UNG is launchpad for physics graduates

Hannah Burch, a 2024 graduate from Jefferson, Georgia, is pursuing a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering at Duke University. Burch conducted fluid dynamics research with Dr. Patrick Bunton, professor and department head of Physics & Astronomy, for two years. She also thrived as part of the Learning Assistant program, through which undergraduate students help teach physics labs.

"It got me out of my comfort zone, teaching in front of my peers," Burch said. "I was able to better understand the material and explain my scientific knowledge."

Burch originally planned to transfer from UNG to add an engineering degree, but she formed so many connections that she didn't want to leave. In her first year of grad school, that decision continues to pay dividends.

"The knowledge the professors have of the field is invaluable for undergrads," Burch said. "I don't think I could have been any better prepared for grad school."

Matt Amthor, a 2003 graduate from Cleveland, Georgia, earned a degree in mathematics in addition to his physics degree. He is now an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Bucknell University. He initially came to UNG through the physics and engineering dual degree program with plans to finish the engineering degree at Georgia Tech. Instead, he fell in love with physics. He later earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

Amthor spent a summer during his undergraduate days at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) at the invitation of Dr. Mark Spraker, a longtime UNG professor of physics, before then completing a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at TUNL. Looking back, Amthor said, those experiences made all the difference.

"I had faculty who were sharing about their research. They invited me into their projects," Amthor said. "It's really what gets students interested and excited and makes them successful in the future."

Colin Hathaway, a 2023 graduate from Snellville, Georgia, was a cadet on the National Service Leadership Track. He earned a degree in physics and is teaching the subject at Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia. Hathaway has already earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Mercer University and is pursuing a Doctor of Education in applied learning sciences online from the University of Miami.

Hathaway's research experience and collaborations with faculty helped him along his journey. He also pointed to his fellow physics students at UNG.

"The community really allows people to thrive at UNG," Hathaway said. "It makes it easy to reach out for help when you need it."

Amanda Ash, a 2021 graduate from Woodstock, Georgia, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Astronomy at The Ohio State University. Her first research experience was a Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement (FUSE) project with Dr. Gregory Feiden, associate professor of physics and astronomy and UNG Observatory director, that used starspot modeling. Ash went on to complete an REU on stellar rotation at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics before later doing more summer research at UNG as part of a NASA grant.

Ash said physics departments are "notorious for not being welcoming," but UNG flies in the face of that stereotype.

"The program was a really comfortable and welcoming space for exploring different topics in astronomy," Ash said. "All the faculty in the program very much want their students to succeed in wherever they want to go."