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October 2004

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October 2004 The newspaper of the physics community October 2004 CONTENTS Careers advice hinders physics 2 News Tribology Group talks sport ● Photon04 report ● UK gas Ayala Ochert reports on the wider implications of poor careers education in schools. supply under threat You could call it the physics paradox – 4 Reflections the strange state of affairs in which How can we hang on to physics graduates are more popular our physicists? than ever with employers, yet physics as a subject is at its most unpopular 5 People among students. This year the num- Jonathan Pinto is a physicist ber taking physics A-level dropped who likes to get his hands dirty still further – it has fallen by a third over the last decade – and there are now signs of a downward trend in the number taking physics degrees. Many reasons have been put for- ward for the decline in numbers – physics is seen as the “hard option”; it’s not “flavour of the month”; and students now have many more A- 6 Letters levels to choose from, including “fash- Raising the profile of physics ● ionable” subjects like media studies, More reactions to Interactions law and psychology. But Peter Main, the Institute’s director of education 7 Event horizon and science, suggests that a big part of What’s on in physics the problem is poor careers advice. “Young people appear to have no idea 8 Antimatters what employers want or the options Physics comedy that are open to them if they take physics and the options they close off when they don’t,” he says. “You don’t study history to become a historian, but there is a perception that you study the sciences to become a scientist.” Mike Hill, a careers adviser in London for more than 30 years, says few students realise that just 60% of Digital Vision “Universities must the market is open to graduates of any Physics graduates are being lured by well paid jobs in the City, while fewer are choosing to teach in schools. discipline. “I tell students, it’s always build up larger possible to move from a degree in per job in some cases. But it’s not only Vic Shaw, a physics teacher at chemistry or physics to a career in “I’ve yet to come students struggling to find a job who Caterham School in Surrey, thinks incomes that the marketing, accountancy and banking. are affected. “There is this idea that the that the careers material produced by government cannot But I’ve yet to come across a signifi- across a significant higher-education market should be the Institute is of a high standard. He cant number of history or media-stud- driven by student choice, which will should know because he’s been using poke its nose into.” ies graduates going on to specialise in be informed by career opportunities. it for years in the “physics careers number of history Peter Cotgreave, p4 civil engineering,” says Hill, but he But the market can’t work properly if packs” he gives to his students. But admits that few careers advisers appre- or media-studies students don’t have that information,” Shaw says that he now believes that ciate this themselves. says Main. As a result of falling stu- careers advice, no matter how good, is “If there’s no While many physics graduates do graduates going dent demand, 20 physics departments limited. Far more important is the continue in science or engineering, a on to specialise in have closed over the last decade. Main quality of physics teaching in the class- nowhere, maybe high proportion go into numerate believes that better long-term data on room: “At the end of the day, what there’s also careers in IT, accountancy and finance. civil engineering.” where graduates end up, their salaries matters is having access to an enthusi- Physics World even has a new column, and job satisfaction would help to astic physics teacher. An inspiring no nothing.” “Once a physicist…”, where it high- inform student choices. teacher is worth their weight in gold.” Timandra Harkness, p8 lights interesting examples of physics Shaw, a winner this year of an Institute graduates working outside physics. Tackling the problem Teacher of Physics award, says the Ken Fulton, head of engineering In its 10-year Science and Innovation problem is that the number of physics “I believe that career development at Rolls Royce, Framework, the government recog- teachers is declining, and many stu- says that the firm values the skills of nised the need for better information dents are now taught physics by non- science can be physics graduates – analytical skills, about science careers in schools. The physics graduates who may not have a major force for problem-solving skills, the ability Department for Education and Skills the same enthusiasm for the subject. to make mathematical models and has recently done a review of careers Here’s the real physics paradox. The good in the world.” IT skills. “These can be applied to education for 11 to 19-year-olds, the more sought-after physics graduates John Enderby, p2 advanced problems of technical results of which will be published this become – by City firms, in IT and else- research, but they could also be used month. The Institute is also reviewing where – the fewer will go into teach- to figure out scheduling problems on all its careers materials – eight focus ing, and fewer students will be inspired the shop floor,” he says. groups of teenagers across the coun- to carry on with the subject. In other EINSTEIN YEAR Students taking media studies are try will examine the material and give words, as physics becomes more IS COMING rarely warned of how intense the com- their verdict on what grabs them (and popular, fewer people will want to petition for media jobs has become, what doesn’t), while an expert careers study it. (And you thought quantum einsteinyear.org says Hill, with hundreds of applicants advisory group does the same. mechanics was counterintuitive.) Interactions October 2004 2 news HIGHLIGHTS Science of sport is superficial Computer game aims to inspire youngsters What better way to get the attention of teenagers than by creating a By Michelle Cain tive for sports equipment like golf the Scottish curling team. She des- computer game where a mean (but cute) teddy bear zaps aliens? The Olympic Games may have ended clubs and Formula 1 engines as it is cribed how her work to find the best This is exactly what the Institute has done as part of its preparations in August, but sport was still a hot very strong and light, but it has very sweeping technique has been helping topic for the Institute’s Tribology poor surface properties,” said Dong, to train the team. “Is it best to sweep as for Einstein Year (2005). The Group last month. On 22 September who explained that surface engineers quickly as possible or to press down game, which was inspired by the group held a one-day meeting to are able to improve the performance on the ice with as high a force as pos- the twin paradox in special discuss how advances in the field of of titanium used in sports equipment sible? This question is still unanswered, relativity, can be played online tribology – the study of the interac- by either coating it or adding alloy but it is likely to be a combination of at http://einsteinyear.org. In tions between surfaces as they move elements to the surface. the two,” said Blackford. “But, even if I the game, a teddy bear must across one another – are helping to Jane Blackford of the University of did know the answer, I would prob- fight against aliens and beat improve performances in a range of Edinburgh discussed how tribology ably keep it confidential!” sports, from motor racing to curling. was helping to improve performances Two speakers at the meeting out- the clock to save his twin back Previous technological advances in the lesser known sport of curling. lined research into elastic polymer on Earth. The aim is to engage young people through interactive have often come out of the design Tribology has obvious applications in horseshoes, which give horses more game play while introducing concepts of physics (for example, the of new materials – such as carbon curling, a sport that is all about redu- cushioning on modern road surfaces. twin paradox and teleportation) through a “mission fact file”. composites to make light but strong cing friction. By sweeping the ice, More work is needed, they said, as steel Caitlin Watson, Einstein Year project manager, says she hopes it will tennis rackets – but Hanshan Dong of players can make the curling stone go is still more durable. The meeting also be popular among teenagers. “It will be spread by word of mouth Birmingham University predicts that up to 4 m further. Using a “sweeping included talks on safety in cycling, the and by e-mail, which is a very powerful way of reaching teenagers. If in the future advances are likely to ergometer”–a curling brush that meas- performance of skis and the develop- they like it, it will get passed on to their friends. If not, I’m sure plenty come from improvements in surface ures force and speed – Blackford has ment of artificial turf pitches. engineering. “Titanium is very attrac- been studying the sweeping action of http://groups.iop.org/TR of physicists will enjoy playing it!” she said. Courtesy of the BA Gold nanoparticles target tumours FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE Research published in the 21 September issue of the Institute journal Physics in Medicine and Biology has shown that gold nanoparticles can help X-rays kill cancerous cells in mice.
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