The UCR Department of Physics and Astronomy is being recognized by the American Physical Society (APS) Committee on Education (COE) with the COE Award for Improving Undergraduate Physics Education.

The department won the award for its demonstrated improvement in undergraduate physics education. The department will receive a plaque at the APS Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, California, this spring and be recognized on the APS website.

The APS Committee on Education found the UCR Department of Physics and Astronomy “had achieved notable successes by reducing earlier curricular complexity and introducing an intensive introductory course that appears to have improved student retention and to have overcome disparities in student backgrounds, particularly in math preparation.” The department was also recognized for presenting “detailed data showing improved student performance in upper-division courses.”

To improve undergraduate education, the department designed a new introductory physics course, Physics 41, which caters to a student body with varying mathematical backgrounds. The class meets for about 15 hours each week, allowing for extended lab and discussion sessions. The department also encourages undergraduate research, where students become full-fledged members of a research group; the majority of students take advantage of this opportunity. Finally, the department improved undergraduate advising, with about half of the faculty in the department serving as advisors.

Thanks to these efforts, approximately half of the physics majors pursue graduate studies in physics. Top students have gained admission to prestigious graduate programs, including Caltech, Stanford University, Princeton University, UC Santa Barbara, and Cornell University.

“Our efforts have shown that with the right support and opportunities, all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can excel in physics at the highest levels,” said Shan-Wen Tsai, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “Our comprehensive approach has enabled students to compete successfully with peers from any university or college and ensures that every student has the opportunity to pursue their dreams in physics, whether that leads them to top graduate programs, innovative industry positions, or other rewarding career paths.”