 Introductory Physics II
2130 Fields and Circuits
Sequence for students who begin by taking Physics 1130 in the fall:
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Fall Course
1130 Introductory Physics I
2130 Fields and Circuits
Spring Course
1140 Introductory Physics II
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
2150 Statistical Physics
Students who take AP or IB Physics in high school and begin with Physics 1140 at Bowdoin
can follow either sequence depending upon whether they begin Physics 1140 in fall or spring.
Students may choose to take Physics 2150 before 2140 based on personal interest or
scheduling preferences. Many non-core courses are offered on an alternate-year rotation.
Students with great interest in a particular subject area should try to plan for these rotations.
Faculty may be able to offer independent study supervision for rarely offered courses.
Courses at the 3000 Level:
In addition to the five required core courses, physics majors must take one 3000-level
methods course (3000, 3010 or 3020) and three additional approved courses above the 1140
level. To fully prepare for graduate school in physics or engineering or to complete the
requirements for honors work, students take four courses at the 3000 level and two
additional courses at any level.
Example Schedules:
In order to complete the requirements for a Physics major and take advantage of the many
worthwhile Physics courses, students often take multiple physics courses each semester.
Each physics major chooses courses based on their particular interests in physics. Some
students are more philosophical, some more experimental, and others highly mathematical.
There is no single track for physics majors, but some example programs are shown on the
next page.
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Physics & Astronomy
Example 1: an honors major1 who began the core sequence in the spring:
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 1
Math 1600
1130 Introductory Physics I
Math 1700
Year 2
1140 Introductory Physics II
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
Math 1800
2230 Modern Electronics
Year 3
2130 Fields and Circuits
2150 Statistical Physics
3000 Methods of Theoretical Physics
3010 Methods of Experimental Physics
Year 4
3140 Introduction to Quantum
2250 Physics of Solids
Mechanics
4050 Honors
3130 Electromagnetic Theory
4051 Honors
Example 2: A physics graduate school candidate2 who began the core sequence in the fall:
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 1
1130 Introductory Physics I
1140 Introductory Physics II
Math 1700
Math 1800
Year 2
2130 Fields and Circuits
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
Math 2208 Ordinary Differential
Equations
Year 3
3000 Methods of Theoretical Physics
2150 Statistical Physics
2810 Atmospheric & Ocean Dynamics
3130 Electromagnetic Theory
Year 4
3020 Methods of Computational
3120 Advanced Mechanics
Physics
2970 Independent Study Project
3810 The Physics of Climate
Example 3: A student with advanced placement credit in physics and math:
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 1
1140 Introductory Physics II
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
Math 181
Year 2
2130 Fields and Circuits
2150 Statistical Physics
3010 Methods of Experimental Physics
Year 3
3000 Methods of Theoretical Physics
2250 Physics of Solids
3130 Electromagnetic Theory
Year 4
3140 Introduction to Quantum
2260 Particles and Nuclei
Mechanics
3120 Advanced Mechanics
1
The additional required courses for the honors major are shown in shaded boxes.
Students who get a later start in the physics program and plan to go to graduate school can still be admitted to great
graduate programs with fewer 300 level courses on their transcript. In that case, they should plan to take a few
undergraduate courses to catch up in their first year in graduate school.
6
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Physics & Astronomy
2
Example 4: A pre-med3 physics major who began the core sequence in their second year:
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 2
1130 Introductory Physics I
1140 Introductory Physics II
Math 1800
1510 Stars and Galaxies
Year 3
2130 Fields and Circuits
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
3020 Methods of Computational
Physics
Year 4
2240 Acoustics
2150 Statistical Physics
Example 5: A physics and Spanish double major who studied abroad in junior year:
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 1
1130 Introductory Physics I
1140 Introductory Physics II
Math 100
Math 1800
Year 2
2130 Fields and Circuits
2220 Engineering Physics
3000 Methods of Theoretical Physics
2140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
Year 3
Study abroad year, could take some physics depending on country and language
ability.
Year 4
2810 Atmospheric & Ocean Dynamics
2150 Statistical Physics
3010 Methods of Experimental Physics
Example 6: A physics major intending to teach physical science at the high school level4
Fall Course
Spring Course
Year 1
Math 1600
1130 Introductory Physics I
(Chem 1109 or EOS 1105)
Math 1700
Education 1101
Year 2
1140 Introductory Physics II
1510 Stars and Galaxies
Education 2203
Math 1800 or Comp. Sci. 1101
Year 3
2130 Fields and Circuits
22140 Quantum Physics and Relativity
(Chem 1109 or EOS 1105)
3010 Methods of Experimental Physics
Year 4
2240 Acoustics
2150 Statistical Physics
Education 3301 & 33025
2260 Nuclear and Particle Physics
Education 3303 & 33046
3
This student would also take lots of biology and chemistry courses to fill the medical school admissions
requirements.
4
This student would also need to take at least one course in Chemistry and one EOS course to satisfy the “Content
Area” requirement for a Physical Sciences teacher.
5
These courses must be taken together. (See Education Department section of the course catalogue.)
6
These are students teaching practicum and seminar, often taken after graduation. (See Education Department.)
7
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Physics & Astronomy
ENGINEERING PROGRAMS (3-2 OPTION; 4-2 OPTION)
Bowdoin has 3-2 engineering program affiliations with Columbia University's School of
Engineering and Applied Science, the California Institute of Technology, the University of
Maine College of Engineering (open only to Maine residents), and Dartmouth's Thayer School
of Engineering.
