Re: profs

[trappe@PHYSICS.UTEXAS.EDU (Trappe)]

Sue writes:
> Secondly, due to the poor job market for physicists, it's a lot easier to find
> physics profs (to teach physics) than to find engineers to teach physics.  I
> find it hard to believe that engineering departments would want to hire enginee
> rs to solely teach physics (what would be the point?)

Well, of course you are right about the job markets in each of these areas.

Now just for a moment appoint yourself as Dean of Engineering with the
purpose of improved teaching of physics to your majors. You could whine to
the Physics Dept that you want (demand) improved instruction-a moderate
improvement *might* result.  After all, those in charge of such decisions
got their promotions/tenure based on teaching. Right?  I don't think so...

Now, lets say you *really* want to improve the instruction.  You'd listen
to what Sue said:  Physicists are cheap and plentiful, Engineers are
expensive and in demand. Then you'd consider the thread that began with a
search for interdisciplinary persons, only you'd turn the table.

I think that Dean of Engineering could *completely* pay for hiring some
*young* (we're downsizing, don't forget), energetic, teaching oriented,
possibly displaced/unemployed, post doc/lecturer/assistant prof FROM
PHYSICS!!!  He'd get what he wants for a lot less money and a lot less
hassles than trying to convince research oriented faculty to do a good job
teaching introductory physics to engineering freshmen!!

So, just do a spin on Rick's advice/admonition: "Better to have the
theoretical physicist teach math than to try and teach physics!"   BETTER
TO HAVE A PHYSICIST WHO WANTS TO TEACH WORKING *FOR YOU* ON YOUR (service
course supported) PAYROLL AND WITH YOUR OVERSIGHT ON THE BUDGET, THAN TO
BEG A PHYSICIST IN A PHYSICS DEPARTMENT TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS.

Remember downsizing is about gaining payroll dollars by eliminating higher
salaried employees (typically anyone over age 45) and replacing them with
younger, hungrier, lower cost emmployees.  It may not be *good* in the long
run, but it *will* change the bottom line--and possibly who controls it!
It would be academic suicide for a Physics dept to do it to itself, but for
an outside department to do it to us...

Smile, Karl

____________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Karl I. Trappe                        Desk:(512)471-4152
Physics Dept-Mail Stop C1600              Office: (512) 471-5411
The University of Texas at Austin         FAX: (512) 471-9637 (other building)
Austin, Texas 78712-1081                  E-Mail:trappe@physics.utexas.edu
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