A degree in physics prepares you for a variety of career paths. With our department’s emphasis on experiential education through student-led research, recent graduates have found success in both graduate school and industrial employment.
After graduating with a BS in Physics from Rutgers University – Camden, I was employed by Lockheed Martin as a Systems Engineer at their Moorestown/Mt. Laurel campus. I have since been accepted to the Acoustics Program at Penn State and will be pursuing a Master of Science (possibly Ph.D.) in Acoustics, beginning Fall 2021. I credit the Physics department at RU-C for enabling this. I was given a unique opportunity to perform graduate-level research in their Laser Lab, attend external conferences and present research posters, as well as TA lab courses. The small environment at RU-C is very much a benefit in this regard, and I am very grateful for all that the Physics department has done for myself and my career.
— Anna Moorhouse, B.S. Physics 2019, Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin, and M.S. student in Acoustics at Penn State University
Currently I am a third year Ph.D. student in the physics department at University of California, Santa Barbara with a research focus on simulating processes involved in the fabrication of polymer based water filtration membranes. My experience at Rutgers Camden was invaluable for preparing me as I had the opportunity to do research and learn first-hand what makes a good researcher, including how to develop new research ideas, critically think about my results, and effectively communicate scientific ideas through the many opportunities I was afforded to present at conferences such as APS. Furthermore, it allowed me to expand my technical skills in computational and theoretical physics which served as a crucial foundation starting out as a graduate student.
— Anthony Cooper, B.S. Physics 2018, Ph.D. student in the Department of Physics at the University of California Santa Barbara
After Rutgers-Camden, I was able to make a smooth transition to a chemistry graduate program at UCSB. Graduate school has proved to be difficult but the rigors of my computational and experimental research at RU-C have prepared me well. Rutgers-Camden’s interactive teaching environment was one of the key attributes that helped me succeed in my post-undergrad endeavors.
— Dmitriy Prokopovich, B.S. Physics 2018, Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara
Working in the laser lab during my undergraduate summer and winter breaks gave me valuable hands-on experience working with optics, lasers, spectroscopy, and ultimately publishing journal papers. These skills along with the mentorship and recommendations I gained at RU-C, led to internships at Naval Research Laboratory and NASA Goddard with eventual employment at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Currently, I am a second year PhD student in Optics at University of Rochester researching in the nanoscience and quantum optics disciplines, using the very skills I obtained at RU-C which I am very grateful for the experience.
— Mitesh Amin, B.S. Physics 2016 from the University of Maryland, former Scientist at MIT Lincoln Lab and now Ph.D. student at the University of Rochester.
Note: Mitesh was an undergraduate student at the Univ. of Maryland who found it difficult to join a research lab there so instead during his summer and winter breaks would come to RU-C and conduct research with us.
After graduating from Rutgers-Camden in 2016 (B.S. in Physics), I started my Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Virginia. Due to the in-depth, hands-on research experience that the physics department provided during my undergraduate degree, I was able to ‘hit the ground running’ during my Ph.D. and immediately start research that would eventually become my dissertation. After finishing my Ph.D. in 2020, I became a Senior Scientist in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UVA, where I focus on developing novel ultrafast laser spectroscopy methods to investigate energy transport mechanisms on the nanoscale, as well as materials for sustainable thermal energy storage, hypersonic vehicles, and next-generation electronic devices.
— John Tomko, B.S. Physics 2016, Ph.D student in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Virginia
Update: Congratulations to Dr. Tomko on successfully completing his doctoral degree!
I am currently a research intern working in the Materials Chemistry Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory under Dr. M. Parans Paranthaman. We are investigating silver/sodium ion mobility in conductive glasses as well as a joint project with Ames Laboratory involving Additive Manufacturing of rare earth bonded magnets. In the Fall of 2015 I will be joining the Nanomaterials group at Drexel run by Dr. Yuri Gogotsi.
— Christine Hatter, B.S. Physics 2014, Ph.D student in Materials Science and Engineering at Drexel University
Update: Congratulations to Dr. Hatter on successfully completing her doctoral degree!
I am currently working in a group run by Dr. Karen I. Winey in the Materials Science & Engineering dept. We are collaborating with a group at Duke University to create and characterize transparent conducting thin films of composites of polymers such as PS and transition metal nanowires.”
— Jim Borchert, B.A. Physics 2012, M.S. Student in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania
Update: Congratulations to Dr. Borchert on successfully completing his masters degree at UPenn and his doctoral degree at the Max-Planck-Institute (Germany)!
What Could a Physics Degree Do For You?
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A physics education can help you build your problem solving skills which is attractive for any career choice
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A bachelor’s degree in physics can open doors to a variety of career paths, including engineering, computer science, computer information systems, and other STEM related jobs
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Excellent opportunities whether you wish to join the workforce or apply for graduate school
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Physics majors out-perform many other majors on standardized admissions tests such as the MCAT and LSAT
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Graduating with a physics bachelor’s degree will earn you one of the highest starting salaries than many other technical fields