Science Instrumentation Track
The Science Instrumentation Track, coordinated through the Department of Physics in the College of Science, incorporates coursework from a number of different scientific and engineering disciplines.
Virtually every science-related business relies on a variety of instruments and measurement techniques to advance corporate goals. Thus, there is a need for people who understand instrumentation, know how to implement measurement design strategies, and are familiar with transferable measurement techniques.
The SI Track is generally focused on the use of sensors, computer systems, and computational algorithms to provide integrated, automated measurement solutions for industrial applications and scientific investigations. To reflect the breadth of instrumentation and measurement techniques employed today in various research and development scenarios, the SI Track incorporates four distinct focus areas (see below) involving coursework from a number of different departments.
Core courses in the SI track generally stress the following three stages of instrumentation:
- Stage 1: Translation of physical quantities into electrical signals
- Stage 2: Use of computers to acquire electrical signals and store the data
- Stage 3: Use of data analysis tools to process and visualize the data
In addition, courses that stress particular measurement techniques and instrumentation are incorporated into the particular focus areas as appropriate.
As designated below, every student in the SI Track, no matter the focus area, must complete "Optical Measurement Techniques and Instrumentation" - PHYS 6770. Starting in Spring of 2008, students will be allowed to enroll either in just the lecture portion of this course for 3 credits, or the lecture + lab for 5 credits (students may not enroll in the laboratory portion alone). The laboratory section is now designated as PHYS 6775. In addition to PHYS 6770, there is a set of required courses specific to each focus area. To round out the track-specific coursework (15 hours), students must choose one or two elective courses either from the list of technical electives or from the core courses of alternative focus areas (see below).
Every student in the SI Track, no matter the focus area, must complete at least one course that includes a significant laboratory component, as designated below.
Students who entered the SI Track before Spring 2008 have the option to either complete their degree under the previous guidelines or adopt the new course requirements. Please contact one of the SI Track directors to discuss the various options.
| Course Number | Credits | Description |
| Common Core Requirement | ||
| PHYS 6770* | 3 | Optical Measurement Techniques and Instrumentation |
| PHYS 6775* | 2 | Optical Measurement Techniques and Instrumentation Lab |
| Physical Sensors Focus Area Core Courses | ||
| PHYS 6610† | 4 | Electronics for Scientific Instrumentation |
| PHYS 6620† | 4 | Data Acquisition for Scientific Instrumentation |
| Biomedical Sensors Focus Area Core Courses | ||
| BIOEN 6101† | 4 | Bioinstrumentation, Signals and Systems |
| BIOEN 6301† | 4 | Biomaterials |
| Analytical Chemistry Focus Area Core Courses | ||
| CHEM 7700 | 2 | Analytical and Chemical Measurements I |
| CHEM 7710 | 2 | Analytical and Chemical Measurements II |
| CH EN 6103 | 3 | Biochemical Engineering |
| Micro/Nanotechnology Focus Area Core Courses | ||
| PHYS 5810 | 3 | Nanoscience |
| ECE 5201/5211† | 4 | Semiconductor Device Physics I + Lab |
| MSE 6071† | 3 | Intro. to NanoBio Technology and NanoBio Materials |
| Electives‡ | ||
| PHYS 5739† | 2 | Fundamentals Microscopy: Electron and Optical |
| PHYS 6750† | 4 | Applied Modern Optics I & II |
| MSE 5035† | 4 | Electron Microscopy Techniques |
| MSE 6240† | 3 | Princ. and Practice of Trans. Electron Micro. |
| ECE 5202/5212† | 4 | Semiconductor Device Physics II + Lab |
| ECE 6221 | 3 | Fundamentals of Micromachining Processes |
| ECE 6222† | 2 | Biomedical Applications of Micromachining |
| ECE 6225† | 4 | Microsystems Design and Characterization |
| ECE 6231/6232† | 4 | Microsensors and Actuators + Lab |
| CHEM 7020 | 2 | Introducation to Spectroscopy I |
| CHEM 7030 | 2 | Introducation to Spectroscopy II |
| CHEM 7270 | 2 | Organic Spectroscopy I |
| CHEM 7280 | 2 | Organic Spectroscopy II |
| CHEM 7720 | 2 | Separations |
| CHEM 7730 | 2 | Electrochemistry |
| CHEM 7770 | 2 | Optical Spectroscopy |
| CHEM 7780 | 2 | Surface Chemistry |
| BIOEN 6310 | 3 | Physics of X-Ray and Ultrasound |
| BIOEN 6320 | 3 | Physics of Nuclear Medicine and MRI |
| BIOEN 6460 | 3 | Electrophysiology and Bioelectricity |
| BIOEN 7160 | 3 | Physical Nature of Surfaces |
| BIOEN 7168 | 3 | Proteins at Interfaces and in Membranes |
| BIOEN 7170 | 3 | Biomolecular Engineering |
| CH EN 6303 | 3 | Environmental Applications of Chemical Eng. |
| CH EN 6305 | 3 | Air Pollution Control Engineering |
| CH EN 6503† | 4 | Instrumental Analysis of Process Products |
| CH EN 6555 | 3 | Introduction to Catalysis |
| CS 6630 | 3 | Scientific Visualization |
| PHYS 6730 | 4 | Computational Physics I |
* The lecture portion of this course, PHYS 6770 (3 credits), is required of all focus areas. The laboratory portion, PHYS 6775 (2 credits) can be taken along with the lecture (5 total credits) to fulfill the laboratory component for the SI Track. Students registered for PHYS 6775 must be enrolled in PHYS 6770.
** F = fall semester annually; S = spring semester annually; I = intermittent offering.
† Fulfills laboratory component.
‡Electives for a particular focus area may be chosen from the list below or from the required course list of an alternate focus area.