Julia Radtke

“My chemistry professor, Christine Blaine, gave me the idea to double major in physics and chemistry and helped me plan out a schedule that fulfills all the requirements and still allows me to graduate in four years. My French professor, Pascal Rollet, encouraged me to add on the French minor, which I ended up really enjoying.

“My professors also wrote letters of recommendation for me when I was applying for summer research programs. I ended up participating in two different REUs. One REU was on glass conductivity at Coe College; the other was about pump-probe spectroscopy on topological insulators at the University of California, Davis. In addition to doing something I loved, I got to work on my laboratory skills and explore different areas of research.”

“It’s really difficult to choose a favorite class because I’ve taken a lot of good ones! I liked Physical Chemistry because I got to combine concepts from both physics and chemistry to solve problems. Another great class that I took was Experimental Physics, which I took over J-Term. I enjoyed the hands-on experiments, and I liked the people I worked with in the class.”

“My most difficult class was probably Quantum Mechanics. It definitely involved a different way of thinking than most of my previous physics classes. Even though it was very challenging, I enjoyed the class a lot and was surprised by how much I learned.”

“I’m a member of the Society of Physics Students and the Carthage Tea Club, and I am the treasurer of Chemistry Club. The clubs on campus have really helped me get to know my peers, and I like spending time with people who share a common interests with me.”

“I started tutoring French my junior year, and I loved it. I enjoyed sharing my interest in the French language and helping my peers succeed. Tutoring French motivated me to practice my French more and to think more about the grammar concepts so that I could explain them clearly to other students. I loved the tutoring job so much that I started tutoring physics and organic chemistry my senior year, along with continuing my job as a French tutor.”

“I really like the Hedberg Library! I also spend a lot of time in the David A. Straz Jr. Center, which has a lot of really nice study spots.”

“Some of my favorite moments at Carthage are the simplest ones. I love studying or grabbing coffee with friends and doing activities with the clubs that I’m involved in.”

“I’m definitely surprised by how much I learned and what I’ve been able to do. I don’t think I would have believed I could do the physics and chemistry double major and French minor when I first came to Carthage, so I’m really glad that my professors encouraged me to do the double major and minor. I’ve also been surprised by how much I enjoy my classes and on-campus jobs.”

“My advice is to be passionate about what you’re learning and challenge yourself.”