Terrones looking at a blue laser
The Eberly College of Science

Department of Physics

"From the nano to the macro, we seek to understand the origin of the universe, the ultimate structure of matter, and the fundamental laws that govern the physical world. I'm proud to belong to an excellent and diverse community of faculty, postdocs, and students who are opening new scientific frontiers and developing ground breaking quantum technologies." Nitin Samarth, Department Head.

A physics experiment consisting of mirrors and lights on a bench
Physics Undergrad student conducting an experiment on a 2DCC machine
Physics undergraduate program

Develop a broad, deep, and rigorous knowledge of the quantitative problems that govern the natural world.

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Physics graduate researching looking at an experiment

Intellectually challenging and exciting graduate research alongside leading physics faculty full of talent, enthusiasm, and imagination.

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Physics graduate program
Penn State physicists are at the frontiers
of knowledge about the natural world

According to a multi-year study released by the National Research Council (NRC) in 2010, we are in the top echelon (10-15) of physics departments in the United States.

The 2018 US News graduate program rankings listed our gravitational physics/cosmology group and condensed matter physics group as #9 and #11, respectively. 

The physics department is also committed to fostering an inclusive community where people of all backgrounds feel safe and supported.

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Physics Department

The physics faculty is a community of innovative and inspiring research and instructional physicists at the frontier of science.

Featured Faculty

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Zhen Bi

Zhen Bi

Assistant Professor of Physics

My group focuses on theoretical condensed matter physics. We are interested in exotic quantum many-body phases such as topological phases of matter, and novel quantum phase transitions beyond conventional paradigms, as well as experimental platforms that exhibit these remarkable phenomena.
Stephanie Wissel for the featured staff tout.

Stephanie Wissel

Assistant Professor of Physics

My group focuses on detecting the highest energy neutrinos through radio detection experiments like PUEO, BEACON, ARA, and RNO-G.
Zoltan Fodor.

Zoltan Fodor

Professor

The main goal is to solve quantum field theory in the non-perturbative, strongly interacting regime. To that end, analytic and numerical techniques are applied on space-time lattices.
Davey Lab
Featured Story
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Excess neutrinos and missing gamma rays

Coronae of supermassive black holes may be the hidden sources of mysterious cosmic neutrinos seen on Earth, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers.

Galaxy NGC 1068 with its active black hole shown as an illustration in the zoomed-in inset
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Zhu elected as Fellow of the American Physical Society

Jun Zhu, professor of physics, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the world’s largest organization dedicated to physics, for her outstanding contributions to condensed matter physics.

Jun Zhu.
Department of Physics joins APS network
Department of Physics joins APS network to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion

The physics department will join a multi-institution network that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion in the physics community.

diverse people arm in arm looking at chalkboard
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A “bang” signals most massive gravitational-wave source yet

A binary black hole merger likely produced gravitational waves equivalent to the energy of eight suns in a mere 10 milliseconds!

Artist's impression of colliding black holes
“Creating an inclusive space requires a community effort."
Learn how
Doug Cowen

Physics Spotlight

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