The Columbia, CalTech, and Maine 3-2 programs require that a student complete the courses
shown on the sample schedule (next page) in three years at Bowdoin. The student then
applies to transfer to CalTech, Columbia, or Maine for the two years of the engineering
program. This step requires the recommendation of the physics department chair and/or the
department's 3-2 advisor to ensure that the student is well-prepared and is capable of
succeeding in the engineering program.
Currently Caltech invites students of superior academic achievement to apply and transfer into
their 3-2 Program. Determination of acceptance is decided by the Caltech Upper-Class
Admissions Committee. Admission to Columbia is guaranteed if the student takes the
required Bowdoin courses and maintains a B+ (3.3 GPA) average. The University of Maine
program is restricted to residents of Maine.
Upon successful completion of the two years at the engineering school the student will receive
the Bowdoin Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and a Bachelor of Science degree in
engineering from the engineering school. Note that as a transfer student, there is no fixed
relationship between the financial aid being received from Bowdoin and any financial aid that
may be offered from the engineering school. Students must apply for financial aid from the
engineering school.
The 3-2 program at Dartmouth differs from the programs at Columbia, CalTech, and Maine in
that the student completes his/her junior or senior year at Dartmouth as a part of the Twelve
College Exchange Program. Upon successful completion of the senior year, the student
receives the Bowdoin Bachelor of Arts degree in physics.
The student may then apply for a fifth year at Dartmouth (admission to the fifth year at
Dartmouth is guaranteed if the student has a C average or better during their first year at
Dartmouth). Upon successful completion of the fifth year the student will receive a Bachelor
of Science degree in engineering from Dartmouth.
Acceptance into the 3-2 Dartmouth program is highly competitive and is limited to 25
students. Successful applicants normally have at least a B+ (3.3 GPA) average in their
mathematics and science courses. If the student is receiving financial aid from Bowdoin, the
aid continues to be from Bowdoin during the Twelve College Exchange year.
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Physics & Astronomy
More Options
Columbia also offers a 4-2 option. Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
physics from Bowdoin can continue at Columbia for 2 years and graduate with a Master of
Science degree in engineering from Columbia.
Lastly, students may also apply as regular transfer students after 3 years at Bowdoin into any
nationally recognized engineering program, earning only a degree from that engineering
institution.
It is important for students interested in the engineering programs to start planning early and
be prepared to enroll in a rigorous course of study in the sciences and mathematics (see next
page for sample schedule and requirements).
Students interested in these programs should consult with Gary Miers, Laboratory Instructor
in Physics (Searles Science Building - Room 125, Phone: 207 725 3506,
gmiers@bowdoin.edu).
Students are responsible for reviewing the web sites of the engineering schools regarding their
deadlines and requirements for admission.
http://www.seas.columbia.edu
http://www.caltech.edu
http://www.dartmouth.edu/thayer
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Physics & Astronomy
SUMMARY OF BOWDOIN’S COURSE DISTRIBUTION AND DIVISION REQUIREMENTS*
Distribution Requirements – 1 each
Division Requirements – 1 each
MCSR – Mathematical, Computational, Statistical Reasoning a – Natural Science and Mathematics
INS – Inquiry in the Natural Sciences
b – Social & Behavioral Sciences
ESD – Exploring Social Differences
c – Humanities
IP – International Perspectives
VPA – Visual and Performing Arts
*
See Bowdoin College Catalog for complete details.
A SAMPLE SCHEDULE OF A STUDENT PARTICIPATING IN A 3-2
ENGINEERING PROGRAM MAY LOOK LIKE THE FOLLOWING**
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
FALL
1. PHYS 1130(103)a MCSR, INS
2. MATH 1600(161)a MCSR
3. FIRST YEAR SEMINAR
4.
1. PHYS 2130(223)a INS
2. MATH 1800(181)a MCSR
3.
4.
1. PHYS 3000(300)a MCSR, INS
2. CS 1101(10)1a MCSR
3.
4.
SPRING
1. PHYS 1140(104)a MCSR, INS
2. MATH 1700(171)a MCSR
3.
4.
1. PHYS 2150(229)a
2. ECON 1101(101)b MCSR
3.
4.
1. CHEM 1109(109)a MCSR
2.
3.
4.
In addition to the above, students need to fulfill the following
to meet the distribution, division, and physics major requirements:
Distribution
1 ESD
1 IP
1 VPA
Division
1c
Physics Major
Engineering courses
at Engineering School
+ at least 6 more
non-science and
non-math courses
**
Note that this is a sample schedule only and does not represent all possible schedules.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Intermediate Independent Study is offered at the 2100 level. The student and the faculty
arrange topics. If the investigations concern the teaching of physics, this course may satisfy
certain of the requirements for the Maine State Teacher’s Certificate. Prerequisite: a previous
physics course at the 2100 level.
Advanced independent study may be arranged by the student and the faculty. The
prerequisite normally is a previous physics course at the 3000 level.
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HONORS
In most years, we will have majors graduating with honors in physics. The requirements and
guidelines for departmental honors are detailed in the next section. Summarized briefly, they
include taking a few more physics courses than a regular major, and completing an honors
project. The honors project is a research project in experimental, computational or
theoretical physics, carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. In recent years,
students in our department have completed projects in semiconductor physics,
superconductivity and superfluidity, ultrasound, detector physics, quantum Hall effect,
engineering physics, astrophysics, general relativity, elementary particle theory, as well as
atmospheric and environmental physics. Several of these projects have resulted in journal
publications and/or conference presentations.
Students do not need to come up with a research project themselves. Instead, students
interested in honors usually approach a faculty member. Faculty members will then suggest
possible projects that fit well into their research programs, and are manageable given the
student’s background.
