Project Course in Applied Physics, CDIO

Aim

The course aims to give students an insight into the real engineering world in a multidisciplinary way by means of a project in applied physics that shall lead to the development of a practical product, prototype, or software with large innovation and application possibilities.

During the course, the students will develop and consolidate engineering knowledge, competence, and skills as well as the basics of project management, working as a team in an industry-like environment, using the CDIO concept.

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

• analyze and structure engineering problems in the field of applied physics
• carry out relevant literature search and implement the findings in the design of the project
• write and follow-up technical documentation
• actively contribute to the project through team work
• apply knowledge and methods from previous courses
• independently acquire new knowledge and methods
• critically examine and demonstrate project proposals and solutions
• present results in writing and orally in a manner consistent with modern engineering projects.

The course also aims at the acquisition of knowledge and abilities within the general area of entrepreneurship, with particular focus on business planning for new ventures.

After completing this part of the course, the students should be able to:

• account for models that describe what it takes for a new venture to have a stable basis for further development and to assess the level of development of ventures using such models
• account for the information and analyses needed to evaluate a development project from a business point of view and have the ability to collect and analyze relevant information for the purpose.

Content

The project course serves as an umbrella for a variety of projects in the main field of study of Applied Physics. Projects may be either experiment- or theory-oriented, and application focused. The specific projects may vary from year to year. Examples of project topics are sensor systems, computational physics, materials science, medical technology, and quantum technology. For information about current projects, see Studieinfo and the tab ‘Additional documents’. Within the course, the students will have the possibility to get new knowledge as well as apply prior knowledge for advanced applications of scientific and industrial relevance.

A number of project specific, introductory lectures, workshops, and/or laboratory work in the beginning gives basic knowledge for the project work. Lectures cover the background, methods, market needs and demands, and theoretical knowledge necessary for the project. Exercises and practical activities are offered to complement the lectures.

The course includes a common entrepreneurship part as well as lectures on the CDIO initiative and, for respective project, the project model that is used.