Physicists in Industry - Action Needed

[gleem]

The Institute of Physics of the UK (IOP) held a webinar in 2021 with industry representatives and university faculty to find a way to update the physics educational system for undergraduates so that they may be more readily assimilated into the modern workforce. An article published in the Physics World Newsletter a publication of the IOP discusses five takeaways from this meeting.

https://physicsworld.com/a/building...-future-five-key-questions-we-need-to-answer/ is

I have summarized below the main issues that were identified in the article but did not include observations and defenses of the suggestions made by the authors of this article.

I encourage all to read it. I found parts of the article disconcerting which may not be apparent or reflected in the summary. I hope some of our engineering colleagues will offer some insights since the article suggests talking to them for advice.

My Summary
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Building a physics degree for the future: five key questions we need to answer.​

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Technology is moving faster than ever. Many crucial problems are environmental, medical, or AI related. Universities must provide the skills to solve these problems. The skills of the physicist are valuable in solving these problems.​

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However, physicists often do not have a full stack of translational skills such as effective communication, team working, creativity, ability to find cross-disciplinary solutions to complex problems. Today more than ever physics grads are entering industry, finance, energy, and secondary education and need skills that have not been taught.​

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The IOP has updated its accreditation framework to encourage the inclusion of translational skills in curricula placing equal (sic) emphasis on knowledge and skills. This will give the graduate a combination of translational and technical skills that are valuable in many careers. Thus, for example, if a graduate is to enter a career in finance, cybersecurity, or IT, they will need additional courses in machine learning and data science.​

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There are new educational models being developed to attract students of varying backgrounds and increasingly focus on how students are taught and assessed. (examples given)​

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These were some of the issues that recruiters and university physicists discussed during a series of IOP-supported webinars that took place in 2021 resulting in five important questions that need addressing for the physics degree of the future.​

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1. How do we teach students to tackle open-ended, unfamiliar problems?​

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Recruiters often comment that physics grads struggle with open-ended problems. This may be due to the fact that each assessment of students is on on their knowledge of one subject at a time fostering "silo thinking" (sic).​

(example given)​

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Students should be presented with a number of topics and assessed collectively with a so-called "portfolio assessment".​

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Problem-based learning should be implemented with small groups working on real-world problems. This will mean learning from experience, applying knowledge to challenging societal problems, collectively learning, and developing a way to manage their own education. " Students would develop a variety of skills, such as project management, report writing, communicating and collaboration, as well as learning to think creatively in order to solve open-ended problems." (examples given)​

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Physicists should talk to the engineering faculty since they are more attuned to the needs of industry.​

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2. How do we account for students’ different learning styles?​

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The last few years have shown a diversity in learning preferences indicating that teaching should include a mix of in-person and virtual learning experiences. (influence of Covid)​

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3. How can we assess students on their ability to master challenges and apply their knowledge?​

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Use continuous assessment as opposed to the traditional test.​

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Assess the depth of learning not just information. Promote students to mastery levels rather than grades. Provide additional assistance to those who do not progress as expected. (examples provided)​

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4. Can technology be used to enhance or replace laboratory work?​

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Virtual experiments have value in that they allow the student more time to complete and that the student can make mistakes and thus learn from them. In-person experiments help develop collaboration and social skills.​

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Because of learning styles, a mix of virtual and in-person lab experiments should be implemented.​

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5. How do you attract and support a diverse community of students and staff in physics?​

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The world is increasingly diverse and so should universities. Expand equality, diversity, and inclusivity programs to include training faculty to be more sensitive and observant of students' issues and needs.​

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These are some of my thoughts.

This was based on the UK experience but seems that it might be universally applied.

Since I was an undergraduate I thought we ( physicists ) were creative problem solvers and learned for understanding contrary to what seemed to be presented in the article. Contrary to the stereotypical view of physicists needing remedial translational skills the vast majority of my fellow classmates both undergrad and grad were gregarious human beings with many and varying interests and talents well equipped to be absorbed into their contemporary milieu. What happened?

 

[Hyperfine]

This is an interesting dilemma. In my opinion, much of it is the result of continuing pressure on the academic community to address the perceived and often short-term objectives of society. Be those objectives industrial, social, or most anything else. And such pressure is most certainly not unique to the UK.

Again in my opinion, antediluvian as it is, the objectives of the academic community are not to serve the immediate, perceived needs of the non-academic community. That is to say, not to provide vocational education fitting the immediate needs of industry as one example. Among other things, the academic community will always be well out of phase, lagging the perceived needs of industry.

My perspective on the role of a university is much more in line with that discussed in detail by Jaroslav Pelikan, "The Idea of the University: A Reexamination", Yale University Press, 1992.

 

[gleem]

This is an interesting dilemma. In my opinion, much of it is the result of continuing pressure on the academic community to address the perceived and often short-term objectives of society. Be those objectives industrial, social, or most anything else. And such pressure is most certainly not unique to the UK.

