A brighter future for physics education
Thursday 27 May 2010
On 17th May physicists from all across the South East of England were brought together for a regional conference exploring the strengths of their departments and their research, to celebrate the remarkable collaborative achievements from the last 18 months of effort. The message is clear; collaboration brings strength, a sense of purpose and leads to something greater than the sum of its parts. SEPnet, the South East Physics network is a collaboration between universities (University of Kent, Queen Mary, University of London, Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Southampton, University of Surrey, University of Sussex), making best use of local resources such as the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and ISIS.
This framework has allowed all of the partner institutions to enhance their individual options and capacity for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching while producing more flexible opportunities for students. The conference also set out the four research themes that SEPnet has developed: Atomic and Condensed Matter, Astrophysics (LOFAR-UK), Particle Physics (NExT) and Radiation Detectors and Instrumentation. The partners are also developing together programmes of contact with young people to increase interest in physics at degree level and at post-16, and embedding best practice in such endeavours into the individual departments. In this brief summary I concentrate upon the SEPnet activities related to education.
In the light of the CBI report published on the same day, the conference could not be better timed. In recent years there has been a significant increase in efforts to increase the number of young people skilled in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths) subjects and there is now evidence that these efforts have brought success. Numbers of students applying to STEM subjects at many universities this year has risen beyond their general increase in applications. However the CBI report not only that the demand for STEM graduates is still high, but that it will continue to increase as the UK moves out of recession. In a new era of funding cuts and efficiency savings, the pressure will be on to continue provision of students and university places for them, particularly in the STEM areas.
The questions then become of a practical nature: How many degree level physicists do we really need to produce per year? What skills do they need? Do they all come from school to university, or are other career paths more prominent? These questions and more will be answered for the South East at least in the near future as SEPnet expands its Employer Engagement strand. Starting with a regional Employers Advisory Board for consultation on research programmes and initiatives, SEPnet will also undertake a regional employer's survey, locating where the physicists are needed and where and how they will be trained. Such an undertaking will also identify the key areas for teaching, and shape aspects of the undergraduate curriculum.
Physics will never be a purely vocational qualification, but the skills and knowledge gained in its study at degree level produces individuals with a range of attributes useful in many fields. SEPnet believes that contact with employers will ensure from the outset that graduates have exactly the skills needed to make a strong positive contribution to their workplace, and the economy. By maintaining strong links with business the opportunities for research that is ultimately linked to economic growth can be better exploited. Each of the partners in SEPnet has done this to some extent already, but the existence of the network allows for a greater breadth and depth in the subject that no single Department can match.
The speakers at today's conference outlined the fruits of this interaction that have already been delivered. An example is the joint MSc course in Radiation Detection and Instrumentation, delivered in part by regional industry partners, in part by the partner universities, and able to be accessed by multiple disciplines. A second example is the Outreach programme that is focussing not only on recruiting students to Physics, but in supporting teachers as they develop their skills, and promoting good communication skills amongst the students and staff at partner universities. Good teaching at all levels, in school and at university, is paramount and dependent on far more than qualifications.
Later this week 30 undergraduate student bursary holders will be announced, students handpicked by local employers and researchers to contribute to research and development projects, from exploring micro and nanoscale changes in materials to creating perfect flight simulations during summer placements. The students receiving these bursaries are just some of those studying Physics in the South East who are willing and able, and already contributing to the economy of the region. The future is looking brighter already.
Professor Sir Bill Wakeham is executive chair of the South East Physics Network, a consortium of six partner physics departments at the Universities of Kent, Queen Mary, University of London, Royal Holloway, University of London, Southampton, Surrey and Sussex working together to promote excellence in Physics, supported by a five-year HEFCE grant of £12.5m.