Physics Department Mission Statement

Physics lies at the core of all scientific and technical disciplines. Our department has a two-fold mission – to provide students who will make a wide range of career choices with an outstanding learning experience in which they develop strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills with a deep appreciation of the role physics plays in technical innovations, and to foster cutting-edge research that expands the horizons of science and technology.

This mission will be accomplished by:

• providing students with rigorous and comprehensive courses that allow them to perform at a high level
• fostering curiosity and excitement about the physical world
• providing an exciting learning opportunity for non-physics and non-science majors that provides basic understanding of physics and problem-solving skills
• maintaining a research environment in which key scientific and technical innovations are generated
• providing undergraduate and master’s students research experience, through which they contribute to the scientific enterprise
• maintain a healthy level of external research funds, allowing us to provide financial support for PhD students during their thesis research and prepare them for academic, research, and industrial carriers
• having faculty bring exciting and current research perspectives to the classroom
• preparing undergraduate physics majors and pre-engineering students for graduate studies or technical careers
• providing an M.A. program, which helps students expand their career goals, and an M.S. (PSM) program that would prepare students for rewarding employment in photonics-related industries
• providing service and outreach activities to the college and broader community
• maintaining machine and electronics shop facilities that enhance undergraduate, graduate, and research laboratories in the College