Physicists At Work

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Physics (13) Over the period 1993-2000, the number of physics baccalaureates granted annually declined to pre-Sputnik levels and there it remains. A contributing reason for the decline is prompted by a common student belief that there are no jobs for physicists. While this belief can be understood, it is untrue. This project is designed to inform students about the wide range of jobs and diverse careers pursued by physicists. Based on experiences during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 academic years, we shall create and implement a model course in 20 departments of physics. A central feature of the model course will be to bring physics alumni pursuing non-academic careers face-to-face with contemporary physics students so that they can learn directly from physicists in the workplace about what physicists do, how their careers evolved, and how their major in physics prepared them for their professional life. To support the model course, two books, Preparing Physicists For Work and Physicists At Work, are being written. From the feedback supplied by students and faculty at each participating institution, the American Institute of Physics (AIP) is (1) developing a Guide for initiating and implementing the model course and (2) revising the two books in accord with the student and faculty comments. The Guide and copies of the two books, Preparing Physicists For Work and Physicists At Work, will be disseminated by AIP to every physics department in the United States. The project will be evaluated by the Statistics Division of AIP.