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Experiential Learning

Hands-on experiences allow Ursinus physics majors to extend their classroom learning by way of research, internships and immersive experiences.  

  • Physics professor Tom Carroll works with students in the Ultra-cold Quantum Dynamics Lab.
    Physics professor Tom Carroll works with students in the Ultra-cold Quantum Dynamics Lab.
  • Led by Professor Casey Schwarz the Glass and Materials Engineering Science Lab researches novel materials for optical devices and medical...
    Led by Professor Casey Schwarz the Glass and Materials Engineering Science Lab researches novel materials for optical devices and medical applications.
  • Allyssa Himmelreich presents her physics research findings on Quantum Teleportation as part of CoSA 2024.
    Allyssa Himmelreich presents her physics research findings on Quantum Teleportation as part of CoSA 2024.
  • Jake Klucinec '25 will spend his summer at UCF contributing to the recycling and recovery process of infrared glass.
    Jake Klucinec ’25 will spend his summer at UCF contributing to the recycling and recovery process of infrared glass.
  • And for a little break from the lab...students participate in the Brick Drop, where they drop homemade “bricks out of the window to...
    And for a little break from the lab...students participate in the Brick Drop, where they drop homemade “bricks” out of the window to test their strength.

Research at Ursinus

Ursinus students are encouraged to work with faculty members on original research. Students work on faculty-initiated research projects, and faculty members serve as mentors for student-initiated research projects.

Opportunities for original research include independent study during a semester, participation in the Summer Fellows Program, and a senior honors thesis. Research topics completed by Physics majors have included:

  • “Inelastic Proton Scattering from 50 Ca”
  • “Energy exchange among ultra-cold Rydberg atoms ”
  • “Gamma-ray spectroscopy of exotic calcium isotopes with the GRETINA array”
  • “Simulations of Stellar Cluster evolution”
  • “Algebraic diagrams for education and research”
  • “Construction of a Saturated Absorption Spectrometer”

Our Research Teams

  • Research Group
    Glass and Materials Engineering Science Lab (GaMES)
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  • Research Group
    The Nuclear Structure Group
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  • Research Group
    The Ultra-Cold Quantum Dynamics Lab
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  • Research Group
    The Ursinus Planetary Cratering Group
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  • Research Group
    Eigen Modeling–Computations of Quantum Processes
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Internships

Physics majors may also pursue off-campus internships.  These internships are most often completed during the summer or the winter break. Recent internships have included engineering and pharmaceutical firms.

Student Teaching

Students who pursue teaching certification will spend one semester of their senior year teaching at a local high school. The Education department places our students with mentors who work with our students to develop their teaching.

By the Numbers

  • 30%

    of Ursinus Physics majors are women, compared to 21% nationally. (Since 2015)

 

What is REU?

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Here are a few summer 2024 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) opportunities with a UC connection: