Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Research in Physics or Engineering Physics II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marie Lopez del Puerto, University of St. Thomas; Adam S Green, University of St. Thomas; Jeffrey A. Jalkio, University of St. Thomas; Marty Johnston, University of St. Thomas; Paul R Ohmann, University of St. Thomas (MN)

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

fundamentals of quantum mechanics with mathematicalrigor. Students are mostly seniors, though a few juniors typically take the class as well. Studentsin the class have all taken Modern Physics, and most have taken the other 300-level courseslisted above. In that sense, Quantum Mechanics is a capstone course and can build on theknowledge and skills gained in the previous coursesWe currently incorporate a computational component as a final project in the course, developedthrough the NSF grant for computation mentioned above (DUE-0311432). In this module,students calculate and plot several electron density functions for a hydrogen atom using the vonNeumann accept/reject Monte-Carlo technique.13 We have developed an additionalcomputational project that

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Research in Physics or Engineering Physics I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Frank V. Kowalski, Colorado School of Mines; Susan E. Kowalski, Colorado School of Mines; Patrick B. Kohl, Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines; Hsia-Po Vincent Kuo, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

innovatively apply them in more advanced(and less academic) settings, such as senior capstone projects and on-the-job challenges in thefuture workplace. Application of techniques for generating and evaluating ideas are described.To enhance the benefits of group creativity and facilitate real-time electronic brainstorming inthe classroom, we use InkSurvey with pen-enabled mobile computing devices (iPads, tablet PCs,Android devices, etc.). This free, web-based software was developed for collecting real-timeformative assessment of learning, but using it in this setting effectively mitigates many of thesocial issues that typically plague brainstorming in a group setting. The focus, instead, is onpaying attention to the ideas of others while encouraging

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Research in Physics or Engineering Physics I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Harold T. Evensen, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; W. Doyle St.John, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

physics curricula in the U.S.A.shows courses with names such as “advanced experimental physics,” “experimental methods,” orsimply “physics lab” or “engineering measurements. 1” (Indeed, a “measurements lab” is also acommon feature of mechanical engineering undergraduate curricula.2) Our institution, theUniversity of Wisconsin-Platteville, is no different: the “engineering physics laboratory” iswhere students first undertake longer, more open-ended experiments than is done in theintroductory physics sequence.The EP Lab has a prerequisite of Modern Physics, and is typically taken in the first semester ofthe third year. It almost always is completed before our other lab course (Sensor Lab), it is theonly specific course prerequisite for our capstone

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching and Research in Physics or Engineering Physics I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Teresa L. Larkin, American University; Jessica Uscinski, American University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

outcomes of our assessment was an increase in the number of courses offered as wellas an increase in the frequency in which we can offer them. As a result of our assessment effortswe have been able to expand our physics program by adding the following upper-level courses:  Astrophysics  Mathematical and Computational Physics  Physics Capstone Seminar  Statistical Mechanics  Waves and OpticsPrior to 2007, the physics program included two “tracks” that students could follow as theyprogressed through the curriculum. These tracks were in computational and applied physics.Since our initial assessment, we’ve added a traditional physics track and the applied physicstrack is now a track in chemical physics. We have also been able