NC STATE PHYSICS
Undergraduate Program Review (2002 - 2004)
 Table of Contents
13

Appendix IX.B Graduating Senior Survey (Numbr of responses = 10)
2002-2003 Graduating Senior Survey:
Open-End Comments: Physics Department Insert
1. If seeking employment after graduation, indicate area of activity

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys1
1 PYC     Defense/Government
2 PYA     Medical physics lab.
3 PY     internship with an independent laboratory
4 PYA ME   mechanical engineering, possibly automotive related
5 PY AMA   grad school - research assistantship OR non-physics related job in audio-engineering (because its hard to get a job in physics with just a BS)

2. If you have accepted employment after graduation, give employer name, job title, and expected duties

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys2
1 PYC     Northrop Grumman Corporation-Electronic Systems Division Engineer, Professional Development Program

 

3. List grad schools (including department name) you have applied to

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys3
1 PYC     N/A
2 EE CPE PY U-Cal Berkeley, U-Ill Urbana, MIT, U-Mich Ann Arbor, NCSU
3 AMA LSH PY Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, NYU, MIT. Mathematics dept. all
4 PY     Harvard Santa Barbara - Physics Santa Cruz, Berkeley, University of Colorado at Boulder, UVA - Astronomy/Astrophysics
5 PY AMA   NCSU - physics

 

4. Please list schools to which you were accepted

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys4
1 PYC     N/A
2 EE CPE PY U-Mich Ann Arbor, NCSU
3 AMA LSH PY not known
4 PY     UVA Colorado Still waiting to hear from Berkeley and Santa Cruz

 

5. Which school do you plan to attend

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys5
1 PYC     N/A
2 EE CPE PY U-Mich Ann Arbor
3 AMA LSH PY Berkeley is my first choice
4 PY     Undecided but leaning toward Colorado

 

6. What are your ultimate career objectives?

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys6
1 PYC     Ill let you know. :)
2 PYA     Work for a few years and then return to NCSU for a masters working with Celeste.
3 PY     after a year off Ill return to graduate school and get my PHD.
4 EE CPE PY work in industrial/government lab
5 AMA LSH PY retire at 28
6 PY     Obtain a PhD in astronomy/astrophysics and teach/conduct research at a university somewhere.
7 PYA ME   To find something I enjoy working hard at that can improve the condition of the surrounding community.
8 PY AMA   To own and run my own recording studio, or work as an audio technician for a larger company. OR i could teach physics somewhere.

7.How satisfied are you with your overall experience as a physics major at NC State?
  Very satisfied (response = 6)
  Somewhat satisfied (response = 3)
  Neutral (response = 1)
  Somewhat dissatisfied (response = 0)
  Very dissatisfied (response = 0)

 
8. How can Physics dept. improve the undergrad experience?

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys8
1 PYC     I thoroughly enjoyed my time with NCSU Physics and its professors and staff. Physics Dept. provided a quality education, excellent opportunities for work, and intellectual growth. The dept. is something that the university can strive to be like.
2 PY     Update the student laboratories
3 EE CPE PY present more applications oriented labs/problems
4 MA PY   The SPS office needs a better library of physics resources.
5 AMA LSH PY the physics department has been only a small part of my undergraduate experience. its nice that theres an undergrad lounge although ive never used it
6 PYA ME   I feel that the undergraduate experience is already of a high quality. The physics faculty that I have encountered are very attentive to the students. I dont know what to do for improvement.
7 PY AMA   Let the freshman physics majors know that if they plan on ever getting a good job with physics that it is most likely that they will have to get a phd.

 

9. Which physics course made a difference for you, why/why not?

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys9
1 PYC     Modern Physics (PY407)
2 PYA     Modern Physics . It was the first,real, physics class we took and [the instructor] really pushed us to think.
3 EE CPE PY All of the core upper level physics courses (411/12, 414/15, 401/02) provided a strong/complete physics background.
4 MA PY   EM becaise it required the construction of an entirely new intuition.
5 AMA LSH PY py452 is pretty cool and a good change of pace

 

10. Describe your research experiences at NC State

Obs cur1grad cur2grad cur3grad phys10
1 PYC     Dr. John Blondin, NCSU Astronomy Group, 09/2000-05/2002 learned how to perform quality research and share findings with co-researchers. Dr. Albert Young, Majorana Project, 05/2002-05/2003 I learned a lot about independent research and the challenges of long distance research teams.
2 PYA    

Working with Dr. Blondin on our supernovae problem was one of the best experiences I have had. I also had the opportunity to present a poster at the AAS meeting which I am very happy to have done.
3 PY     I worked for Dr. Krim in the Nanoscale Tribology Lab. The research experience basically let me know that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.
4 EE CPE PY worked with Prof. C. Ji on a particle (neutrino) mixing problem during the summer of 01 and on and off throughout the following school year.
5 MA PY   I have worked with Hans Hallens optics group from fall 2000 until now.
6 PY     2001 Physics REU - Astro Group - Mentor: Dr. Blondin - Used hydro-code to simulate a SNR with inhomogeneous ejecta. Fall 2002/Spring 2003 - Worked/working with Dr. Borkowski of the astro-group. Trying to mathematically characterize filamentary structures present in the Cassiopeia A SNR.
7 PY AMA   Dr. Mitas - quantum simulations group computational studies of many body electron systems for the last two years.

For more information contact Nancy Whelchel
University Planning and Analysis 515-4184
nancy_whelchel@ncsu.edu

  NC STATE PHYSICS
Undergraduate Program Review (2002 - 2004)
 Table of Contents