Physics Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education
The majority of physics graduates at all degree levels will become scientists and innovators working in the private sector, yet very little of the knowledge they gain while earning their degree intentionally prepares them for these roles. APS joins in on nationwide efforts to promote physics innovation and entrepreneurship (PIE) education.
Webinars on PIE Topics
Teaching Agile Management
This webinar teaches Agile Management - a quick, iterative project development process used from Amazon to NASA.
View webinar recording and slides
PIPELINE Curricular Materials are Now Available!
The PIPELINE Network* joins the efforts of six institutions engaged in PIE implementation to build and disseminate best practices and develop tools to measure the effects of implementation on departments.
These materials are now published and available at the webpage below. Please feel free to use them in your courses and classrooms.
See PIPELINE Curricular Materials
*Support for this work is provided by the National Science Foundation's IUSE program under Award No. 1624882
PIE Speaker's List
The PIPELINE Network faculty members are available to give talks and presentations about PIE at your institution. For a listing of the available presentations, and contact information for speakers, please visit our PIE Speaker's List.
Building Support for PIE At Your Institution
Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs 
J-TUPP is a joint task force convened by the APS and AAPT and is charged with preparing a report which will provide guidance for physicists considering revising the undergraduate curriculum to improve the education of a diverse student population. In particular, the report seeks to address what skills and knowledge will best prepare the next generation of physics degree holders for diverse careers.
Many of the recommendations from the Phys21 Report align with PIE learning goals. Therefore the Report provides a strong supporting rationale for adopting PIE practices.
Download the Phys21 Report and Supplement
Articles
Things your advisor never told you: Entrepreneurship’s role in physics education, Douglas Arion, Physics Today, August 2013.
Presentations and Talks
Start with Why 
, by Simon Sinek (TED Talk)
This talk gives advice for effective, persuasive advocacy.
Tinker, Thinker, Maker, and CEO: Reimagining the physics student as Engineer, Inventor, and Entrepreneur 
, Crystal Bailey, APS March 2016 Meeting.
This presentation provides a context for PIE against the current employment landscape of physics graduates, and directly addresses common questions/concerns raised against PIE.
Introducing a Introducing a Framework for Physics Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PIE) Education , Bahram Roughani, APS March 2016 Meeting.
This talk provides a framework for successful adoption of curricular and co-curricular PIE activities, and a perspective on change management around the adoption of PIE practices.
Common Careers of Physicists in the Private Sector
A report by the AIP Statistical Research Center which provides an insight into activities and attitudes of physics PhDs working in the private sector.
Focus on Physics Bachelor’s Initial Employment
A report by the AIP Statistical Research Center which describes the most common career trajectories of physicists entering the workforce with a terminal Bachelor’s degree. Includes information on job satisfaction for graduates in each sector, as well as primary skills and knowledge used in private sector roles.
Exploring Existing PIE Materials
Curricular material
Project Ideas from the Garage Physics Program
Hands on lab projects that connect physics concepts with real world applications, from Duncan Carlsmith of the University of Wisconsin’s Garage Physics program.
Framework for “Pop-Up” Classes
A general framework for planning and executing a “pop-up” class at your institution.
Model Programs
Carthage College Scienceworks Program
Information about the nation’s first and most established undergraduate technology entrepreneurship and career preparation program.
Case Western Physics Entrepreneurship (PEP) Program
An overview of curriculum for the award-winning MS in Physics Entrepreneurship track at Case Western.
Kettering University Applied Physics Program
An overview of this innovative program which utilizes a co-op and experiential learning model to provide a foundation for technical careers.
PIE Conferences and Sessions
Sessions I and X, Beyond the First Year of College Conference , July 2015.
Building New Pathways in Physics Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Session R53, APS March Meeting 2016.
Educating for I&E in Physics, Venturewell Open 2017 Conference, March 2017.
Tracee Walker Gilbert
The physicist who did it all - and then she started her own business to top it off.
Shahida Dar
As an Associate Professor at a community college, Shahida focuses on teaching, mentoring, administrative work, and science outreach especially among female students.
Sam Wurzel
A physicist's problem sparked Sam's innovative business.
Rhett Creighton
Ever had a brilliant idea? Rhett uses physics to make his reality.
Nathan Swift
How do hedgehogs, physics, and business mix? Ask Nathan, a startup founder.
Joe Meyers
Innovation and physics run in his blood, so he started his own educational video game company, Lilac.
Desiré Whitmore
Desiré found her dream job at the Exploratorium, a museum where she works in science education and teaches hands-on professional development workshops.
December Martin
A former hardware engineer, December manages projects in the biomedical technology industry to produce medical devices.
Brian Andrews
A previous attempt has proven to put more obstacles in Brian’s path, but that hasn’t stopped him.
Aaron Weiss
Aaron's passion for making things has led him to Google, prototyping devices as new ideas emerge.
Related Resources
VentureWell
VentureWell is a higher education network which enables powerful approaches to stimulating science and technology invention, innovation and entrepreneurship on university and college campuses, and move the strongest ideas rapidly forward to commercialization. Their E-Team program provides funding, immersive workshops, and specialized coaching to student STEM innovators to help them move their inventions into the marketplace (up to $25K grants are available).
Learn more about VentureWell E-Team Grants
VentureWell works across disciplines to promote innovation and entrepreneurship through grants, competitions, and programs like the Pathways to Innovation, a program similar to PIPELINE focused on the engineering discipline.
Learn more about VentureWell’s Pathways to Innovation Program
Information for
About APS
The American Physical Society (APS) is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics.
© 2020 American Physical Society | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Headquarters: 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844 | Phone: 301.209.3200
Editorial Office: 1 Research Road, Ridge, NY 11961-2701 | Phone: 631.591.4000
Washington, DC Office: 529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20045-2001 | Phone: 202.662.8700