From the Chair

Physics & Astronomy have always been the bedrock of our understanding of the Universe, our place in it, and the laws and patterns that govern our lives and the world around us.  The faculty in our department conduct research that reflects the breadth and depth of natural phenomena on both fundamental and applied directions and on all physical scales, from the Planck (the smallest possible) scale to the Hubble (the observable Universe) horizon.

We study the fundamental interactions of elementary particles, both theoretically and experimentally. Our faculty are on the team that discovered the Higgs particle, and we have graduate students and postdocs currently in Geneva Switzerland at CERN, in Fermilab in Illinois, and in Brookhaven NY doing research. We also are involved with neutrino research, capturing and studying extraterrestrial neutrinos in Antarctica, Siberia and Utah.

We are deeply engaged in applied physics research focusing on energy, nanoscience and technology, quantum computation using superconducting qubits and ultra-fast lasers. Our faculty are engaged in the development of semiconductor electronics, spintronics and photonics, material research and applications in low-dimensional nanostructures and devices such as photonic and plasmonic graphene, carbon nanotube and nanodetectors and high-frequency electronics, optoelectronics and nanoelectromechnical systems.

We investigate the solar system, our galaxy, extragalactic phenomena, and the large-scale structure and geometry of the universe. We use telescopes, both ground and space based, to hunt for exoplanets, study black holes, and characterize galaxy evolution; we are partners with San Diego State University in the construction of the 1.25m Phillips Claud telescope at Mt. Laguna Observatory, 45 miles east of San Diego.   Closer to home, we had instruments on NASA's Cassini mission to Saturn and Titan. We also have an active plasma astrophysics program researching both solar system and cosmological phenomena. 

We conduct extensive interdisciplinary research in astrobiophysics, specifically the impact of high-energy astrophysical events on the Earth, its atmosphere, and life forms over geologic times.  Our Physics Education Research group focuses on curriculum design and assessment development with a particular emphasis on improving student mindset, self-efficacy, and mathematics transfer in introductory physics lecture courses and understanding data analysis and uncertainty across introductory and advanced laboratory courses.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all students, staff, and faculty are welcomed and supported in their learning, research, and teaching.  We value and respect the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that everyone brings to our community and continually strive toward increased equity.

Please roam around our departmental pages to find information about our undergraduate and graduate programs, or any other aspect you find interesting. Whether you are a prospective student at any level, an alum of the Department, a student enrolled in a course within the Department, or simply a person curious about Physics and Astronomy, I hope you spend some time looking over what is available on the site. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email or by using the response forms contained throughout the site.

Sincerely,
Chris Fischer, Chair