Senior Seminar Guidelines

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Senior Seminars: Some departments require bachelor's theses or comprehensive exams; the Colorado College physics department requires a senior seminar in conjunction with the seminar course. This serves several purposes:
a) It provides the opportunity to conduct some independent research under the advisory of a physics professor.
b) It provides you with a very valuable experience of conveying your idea too a group of students.
c) It provides the entire science community with an informative lecture and an introduction to some new physics concepts in a social environment.
d) It provides a test of your physics knowledge.
e) It familiarizes the faculty and other students with the seminar presenter.
f) It enhances contact in the Colorado College physics community.

Each major is required to give a talk during their senior year. 3-2 engineering students are required to give a talk during their junior year. Your seminar should be about 45 minutes including questions. Your seminar should be on a subject of your choice at a level that can be understood by students with a 241-242-251 background. Although speakers are encouraged to pick topics beyond the scope of these three courses, the talks must begin at a level that can be understood by good students that have taken only these three courses. Remember, you are being judged by your ability to communicate your idea to your audience.
The student must sign up for a presentation time during the first two weeks of the semester.
1) The student must find a professor to be associated with the talk topic that he/she wants to present. The associated professor will be available to advise and possibly help the student prepare, but the content and presentation of the seminar will remain the responsibility of the student.
2) With the associated professor's OK, the student will present the idea at a faculty meeting for approval. This must take place at least 2 weeks before the proposed presentation date; however, a month or more is advisable. Faculty meetings are only the first and third Monday of each block (at noon in Barnes 213).
3) The associated professor will sign the seminar schedule once the presentation is considered ready. Afterwards, Linda can post announcements for the talk. The associated professor may, for instance, desire to see the talk presented before giving approval.
4) At least two professors in attendance will evaluate the talk and must agree that the talk was adequate. If the talk was not adequate, the talk will be revised, or another will be attempted, as determined by the faculty and the student.

There are two things to be stressed here:
1) It is entirely the responsibility of the student to ensure the timely completion of steps 1-3 above.
2) Adequate presentation of these seminars is necessary for a physics degree from the Colorado College.

Attendance: Physics majors of every level are expected to attend the seminars. Bring your friends.