Honors students usually work on the honors project during their senior year. Often, students
also spend the summer before their senior year at Bowdoin, supported by a research
fellowship (see below for more information), and work with their supervisor on the research
project. In some cases, an honors project may grow out of an REU project carried out
elsewhere. Writing the honors thesis usually takes a good part of the spring semester.
There is no particular deadline for signing up to do honors work. Some aspects, however, do
have deadlines, such as the applications for research fellowships that provide summer
support. Also keep in mind that some projects may require that you have taken certain
classes, which may be offered irregularly. Therefore, you should discuss your interest in an
honors project with a faculty member no later than the fall of your junior year. If you have a
strong interest in a specific field, it is never too early to express this interest.
HONORS PROJECT GUIDELINES
Course Requirements for Honors in Physics:
§ Physics 1130, 1140, 2130, 2140, 2150, 3000, 4050;
§ Mathematics 181;
§ Four additional physics courses, three of which must be at the advanced level
(numbered 3000-3999).
It is also possible to earn interdisciplinary honors, for which the course requirements are
listed in the Bowdoin catalogue. In this case, a faculty member in either department may
serve as the supervisor, but an initial research proposal has to be approved by both
departments.
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The Honors Project:
In addition to the course work, honors candidates complete an honors research project (and
receive course credit for this work, Physics 4050/4051). Each research project is closely
supervised by a faculty member, and often is part of an extended program of research by the
faculty member. An honors project almost always constitutes original research; in some
cases this research may result in a journal publication or a conference presentation.
An important part of the honors project is the honors thesis; a written report on the research
project that is due at the end of the spring semester (see below for a typical schedule). The
report has to conform to the standard campus-wide formatting and submission
requirements; details, as well as a host of resources for honors students, can be found at
http://library.bowdoin.edu/services/services-for-honors-students/index.shtml.
Candidates for honors in physics give an oral presentation on their research project at the end
of the spring semester. These presentations are public, and are attended by faculty, students,
and anybody else who is interested.
Honors projects usually take the entire senior year, and sometimes get started even before the
senior year (e.g. as summer research). In some cases it may be possible to complete an
honors project in just one semester.
Evaluation of Honors Projects:
At the end of the spring semester the entire faculty in the department evaluates honors
projects. The evaluation is based on both the honors thesis and the oral presentation. Key
factors that affect the evaluation are the over-all quality and originality of the research,
significance of the results, the student’s level of independence, as well as the written and oral
presentation of the project.
Level of Honors:
The department of physics and astronomy awards three levels of honors: Honors, High
Honors, or Highest Honors. The level of honors agreed upon by the department depends on
both the evaluation of the honors project and the student’s course work in the department.
Highest Honors will be awarded only to students who have an outstanding course record and
have completed an exceptional honors project.
Typical Schedule of deadlines
• Eleventh Monday of Spring Semester (usually the second Monday in April):
Complete preliminary draft due to adviser for review
• Thirteenth Monday (usually the fourth Monday in April):
Final draft due to department for faculty review
• Fourteenth Monday (usually the last Monday in April or the first Monday in May):
Final draft returned to adviser, after faculty review
Discussion of student’s work by department faculty
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• Fourteenth Friday (usually the first Friday in May):
Final draft returned to student for final edits of honors thesis
A 20-minute presentation to department faculty, students, other science faculty,
parents, and visitors
• Fifteenth Wednesday (usually the second/third Wednesday in May):
Edited version due to adviser by noon.
Level of honors voted by department faculty.
• Fifteenth Friday (usually the second/third Friday in May):
Have 4 bound copies, including the original copy:
One bound copy due in Physics Department office before noon
Provide another bound copy for the faculty adviser
Deliver original bound copy to the Librarian in H-L on the same day
Keep one copy.
• Sixteenth Monday (usually the third Monday in May):
Level of honors announced by department faculty at the last College faculty meeting
RECENT HONORS PROJECTS
Daniel Palken, ’14 “Molding Phonons in Physical Detectors” [Msall]
Soichi Hirokawa, ’14 “Yes, Photovoltaics are Effective in Maine: Measuring Power Production
Along the Coast” [Msall]
Alexander Edison, ’13 “Group-Theory Constraints on Color-Ordered Amplitudes in NonAbelian Gauge Theories” [Naculich]
Helen White, ’13 “Gravity Darkening and Brightening in Binary Stars” [Baumgarte]
Michelle Burns, ’12 “Design, Construction and Calibration of a System to Precisely Measure
Mechanical Properties of Mutable Collagenous Tissue and Connecting to Models of
Viscoelastic Materials” [Syphers]
Noah Kent, ’12 “Experimentally Observing the Onset of the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect as
a Function of Temperature” [Syphers]
Michael Patrick Mcgrath Mitchell, ’11 “Computer Modeling of Surface Acoustic Waves on
water Loaded Surfaces” [Msall]
Alexa Nitzan Staley, ’11 “The Oppenheimer-Snyder Dust Cloud Collapse in Moving-Puncture
Coordinates” [Baumgarte]
John Philip Wendell,’11 “Modeling the Evolution of a Schwarzchild Black Hole in Five
Spacetime Dimensions” [Baumgarte}
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Michael James Eldridge, ’10 “Maximal Slices of Slowly Rotating Black Holes” [Baumgarte]
Jason David Immerman, ’10 “A Novel Approach to Constructing Black Hole Puncture Initial
Data” [Baumgarte]
Matthew Palmer Kwan, ’10 “Observing Surface Acoustic Waves in Crystals” [Msall]
Morgan MacLeod, ’09 "The Merger of White Dwarf-Neutron Star
