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Department of Physics & Astronomy

We provide students a complete and rigorous undergraduate education in physics culminating in a Bachelor of Science degree. Our curriculum provides the ideal preparation for physics or engineering graduate school, careers in scientific research, or professions as educators. We are a dedicated faculty that is passionate about teaching and we are committed to the meaningful involvement of undergraduates in research. With small class sizes and varied research opportunities, we offer a unique learning opportunity for students interested in the natural sciences.

Questions about Physics degree programs:

Cynthia Galovich
(970) 351 2079
cynthia.galovich@unco.edu

Questions about the Astronomy program:

Charles Kuehn
(970) 351 2561
charles.kuehn@unco.edu

New Grant Awarded

Dr. Tyler Engstrom (UNC Physics) and Dr. Andrea James (UNC Biological Sciences) were awarded a $413,920 grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health for their interdisciplinary project, “Developing new biophysical models of choroid fissure closure in zebrafish and foveal pit formation across species.” This project will address a basic research need for quantitative eye morphogenesis models that are tested against experimental data and that can shed light on biophysical mechanisms during eye development. Such models will aid in treatment and prevention of colobomas, foveal hypoplasia, and other developmental diseases of the eye. UNC physics and biology majors will be recruited to work on all aspects of the proposed research, through twelve paid positions to be created over the next three years.
UNC Physics at the Multiphoton Processes Gordon Research Conference

Prof. Chaloupka presented his work on the Strong-Field Ionization of Rare Gases in Intense Bicircular Laser Pulses at the Multiphoton Processes Gordon Research Conference held in Smithfield, RI (June 9-14).
Congratulations 2024 Graduates!!

Congratulations to our 2024 UNC Physics & Astronomy Graduates: Zoe Bonasera, Taylor Apala, Josh Gonzales, Adam Baker, Emily Chown, Torsten Jennings, Jair Ojeda Rodriguez, Evan Garneau.
UNC Physics at the APS March Meeting

UNC Physics was well represented at the APS March Meeting held in Minneapolis March 3-8. Undergraduates Zoe Bonasera, Emily Chown, Kera Davis Manchette, and Indigo Peppard attended the meeting, along with Prof. Tyler Engstrom. Zoe, Emily, and Indigo presented their work with Prof. Engstrom, and Zoe was awarded a best poster prize by the Division of Soft Matter!
NHS Spring Seminar
New Publication in Physical Review E

Prof. Engstrom's work on the Dynamics of certain Euler-Bernoulli rods and rings from a minimal coupling quantum isomorphism has been published in the journal Physical Review E.