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Welcome to the McMurry Physics Department!
We, Dr. Bykov, Dr. Keith, Dr. Renfro, and Mr. Upshaw, believe that physics is worth the effort of experiencing. We would like to help you experience the discovery, to help you try to satisfy your curiosity, and to share the enthusiasm which inevitably results from finding that curiosity grow beyond the questions you thought you were asking.
Mission and Goals:
The mission of the McMurry University Department of Physics is:
to provide non-science majors with an introduction to the concepts, problem-solving techniques, and critical-thinking skills of physics;
to provide non-physics science majors with a survey of physics and a discovery-based laboratory experience that emphasizes data analysis and scientific communication
to provide physics majors with a broad-based curriculum that emphasizes the fundamentals through a combination of classroom instruction, laboratory work, and research experiences;
to enhance the education of physics majors and other interested students through such extra-curricular activities as the Society of Physics Students by providing the opportunity to form natural learning communities; and
to work in collaboration with each other to maintain an appropriate level of activity in our technical disciplines, in our academic community, and in the local community; to provide our students examples of individuals who value the habits of life-long learners.
The faculty members of this department believe that this mission will bring the people affected closer to the goals of the department, which are:
to enable non-science majors to understand the proper roles of science, technology, and mathematics within our society;
to enhance non-physics science majors’ understanding of science through physics applications of the scientific method into disciplines of their interests, thereby providing a richer understanding of the interconnectedness of their discipline to other fields;
to prepare graduates who will possess sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge that will allow for a wide range of career opportunities including graduate study in physics, engineering, pre-med, or other sciences; as well as science teaching and careers in industry, engineering practice, and science-related business;
to educate graduates who are within our influence as whole people, well-rounded beyond simply the classroom experience, who can work and communicate effectively in collaborative project-management-driven settings and are capable of socializing in technical and in colloquial environments so that they can more easily grow into contributing, respected, and influential members of their future communities; and
to prepare graduates who are ready to take on leadership roles in their future professions and further develop their knowledge, demonstrating the attitude of lifelong learning.
To attain these goals, we enact this mission to provide scholarly and professional opportunities to our students and colleagues on a daily basis. We believe that when students accept the responsibility to make use of the opportunities provided they will have developed the knowledge and skills that enable them to be successful in their academic and professional endeavors.