Binaries” [Baumgarte]
Andrew DeBenedictus, ’08 “Superstring Tension in the Presence of an Orientifold Plane”
[Naculich]
Keith Matera, ’08 “Shells around Black Holes: The Effect of Freely-specifiable Variables on
the Constraint Equations of General Relativity” [Baumgarte]
Benjamin Ripman, ’07 "Level-Rank Duality of twisted D-branes of the Sô(2n)2k WessZumino-Witten Model" [Naculich]
Eric Sofen, ’07 “A Study of Gases in Arctic and Antarctic Firn” [Battle]
Ian Alexander Morrison, ’05 “Black Hole - Neutron Star Binaries in General Relativity:
Effects of Black Hole Rotation” [Baumgarte]
Ricardo Schmid, ’05 “Phonon Propagation in GaN” [Msall]
Jonelle Walsh, ’05 “A Chandra Study of Abell 85” [Kempner]
William Lathrop Klemm, ’04 “A Matrix Model Approach to the Calculation of Wilson Loops
in SU(2) Gauge Theory” [Naculich]
Aaron Lee Donohoe, ’03 “Biases in Inferred Inter-annual Variability of Atmospheric CO2 Due
to Selective Sampling of Transport Models” [Battle]
George Taylor Hubbard, Jr., ’03 “Inferring Temperature Records from Phenology Data by
means of Time Series Analysis” [Battle]
Andrew Morris Knapp, ’03 “The Quasi-Equilibrium Approximation for Binary Inspiral:
Analytical and Numerical Model Calculations in Scalar Gravity” [Baumgarte]
Monica Lynn Skoge, ’03 “Numerical Models of Black Hole-Neutron Star Binaries”
[Baumgarte]
Nicholas David Lyford, ’02 “Effects of Differential Rotation on the Maximum Mass of
Neutron Stars” [Baumgarte]
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Physics & Astronomy
John K.L. Thorndike, ’02 “The Calculation of Wilson Loops Using the Non-Abelian and
Abelian Stokes’s Theorems” [Naculich]
Brian Nicholas Mohr, ’01, “Bolometric Phonon Detectors” [Msall]
Patrick Ryan Thompson, ’01, “AC Resistance and Thermal Relaxation Times in Nickel Wires”
[Turner]
Sean N. Raymond, ’99, “Investigations of the Cosmological Constant” [Turner]
Lauren G. Bernheim ’98, “Structural Analysis of a Rotating Spherical Truss” [Syphers]
Matthew M. Engler ’98, “Angular Correlation of Gamma Rays from the Nucleus 178Hf”
[Emery]
John R. Pavan ’98, “Trajectories of Dilatons and Axions in a Brans-Dicke Background”
[Naculich]
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Physics majors are encouraged to apply for student jobs as graders, tutors, and summer
research assistants. Occasionally an office assistant is needed. The pay scale currently is
$9.50 per hour.
The introductory courses are offered every semester, and students serve as graders and
tutors. Graders may also be hired for other physics courses with large enrollments.
Job descriptions for all jobs are available in the department office. Students who would like
to apply for a position should speak to the department coordinator, Emily Briley.
Students who are interested in future work may apply at any time.
SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Every year the department receives information about a large number of summer research
programs and internships available to physics students. There are a great variety of programs
-- research in lasers and optics, or astronomy, or materials, or condensed matter, for
example. In recent years, Bowdoin students have done summer undergraduate research in
atomic physics at the University of Washington in Seattle, nuclear physics at the Indiana
University Cyclotron Facility, and condensed matter physics at the University of Oklahoma.
Some programs are especially for women physics students; some are limited to juniors, or
seniors, or US citizens.
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Application deadlines for these programs fall throughout the year. Many are due by
January 1st, so students must plan ahead and apply before winter break. Most applications
require letters of recommendation from faculty members. Students who ask a faculty
member to write a letter of recommendation should allow at least two weeks before the letter
is due to be mailed.
Students are encouraged to visit the physics website; within the “For Majors” tab there is a
“Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities” link. Announcements are received
throughout the year and added to the website.
Useful websites:
http://www.aps.org/jobs
http://www.aip.org/
http://www.air.org/education/sps/programs/programs.htm
http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm.reu/start.htm
FELLOWSHIPS
A number of Bowdoin-internal student fellowships are available to support research projects.
More information, including a list of different funding opportunities, deadlines and
application procedures can be found at http://www.bowdoin.edu/studentfellowships/index.shtml. Part of each application is a letter from a faculty member who
supports the application and will supervise the student’s research. Typically, the application
deadlines are in February, i.e. soon after the winter break. It is important to allow for enough
time to put together a sound research proposal. Therefore, students interested in on-campus
summer research should discuss these interests with faculty members in the fall semester.
TRANSFER OF CREDIT FOR PHYSICS COURSES
Students planning on taking introductory physics courses elsewhere need to obtain approval
for transfer of credit prior to taking the course. Please refer to the Office of the Registrar for
appropriate forms: http://www.bowdoin.edu/registrar/forms-policies.shtml#stu-forms.
If the student has already enrolled in, or completed, a course elsewhere, College policy states
the student must petition the Recording Committee in order to have credit transferred. In
order to transfer credit for physics courses, the course needs to be calculus-based and must
have a significant lab component. For more details, please contact the Physics Department
Chair.
APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL
The department office receives graduate school information, which are posted on-line in the
“For Majors” section of the departmental website. Another excellent reference in the
department office is The Directory of Graduate Programs in Physics and Astronomy,
published by the American Institute of Physics.
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Students should feel free to talk with any member of the department for information about
graduate schools. Applications usually require a short essay by the applicant and three
letters of recommendation. Please request your letters at least two full weeks in advance,
preferably longer, since faculty are often deluged with requests for letters at a very busy time
of the academic year.
