A Future in Physics?
Experts from the University of Portsmouth have lent their services for the benefit of A-level students at Portsmouth Grammar School. The experts hail from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), whose research has been rated as amongst the best in the UK along with such institutions as Oxford, Cambridge and Durham.
The effort is designed to influence students interested in studying physics at university to consider enrolling onto the new undergraduate degree in Applied Physics, which starts at the university this September. The union with the Grammar School is the creation of deputy head of physics at the school Jeremy Thomas, and Portsmouth Universities Professor Bob Nichol from ICG. Mr. Thomas revealed “The idea came about almost by chance. I met Professor Bob Nichol from ICG informally and the idea just sparked. We are both aiming for the same thing – the hope that more pupils will choose to study pure science at a higher level.”
The entire body of A-level physics students at the school attended one of four master-classes on Tuesday 9th of February, conducted by Professor Nichol and Dr Daniel Thomas. The doctor said “We were very happy to set up the master-classes and if they inspire even one student to study physics to a higher level that can only be good. It’s vital for the UK to have a strong knowledge base in pure sciences. ICG is home to world leading research scientists and this link has huge potential to motivate and inspire people on the brink of making university subject choices to see what some of the possibilities are.”
The new undergraduate degree in Applied Physics will focus on problem solving and practical work, aiming to teach a hands-on approach with relevance across a variety of fields such as Earth Sciences, Astrology and even Nanotechnology. A report composed in 1999 by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) concluded that the department had “excellent provision of student support and guidance throughout” and noted the “high quality of the postgraduate curriculum, clearly influenced by the needs of industry”.
