College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences: A Foundation for Achievement

Physical and Mathematical Sciences: A Foundation for Achievement

The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences delivers strong programs in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences - core disciplines that have supported NC State's rise to prominence as a leading research university.

Society has pushed the boundaries of science and technology to frontiers requiring cross-disciplinary teamwork, and new applications of the core sciences. Today, we are witnessing rapid advances in newly developed fields such as nanotechnology, bioinformatics and integrated environmental systems modeling. Because these fields require specially trained professionals, the core sciences are more important than ever.

Sharing the Vision - A message from Dean Daniel L. Solomon

Achieving the Vision - The College's campaign goals

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The College has a strategic vision for its future - one that builds upon our current strengths, opportunities for partnerships and the momentum created by today's emerging technologies. This vision will position NC State at the forefront of scientific discoveries and advances that will heavily influence our world well into the 21st century.

Our vision is two-fold. First, we will continue our tradition of overall educational and research quality through effective instruction and rich experiences that prepare our students to succeed in today's multidisciplinary work environment.

Second, we will achieve world-wide prominence and leadership in strategically chosen areas that leverage our strengths and allow us to make powerful impacts on science, the economy, the environment, and quality of human life.

Three examples of how we are achieving this vision are described below...

We create innovations that transform instruction

The College's history of innovative instruction sets us apart from many institutions. Modern instructional technologies are developed by our faculty and implemented in our classrooms, resulting in greater success for all student groups - especially for those traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. We lead the way in Web-based learning and student-centered learning environments.

For our undergraduate students, we emphasize research, giving our students practical knowledge early in their academic experience. Our primary goal is to prepare our students in the best way possible for work, for citizenship and for life.

SCALE-UP Engages Students in Unique, Discovery-Driven Learning Environment

scale-up classroom picture Our Physics Department has developed a teaching method for introductory, large enrollment physics courses that integrates lab and lecture to engage students in collaborative learning. This methodology has reduced the failure rate for all students by a factor of three.

This success is even more significant for students in groups typically underrepresented in the sciences. For African Americans, more than 90 percent succeed in the SCALE-UP classroom, compared to less than 66 percent in a traditional classroom. SCALE-UP has been adopted by large enrollment programs at other universities across the country and implemented in subjects such as computer science, chemistry and engineering.

We make discoveries that improve human condition

We envision NC State as the place to be for research and graduate education in areas that build on our current strengths and are shaped by national agendas for science. Many of these areas - like nanoscale science, advanced materials, bioinformatics and air and water quality - not only cross the traditional boundaries of our own disciplines in the physical, mathematical and computational sciences, but also engage faculty and students in research at the intersection of our disciplines with the biological and biomedical sciences.

It is at this interface that some of today's most exciting science is happening, and where many of the most important discoveries will be made for the foreseeable future. Our leadership in these strategic cross-disciplinary areas will create tomorrow's workforce, improve the human condition, and fuel economic growth for our state, our nation, and our world.

"Golden Bullet" Targets Cancer Cells

scientists Creating a delivery system for cancer treatment that can travel through the human circulatory system might sound like fantasy to some, but not to chemists Stefan Franzen and Dan Feldheim. Their work with gold nanoparticles aims to reduce the awful side effects of chemotherapy like hair loss, immune deficiency and nausea.

Already successful in directing the particles into cancer cells in the laboratory, the researchers hope that one day these nanoparticles will be able to distinguish cancer cells from other fast-growing cells in the body. The next great challenge is to attach to the particles DNA fragments with self-destruction instructions to the cancer cell's nucleus.

We foster educational partnerships that fill the pipeline of future students, scientists and policy leaders

Our commitment to transforming instruction extends to K-12 partnerships developed through The Science House.

Nationally recognized as a model for sustained outreach interactions between university science and mathematics departments and K-12 educators, The Science House annually serves more than 3,000 teachers and 20,000 students by promoting hands-on, inquiry-based learning and by introducing more students to careers in science, mathematics, engineering and technology.

Through teacher-training and student programs, The Science House ensures that K-12 teachers are prepared to teach, and that students are engaged, with appropriate methods, equipment and technologies.

High-Impact Outreach Empowers Teachers

A teacher from a rural NC county sat nervously in a Science House training session, intimidated by the computer and afraid to touch the navigational mouse. But soon, she not only mastered the workshop's teaching technologies, she became an advocate for change in her school system's science and mathematics curriculum.

With support from teachers representing other schools across her county, she convinced her school board to invest in computers and teaching technologies for mathematics and science classrooms - providing a valuable resource for students not found in many rural schools.