Successes of the Mines Physics Department: over a Decade of Effort

The Mines physics department has consistently been one of the top producers of bachelors degree recipients in the U.S. over the past ten years. As an ABET accredited engineering physics program in a small, STEM-centered institution, the department focuses on the recruitment and retention of quality majors. From faculty involvements to student engagements, and from the redesign of learning environments and pedagogy to the reforms on curricular content and sequence, the department culture is one of collaborative advancement of knowledge and application. Indeed, it has been more of an engineering design project. This presentation will focus on the various synergistic and coherent efforts that have resulted in averaging 55 to 65 graduates per year.