Hanover Physics & Astronomy Department
Why Study Physics & Astronomy?
Deciding upon a major can be an intimidating task, and you may be wondering if physics and astronomy would be a good fit for you. If any of the following is true for you, then the physics and astronomy department at Hanover College may be just what you have been searching for.
You enjoy:
• Thinking about mechanics, electricity, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and astrophysics
• Analyzing the natural world both qualitatively and quantitatively
• Connecting experiments to physical theories and laws
• Observing natural phenomena including the night sky
You want to:
• Explore theories of the workings of the physical universe
• Do experiments that help you understand the nature of physical discovery
• Engage in independently conducted research
• Discover hidden secrets in the universe
What Hanover Physics & Astronomy Offers
Physicists want to understand how things work, in every detail and at the deepest level. They are the most highly trained scientists – versed in mathematics, computer programming, and the design of complex instruments. They are also the most versatile – crossing into other disciplines such as chemistry, biology, and medicine. The world's most well known scientists, Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton, were both physicists.
The Department of Physics & Astronomy at Hanover is oriented so that students develop an appreciation and understanding of the fundamental behavior of nature. Due to the fact that the number of majors is not large, the department develops individual programs for each student by designing the required courses around individual career plans. The physics and astronomy faculty does this by striving to help students discover and pursue their interests and strengths.
Each student's experience is further enhanced by the requirement of a senior year independent study project. During this time, students explore and research areas of physics or astronomy that are of particular interest to them, with advising and support from the faculty.
Although most physics and astronomy majors go on to graduate school immediately after graduating from Hanover, the program is not designed exclusively for such students. The Department of Physics & Astronomy provides students with a comprehensive education in physics and the liberal arts, preparing them for graduate school or the workforce.
Highlights
Directed Study
The department works with individual students on directed-study courses, in which the student and a faculty member design the course of study best suited for the student with attention to the student's career goals. Students can use this opportunity to study a part of physics or astronomy not offered in the regular curriculum. This makes for a personalized higher education experience and allows for flexibility within each student's course of study.
Real World Learning
The department offers paid employment to all its majors, including positions as tutors or lab assistants, allowing students to develop special skills associated with individual career plans and to extend learning beyond the normal classroom setting. The required three-seminar course and advanced lab program allows students to follow their particular interests and to develop presentation skills needed for any successful career.
Graduate School Placement
Individualized attention from the physics faculty helps students excel. This unique attention from professors along with directed studies courses and intensive research projects prepare students for graduate school. Graduates have been accepted into graduate school programs at a number of prestigious universities, including Rutgers, the University of North Carolina, the University of Colorado, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Brown, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Opportunities for Research
Students of physics have access to four well-equipped labs and two astronomical observatories where they can conduct research alongside their distinguished professors. The Richter program at Hanover College provides additional opportunities for student research off campus. Physics students have been funded to go to Brazil and study at Los Alamos National Laboratory or to the Medical College of Wisconsin for biophysical research. Richter funding has also enabled students to do radio astronomy at Green Bank National Radio Observatory and conduct frontier research at CalTech detecting gravitational waves.
Career Opportunities
Physics and Astronomy within the context of a liberal arts education equips graduates with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to continue on to a variety of careers and/or graduate school opportunities.
Previous graduates' career and professional placements have included:
• Systems Analyst, Lexmark Corporation (Kentucky)
• Nuclear Engineer, BWX Technologies, Inc. (Virginia)
• Astronomer, Cerro Tololo Observatory (Chile)
• Physics Teacher, Plainfield Community School Corporation (Indiana)
• Department Chair: Atmospheric Sciences, University of Chicago (Illinois)
• Manager of Information Technology, Eli Lilly (Indiana)
• Environmental Engineer, Woodward-Clyde Corporation (California)
Graduate school placements have included:
• Indiana University School of Dentistry
• Rutgers University
• Indiana University School of Medicine
• Notre Dame University
• Wright State University
• Vanderbilt University
• Purdue University
• Medical College of Ohio
• Brown University
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Pennsylvania State University
• University of Illinois
• University of Wisconsin
• University of Maryland
• University of North Carolina
• University of Colorado
• University of Connecticut
• Ball State University
• University of Cincinnati School of Medicine
