Students interested in learning to use computers to solve scientific problems will find a degree program in computational physics available at UNLV next fall.

The bachelor of science degree program is being launched in response to student interest and to increased demand for computational physicists by a variety of industries, said UNLV physicist Stephen Lepp. It will be the first degree program of its kind in the state.

"Computational physics teaches students how to use computers to solve scientific problems. It shouldn't be confused with a degree in computer science, which is something quite different," Lepp said. "Computational physicists develop computer models that they then use in solving scientific questions."

UNLV physics professor Tao Pang said that with more and more employers seeking workers with a background in computational physics, the degree program should prove very popular with students.

"I think students who graduate with degrees in computational physics will find that when they apply for jobs they will be a step ahead of students who have taken more traditional routes," he said.

Lepp said that employers looking for people with backgrounds in computational physics range from NASA, to pharmaceutical manufacturers, to companies involved in producing special effects for movies.

For additional information on the computational physics program, call the UNLV physics department at 895-3563.