1. Science Outreach Joan Gladwyn What good is a physics degree?

2. Graduate Destination Survey 22 Australian universities 171 physics graduates responded Following results are from 108 respondents who graduated after 1990 42% graduated after 2000 47% have a postgraduate degree Male:female ratio is 2:1 Funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. (http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/super/ALTC/ )http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/super/ALTC/

8. Would you recommend a major in physics as useful training for your current job? YES: 75 NO:22 Of the 22, 15 of those believe that a smaller physics component would be a useful training for their current job

12. UC Physics and Astronomy Review of past physics graduates http://www.phys.canterbury.ac.nz/careers. shtml http://www.phys.canterbury.ac.nz/careers. shtml Graduate Survey 1998- students from 1976-1996

13. Graduate Survey 1998 How relevant have your physics studies been to your employment since graduation? 1----2----3----4----5----6----7 Not at allVery relevant Average rating 4.73

14. Graduate Survey 1998 How valuable has your physics degree been to you? 1----2----3----4----5----6----7 Not at allVery valuable Average rating 5.48

15. American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/careers

16. Job titles of respondents

17. Institute of Physics (UK) Links to career areas http://www.iop.org/activity/careers/what/index.html Profiles of those who still work in physics and those who trained but have moved into other areas http://www.iop.org/activity/careers/workinglife/index.html Jobs which can be done by physicists plus physics jobs IOP’s new jobs website, brightrecruits brightrecruits Publications for different age groups about science and physics jobs http://www.iop.org/activity/education/Careers/Publication s/page_5893.htmlhttp://www.iop.org/activity/education/Careers/Publication s/page_5893.html 16+ leaflet

18. Institute of Physics (UK) “Over half of all physicists work in Research and Development, Engineering, and Information Technology. Some physicists work on problems at the frontiers of knowledge; others tackle the challenging problems which arise in the application of physics to industrial and engineering problems. If you want to be well paid, a physics degree can help you get a job in finance, telecommunications or the electrical industry. According to a survey of Institute of Physics members, these sector have an average starting salary of about £40K.($100K NZ)”

19. Institute of Physics “list of typical sectors where physicists are found”

20. UK Employers 2002-2007

21. 15 of University of Canterbury’s past Medical Physics (2004-2008) students are currently employed in hospitals around the country contributing to health care service for the community in either Radiotherapy, Diagnostic Radiology or Nuclear Medicine Departments Plus laser work, depending on hospital Salaries NZ $75K-95K on qualification, more in US Or work in research…. Medical physics

22. Achieve Bachelor of Science with Physics major Apply for registrar position as medical physicist (one or all of six hospitals) Simultaneously enrol for Masters in Medical Physics at UC (fees, course books paid by hospital) Year 1 spent at UC Years 2 and 3 half time in hospital working, half time in hospital on thesis research. (Earning $25-50K/yr salary) Years 4 and 5 full time training in hospital Take exams, become accredited by Australasian College of Physical scientists and Engineers in Medicine Work anywhere in the world Medical physics

23. 25 June 2009 Independent U.S. Study Confirms Veritide's Ceeker™ Handheld Device Detects Anthrax With Outstanding Accuracy and Reliability Baltimore, MD, and Christchurch, NZ - June 25, 2009 Biohazard Detection - Rapid biohazard detection and identification

24. Meteorology Of last year’s PHYS316 class (geophysical fluid dynamics) 2 out of 12 obtained jobs with Metservice Around 20 graduates per year, in physics or maths, are taken for training, 41 week training course, concurrently with VUW postgraduate diploma or certificate in meteorology More at http://www.metservice.co.nz/public/aboutMetservice/trainee.html http://www.metservice.co.nz/public/aboutMetservice/trainee.html

25. Nanotechnologist Graduate students are needed to work on the following projects: Novel Electronic Devices Formed by Deposition of Atomic Clusters Applications of Nano-wire based devices Cluster Structures formed through Diffusion Limited Aggregation Electron Diffraction as a Probe of the Structure of Atomic Clusters Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Atomic Clusters Electrical characterisation of the properties of cluster assembled nanodevices. Alloy nanoparticles for growth of carbon nanotubes

26. Astronomer/Astrophysicist

28. Geophysics Active Tectonics, Engineering Geology, Geoarchaeology Hazards and Paleoclimate programmes, mapping of bedrock topography; hydrogeology, glaciology, particularly glacier thickness and internal structure hydrology

29. What good is a physics degree?