PHYSICS
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// #MOREATDORDT
The Dordt Difference At Dordt College, students see how physics shows the elegant handiwork of our creator God. Physics is the study of the physical parts of God’s creation, and physics students learn to design experiments, build mathematical and computer models, and create theories that describe and predict physical behaviors we observe in the world. The Dordt physics program values community and the process of learning together. Professors and students work together closely, both in and out of class, and physics courses use a wide variety of innovative active learning techniques such as demonstrations and small group discussions in lecture and lab settings to help students achieve their potential as learners.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES A physics degree prepares you for a variety of career opportunities: • A physics background will prepare you for careers in industry and research laboratories. • Well-trained high school physics teachers are in short supply. If you have secondary education certification in physics, you won’t have a problem finding a job! • Many physics graduates continue their education in graduate programs in physics or in programs such as meteorology, law, or medicine.
FACILITIES Laboratories equipped with computer workstations for data collection and analysis include:
• An introductory lab • Upper-level lab and project space • An optics lab with a vibration isolation table • A 12-foot diameter rooftop observatory with 11” and 12” computer controlled SchmidtCassegrain telescopes
A collaborative environment allows Physics to share specialized equipment with other departments—for example, spectroscopy and chromatography equipment with Chemistry.
THE PROGRAM The physics major requires a three-semester calculus-based introductory course sequence as well as upper-level courses in • classical mechanics • electromagnetism • thermodynamics and statistical mechanics • quantum mechanics and modern physics • philosophy of science Required cognate courses include three semesters of calculus, differential equations, introductory chemistry, and introductory computer science. Students also select electives from mathematics, material science, electronics, physical chemistry, computer science, and individual studies. Students can do a double major or minor in areas such as chemistry, biology, theology, engineering, mathematics, or education. The physics minor is an option for students who want to combine an interest in physics with another academic program. Our students’ average score on the ETS Major Field Test in Physics is in the 75th percentile, and our graduates excel in graduate school, industry, and teaching.
RESEARCH AND TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES Most Dordt physics majors work as laboratory or teaching assistants. They combine student employment with on-the-job training in research and teaching as they learn to run labs and help sessions for introductory level courses. Research skill development is in an important theme throughout our physics course sequence. This learning starts in the introductory physics lab by doing experimental analysis and keeping a lab notebook. It continues into upper level courses, where students do both guided and independent projects to further develop their ability to think independently and critically about experimental analysis and design. Physics majors have opportunies to do summer research with faculty mentors, either on or off campus. Often these projects lead to national conference presentations or published journal articles. Some examples of recent student research activity include: • A research internship at the National Oceanic and Atmosphereic Adminstration (NOAA) • NASA-funded research on the dynamics and transport of air within the polar vortices of the stratosphere • Studying laser light scattering through stretched polymer films • Investigation of the radiation dose on CT imaging-based measures of lung tissue mechanics • Analysis of chest impacts with and without chest protectors to understand the link between impacts and Commotio Cordis • Experimental modeling of various viscous fluids inside a cylinder rolling down a ramp
THE FACULTY John Zwart, Ph.D., Michigan State University. Interests include laser light scattering to study the structure of polymers, and physics and science education. He has been a NASA Summer Faculty Fellow and president of the Iowa chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers. John.Zwart@dordt.edu Kayt Frisch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison. Specialization: Biomechanics of tissue and human movement, non-invasive measurement of tissue properties. Kayt.Frisch@dordt.edu Channon Visscher, Ph.D., Washington University, St. Louis. Interests include exploring cloud formation and photochemical modeling in the atmospheres of giant and extrasolar planets. He has been a postdoctoral fellow and visiting scientist at the Center for Lunar Origin & Exploration. Channon.Visscher@dordt.edu August 2015