Department of Physics

The undergraduate physics program at Boston University gives students a foundation of knowledge and problem-solving ability on which they can build a variety of careers. The department prides itself on the quality of its teaching while also maintaining a vigorous research program. The diverse faculty assures majors an opportunity for unusually close interaction with their teachers and mentors. Students are encouraged to participate in ongoing research projects, and many get involved as early as their sophomore year. Qualified students enroll as seniors in independent projects leading to a degree with honors in the major (CAS PY 401, 402).

Although many of our graduates continue their careers in physics or astronomy, a BA in Physics also offers preparation for careers in such areas as industrial research and development, engineering, environmental sciences, medical physics, geophysics, oceanography, computer science, and energy resource management. It is also an ideal preparation for entering professional schools such as medicine, law, teaching, engineering, or business management. Reflecting the diversity of careers available to our students, the department offers two options for the major in physics, as well as joint majors in astronomy and physics, and philosophy and physics. In addition, the department offers a minor in physics, which is an excellent complement to degrees in engineering, mathematics, or other sciences.

Students in their junior year have the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Geneva (Switzerland). This program combines coursework at UniGe with research at CERN (European Laboratory for Particle Physics).

The Metcalf Science Center, at 590 Commonwealth Avenue, houses department headquarters, instructional laboratories, lecture rooms, and offices, as well as laboratories devoted to low temperature physics, surface physics, condensed matter physics, molecular biophysics, and materials research. The Physics Research Building, located nearby at 3 Cummington Street, houses classrooms, laboratories dedicated to high-energy and condensed-matter physics, world-class computers, and outstanding facilities for the fabrication of scientific instruments and the design of sophisticated electronics equipment. In addition, several physics research groups have laboratories in the Photonics Center on St. Mary’s Street. Researchers at Boston University also perform experiments at a variety of national and international facilities, including Brookhaven National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in the U.S., CERN (France/Switzerland), Super-Kamiokande (Japan), and the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) (Switzerland).

An extensive network of computational facilities supports the research activities of the department. There are networked centralized multiprocessors available to departmental faculty, staff, and students. Additional Unix and Linux servers and workstations, as well as many Windows PCs, are available to research groups. For computationally intensive applications, students have access to supercomputing resources supported through the Center for Computational Science and the Information Technology Office. The Departmental Computer Facility supports a wide range of software applications for physics data collection, analysis, simulation, and visualization.

Organizations

Photon, the undergraduate physics society, is a member of the Society for Physics Students of the American Physical Society and sponsors many interesting programs during the year.

Sigma Xi See Honor Societies.

Sigma Pi Sigma See Honor Societies.