The bachelor of science degree program is being launched in response to student interest and to increased demand for computational physicists by a variety of industries, said UNLV physicist Stephen Lepp. It will be the first degree program of its kind in the state. Computational physics teaches students how to use computers to solve scientific problems.
Computational physicists develop computer models that they then use in solving scientific questions.
UNLV physics professor Tao Pang said that with more and more employers seeking workers with a background in computational physics, the degree program should prove very popular with students. Lepp said that employers looking for people with backgrounds in computational physics range from NASA, to pharmaceutical manufacturers, to companies involved in producing special effects for movies. For additional information on the computational physics program, call the UNLV physics department at 895-3563. UNLV is a doctoral degree-granting institution with some 22,000 students and more than 700 faculty members. Nearly 170 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees are offered.