Welcome to the Department of Physics & Astronomy!
Physics is the most fundamental of all the scientific disciplines. Ranging from the applied to the abstract, from the infinitesimal to the infinite, and from quarks to the cosmos, the study of physics seeks to explain all the complicated phenomena in the natural world by providing a description of these phenomena in terms of a few basic principles and laws.
Over the years, our more than 500 physics graduates from this department are now working as physicists, astronomers, geophysicists, professors, pilots, teachers, and a great many engineers and computer professionals. As the nation moves to meet the technological challenges of our time, the demand for well-educated individuals with an undergraduate education in physics continues to grow.
Banner Image By: NASA Earth Missions ISS
Announcements
Congressman Mike Thompson honors Prof. Lynn Cominsky on the occasion of her retirement August 17, 2025.
https://officeofmikethompson.box.com/s/krv7ui91sw24e4axj88th5z5162eejmb
Seen here are 4 alumni, currently in PhD programs, and three current SSU students who are working toward that goal. The Cal-Bridge Program supports undergraduate students who plan on going to a PhD program.
The department of Physics and Astronomy is proud of our graduating seniors and their excellent Capstone Research Presentations which you can watch on YouTube!
SSU's Dr. Alexandra Miller awarded a $950,000 grant from the Department of Energy’s RENEW program to teach high energy physics and engage students with research and internship opportunities. The GROWTH-MSI grant will support ten students annually starting January 2024.
SSU graduate Alex Vasquez won a National Science Foundation Fellowship! Alex also inspired SSU’s NASA program for autistic students and is now a graduate student at UC Irvine.