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Head of Department Letter March 2025

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Relevance

One of the strengths of the Department of Physics is that we have a wonderful mix of pure basic and applied research, and everything in between - sometimes commissioned, but otherwise initiated by the researchers. We should therefore have a wide range of possible topics that can fit in with the expectations and desires of students and society, and we have every chance of attracting the best students and researchers.

Looking at recent government and private initiatives, many of our research areas seem very relevant to society indeed. But what do young people think?

Anne L'Hullier giving a presentation in the Rydberg Auditorium at the Department of Physics. Photo.
An example of something the students and everyone else at the department found relevant: Anne L'Huillier launches the seminar series for the International Year of Quantum Physics on 25 February. Photo: Else Lytken.

All labour market surveys show that students who study physics or engineering physics have no problem finding a job afterwards, so we are not entirely wrong. However, they also show that a large proportion of those on physics programmes who do not go on to academia largely get jobs in programming and in various forms of risk and economic modelling.

In addition, in engineering physics, only a small proportion (~11%) choose to do their degree project with us; many prefer applied maths and computer science instead. As I said, students are doing well regardless, but it raises the question of whether we are offering the best we can. Are we teaching the right skills? Are the subjects and courses students choose to study a measure of what might be considered relevant - or are we not giving them enough information to make that choice?

We already have a Master's programme in Computational Science and soon a new Master's programme in Quantum Information and Quantum Science. We also have many researchers working on different forms of analysis, modelling and programming.

So my conclusion is that it is a question of both: we need to make sure that our programmes and courses reflect the cutting-edge research going on in or near physics, and we need to do a better job of reaching out to prospective project students with information about all the opportunities available.

A first step is to make it easier for prospective students to meet potential supervisors, regardless of faculty affiliation - as the project students who come to us are often a great asset to the research departments and become our ambassadors to the outside world.

Else Lytken
Head of the Department of Physics

10 Mar 2025