Experiential Learning Opportunities
“The lesson that continues to surprise me most of all is how to think about a problem. There is a fine line between considering too many elements of a problem and not considering enough.”
- Kif Rivera
Internships
Recent internship sites for Physics majors include:
- American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.
- College of Wooster
- Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland
- Max Planck Institute for Space Physics in Germany
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Trufina Corp.
- PROMPT: Panchromatic Robotic Optical Monitoring and Polarimetry Telescopes” at UNC Chapel Hill
- Various study abroad locations around the world
Research
The physics program at Guilford emphasizes research and experimentation throughout its curriculum. Students in introductory courses learn to work with equipment, quantify experimental uncertainties, and present results in journal format. The experimental physics sequence stresses laboratory techniques, cooperative research, and clear, thoughtful presentation of results. In this sequence of courses, students design experiments, act as principal investigators, write journal articles, and give talks for peer review.
This research experience culminates in a thesis research project that must be original and designed by the student. The results are presented in a written thesis and public talk. Students frequently present papers at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and other conferences. Each year the department grants the Jeglinski Physics Award, in memory of Boleslaw Jeglinksi and Michael Jeglinski, and the Helen and Winslow Womack Physics Research Award, to those students whose research projects were selected from all proposals submitted to the department. These awards may be used to help purchase equipment, fund a stipend, and support travel to a professional conference.
Students are also given the opportunity to present original research projects at Guilford’s Undergraduate Symposium.
