Coe College is first Iowa school with distinguished physics recognition
Coe College is proud to be the first-ever school in Iowa and one of only three schools in the nation this year to receive the Award for Improving Undergraduate Physics Education from the American Physical Society.
"Our Physics Department has a long commitment to undergraduate educational excellence and the principles of undergraduate research. We aim for students to benefit from our modern teaching and research instrumentation. Our efforts to provide an innovative curriculum and hands-on opportunities have resulted in a thriving intellectual environment,” said Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Mario Affatigato ’89.
Immersing students in research has resulted in opportunities for students to submit successful proposals for research and outreach funds, complete summer research projects on campus with funding from NASA and the National Science Foundation, present at national and international conferences, and visit the laboratories of collaborators in the US and abroad. For more than 30 years, 100% of Coe physics majors accepted to graduate school have received full-ride scholarships. Coe physics alumni work across the country with employers such as Collins Aerospace, Corning, Microsoft, Intel, Google and Tesla.
“We are happy to see that the largest national organization of physics recognized our contributions to undergraduate physics education. We believe research enhances the learning experience within physics, and we’re proud to offer students a strong program. The award means a lot to our department and our proud alumni and students,” said Associate Professor of Physics Ugur Akgun.
According to an American Institute of Physics report, in 2018-19 Coe produced the most graduates earning bachelor's degrees in physics in the entire state of Iowa and stands as a leading producer nationwide. The department is a diverse and active community where 25% of physics students are women and 10% of students are from diverse backgrounds. The department also organizes the annual Coe College Playground of Science where faculty and students from Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Math, Computer Science, Nursing, and Psychology carry out demonstrations and exhibits for around 1,400 school-age children and their families.
The American Physical Society also awards a Prize for a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution that was received by Coe physics professors Steve Feller in 1993 and Affatigato in 2013. Coe is one of only a few physics departments in the nation to have multiple winners in this category.