A Brief Introduction to the Department of Physics

The history of the department of physics, which was originally attached to the department of elementary science, and then to the department of electronic physics, can be traced back to the staff room (teaching and research section) of physics established in 1960. Founded in March, 2002, the present department is made up of four teaching sections devoted to the study of physics, applied physics, material physics and physical experiments, and have two laboratories for the study of information material and the teaching of physics. The speciality covers two first-grade principles: physics and material science. The department employs a high-qualified teaching contingent. The total number of the faculty is 51, including 46 full-time teachers. There are 18 professors and associate professors, making up 39% of the total number; 63% of the teachers have Ph.D. or M.A. At present, the department has 442 students.

The total area of the laboratories for teaching and academic research is 2216 square meter; the permanent assets estimates more than 6 million RMB. The number of the devices for academic research is 1267, worthing 5.78 million RMB; among all the devices, 5 are large-scale devices, worthing 1.48 million RMB, each valuing more than 100,000 RMB. The existence of those devices is a solid guarantee for the normal operation of teaching activities and academic research. In 2001, the laboratory of elementary physics passed the assessment by the Bureau of Education of Jiangsu Province; in 2005, the lab center was rated Excellent Grade by the Ministry of Finance , and was later selected by Jiangsu Province as the candidate for the construction of a demonstration lab center.

In recent years, the department's standard of academic research has been steadily increased, and some momentum has been obtained for further melioration of the discipline. A rational echelon of academic study is taking shape, leaded by experts, propped by promising junior teachers. A number of young and mid-aged professors, doctors, and masters are on their way to becoming the teaching and academic backbones of the department. Since 2002, the department has been involved in 8 State Natural Science Fund programs, in charge of 1 Backbone Teacher Fund sponsored by the Ministry of Education, 1 Natural Fund of the College of Jiangsu Province, and 2 instructive projects as well as some horizontal research projects; more than 600,000 RMB's academic outlay has been accumulated as a result of these projects. In recent years, the department has published 54 scientific papers in the key international and domestic journals, 31 of which were included in SCI, EI, and ISTP.

Recently, the teaching faculty of the department has been involved in the project of compiling quality textbooks for colleges of Jiangsu Province, and has published 4 textbooks, 2 reference books, and compiled some teaching materials on doing experiments. The department has been awarded and applauded many times for its effort to improve the teaching quality and the design of the curriculum. Currently, the department has one State Excellent Teacher, one outstanding backbone teacher sponsored by the “Qing Lan Project” of Jiangsu Province, one advanced laboratory operator of Jiangsu Province, one outstanding junior backbone teacher of the school.

The students' innovative capacity has been enhanced too. From 2002 to 2005, students of the department participated successively in three contests of physics, and won 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 2 third prizes, and 4 winning prizes. In 2002, students of the department participated in contest of self-made experimental devices within the education system of Jiangsu Province, wining 1 third prize, 2 wining prizes; in the “Zhou Peiyuan” contest of dynamics held in 2004, they won second prize and third prize. By now, students of the department have published 2 papers in physical journals.