What does Compass need for sustainability?

Because Compass is an organization run and supported by graduate students, its success will depend critically on institutional support from Berkeley's physics department, as well as the entire university. Three requirements are essential for the sustainability of Compass in the long term.

Requirement One: Financial Support

The Compass summer program accounts for nearly three fifths of Compass’s total budget. Its cost reflects its importance to the goals of the entire project: as described above, the summer program serves as the gateway and anchor for the constantly growing community on which Compass depends; as such, the work done by Compass during the academic year can be seen as an extension of all that goes into preparing and running the summer program. Of the total budget, about 65% is allocated for graduate students (to run the pedagogy program and to pay the salaries of teachers and program coordinators) and the rest directly benefits the undergraduate Compass students (via the summer, mentorship, research, and academic programs).

Requirement Two: Facilities and Tools

It is critical for Compass to have a dedicated space within the physics department in order to foster a sense of inclusion in the physical science community among the Compass students. In addition, Compass also requires the means to produce and maintain the records and materials needed to run its various programs (e.g., a computer, office supplies, etc.).

Requirement Three: Administrative Support

Because the Compass graduate students will need to dedicate a large portion of their time to teaching, mentorship and educational program planning, a university staff member (ideally, one affiliated with the physics department to facilitate collaboration with the graduate students) is necessary to manage Compass’s critical administrative and record-keeping tasks. Additionally, this person would provide support to Compass by acting as a source of institutional memory and continuity for the program over time.

How will Compass be evaluated for success?

The first group of Compass students entered the program with an inspiring level of passion and excitement for the ideas and methods of the physical sciences. Considering that only 25% of high school students even take physics, it is essential that Compass nurtures this passion. To keep the program viable and continuously improving, a number of ways for evaluating its methods and goals have been developed.

At the end of the summer program, the Compass students fill out a 47-question evaluation of the Compass program and staff that captures their suggestions for change. Surveys of the teaching staff and anecdotal feedback from both teachers and students complement the student surveys. The information gathered helps form a comprehensive picture of the student experience, measure student enthusiasm, and determine what to change for the following year. To measure the long-term effects of the program, Compass will also collect data on student GPAs, parental education and financial support, as well as statistics and information on completion of undergraduate degrees.

Additionally, studies1,2 suggest that students entering college hold views about the practice of science that differ significantly from those of scientists. This fact has led Compass to monitor student beliefs with the Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for the Physical Sciences (EBAPS), a carefully designed and empirically tested 30-question survey. Over time, this evaluation will allow for a clearer view of the evolution of student beliefs pertaining to the physical sciences, which in turn will help in building more effective curricula and ensuring that communication is not obstructed by differences in belief between students and teachers.

1Elby, A. "Helping physics students learn how to learn." Am. J. Phys., 69(7), 2001. S54-S64.

2L. Lising and A. Elby, "The impact of epistemology on learning: A case study from introductory physics." Am. J. Phys. 73(4), 2005. pp. 372-82.

Testimonials from Compass Students

What is excellent about Compass includes a variety of things from the subjects covered to the relationships developed as a result of the program. Honestly, I enjoyed that the program was not only dedicated to physics, but also covered Calculus and Astronomy/Astrophysics as well. I believe this kept students more interested and focused as they were presented with multiple subjects instead of solely focusing on one.

Another quality of the program that I enjoyed most especially was how I, as a student, was able to have great access to the instructors as a result of the low student-teacher ratio. I believe that because of my access to my instructors I was able to converse and build a relationship with them on more social terms rather than on just an academic basis. Furthermore, I also believe that through the program I developed excellent friendships with the other students that still continue far beyond the end of the two weeks we spent learning not only about physics, calculus, and etc., but also about how to transition to college life.

Kevin Cuevas, Compass ‘07

The Compass Project furthered my desire to pursue a physics career. The program exposed me to a wonderful, exciting, lively future and gave me valuables tools to accomplish a physics major. I learned techniques to become a better student, new important concepts, and I met a wickedly awesome group of people. And now I am truly excited for what is next.

Felicitas Hernandez, Compass ‘07

The Compass Project is an invaluable program. In addition to providing me with a multitude of resources (including a supportive community) and furthering my interest in physics, the project made me realize that I could pursue physics, despite its difficulty.

Although the subject of physics has always aroused my curiosities, the notion of a career as a physicist seemed implausible. The image in my mind was similar to the image in the minds of most people; physics is a subject reserved for those with brilliant minds, and whose name is synonymous with Einstein, Newton, and many other brilliant men. This idea was reaffirmed when I observed my peers whizzing through challenging math problems, as I sat by, needing more time to break them down.

However, the Compass Project team already understood and addressed many of our concerns. Instead of sugar-coating the reality, they laid down the facts and told us what we needed to know. When we believed the field would be difficult and we could not do it, they agreed it would be difficult, but said we COULD do it. Their honesty and experience convinced us that they were telling the truth. As a result, my earlier notion no longer seemed implausible. Instead, I DO see myself as a woman studying the physical sciences.

I cannot thank the Compass Project enough for everything they have done for me.

Jeevan Mahal, Compass ‘07

Compass has brought me into contact with all of these amazing people who are now a huge part of my life. Because of the two week bonding experience, I already had a strong support network I could rely on as I entered college. Since we’re all interested in the physical sciences and following similar paths, I feel like we’re all in this together. We can really talk to each other and share our feelings and experiences, our ups and downs through our transition into college life and academics, which makes it much more manageable.

Compass provides a good source of moral support that contributes much to my level of happiness, and success, here at Berkeley. However, the students I’ve met are not the only source of support I’ve gained from the program. The grad students I’ve had the pleasure to meet have all been very open and friendly. They genuinely care about us and I feel like I can always come to them for help, both for academic and personal problems. Since they are all studying physics and have been down the same path before, I am able to draw from their experiences. They are a source of inspiration from which I’m learning so much; they truly constitute a vital part of my educational experience.

The program as a whole has opened my eyes to the world of physics and what it’s like to be involved in the field. I think Compass built on the curiosity I brought to the program and made me even more excited to do physics. Being in contact with all these people has made me more enthusiastic about school. Compass is a valuable influence in my life that really motivates me to do well. The program really facilitated the development of my intellectual curiosity.

T.J. Santos, Compass ‘07

A PDF of the Compass Prospectus can be found here.