Again in my opinion, antediluvian as it is, the objectives of the academic community are not to serve the immediate, perceived needs of the non-academic community. That is to say, not to provide vocational education fitting the immediate needs of industry as one example. Among other things, the academic community will always be well out of phase, lagging the perceived needs of industry.

I quite agree.

Many of the translational skills referred to in the article should have been developed by the parents. Aristotle is supposed to have said. "Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man." University is for adults, not children. Behavioral problems cannot be solved at university.

The article suggests courses in creativity. How do you teach creativity?

Physicists used to be great problem solvers. Now there is a question about that. How do you get through a physics program without being a good problem solver? The article says, "silo learning". I don't see it.
Perhaps there are too many ill-equipped students in the programs. This has been said before that the emphasis on STEM trying to entice more children into science programs by making them fun not neglecting the work may have backfired as indicated by the dropout rate of these programs.

The UK ranks 13 overall and 17 in math in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The US ranks 25 overall and 37 in math. So how much more critical is the problem in the US? Math is particularly important for STEM careers.

Universities are not without fault since they have gone from a client-oriented service to a customer-oriented one in order to attract more students providing them with what they clamor for, and of course at a cost.

 

[Hyperfine]

I quite agree.

Many of the translational skills referred to in the article should have been developed by the parents. Aristotle is supposed to have said. "Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man." University is for adults, not children. Behavioral problems cannot be solved at university.

The article suggests courses in creativity. How do you teach creativity?

Physicists used to be great problem solvers. Now there is a question about that. How do you get through a physics program without being a good problem solver? The article says, "silo learning". I don't see it.
Perhaps there are too many ill-equipped students in the programs. This has been said before that the emphasis on STEM trying to entice more children into science programs by making them fun not neglecting the work may have backfired as indicated by the dropout rate of these programs.

The UK ranks 13 overall and 17 in math in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The US ranks 25 overall and 37 in math. So how much more critical is the problem in the US? Math is particularly important for STEM careers.

Universities are not without fault since they have gone from a client-oriented service to a customer-oriented one in order to attract more students providing them with what they clamor for, and of course at a cost.

I have no answers, and I am far from convinced that the proper questions are even being posed. But I certainly agree regarding your point of how does one teach creativity. I would also argue that a university cannot really take a student devoid of communication skills, verbal or written, and develop those skills while that student is also expected to master a STEM discipline.

I must admit that I have a severe bias against the concept of a scientist being a problem solver. Solving a problem may well be a substantive component of one's research, but I do not accept it as the foundational characterization of what a scientist does, or is intended to do.

At the risk of doing a grave injustice to Pelikan, I will very briefly summarize his four corner stones of a university:

The advancement of knowledge through research.
The transmission of knowledge through teaching.
The preservation of knowledge in scholarly collections.
The diffusion of knowledge through publishing.

I agree with those four concepts. I can only say further that my principal objective in teaching, undergraduate and graduate students alike, was to provide them with an opportunity to learn to think better--more objectively, more independently, and perhaps even more creatively. I could not teach that, I could only hope to offer an environment that would stimulate them to learn such attributes. What they might ultimately choose to think about was up to them.

The external pressures being placed on universities is nothing new, and those pressures change more rapidly than a university can respond. Those external pressures all too often serve an agenda (social, political, financial, what have you) that is, in my opinion, inconsistent with the activities and objectives discussed by Pelikan. Whereas resistance may be futile, I will continue to resist.

 

[gleem]

I must admit that I have a severe bias against the concept of a scientist being a problem solver. Solving a problem may well be a substantive component of one's research, but I do not accept it as the foundational characterization of what a scientist does, or is intended to do.

And I am severely biased for the concept. In my experience, if you are not a good problem solver you will
not be a successful researcher. To be sure, problem-solving is not the unique talent of a scientist.

The advancement of knowledge through research.
The transmission of knowledge through teaching.
The preservation of knowledge in scholarly collections.
The diffusion of knowledge through publishing.

and do whatever is needed to accomplish these objectives.

I agree with those four concepts. I can only say further that my principal objective in teaching, undergraduate and graduate students alike, was to provide them with an opportunity to learn to think better--more objectively, more independently, and perhaps even more creatively. I could not teach that, I could only hope to offer an environment that would stimulate them to learn such attributes. What they might ultimately choose to think about was up to them.

as we all should or should have done. Do you think you have an obligation to advise a student to make changes in their career plan?

 

[Hyperfine]

Do you think you have an obligation to advise a student to make changes in their career plan?

A difficult question. I would certainly hesitate to do so unless the student had indicated, especially explicitly, that they were questioning their career path and could articulate why. I must admit that under such circumstances I have advocated that a student seriously scrutinize their chosen path. A change was made, and to the best of my knowledge, the student was very happy with the change.

 

[symbolipoint]

I must admit that I have a severe bias against the concept of a scientist being a problem solver. Solving a problem may well be a substantive component of one's research, but I do not accept it as the foundational characterization of what a scientist does, or is intended to do.

The problem asks for Engineers.

 

[symbolipoint]

as we all should or should have done. Do you think you have an obligation to advise a student to make changes in their career plan?

Or better, additions to their career plans.