Princeton University Physics Demographics Princeton undergrads: ~1260/yr Physics faculty: 41 Physics grad students: ~120 Physics majors (declare at end of sophomore year: 29 seniors 28 juniors Undergrads taking intro/service courses: ~550/yr

Program Service Coursesenrollment : Intro, calc-based, engineers, phy&sci majors : Premed, non-calc : Intro “honors” : Non-scientists (formerly “poets”) : Physics of music (fr sem) : Intro Eng/Mat/Phy (boutique for selected engineers) : Integrated Science (boutique for Phy/Chm/Bio  quant bio 30 Majors Require 11 1-semester courses (including 4 math) after intro-level Require 3 “Independent Work” projects: 2 junior papers + senior thesis for all majors

Strengths Intro courses taught mostly (3 of 4 hours/wk) in small classes (~20 students), all taught by faculty. Independent work brings research experience to all majors, from essentially all faculty, essentially all the time, integrates research and teaching sides of house. Independent work requirement  faculty experience with putting undergrads to work on research  faculty interest in hiring undergrads  large numbers of undergrads (≥30) working in Department over the summer, mostly potential majors.

Problem/concernActionOutcome 103-4: poor attendance, falling effectiveness of ungraded homework, general time-pressure on students Various tech solutions: clickers, online problem sets Surface success, pedagogical success less clear Drop in majors in mid-’90sRecruitment czar, intervene with admissions, shadow advisor, boost majors from 103-4, pay attention More physics majors than ever Few majors from 103-4Better communication, revamp of soph mech course Now a modest flow of majors from <half of entering students who list physics as first choice of major end up in physics Contact all entering freshmen, shadow advising, sophomore seminars (no recent numbers)

Problem/concernActionOutcome Grants facing shortfall in funds to hire summer undergrads Ask University to raise money (before crisis!) Summer awards to students and rebates Fading enrollment in “Physics for Poets” Overhaul, emphasize modern physics, societal problems, critical thinking Some success? First years of major too abstract/theoretical/“problem setty” Sophomore seminars (strictly optional, pass-fail, “real”) Seems good when advertised enough Perennial freshman lab issuesFree-form/creative/ open-ended/multi- week/seminars Failure