Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics

Student Profile - Stephen Cowpar

I chose to study at UL as it offered me the opportunity to continue my study of both Maths and Physics, without having to choose one over the other. In the first two years I gained a solid grounding in both subjects, which has enabled me to go on to study more advanced topics such as Quantum Mechanics, Dynamical Systems and Mathematical Modelling. I have found that studying Physics has enabled me to develop a physical intuition that has given me real advantage in some of the more advanced Mathematics classes, and likewise, studying Mathematics has enabled me to go deeper into some of the topics covered in more advanced Physics classes.

I completed my co-op placement with Analog Devices Inc, one of the leading manufacturers of the solid state devices that form the integrated circuits vital to all of modern technology. During my placement, I worked closely with the process development team, gaining many hours of laboratory experience, and so directly applying the analytical skills that I had developed at UL. I was highly involved in the development of new products; my knowledge of semiconductor device physics that I had learned on my course was invaluable to me in this regard. Co-op taught me a lot about the skills necessary to excel in the workplace; my communication and teamwork skills, for example, benefited greatly from the experience.

Studying here at UL has helped me to develop the skills necessary for a wide variety of jobs in industry and also for academic research. UL has prepared me very well for my entry into the PhD program in Applied Mathematics at Cornell University in the US this August.

Graduate Profile - Michael Keyes

For me, the choice to study Maths and Physics at UL was easy to make. I had always wanted to go to UL, and Maths and Physics had been my favourite subjects in school. The course seemed like a natural fit to my desire to learn about how the universe works, while employing rigorous analytical and numerical techniques.

I am involved in the design and testing of high-performance, low-noise single-photon-detecting sensors. The activities that this entails vary from day to day. I spend some days solving equations and running simulations to predict device performance or explain phenomena. Other days are spent on the implementation of these findings, by defining process conditions and ordering wafers from the foundry. Some weeks later, I analyse wafer-level test results and define packaging plans for the different devices on the wafers. Finally, some days, when we actually receive the resulting devices, I go into the lab and test them. Of course I don’t do it all on my own – there’s a lot of chatting and discussion involved to make sure we all agree on the best course of action!

I feel that my course prepared me very well for my career. Studying subjects like Optics, Thermodynamics and Solid State Physics has given me an understanding of the various physical phenomena at play in my models. My Maths subjects have likewise given me a good understanding of the equations and numerical techniques used in my simulations. Sometimes I apply my knowledge of Maths to develop ad hoc algorithms to help me.

My only advice to school leavers is to pick a course that you really think will suit you, rather than what people around you might think you “should” be doing.