A New Bachelor of Science Degree
in the College of Arts & Sciences
By
Dr. Nick Devereux
And
Dr. Darrel Smith
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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Marketing
Opportunities
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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ERAU’s Strategic Plan
Dr. Ebbs 10-year strategic plan calls for the development of
Space Sciences degree programs.
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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International Space Physics Educational Consortium
Augsberg College, Minneapolis
California State University Northridge
Creighton University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida Institute of Technology
Goddard Space Flight Center
Imperial College
Loyola Marymount University
Lund Universtiy
Naval Postgraduate School
Olivet Nazarene University
Oulu (Finland)
Oxford University
Rice University
Swedish Institute of Space Physics
UC Berkeley
UCLA IGPP
UCSD (California Space Institute)
University of Houston
University of Iowa
University of Michigan
University of New Hampshire
University of Southern California
University of Washington
West Virginia University
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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Justification
Why have a Space Physics degree program?
1. Student Interest
2. Space Physics--the “core” program
3. Space Physics--to make our students more competitive
4. Comparison Schools
5. Increase Diversity--Encourage women in science
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Justification
Space Physics--the “core” program
Fields of Study
Astrophysics
Condensed Matter Physics
Solid State Physics
Low-Temperature Physics
Atomic Physics
Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics
Biophysics
Medical Physics
Solar Physics
Space Physics
Plasma Physics
Common Denominator
“Physics”
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Opportunities
“To make our students more competitive”
“The beauty of a degree with the word "physics" in it is
that potential employers assume you're a super-brain.
My degree got me jobs as a chemist, an environmentalist,
and interviews with several federal law enforcement
agencies.”
Michael B. Dolan, Lieutenant, US Coast Guard Marine
Safety Office
Hampton Roads, Norfolk, VA.
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Opportunities
“To make our students more competitive”
“I was well-prepared for most of my
graduate course work, but could have
benefited from a quantum physics class
which was not in the original curriculum.”
Andy Nicholas (Research Physicist)
Naval Research Lab Washington D.C.
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Marketing
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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ERAU
“Leading the World In Aviation And Aerospace Education”
“ERAU may not be a Carnegie-ranked institution,
but when it comes to the space program, we are
up there with Yale, Harvard, and other Ivy League
schools.”
Nicholas Devereux, Associate Professor
College of Arts & Sciences
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What is our competition doing with respect to physics?
What fraction of freshmen taking introductory physics courses
go on to be physics majors?
Most Like Us
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Concordia College
Hampshire College
Luther College
Mount Union College
Parks College
Point Loma Nazarene
Sweet Briar College
Wartburg College
Whitworth College
Global Average
8.1%
Working towards . . .
7.4%
13.2%
1.7%
22.9%
18.6%
19.1%
12.5%
1. Allegheny College
2. Bates College
3. Elizabethtown College
4. Goucher College
5. Lake Forest College
6. Lawrence University
7. Macalester College
8. Rhodes College
9. Skidmore College
10. Southwestern College
5.1%
6.6%
6.8%
Appendix B
12.7%
29.2%
9.5%
26.2%
2.3%
15.2%
. . . . They all have a bachelors degree in physics
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Statistics from specific institutions
FIT--Florida Institute of Technology
5% of the student in their introductory physics classes
graduate with a BSc in Space Physics.
Statistics from within ERAU
Engineering Physics program in Daytona Beach
182/4637 enrolled in EP (4%)
Prescott should expect 63 students after five years.
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Increase Diversity--Encourage Women in Science
ERAU Space Sciences Program
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National statistics for BSc in physics
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Areas of Concentration
1. Astrophysics
2. Nuclear/Particle Cosmology
3. Space Propulsion Systems
4. Remote Sensing
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ERAU’s Strategic Plan
Dr. Ebbs 10-year strategic plan calls
for the development of Space Sciences
degree programs.
We have two research-class professors
whose credentials extend from high-energy
particle physics to astrophysics which enables
them to develop a fully-accredited Bachelor’s
degree program in Space Physics.
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Areas of Concentration
1. Astrophysics
• Dr. Nick Devereux, Assoc. Prof. of Physics
Astrophysics -- Galaxy Formation
2. Nuclear/Particle Physics
• Dr. Darrel Smith, Prof. of Physics
Experimental High Energy/Particle Physics
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Big Bang Cosmology
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Areas of Concentration
3. Space Propulsion Systems
Fusion Engines
Plasma Engines
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Areas of Concentration
3. Space Propulsion Systems (cont’d)
Antimatter Engines
Ion-Compressed Antimatter Nuclear Engine
Nuclear Thermal
Propulsion
Total Mission Duration (Days with 30 days on Surface)
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Areas of Concentration
4. Remote Sensing
Venus
Visual
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Radar
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Areas of Concentration
Senior Labs
Penning Trap to
store antimatter
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Curriculum
First 2 years
1.