GRADUATE RECORD EXAMS (GREs)
Most graduate programs in physics require both the general and the physics subject GRE
tests, which most students take in the fall of their senior year. The physics subject test is
currently offered in September, October, and April, with registration deadlines approximately
one month prior to the exam. If asked, Prof. Stephen Naculich will assist students in
preparation for the physics subject GRE.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Students need letters of recommendation from faculty members for a variety of purposes,
including Bowdoin-based or national fellowships, REU programs, and applications for
graduate schools. Some students request letters of recommendation from Bowdoin faculty
years after they graduate. When deciding whom to ask for a letter of recommendation, think
about who knows you best, and hence who can write the most detailed letter; such a letter will
carry the most weight. This might be a professor with whom you have worked on a research
project or a professor from your more recent and more advanced classes. Also take into
account that writing a second letter for the same student is a lot easier than writing the first
letter. Therefore avoid asking a new professor for each new letter.
In order to help faculty members write a supportive letter you should make an appointment,
well in advance of the deadlines, to talk about the programs that you are planning to apply to,
and about how they fit into your broader plans and aspirations. Compile a complete list of
these programs, together with their deadlines, information on how the letter is supposed to be
submitted (web-form, e-mail, or paper copy), and any other specific and relevant information.
Complete any application forms, electronic or paper copies, as far as possible. If documents
or letters need to be mailed, supply addressed envelopes.
ADVISING
Students must declare a major and choose an advisor in the middle of their 2nd year. Physics
majors are invited to choose their own advisors from the department faculty. Students often
choose an advisor who they’ve enjoyed in a class or whose research area they find particularly
interesting. While final approval for a course schedule is only given by the advisor, students
are welcome to solicit advice on course selection from any faculty members.
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Students can enroll in Physics 1130 (Introductory Physics I) concurrently with Mathematics
1600. We encourage first year students who concurrently enroll in 1130 and Math 1600, or
any students concerned about their level of mathematical preparation, to make themselves
known to the course instructor. Some proactive attention is often all that is needed to help
students with less mathematical background succeed in physics.
All science majors are required to take Physics 1130, and many science majors also require
Physics 1140 (Introductory Physics II). Advanced placement credit is available for students
with qualifying scores on the AP exam. Students who have a strong background in Mechanics
but no AP scores can be placed in Physics 1140 after consultation with the physics faculty.
However, such students do not get credit for Physics 1130 and may need to take Physics 2130
(Electric Fields and Circuits) to satisfy major requirements for two semesters of laboratory
physics.
Students who plan to apply for graduate school are especially encouraged to share these plans
with their advisors during their junior and senior years.
DEPARTMENT RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
The department office is in Searles room 319. The office is usually open from 8:30 am
until 4:00 pm. The department coordinator is Emily Briley, extension 3308,
ebriley@bowdoin.edu.
The physics website (bowdoin.edu/physics) has a section devoted to resources for our majors.
There we compile current, regularly-updated information regarding graduate schools, paid
summer research opportunities and permanent job openings.
Homework solution sets for some courses are available for review in the departmental office
(after the homework has been collected) as well as displayed near the homework boxes;
students are encouraged to review the solutions to confirm their understanding of the
material.
The department offers free twice-weekly tutoring sessions for Introductory Physics I (PHYS
1130).
PHYSICS CLUB
The Bowdoin chapter of the Society of Physics Students is open to all students. The student
leaders organize events where faculty and staff may join students for conversation. Club
meetings are held occasionally throughout each semester to plan special events, guest
speakers, and field trips.
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GEDANKEN LAB
Searles 322 is a study room for physics majors. This lab is equipped with a number of PCs
running the Linux operating system and a printer. Please contact physics dept. coordinator
Emily Briley (ebriley@bowdoin.edu) if you wish card access to the room.
The Gedanken Lab is a lab for Gedanken (thought) experiments. Einstein used such
hypothetical experiments to clarify the implications of his theories.
FACULTY PROFILES
Mark Battle
I am an experimental scientist whose present research crosses lots of boundaries. I study the
controls on the composition of the atmosphere. How much CO2 was in the atmosphere 100
years ago? How much will there be in the future? Where does the CO2 that doesn't stay in
the atmosphere go? What about CH4? What happens to N2O when it is released?
As an undergraduate, I majored in physics and clarinet performance. As a graduate student,
my focus was experimental high-energy physics, and my dissertation work was on semileptonic decays of the b-quark. When I finished graduate school, I changed directions
substantially. Since then, I've been working on what some would call "biogeochemistry". I
study the way in which carbon moves through the environment from one reservoir to
another. I've also done some work with other compounds, such as N2O and CFCs. Most of
this work relates to greenhouse warming and anthropogenic environmental change (with all
of its political implications), but some of it is simply to satisfy my curiosity
In all cases, the research requires time in the lab and in the field, often in Antarctica,
Greenland or Central Massachusetts. I build devices for collecting samples. I use them to
collect samples, and then analyze the samples I have collected. Interpreting the data is also
part of the work, and usually involves computer models of the natural systems I am trying to
understand.
Thomas Baumgarte
My field of research is relativistic astrophysics and numerical relativity. “Relativistic
astrophysics” means that I study applications and effects of Einstein's general relativity that
are important in astronomy; “numerical relativity” means that I study these effects by
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developing computer programs that can solve Einstein’s equations of general relativity on the
computer. One important goal of my field of research has been to predict the so-called
gravitational waves that are emitted by pairs of black holes, in the hope that these signals will
soon be picked up by the new gravitational wave detectors that are currently being
constructed in the US, Europe and Japan. More recently I have focused on the development
of numerical methods that are suitable for the simulation of single, relativistic stars. Future
applications of these methods include the gravitational collapse of relativistic stars, and in
particular fully relativistic simulations of supernova collapse.
