^{1.1 THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS}

^{One of the great needs in Saudi Arabia today is for scientists with a deep insight into the laws of nature to work in areas of fundamental and applied research, thus creating an intellectual foundation upon which further technological advancements can be achieved. The Department of Physics was established in recognition of this need. Being one of the first departments to be established at the University, it is today one of the largest with 40 faculty members (6 professors, 10 associate professors, 15 assistant professors and 9 lecturers), 1 graduate assistant, 3 research assistants, 14 supporting staff members, 28 students and 6 graduate students.}

^{1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT}

^{The objectives of the Department are extensive and include educational and research programs of internationally recognized standards, designed to prepare students for scientific positions in or out of academia. Services are being offered by the department both locally and nationwide. Locally, the department teaches general physics to all students including those in the College of Industrial Management and the College of Environmental Design. In addition, the department offers short courses for high school teachers, industry and hospital personnel, etc. The department also supplies other institutions with liquid Nitrogen and Helium produced in its cryogenic facility.}

^{1.3 MAJORING IN PHYSICS}

^{In physics the subjects are studied from the point of view of understanding the underlying concept rather than just purely applying them, as is the case in engineering disciplines. Physicists, therefore, receive a much broader training in the fundamentals of science.}

^{Each program at KFUPM is a blend of basic and specialized topics. The physics program is no exception. This is in line with the world-wide trend. Since the invention of computers in the fifties and the newly emerging nuclear industry in the sixties, universities over the world have introduced specialized programs to prepare physicists to move into these newly emerging fields.}

^{The department of physics at KFUPM now offers physics graduates the opportunity to specialize in various fields such as Nuclear Physics, Elementary Particles, Lasers and Condensed Matter, and Medical Physics. Students, who do not wish to specialize in physics but, instead, pursue a career in teaching or move into related field such as engineering or computer science, are given a solid background in all main areas. However, if s student has an inborn desire to study the pure sciences, he will have the opportunity to develop his major. Once he graduates, he will realize that there are many and diverse opportunities for him to use his unique talents at the frontiers of the industrial and academic world.}

^{1.4 WHO BECOMES A PHYSICIST?}

^{The person who studies and practices physics must be interested in the physical world around him. He must have an inquiring mind and must always ask questions and try to find answers to them. Why is glass transparent? What are the unifying laws of the universe? How are TV pictures transmitted across the continents? The study of physics enables one to answer these and other fundamental questions.}

^{A physicist therefore needs the broadest possible training as his field overlaps with those of mathematicians, chemists, engineers, and so on, and the reward is great! Besides the satisfaction of finding answers to fundamental questions, his training, which is the most versatile of all branches of science, gives enormous opportunities for a wide variety of employment.}

^{1.5 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES}

^{Most technological advances and inventions ranging from the steam engine to the fastest computer are based on physics. One of the basic things a physicist learns is the scientific approach to problem-solving, namely, identifying a problem, analyzing it, and finally, developing ways of solving it. This makes it easy for a physicist to fit in many fields, outside his specialty and be involved in most aspects of technological development.}

^{As we look to the future in Saudi Arabia, there are clearly technical manpower needs that are being planned for. However, there are many needs that cannot be foreseen and for those needs physicists will be needed. The physics major has been and will be the safety valve in the technological manpower needs of the Kingdom, as in all technologically advanced nations. However there is no need for every student to become a physicist but those scientifically gifted students who opt for careers in physics need to have their special talents developed fully so that they can make a maximum contribution to the scientific, academic and industrial growth of the country. Graduates of the KFUPM Physics Department are employed in research, teaching, computer programming and design. One finds KFUPM Physics students graduates working for firms such as ARAMCO, the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, the Chemical Industry, the Royal Saudi Forces, and many other private businesses. In addition, many of our students receive government scholarships and pursue graduate studies at universities abroad.}