The Physics Department accelerates

Since such a small group of students at Rose have the privilege of spending four years in the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering, I thought it was prudent to shed some light on its inner workings.

First of all, of course, there are the classes. Whether you’re watching a block slide down an incline (never up, even if friction exceeds gravity - remember that, kids!) or calculating the transverse modes of an open cavity HeNe laser, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. There are different flavors of PHOE students, so if you think you’ll miss Con Apps, try engineering physics. If you enjoy some electrical engineering from time to time, mix those circuits with some über-awesome lasers as an optical engineering major (but don’t forget that eye protection!). And, of course, if you’re scared of getting a job after just four years in school, go with physics, which makes grad school a must! And, of course, you won’t have to take Tech Comm or Economics.

Besides the high action in the classroom, there are labs. Only physics majors can truly appreciate the smell of burning Si diodes in the morning (that’s right - 8:05 a.m.!) during PH 325 - but maybe that’s because we don’t take E-Sys and short circuits are inevitable. If you’re an OE, look forward to lens lab upon lens lab in OE 280; determine the focal length of a single lens in 257 fascinating ways! And the lucky engineering physics majors get to do a little of everything (but they don’t burn as many diodes).

But behind it all, the reason the PHOE Department shines amongst the rest is the colorful faculty. Like all the academic departments at Rose, there are many diverse accents and quirky sayings to emulate with infinitely hilarious results. Even better are quirky sayings masked by thick accents. Also, every student is bound to find a professor who matches their unique learning style - be it Dr. Dichard Ritteon’s casual yet well-prepared lectures, Dr. Moke Miloney’s maelstrom of unreadable derivations, or even Dr. Mack MikInerney’s friendly, lurching instruction style that matches his intimidatingly wide gait.

So if you’re still thirsty for some F = ma or c = fλλ action after PH 113, don’t be ashamed to do the fashionable thing: come to the PHOE Department.