Physics seeks to understand nature at its most profound level.
From the behavior of quarks that are the constituents of protons and neutrons to superclusters of galaxies, physicists investigate nature’s inner workings – and in doing so, discover practical applications to bring about spectacular technologies.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy gives students a rigorous physics education in a small intimate setting. Majors enjoy introductory courses taught in an activity-based format where they learn by doing and take part in exciting undergraduate research with faculty who specialize in nanoscale materials science, quasar astrophysics, and computational physics.
Physics students take an active role in 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. One of our graduates was part of the team on the Phoenix mission to Mars, and one was a coauthor of the recent discovery of a potentially habitable planet orbiting the closest star to the Sun, Proxima Centauri.