2.
3.
4.
Physics
Physics I + Lab
Physics II + Lab
Physics III + Lab
Modern Physics + Lab
Chemistry
1. Chemistry I + Lab
Space Physics
1.
2.
3.
4.
Math
Calculus I
Calculus II
Calculus III
Diff. Eq.
Engineering
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Curriculum
3rd and 4th Year
Required
Classical Mechanics
Electricity & Magnetism
Stat. Mech. & Thermodynamics
Quantum Physics
Astrophysics I
Planetary Physics*
Optional Courses
Plasma Physics +
Astrophysics II
Cosmology
Remote-Sensing
Senior Lab -- 1 year
(tailored to your area of concentration)
Correction to the Proposal
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EP410
EP420
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Curriculum
3rd and 4th Year (cont’d)
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Curriculum
Grand Total
• 72 credit hours in the “core” courses
• 36 credit hours of General Education courses
15 of which are included in the “core” courses
• This leaves 27 credit hours for “technical” and
“open” electives
• 120 credit hour program
72
36-15 = 21
27
120
• Only 3 new courses need to be developed to start
the Astrophysics area of concentration
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Revenues & Expenditures for Space Physics
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Expenses & Revenues for PS (including Space Physics)
PS support role + Space Physics
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Timetable
1. Fall 2001 Approval by the Board of Trustees
2. Fall 2002
Space Physics officially starts.
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Timetable for Resources
1. Faculty Hires
2. Physics Lab Expansion
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Additional Information
1. Upper-division Space Physics Labs
Appendix C
2. Observatory and Planetarium
Appendix D
3. Library Resources
Chapter 5
4. Marketing
5. Job Opportunities
6. Why not Engineering Physics?
“Leading the World In Aviation And Aerospace Education”
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Additional Information
1. Upper-division Space Physics Labs
2. Observatory and Planetarium
3. Library Resources
4. Marketing
5. Job Opportunities
6. Why not Engineering Physics?
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Other Opportunities
Tim Berners-Lee
Bachelors degree in Physics
Not
Al Gore
Creator of the World Wide Web
Physics and Society
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Hiring
We are already short-staffed in physics.
If we’re going to hire someone, why not hire
someone who can teach physics and help
develop the Space Physics degree program?
We expect our ideal candidate to:
1. Have a Ph.D in a physics-related
discipline,
2. Demonstrate a commitment to
undergraduate teaching,
3. Develop an undergraduate research
program that involves ERAU students,
4. Teach 12 cr. hrs. a semester and do
research.
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Enrollment
1. The physics department will still
maintain its support role.
2. The Space Physics program will
attract more students.
3. We expect a similar percentage (4%)
of students as in the EP program at
Daytona Beach.
4. We expect this to be so because we
are “One University” and ERAU
students all share similar aspirations.
5. Prescott will not compete with Daytona
Beach because geographically, the
demographic of students is complimentary.
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Enrollment
Student demographics for first-time freshman
Daytona Beach
Prescott
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Florida
22%
New York
10%
Pennsylvania 9%
New Jersey
7%
Massachusetts 4%
Virginia
4%
California 24%
Arizona
14%
Washington 7%
Oregon
7%
Texas
7%
Colorado
5%
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Additional Information
1. Upper-division Space Physics Labs
2. Observatory and Planetarium
3. Library Resources
4. Marketing
5. Job Opportunities
Appendix E (Employers hiring physicists with a BSc degree)
6. Why not Engineering Physics?
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Why not Engineering Physics ?
1. We would have to offer the EP curriculum
First two years--PS208, 215, and 219 instead of PS150, 160, and 250
Would mean “small classes” and less scheduling flexibility
2. Students are asking for “upper division” physics courses and “space”
Engineering Physics
Engineering (design courses)
PS109 and EP410 (Space Physics)
“near earth”
Space Physics
Physics
“rest of the universe”
3. Engineering Physics is 136 credit hours.
Space Physics is 120 credit hours.
4. Space Physics will more directly advance our university’s interest to market
“space” in what we claim as ERAU’s aerospace niche.
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Conclusions
Space Physics will:
1. Enhance the opportunities for our ERAU graduates as they
embark on their respective careers.
2. Strengthen our university’s mission statement and comply
with the Strategic Plan.
3. Increase the potential for graduates to be selected by NASA
for the astronaut program.
Four ERAU graduates have been selected for the
17-member astronaut candidate class of 2000.
4. Add to our student enrollment.
5. Make good use of our resources (esp. faculty), attract grants,
develop further collaborations with industries and other universities.
6. Get the Space Sciences program “off the ground”
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