GENERAL STATEMENT

1. Description of Department and Programs

The Physics program provides students with opportunities to pursue original research along with a sound background in the fundamentals of physics. Students may choose a research specialization from the principal areas of modern theoretical and experimental physics.

The Departments research emphases cover astrophysics; atomic and molecular physics; biophysics; biomedical physics; elementary particle and high-energy physics; cryophysics; geophysics and fluid dynamics; laser physics and quantum optics; materials science; nuclear physics; organic insulator radiation damage; solid state and condensed matter physics; relativity; thin film superconductor physics; and theoretical plasma physics.

The Ph.D. Program in Physics prepares students to enter into the mainstream of contemporary physics by providing them with an opportunity to pursue original research. Students in the program receive a sound background in the fundamentals of physics through intensive course work in core subjects as well as an opportunity to develop individual interests through a selection of modern electives. Most graduate courses are given at The Graduate Center. Generally, thesis work is done on the participating campuses.

The graduate student may choose a research specialization from the principal areas of modern theoretical and experimental physics. The research programs are particularly strong in the following areas: elementary particle and high energy physics; solid state and condensed matter physics; laser physics and quantum optics; atomic and molecular physics; astrophysics; geophysics and fluid dynamics (including earth and planetary physics); biophysics; biomedical physics; low energy nuclear physics; relativity; organic insulator radiation damage; thin film superconductor physics; and theoretical plasma physics. These research programs are carried out at one or more of the campuses participating in the Ph.D. Program in Physics, where students have access to excellent modern facilities, shops, libraries, and various departmental and university computers. Some research opportunities are also available at other senior colleges of CUNY. Brooklyn College participates in the use of the light source at Brookhaven National Laboratories. City College also participates in cooperative programs in experimental high-energy physics with the major facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and in astrophysics with the NASA Goddard Space Center, which is ten minutes away from the college.

In addition to research in well-defined and traditional areas such as high energy and particle physics, solid state and condensed matter, laser physics, atomic and molecular physics, nuclear physics, plasma physics and others, the program is very sensitive to the changes now occurring in physics, such as the resurgent interest in high temperature superconductivity and superstring theory. Several interdisciplinary areas such as biophysics, biomedical physics, computational physics, and fluid-geophysics have been developed, and others are planned as the need arises. Students interested in research in any of these areas will be helped by the faculty to design a suitable program. In addition to the program's large doctoral faculty, including many with national and international reputations, there are numerous visiting professors and postdoctoral research associates from all over the world who join the various departments temporarily and add to the lively spirit of research.

The library's collection in physics comprises a wide range of materials in all aspects of physics. It is particularly strong in nuclear and solid state physics, thermodynamics and quantum physics. The library provides access to a wide range of physics journals online accessible via the Physics subject page on the Library home page. This includes eleven journals from the American Institute of Physics (US), thirty from the Institute of Physics (UK), ten review journals from the American Physical Society and five from American Optical Society. In cases where physics and chemistry topics overlap, users can go to the Chemistry subject page to find 39 journals from American Chemical Society, 22 journals from the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).

The Library is currently a participant in the Dialog@Carl consortium that offers a number of significant databases applicable to physics. The main physics resource in Dialog@CARL are SPIN (Searchable Physics Information Notices). SPIN is designed to provide the most current indexing and abstracting of a selected set of the world's most significant physics journals. SPIN covers all major areas of physics, as well as mathematical and statistical physics, astronomy, astrophysics, and geophysics. Citations in SPIN are drawn from all English-language, Russian, and Ukrainian physics and astronomy journal articles and conference proceedings published by the American Institute of Physics and its member societies. Physics-related articles from other American journals are also included. Other online science databases covering literature in the physical sciences include Applied Science and Technology Abstracts, and General Science Abstracts. GeoRef from Silver Platter and and GeoArchive from Dialog@ CARL supplement these databases by providing access to works on geological, hydrological, and environmental physics.

The online resources in particular have considerably increased the range of scholarly materials available to the faculty and doctoral students. .The addition of subscriptions to online periodicals from major publishers (e.g. Wiley, Academic Press, Elsevier, etc.) has expanded the availability of physics materials to all students and faculty. As the online resources continue to flourish, electronic books are entering the online world giving patrons the opportunity to read the text of a book from their own computer terminals. Net Library, the e-books program at Brooklyn College, includes titles covering physics and the number of titles is expected to increase in the future. The Library has an extensive collection of circulating books and reference materials in all areas of physics for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty that supplement the online items and provide full coverage of the physical sciences.

GENERAL APPROACH TO MATERIALS SELECTION

A. Acquisitions Strategy:

The Physical Sciences Librarian is responsible for collection development in Physics. The bibliographer maintains ongoing contact with the Physics Department library liaison regarding the resources suitable for the collection. The bibliographer regularly scans review publications, publishers catalogues, web sites, newspapers, and other sources to find materials for this multi-faceted discipline. Others come to the bibliographer's attention via interlibrary loan requests, and patron requests. The bibliographer examines and assesses the material for relevancy, price, and anticipated use and makes a decision independently or in collaboration with the department liaison.

B. Level of Difficulty

Materials acquired for the library range from the general materials used by undergraduates to the more scholarly technical and research publications used by graduate students and faculty. In all cases, the works should be well written, accurate, and suitable for the academic environment.

C. Languages:

Materials are collected primarily in English. Resources in other languages may be acquired based upon the bibliographer's assessment of need and anticipated use.

D. Geographic Areas Included:

Physics is an integral part of science in all areas of the world. Scientific research cannot proceed without some elements of physics being present. It has impacts in all fields and the knowledge of physics can emanate from any country. Thus, geography or place of publication of a physics work is nat a consideration for acceptance or rejection of that work.

E. Current and Retrospective:

Physics knowledge changes frequently as new findings and newer applications of physics to daily existence are revealed. However, many of the theories and concepts now in place, were discovered in earlier times. Therefore, classical works that are still the backbone of today's physics may be acquired if necessary. Current works keep the collection up to date and will be acquired as budgets permit.

F. Format of Materials Collected:

The library collects primarily monographs, conference proceedings, and periodicals in both print and electronic formats. Audiovisual materials related to physics are acquired when requested by a faculty member for use in courses.

G. Reference Policy:

Reference materials in print and online include dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and other works that are generally used for looking up small amounts of information; they are not read or perused in entirety. The physics reference collection is small and many of the items are out of date. Emphasis should be placed on acquiring current physics reference materials to give patrons the latest information on new developments in the field.

H. Duplication:

One copy of each resource is usually acquired. For heavily used materials that are checked out or consulted frequently, the bibliographer will make a decision regarding acquisition of additional copies if budgets allow.

I. Weeding Policy:

Outdated materials and earlier editions of works deemed obsolete or no longer applicable to course work or research will be withdrawn, except in those cases where they are retained for historical purposes.

Updated: March/2001
Prof. Irwin Weintraub