Madeleine Msall
I am an experimental physicist. My research centers on the vibrational properties of solids
and the transfer of energy between the vibrational and electronic modes. My particular
expertise is the study of anisotropic (highly direction dependent) energy flow using phonon
imaging techniques. A phonon image is a map of the energy flux pattern for a crystal after
vibrational energy has been deposited in a small area. The symmetry of a phonon image is a
reflection of the underlying crystalline symmetry. Careful analysis of the image structures
provides a wealth of information about vibrational properties and energy transport, leading
to applications in fields as diverse as materials testing and astrophysics. Recent projects
include measurements of thermal transport in materials used in the CRESST and CDMS dark
matter detectors and of the interaction of ultrasound with electrons in exotic quantum Hall
states. Students in my lab have the opportunity to work with high frequency ultrasound, high
power lasers, cryogenic systems (down to 2K), computer assisted data acquisition and
modeling, and thin film patterning and deposition technology.
Stephen Naculich
My area of research is the theory of elementary particles, whose aim is to understand the
smallest constituents of matter and the forces between them: electromagnetism, the weak
force, the strong nuclear force, and gravity. The first three of these forces (but not gravity)
are well understood within the framework of quantum field theory, which describes the
interactions of point-like particles such as quarks and leptons. These theories also encompass
various non-point-like objects, such as cosmic strings, magnetic monopoles, gluon flux tubes,
and various other types of solitons. Much of my research has focused on the existence and
properties of these more exotic objects in field theory.
A major goal of my field is to find a unified theory of all the forces of nature. Apparently a
framework more general than field theory is needed to describe the force of gravity. Within
the last twenty years, a possible candidate for this role, superstring theory, has emerged. This
theory, the only known quantum theory that incorporates gravity, posits that at the smallest
scale everything is made, not of point-like particles, but of tiny loops of vibrating string. It
also predicts that space-time is inherently ten-dimensional (rather than four-dimensional).
In my research, I am studying relations between different string theories, the question of how
non-gravitational forces arise in these theories, and of what happens to the extra dimensions
predicted by string theory.
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Dale Syphers
I am an experimental condensed-matter physicist. My research is often on electronic
conduction in systems where the conduction takes place in a restricted dimensionality or
restricted geometry, which is a multi-syllabic way of saying they are often confined to a plane,
a line, a cylinder, or some other geometric/topological form. The host materials are usually
either semiconductors or superconductors, and the experiments are often done at low
temperatures and high magnetic fields. The main probe I use to study these systems is
electronic transport, monitoring currents and voltages on the samples. Since many of these
experiments frequently concern electronic devices and can be quite complex due to the
temperature and magnetic field requirements, I also have become interested in studies on
room-temperature analogs to some novel electronic devices that could be made with these
restricted-geometry systems.
Karen Topp
I am a scientist because I love learning how things work, especially by hands-on
experience. My Ph.D. from Cornell is in experimental low-temperature solid-state physics,
but I branched out after that, doing a post-doc in medical ultrasound research. My focus is
now on teaching, and in both lectures and labs I hope to convey the enthusiasm I felt as a
student in figuring out the fundamental principles that seem to govern the physical
universe. It still amazes me that someone with a basic understanding of physics can begin to
explain the nature of things -- from the cosmic scale to the sub-atomic, from food science to
music. To me, being a physicist is mostly to enjoy being curious.
STAFF PROFILES
Emily Briley
I organize the student graders and tutors for the department, as well as keeping the
administrative side of the department running smoothly. I graduated from Ball State
University in Indiana with a major in English Education and a minor in Speech
Communication and Theater Education. I am a pop culture geek and an Anglophile. I read a
lot of fiction and occasionally write a bit as well. I love the gorgeous Maine winters and never
tire of snow, though I prefer to enjoy it through the window from the warmth of my couch.
Ken Dennison
I grew up nearby in Freeport and majored in astrophysics and math at Williams. I then
earned an M.S. in physics from Cornell where I was a teaching assistant for introductory
physics courses. Watching physics come to life in the lab is fun, and I hope my students
enjoy lab as much as I enjoy teaching it. When I'm not teaching, I like to work on research
projects with Professor Baumgarte, and occasionally find some time to read novels.
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Ben King
When not working in the physics machine shop, I work for a family business designing,
building and distributing physics education kits, displays and experiments. This, and several
years working in a physics lab, has given me a wide range of experience in the construction,
repair and maintenance of all sorts of equipment. I enjoy the challenges of this type of work
and appreciate the opportunity to hone and expand my skills while working here at Bowdoin.
Gary Miers
I am a Mechanical Engineer who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical
Engineering from Lafayette College. After an incredible twenty year engineering career that
allowed me to engineer really cool stuff and to work with amazing engineers and scientists in
Spain, Germany, and Brazil, I began teaching high school physics and chemistry. My teaching
career culminated when I started teaching the Introductory Physics Labs and Electric Fields
and Circuits Labs here at Bowdoin. The lab provides the perfect venue for students to
enhance their data collection and analysis skills and to utilize hands-on experiments that
further their understanding of the physics concepts that are presented in lecture. When not
teaching I am always looking for books t0 add to my extensive rare book collection.
Bob Stevens
I build and repair apparatus to support the research and instructional needs of the College. I
enjoy the work here, and I am interested in finding ways to provide some hands-on
experiences for students. When students or other visitors wander down to the shop, I am
very pleased to discuss the many interesting things that can be done here.
