In support of our community and the technologic future of our Nation, the University of Texas – Pan American , the College of Science and Engineering, and the Department of Physics and Geology, as part of our mission, are developing and executing programs to attract students into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  Within the Department of Physics and Geology, the educational process begins well before students begin their undergraduate experience and continues beyond the student’s time of graduation.   Our approach to the educational process begins as early as kindergarten through utilization of motivational facilities like the Planetarium at UTPA, the portable Planetarium at UTPA as well as through the use of special instructional opportunities like summer camps.  Presently, students within the Department of Physics and Geology have special affordable education opportunities and may gain experiences that may be difficult to obtain within other similarly large institutions. Our relatively low student to faculty ratio in all upper divisional courses allow for individual student attention, special educational experiences through research and publication opportunities, the opportunity through supervision to gain teaching experience as a student assistant in undergraduate laboratories, and the opportunity as a Planetarium assistant to gain speaking and teaching experience through Planetarium outreach.  Our faculties are here to prepare students for lifelong learning and enable students with opportunities, through classroom and laboratory instruction, research, field-trips, and more, to gain the foundation, knowledge, skills and abilities to compete at the graduate school level and/or to compete for employment in government, industry and education, where our graduates may earn employment opportunities through summer internship programs and through other connections that our faculties and university have with employers.  We continue to remain in contact with as many of our graduates as possible in order to monitor their successes and monitor the impact that they have on our community.

Explore and experience the University of Texas – Pan American through the Department of Physics and Geology.