Creating a Theoretical Physics Club for Undergrad Students

[spaghetti3451]

Hi,

I am studying physics as an undergrad. There is a physics society at our college but it focuses mainly on social events and lectures. As a result, I feel that the more academically bent students do not have the ability to foster their interests in theoretical physics. For this reason, I would like to form a theoretical physics club. Any ideas?

 

[Choppy]

What a physics club does is largely dependent on what the people in charge of it are interested in and what's been done in the past. Rather than going independent right off the bat, you might want to talk with the people running the current club to see if they're open to your ideas. I suspect they might be open to the idea, but concerned about the extra work involved - but if you're willing to do some of the organization, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

And even if you do run into a road block, run for election to one of the executive offices next year and you can push your ideas forward then.

The next thing of course, is to flush out exactly what you would like to see happen. For example, would you want to organize a more interesting undergraduate lecture series? or would you want to organize study groups in a more formal manner? Perhaps you could form a weekly or monthly discussion group or an undergraduate journal club?

 

[G01]

What's wrong with the current lectures the club has? Why do they not help foster interest in physics?

Perhaps you should talk to the club president and become more involved in finding guest lecturers?

Also, I second the journal club. That's a good idea.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Do you mean there is an SPS (Society of Physics Students) chapter and it's not meeting your needs?

I third the idea of a journal club- it could be a good idea if you have enough people interested.

 

[spaghetti3451]

This is my list of problems with the current society.

1) There has never been a single on theoretical physics topics.

2) Even if there were, I would like a continuity of those lectures, perhaps once every week. The speakers don't have to be professors or readers. They could even be PhD students with a genuine interest in sharing ideas about theoretical physics and what makes that community tick. Of course, on special occasions, we shall have guest lecturers.

3) And should the lectures be all we get out of the society? Why not organise maths and physics competitions, quiz tournaments, a newspaper,etc?

 

[G01]

This is my list of problems with the current society.

1) There has never been a single on theoretical physics topics.

2) Even if there were, I would like a continuity of those lectures, perhaps once every week. The speakers don't have to be professors or readers. They could even be PhD students with a genuine interest in sharing ideas about theoretical physics and what makes that community tick. Of course, on special occasions, we shall have guest lecturers.

3) And should the lectures be all we get out of the society? Why not organise maths and physics competitions, quiz tournaments, a newspaper,etc?

Just wondering- So all the lectures are on experimental topics? What are some of the current lecture topics, and what are some topics you would like included?

Also 3) is a great idea. My undergrad SPS chapter organized a science competition for high schoolers. It was great fun and counted as community service for the club.

 

[spaghetti3451]

So all the lectures are on experimental topics? What are some of the current lecture topics, and what are some topics you would like included?

I would like to include topics on string theory, Galois theory, hyperbolic geometry, General Relativity, the history of energy and of entropy, Noether's theorem, etc.

 

[Andy Resnick]

This is my list of problems with the current society.

1) There has never been a single on theoretical physics topics.

2) Even if there were, I would like a continuity of those lectures, perhaps once every week. The speakers don't have to be professors or readers. They could even be PhD students with a genuine interest in sharing ideas about theoretical physics and what makes that community tick. Of course, on special occasions, we shall have guest lecturers.

3) And should the lectures be all we get out of the society? Why not organise maths and physics competitions, quiz tournaments, a newspaper,etc?

Our SPS club is very active- they bring in a variety of speakers (and students) to talk about all kinds of topics. They also organize a monthly competition, support various science fairs, and have a "day of dangerous demos" twice a year.

My point is, why not get involved in the existing organization and take ownership of items (1), (2) and (3)- simply ask someone to present a seminar about a topic you find interesting.

 

[spaghetti3451]

Hmm... thanks!

I'll try and then I'll get back here!