The project entitled - Enhancement of the Undergraduate Physics Program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University - has the overall goal to expand and enhance the learning experiences of undergraduate students taking targeted Physics courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University. It is expected that there will be an improved learning environment driven by four activities: implementation of an Atmospheric Physics minor; conversion of the existing General Astronomy course into a hybrid on-line/laboratory class; upgrade of the Howard University Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory; and development of a recruitment and scholarship program and a peer support program for undergraduate Physics majors.
The proposed activities take advantage of the well-established track record that the department has developed in Physics and Atmospheric Science education and research. This approach can be modeled by other Physics Departments that face similar challenges. The lessons learned from these efforts have the potential to improve and enhance smaller Physics programs that struggle with issues of low enrollment.
The activities are centered in a department where minority students compose nearly 100% of the undergraduate population, thus assuring participation of members of such groups. The improvement of the department's facilities will strengthen outreach efforts to the public at large. The results of the project activities will be disseminated to the broader Physics community through presentations at meetings of professional Physics educators.
