Why Study Physics?

The importance of Physics to society today is most easily represented by our reliance on technology. Many of the technologies that that are continually transforming the world we live in can be directly traced back to important Physics research. For example, research on the Physics of semiconductors enabled the first transistor to be developed in 1947. This seemingly simple device is the key component in all of our electronic systems, including computers, and it is now considered one of the most important inventions in human history. Also, it is the laws of optics describing the way light behaves that have lead to the development of the optical fibre networks that are beginning to crawl over the entire globe, drawing the world closer together.

There are countless more examples of research in Physics leading to the development of important technologies. It is hoped that today’s research on nanostructures, quantum information or photonics (basically electronics with light) will lead to the next generation of technologies - including faster and more robust computers and communication systems.

On a less tangible level physical theories have allowed us to obtain a greater grasp of the Universe we live in. It is the theories of Physics that provide us with some of our deepest notions of Space, Time, Matter and Energy. Physical theories allow us to conceptualise the workings of the building blocks of all matter. These are things we would never be able to experience in everyday life. At the other extreme the theories of cosmology tell us how the Universe began and how it could possibly end. Again this is an example of Physics going beyond the limits of our experience to describe the space we live in. Although there is varied opinion on the amount of trust we can place in the theories of Physics, the fact remains that these are theories produced from a rigorous and systematic method and they are constantly tested against experimental evidence. As such physical theories give us relatively concrete conceptions of notions beyond our everyday experience.

Physics students usually possess excellent analytical, quantitative and problem solving skills. They have the ability to synthesise and analyse large quantities of data and present their analyses in an easily understandable form. When faced with a particular problem, they are taught to systematically identify all factors contributing to the problem and work out how those factors interact in order to solve the problem. These are valuable skills that can be applied in a range of careers. More importantly an increasing number of employers are starting to realise this fact and are looking to employ more and more Physics graduates.

However, perhaps the greatest skill a Physics student develops is a sense of wonder about how things work. We are living in a technologically advanced age in which the average person relies on technology without understanding how that technology works. How many of us have looked at a DVD disc, and wondered how it can contain an entire film? Who has held an iPod and thought about how so many songs can be squeezed into such a tiny space? Physics teaches us a method of systematic thinking - and also the theories necessary to allow us to once again understand how the things we rely on actually work.

There is no denying that Physics is a difficult subject to study at University. With the pressure many students feel to produce good grades it is understandable that many will simply choose less challenging subjects to study. However it is important to remember that studying Physics also has great rewards. For those with an ambition to be at the forefront of developing technologies and theories that describe our reality, it is necessary to study Physics not only at school, but beyond. For students with ambitions in other areas such as business management or finance, the study of Physics is also important. It demands respect from many employers, as it provides students with excellent analytical, problem solving and quantitative skills.

Which are the best Universities?

This is very subjective – all of the 35 universities below scored over 90 in the ‘Good University Guide 2010’ for Physics – a highly impressive score:

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a University lower than one in the top 20 ‘league’ position is not very good. All of the Universities in the list above have highly impressive Physics departments; to some extent it is a matter of personal choice over where you want to live, what type of University you would like to attend, and how much the overall reputation of the University matters to you. Feel free to discuss further with Mr Locke if you want some more advice !

What skills will you develop?

Primarily –

· Analytical, mathematical, number-crunching skills

· The ability to reduce a problem to its essence, and see how to find a solution

· The ability to synthesise data into a meaningful format

· Also, a lot of very technical information about areas the chosen University specialises in.

What other Physics related degrees are there?

Many, many, many – from ‘Physics with Gaelic’ (yes, that’s Gaelic, not garlic !) to ‘Theoretical Physics’, and everything in between. Try browsing UCAS Course Search, choosing ‘All Physics Courses’

What does it lead on to and what are the chances?

· Employment from a huge range of employers.

· The list is too exhaustive to put here, so try following this link for a little inspiration.

How much am I likely to earn?

That all depends on whether or not you sell your soul to the corporate devil, or decide to do something worthwhile with your life. When you get a little older, you will fast realise there is more to life than solely earning money. Having said that, most Physics graduates earn a comfortable living……

What current developments?

(this section is vital in writing a Personal statement)

Where do I start in listing the current developments in Physics ? CERN is probably the most famous experiment being conducted globally, but each week we discover more and more about the Universe around us. Most of this is from experiments which do not have the sort of media coverage CERN does, but are often just as important. Scary fact of the day – the human race is doubling its entire technical knowledge every 2 years – so 2 years from now we’ll know twice as much Science as we do today. Much of these advances are in Physics, or in areas where knowledge of Physics is essential. Much research is now multi-disciplinary – teams of Physicists, Chemists and Biologists (yes, even Biologists !) working together to find out new stuff.

A good place to start when thinking about your Personal Statement is in reading New Scientist – just browse their website, and read the articles you find interesting. If you register, you get some access to their articles, and they email interesting bits to your inbox (slightly too often, but you can always opt out of this). It’s also worth subscribing to an RSS feed such as the BBC’s Science and Environment news feed – click here and follow the instructions). Ultimately, the better read you are, the better you will come across.

And finally, have you read QED by Richard Feynmann yet ? If not – beg, borrow or steal a copy (or get a cheap one off eBay). Or any other seminal text by a true great of Physics ? (Mr Locke never got on with Stephen Hawking’s books, but many others think they are brilliant). Sometimes we all need inspiration – and where better to go than the greats ?

How can you gain vital Experience?

Nuffield bursaries operate each summer, linking 6^th Form students with local Universities and employers. Superb if you can get involved (there is a lot of competition for places). Check here for further information.