My time spent away from this shop is filled with keeping up with the activities of my wife and
two daughters. When we want to get away from it all, we go camping, canoeing, and fishing.
In the winter, on a sunny day after a storm when the snow will pack, you may find us creating
strange creatures at the end of our driveway.
Elise Weaver
I fell in love with Astronomy around age six, and have never looked back. In the pursuit of
being an observational astronomer, I have a Master’s in Engineering Physics from
Appalachian State University in the mountains of North Carolina--a place where I could learn
to teach astronomy on one of the finest undergraduate arrays in the country and do
astronomical research, all while learning about modern electronics and systems automation.
I also have a long history of working with the public in both astronomy and physics outreach.
Nothing makes me happier than showing people the night sky. My work here at Bowdoin is a
bit more terrestrial. In addition to teaching Introductory Physics labs, my primary work is in
the Electric Fields and Circuits labs teaching analog electronics and in the upper level
Methods of Experimental Physics lab, where I get to branch out into all fields of physics.
Because I am a generalist, all sorts of interesting projects cross my desk, including consulting
on fine arts installations and computer science projects involving Arduinos. In my spare time,
I work with children at the local elementary school doing science outreach, experiment with
devices controlled by microcontrollers or some other gadgetry, and fiddle with the
department’s telescopes.
Why major in physics?
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What are the goals of the Physics Department for physics majors?
What should our physics majors have accomplished?
Thoughts from the Physics Department faculty:
DALE SYPHERS
What are our goals for the physics majors?
When I think about my goals for physics majors, I tend to focus on how we determine
what we can understand about the physical world. These goals seem to divide
themselves into two areas: 1) learning concepts and processes that apply to the physical
world, many of which can be useful outside of physics as well, and 2) the mathematical
and physical tools that allow us to relate our concepts about how things work to the
observable physical world.
Under the first category, I think important goals are:
• to understand the role of uncertainty, and what limits what you can know about a
physical quantity
• to understand the inter-relatedness of the different fields of physics, and the
unifying concepts
• to be able to generalize concepts and apply them to new situations
• to become familiar with counter-intuitive phenomena and their analysis, and to
understand what this teaches
• to understand the implications of concepts, physical laws, etc. and be trained how
to look for them.
Taken together, understanding these concepts and processes teaches not just about the
physical world itself, but also about a mode of thinking that is very valuable in analyzing
virtually any situation.
Under the second category, important goals are:
• to understand how something is proven, and what the limitations are on our
knowledge
• to be able to mathematically model a physical situation
• to be able to use experimental equipment to determine a physical quantity
• to become fluent in the language of mathematics through physical applications.
Understanding these tools and structures, and being able to use them, provides the link
with the concepts and processes described above to be able to identify what we can
understand about the physical world, and how we know it.
MADELEINE MSALL
Why major in physics?
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Students should major in physics because it is exciting and intellectually challenging.
Physics majors enjoy discovering how things happen and speculating about why things
happen.
What should our physics majors have accomplished?
An undergraduate physics major is an introduction to the analytical and experimental
tools of a professional physicist. It should result in an appreciation of the power and
beauty of those tools. Physics majors should be able to approach new problems
confidently, identify general features of these problems, apply appropriate methods to
their solutions, and communicate the consequences of such solutions effectively. Many
of our students will not become professional physicists, but they should be able to apply
their problem solving skills in any career.
What are the goals of the Physics Department for physics majors?
A physics major at Bowdoin should include a rigorous introduction to the mathematics
and physics common to all subfields of physics within the framework of a strong liberal
arts education. Thus, a physics major should include upper level courses in the
humanities as well as upper level courses in mathematics and physics. A student
majoring in physics at Bowdoin should have the opportunity for intense research
experiences and concentrated study in a specific field, but such opportunities are not the
focus of liberal arts education. A strong preparation for advanced work, coupled with
general intellectual growth and good scholarship is our goal.
STEPHEN NACULICH
Why, how, what?
If you are interested in questions such as "Why is the sky blue?", "How does electricity
work?", "What are quarks?", "How do superconductors behave?", and "Why is the
universe curved?", then you should consider a major in physics. Physics asks
fundamental questions such as these about the natural world, and teaches us how to
study them experimentally and to model them mathematically. But more than just
learning how the world works, physics majors learn an approach to problem solving.
Faced with an unknown situation, they learn how to determine the relevant parameters,
how to construct a quantitative model incorporating those parameters, and then how to
analyze that model. It is these broad skills that make a physics training valuable not only
to those who wish to pursue graduate study in physics, but also to those going into fields
such as engineering, medicine and medical research, finance, and business consulting.
MARK BATTLE
Physics: why study it?
If you look at my Faculty Profile, you'll see that what I do now doesn't really fall under
the rubric of "physics" by most definitions. In fact, my last two positions have been in a
Department of Geosciences and a School of Oceanography.
However, my credibility and ability as a scientist came from training in physics. What I
have been able to bring to my new field is eminently transportable and fundamental to
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all of science. As a physicist, you learn to formulate questions, design methods for
answering those questions (both theoretical and experimental) and then apply those
methods to come up with an answer. I think that physics prepares you particularly well
for this because the systems you study are, by design, extremely simple: a frictionless
pulley with a massless string, a single particle trapped in a box, a vibrating crystal. You
don't spend your time worrying about whether the pulley is aluminum, brass or steel.
Instead, you concentrate on the essence of the system. You take a few underlying rules
(such as F = MA) and you learn how to mentally strip down a complicated system until
you can apply these rules.
