Uncovering the mysteries of the natural world
Training adaptive and collaborative physicists of tomorrow.
Physics is a foundational science that is key to finding solutions.
If you want to understand how gravity can bend light, study physics. If you want to understand the maximum amount of power a solar panel can generate, study physics. If you are amazed by how basic ideas can explain complex phenomena, study physics.
Fostering innovation, inclusion and collaboration.
Whether modeling the smallest particles in the universe, tracking the path of a single molecule in a living cell, understanding the atomic structure and properties of complex new materials or exploring new energy sources in the lab, the Department of Physics’ research areas and interdisciplinary collaborations are at the forefront of today’s most compelling questions.
#4
1st
compact X-ray free electron laser (CXFEL) of its kind in the world.
Member
of the American Physical Society Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Alliance.
1st and only
master’s degree program developed for in-service high school science teachers.
Rotations
in biological and soft matter; cosmology, particle and astrophysics; nanosciences and materials; and physics and society research.
Research areas
If I had looked back 10 years ago and said, 'Hey Brandon, you're a senior in high school. You're going to go finish your PhD,' he would have been like, 'No, it’s too much.' But when you take it in those small chunks, it is possible to climb that mountain."
Brandon Sumner
BS in physics, 2017.
PhD in physics, 2022.