Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Whittier College! Our department gives students a rigorous physics education in a small intimate setting, where they work closely with faculty and other students. Professors teach all courses, and courses for physics majors are small, typically under 20 students. Introductory courses are taught in an activity-based format where students learn by doing. The active, student-run Physics Club organizes social activities such as overnight astronomy camping trips to the desert. The department offers a physics major and minor, and participates in the 3-2 Engineering program and Scientific Computing minor.

Physics majors at Whittier take part in exciting undergraduate research with faculty. The faculty consists of three members with specialties in nanoscale materials science (Dr. Zorba), quasar astrophysics (Dr. Piner), and physics pedagogy (Dr. Lagan). To support the nanoscale research the department has a brand new Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and a high-power nitrogen pulsed laser. Astrophysics research is done using the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Long Baseline Array of radio telescopes, in collaboration with scientists at the nearby NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Physics majors take an active role in all of this research, and have published papers and presented results at major conferences. Many alumni of the department go on to graduate school, while others go on to positions in teaching or industry; for example, one recent graduate is part of the team on the recently launched Phoenix mission to Mars.

We look forward to welcoming you to our program in person.

Glenn Piner
Department Chair