In the course of studying physics, you build equipment to test your hypotheses. You
learn mathematical techniques for solving the equations you have used to describe your
system. You become familiar with statistical tools for dealing with the uncertainties
inherent in the measurements you make. You grasp the few underlying rules that govern
the way nature works at a fundamental level. But most importantly, you are trained to
look at a problem with an inquisitive attitude, and say to yourself "How can I reduce this
to a problem that is tractable, given the tools at my disposal?" Or "What tools do I need
to have to find an answer to this puzzle?" What physicists offer (and share with the
really good thinkers in all scientific fields), is an analytic approach that cuts to the
essence of a problem.
Now I'm really prepared to answer my rhetorical question. Physics allows one to
appreciate the world far more profoundly, whether researching the controls on the
greenhouse effect, or simply typing a message at a computer. Consider the latter: as I
type this document, I understand how the computer works. I'm not referring the details
of the software. I mean that I understand the way that electrons travel to strike the
screen. Or the way the atoms on the screen excite and reradiate energy so that I can see
different colors. Or the way energy is delivered to the computer through the
electromagnetic field surrounding the power lines between me and the generating plant.
When you simplify a system, you can really learn something about the underlying nature
of our universe. And when you understand the details, you can better appreciate the
richness of the splendid, complex entity that is a planet, a computer, a cell, a molecule or
an atom. It doesn’t get much better than this!
THOMAS BAUMGARTE
Why major in physics?
When you were singing "twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are" -- were
you really wondering? If so, you should consider majoring in physics (and taking a class
in astrophysics.)
Physics is a fascinating subject. You will learn about the most fundamental laws of
nature, and will explore how they govern phenomena ranging from the interaction of the
elementary particles to the evolution of the universe itself. In the process you will
develop problem-solving skills -- you will learn how to separate unimportant details from
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the fundamental issues and how to reduce an overwhelmingly complicated problem to a
well-defined and solvable one. In fact, what I like best about physics is the way it reveals
the beauty and elegance of our mathematical description of nature. Ultimately, physics
allows us to understand the physical processes that perhaps you have wondered about
before: Why is the sky blue? Why does a violin sound different from a piano? Why does
an iceberg float? And why does the little star twinkle like a diamond in the sky??
In addition to being a fascinating subject, physics has the benefit of opening the door to a
large variety of future career paths. Academic careers, teaching and positions in
scientific labs are obvious possibilities, but the problem solving skills that physics majors
acquire are highly valued in various different branches of business as well.
NOTES FROM OUR PHYSICS GRADS
Studying physics taught me how to sit down with a level head and use available
resources in a strategic manner to solve difficult problems. Often times it required
collaboration with other classmates to achieve that common end. The physics faculty
have instilled in me the confidence and poise to problem solve which I can apply to
many different aspects of my life. — Jay
Physics has taught me how to look at a problem from many angles. The “What if”
question has sprung out of the lab and into the office. What helps recent graduates
excel is the ability to anticipate the next step. It’s about thinking what might happen
before it does and then preparing for it. — Eleni
I have loved being a physics major at Bowdoin because of the fun and challenging
courses I have taken with my fellow classmates. The small size of the department
allowed me to really get to know the other physics majors, as well as the faculty and
staff. —Melissa
Bowdoin helped me make my dream of attending medical school a reality, and I was
even able to get into quite a good school. Also, when during the second half of my time
at Bowdoin I became very interested in physics and decided to pursue the physics
major onto of the biochemistry major that I already had, I was able to fit all my classes
in and the physics department sported a great set of engaging, brilliant physicists. I
think my decision to pursue the physics major, even more than my choice to attend
medical school, has changed my life for the better. The fact that Bowdoin is so strong in
the biology/chemistry departments, and has such great teachers in the physics
department, really made my time at Bowdoin eye opening. Whenever I had an
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intellectual passion, I was able to pursue it and get the courses I wanted, it was
fantastic. — Max
Environmental consulting and regulatory work is a mix of policy and science. I've
found that having a technical background is very much a benefit in the environmental
field. When I first graduated -- with a double major in physics and government -- and
had little experience, it was my background in physics that helped me into my first
positions. The ability to be analytical, whether it's in reviewing regulations,
considering pollution control technology or structuring projects, has truly been an
asset. — Jessica
My physics classes trained me to systematically approach and solve questions and
problems that I have faced in both specific job situations and general life experience.
For someone who is not necessarily pursuing a career in physics, it is still a very useful
liberal art major because it assures acquaintance with current scientific thought as
well as the scientific method in general. – Ben
Most analytical jobs on Wall Street are now going to MBA graduates, but I emphasized
my physics major as a viable substitute. Actually not as a substitute, but an advantage
because the problem solving approaches and techniques are applicable. In the long run
the thought process that I’ve developed through physics will be advantageous (in
addition to understanding some of the technology better.) — Mike
Coming into Bowdoin I was unsure of what I wanted to study, however as a senior I
am very satisfied and glad I chose physics. The physics staff and curriculum have
challenged me and thoroughly developed me as a student, all in a helpful and overall
enjoyable manner. — Stuart
Physics studies at Bowdoin have proven valuable in my neuroscience research. The
brain is just a massive neural network for processing and storing information.
Unraveling it requires a solid science background and the type of analytical thinking
acquired in studying physics — Bob
Although I never thought I would admit it, Physics 300 probably was the best
preparation for Penn that Bowdoin provided. Not in the specifics, but rather in helping
me to get in gear to handle weekly structures problem sets. It has given me a distinct
advantage over a good many of my classmates. — Mark
In nearly every job I’ve had, my understanding of physics and problem solving has
played an overarching role in being successful. While I am never an expert in a given
field, my ability to connect the efforts of multiple specialties helps guide the work of
others. I would do it again. — John
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