Albert Einstein, Steven Weinberg, and Stephen Hawking – these are renowned physicists whose work has had a profound impact on improving our understanding of the world, inspiring many future scientists to come. Your name could be among the greats if you study physics, a field that delves deep into understanding, not just the world, but how the universe works.
This understanding is not just for your benefit; it is also for others, as you find solutions to today’s world problems, such as tackling climate change by developing more efficient energy technologies and understanding weather patterns, as well as innovating microchips that advance digital devices. Physicists are in demand now, with about 1,600 openings projected each year from 2023 to 2033.
If you are interested in stamping your name in physics, these four universities are a great start.
The Department of Physics has laboratories on and off campus. Source: New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology
As one of the nation’s leading public polytechnic universities, with an R1 rating (the highest designation for research institutions), the New Jersey Institute of Technology prepares students to be leaders in the technology-driven landscape of the 21st century. This is seen most clearly at its Department of Physics, where the physical sciences and their related technologies come together to inspire the next generation of leading engineers and scientists.
Those interested in solar-terrestrial or space weather physics, optics and THz remote sensing, and material sciences will fit in just fine here. These areas are mirrored in the MS in Applied Physics and PhD in Applied Physics programmes, where you get to solve real-world problems with researchers within and beyond your department and university. Focus areas cover the prediction of solar flares or coronal mass ejections, modelling of HF radio outages, prediction of spacecraft charging, more efficient solar cells, detection of product defects or explosive materials, and many other current challenges.
Your work will take place in various cutting-edge laboratories located not only on campus but also across the country. The Big Bear Solar Observatory is one example. The recipient of US$26 million in research grants observes and studies the surface of the sun, including its sunspots, filaments, faculae, granulation, spicules and jets. Other national and international facilities operating under the university’s name include the Jenny Jump State Forest in New Jersey, the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, the Huancayo Observatory in Peru, and more. The university even has a facility in the Antarctic continent and in orbit around earth.
Apply to New Jersey Institute of Technology now.
Texas A&M University’s College of Arts and Sciences offers more than 130 programmes of study. Source: Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
As the state’s first public institution of higher learning, Texas A&M University is a research-intensive institution in the heart of the Houston-Dallas-Austin triangle. Over 70,000 students pursue an education here, and for good reasons: affordable tuition fees, excellent campus life, valuable education and some of the best faculty in the world. The best part? The university strives to continuously improve in all kinds of ways.
Step foot into its College of Arts and Sciences, and you’ll discover that the sentiment is especially true. It houses many departments, one of which is the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Here, students are nurtured to become problem solvers who are prepared for careers in industry, government, and healthcare as well as graduate studies, not only in physics and astronomy, but also in many other science and engineering disciplines.
The department offers major and minor programmes related to physics and astronomy. This includes Astrophysics, Bachelor of Arts/Science in Physics, and Physics Minor. Through classroom instruction, laboratories, and advising by world-class scientists, the department provides opportunities to its 200 undergraduate majors for education, research, science outreach, and community service.
“We conduct research in astronomy and astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, condensed matter physics, high energy physics, nuclear physics, and many other fields that are central to the mission of our department,” says Grigory V. Rogachev, professor and Head of Department. “Our faculty includes two Nobel Prize winners, four members of the National Academy of Sciences, 10 distinguished professors, and one university professor.”
All your research will take place in dedicated institutes and centres located on campus grounds. Source: Department of Physics, University of Toronto/Facebook
University of Toronto
Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is one of the world’s top research-intensive institutions, where students from around the globe gather and collaborate to tackle the impossible and address the world’s most pressing problems. You can see this happening at the university’s Department of Physics. Here, all students are pursuing research at different levels of study, whether undergraduate, postgraduate, or doctoral. You look into topics such as particle physics, quantum optics, geophysics, atmospheric physics, condensed matter physics, biological physics, cosmology, and string theory.
You can choose to be part of one of six research groups – Biological Physics will focus on the connection between physics, chemistry, and biology. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Physics deal with the physical processes of our planet. Experimental Particle Physics is all about understanding and experimenting on the nature of matter. Quantum Condensed Matter Physics examine the properties of large groups of atoms that comprise both ordinary and exotic materials. Quantum Optics study the properties of light. Theoretical High-Energy Physics explores the fundamental parts of matter and their interactions.
All your work will take place in dedicated research centres located on campus grounds. From the Institute for Aerospace Studies, exclusively for aerospace and robotics research, to where studies in theoretical astrophysics happen at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, you can take advantage of these centres filled with state-of-the-art equipment and resources to maximise your research findings.
At the Department of Physics, you will find a connection between your research and real-world applications. Source: Oregon State University/Facebook
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is ranked the #1 most innovative university in the state, and it is easy to see why. More than 100 companies existing today are the result of the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship programmes. This is because the programmes here connect your research to real-world applications to solve worldly problems coming from various sectors.
Research at the Department of Physics is a clear example of this. Here, you will explore the subject on every scale, from investigating carbon nanotubes used in solar energy to reenvisioning the gamma-ray bursts generated in black hole formation to employing artificial intelligence to understand cancer invasion. Whether in Astrophysics, Biophysics, Condensed Matter Physics, High Energy Physics, Optical Physics, Physics Education Research, or Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Cosmology, you will have the opportunity to work with world-class physicists who can guide you through your research to bring the best possible outcome.
The research centres and facilities you will work in are part of the College of Science, where you can engage with students from other departments, creating an interdisciplinary environment. With 16 research centres to work in, according to your project, you are sure to benefit from the cutting-edge technology and lab equipment that the college provides.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International