Welcome to the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of California, Riverside
The Physics and Astronomy Department’s core missions are to maintain a program of excellence in research by world-class scientists, to provide outstanding teaching and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate level for our students, and to engage with the local community.
Our research addresses the deepest scientific questions ranging from understanding the most fundamental interactions in nature to the structure of the universe. Our faculty have on-campus laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment performing studies of atomic and molecular physics, biological systems, and emergent properties of novel quantum materials. We support and utilize some of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world, including the James Webb Space Telescope, the LIGO gravitational wave detectors, and accelerator-based particle and nuclear physics experiments at CERN, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Jefferson Lab.
Our thriving research program provides many opportunities for our students to learn and become inspired by directly engaging in research with our faculty. The Department values the many benefits that come from a community of individuals from diverse backgrounds.