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University of Rochester graduate student smiles while manipulating the apparatus in an optics lab.

Twisting atomically thin materials could advance quantum computers

Placing two layers of special 2D materials together and turning them at large angles creates artificial atoms with intriguing optical properties.

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Majors & Minors

We offer degrees in physics and in physics and astronomy, as well as many research opportunities for undergraduates.

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Graduate Studies

Our PhD programs rank in the top twenty nationwide, according to the National Research Council.

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Research

From subatomic particles to the structure of the Universe itself, our award-winning faculty study nature on every scale.

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Partnerships

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is committed to increasing the diversity of its student body, faculty, and staff. We are a partner institution in the APS Bridge and Cal-Bridge programs.

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Spotlight

Physics Student Wins First Place in Art of Science Competition

A single video frame of a small flock of crows flying over Lehigh Valley Trail.

Rayleigh Parker, a physics PhD student, won first place for Flocking Behavior. Parker shot video of a small flock of crows passing overhead on the Lehigh Valley Trail in Rochester and then collapsed the video down into a single frame using a script written in Python.

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Physics, Optics, and Astronomy (POA) Library

The POA library houses a comprehensive collection of journals, monographs and online data bases, supporting the research and teaching activities of the department.

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