by Zoya Shafique

For years, Adelphi University’s Physics Department has prepared students for academic excellence both in graduate programs and in Columbia through the joint degree program. Students looking for a third option, however, have often struggled. “This is where the industry board comes in,” says Dr. Sean Bentley, associate professor in the Physics Department. “We’ve been very good with preparing students to go on to masters and Ph.D programs and for Columbia, but found a gap where students looking to go straight into the workforce were concerned.” The need for an Industry Board was made more apparent when post-graduation tracks of physics students at Adelphi were compared to those of graduates on a national scale. 

During his time as director of the Society of Physics Students, Dr. Bentley found that “about 40 percent of national physics graduates go straight into the workforce, with only a small percentage of those students going into teaching. Most of these graduates were going straight into industry.” At Adelphi, however, the majority of students went on to further academic study, leaving a hole in the opportunities offered to students. 

A collaborative effort with local companies started by Dr. Sean Bentley and Dr. Matthew Wright, the chair of the Physics Department, the Industry Board will present students with a diverse range of opportunities. Students will be able to understand the inner workings of companies related to: engineering, optics, publishing, health care, and national research. The Board’s goal is to create a feedback loop that will help the Physics Department better train and equip its students for success if they choose to go straight into the workforce after graduation.  The physics faculty and students plan to meet with the Board and discuss the department’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on this exchange, the industry leaders can advise the faculty on how to incorporate skills that they feel are necessary in potential employees into the physics curriculum. The Industry Board will be a direct source of information on what employers are looking for when hiring and thus better enables the department to guide students towards success. The Board also provides more opportunities for internships and full time employment for students, while giving the companies on the Industry Board a pool of potential employees who have been trained based on their advice.

For years, Adelphi University’s physics department has prepared students for academic excellence both in graduate programs and in Columbia University through the joint degree program. Students looking for a third option, however, have often struggled. “This is where the industry board comes in,” says Dr. Sean Bentley, associate professor in the physics department. “We’ve been very good with preparing students to go on to master’s and PhD programs and for Columbia, but found a gap where students looking to go straight into the workforce were concerned.” The need for an Industry Board was made more apparent when post-graduation tracks of physics students at Adelphi were compared to those of graduates on a national scale. 

During his time as director of the Society of Physics Students, Dr. Bentley found that “about 40 percent of national physics graduates go straight into the workforce, with only a small percentage of those students going into teaching. Most of these graduates were going straight into industry.” At Adelphi, however, the majority of students went on to further academic study, leaving a hole in the opportunities offered to students. 

A collaborative effort with local companies started by Dr. Bentley and Dr. Matthew Wright, the chair of the physics department, the Industry Board will present students with a diverse range of opportunities. Students will be able to understand the inner workings of companies related to: engineering, optics, publishing, healthcare and national research. The board’s goal is to create a feedback loop that will help the physics department better train and equip its students for success if they choose to go straight into the workforce after graduation. The physics faculty and students plan to meet with the board and discuss the department’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on this exchange, the industry leaders can advise the faculty on how to incorporate skills that they feel are necessary in potential employees into the physics curriculum. The Industry Board will be a direct source of information on what employers are looking for when hiring, and thus better enable the department to guide students toward success. The board also provides more opportunities for internships and full-time employment for students, while giving the companies on the Industry Board a pool of potential employees who have been trained based on their advice.

A collaborative effort with local companies started by Dr. Sean Bentley and Dr. Matthew Wright, the chair of the Physics Department, the Industry Board will present students with a diverse range of opportunities. Students will be able to understand the inner workings of companies related to: engineering, optics, publishing, health care, and national research. The Board’s goal is to create a feedback loop that will help the Physics Department better train and equip its students for success if they choose to go straight into the workforce after graduation.  The physics faculty and students plan to meet with the Board and discuss the department’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on this exchange, the industry leaders can advise the faculty on how to incorporate skills that they feel are necessary in potential employees into the physics curriculum. The Industry Board will be a direct source of information on what employers are looking for when hiring and thus better enables the department to guide students towards success. The Board also provides more opportunities for internships and full time employment for students, while giving the companies on the Industry Board a pool of potential employees who have been trained based on their advice.

Moving forward, the physics faculty hope to create a symbiotic relationship between themselves, students and the board in order to provide students with pertinent academic knowledge and professional skills. Dr. Wright also wishes to involve alumni in the board, so that changes in the market (e.g., the upsurge of a new program) can be infused immediately into the curriculum. With such a feedback loop, Adelphi’s physics students would be learning competitive skills in real time and would be more than prepared for success after graduation.