Physics

Make a Quantum Leap in Learning

If Stephen Hawking is your hero, if the movements of quarks and planets cause movements in your heart, if you consider mathematical equations a challenge and never a chore—this is the major for you. Study the universe at a university that has award-winning professors who encourage undergraduates to stake out a place in the lab and make discoveries alongside them.

Thinkers, tinkerers, and theoretical mathematicians gravitate to physics to explore the laws of nature and the relationship between energy and matter. A degree in physics from the University of Oregon will give you a solid foundation to continue graduate studies in astrophysics, engineering, teaching, astronomy, medicine, and a host of other disciplines. The habits of mind acquired by a rigorous course of study in physics equip a graduate to think logically and methodically, and to stand a problem on its head. These skills are essential once you reach the job market.

One piece of advice: Stephen Kevan, the head of the department, says high school calculus can give an entering freshman a head start, though it’s not necessary. There are two introductory physics classes at the UO—one that uses calculus and one that doesn’t. Kevan’s research, by the way, focuses on experimental studies of the electronic, structural, and dynamical properties of natural and synthetic low-dimensional material systems. Come learn what it’s all about.

The physics building, Willamette Hall, contains 136,000 square feet of laboratory, office, and classroom space. UO physics students attend frequent colloquia presented by professors from around the country and the world. Listen to speakers on topics such as, “Perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics,” or “Laboratory Models of Planetary Cores.” Or attend one of the seminars on optics, molecular biology, or physical chemistry. There’s so much going on, your choices will seem infinite. 

• The Department of Physics has made undergraduate research a priority, with more than 60 percent of physics juniors and seniors involved in research experience
• Take physics classes from faculty members who bring their research interests to the classroom. These classes typically have 15 to 25 students, an optimal size to guarantee individual attention
• The UO physics department has more than 35 faculty members, whose areas of expertise range from astrophysics to materials science. The faculty is awarded around $6 million in external research grants each year
• The department operates Pine Mountain Observatory, located 26 miles from Bend, Oregon, at an elevation of 6500 feet and open to the public, to conduct astronomical research and education
• Attend PolyCamp, a weeklong program for chemistry and physics students interested in the fundamentals and industrial applications of polymer science. RockCamp, meanwhile, incorporates materials synthesis and characterization lectures and labs to prepare students to excel in solid-state inorganic chemistry and materials research
• In the Deutsch Lab, undergraduates learn chemical and vacuum deposition techniques, gain valuable computer programming skills, participate in writing scientific publications, and help set up and run optics experiment

Sample Courses

Practical Learning

As a physics major you’ll help set up the many demonstrations that accompany lectures. You’ll also be able to help in tutorials and laboratories, giving you the chance to strengthen your foundation in physics, hone your communication skills, and even make a little money. Join the Society of Physics Students chapter on campus. The national society sponsors student internships and other opportunities for undergraduates. Graduate with honors by maintaining a high upper-division physics G.P.A. and writing and defending a thesis on a research project.

The UO and the National Science Foundation sponsor a ten-week summer undergraduate research program for physics and chemistry majors to participate in a wide variety of exciting research projects. In the physics department, you'll be exposed to diverse philosophies and fields. If you are also interested in chemistry or math, become a double major. The university encourages cross-discipline partnership through organizations such as the Materials Science Institute, the Institute of Molecular Biology, and the Institute of Neuroscience. The Institute of Molecular Biology, for example, brings together young scientists from the departments of biology, chemistry, and physics.

The Student Experience

Kendra Nyberg’s focus is in biophysics and the relationship between certain proteins and the rigidity of lipid membranes. When she isn’t studying or collaborating with fellow physicists in the Physics Reading Room, she’s involved in outreach programs. In 2010, she became copresident of the Society of Physics Students. Since then, she has planned numerous events, invited guest speakers to share their knowledge, and organized shows for elementary and high schools. She also hosted the First Annual Northwest Women in Physics Conference in 2011.

Rick Suhr is majoring in physics, mathematics, and computer science. Working alongside Assistant Professor Raghuveer Parthasarathy in the lab, he is helping to develop a computer program for a project on reflection interference contrast microscopy. Suhr is in the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares qualified juniors and seniors for graduate study. In his spare time, he’s a math tutor.

Dylan Fast works with Associate Professor Miriam Deutsch in the lab to manufacture iridescent synthetic opals as part of a plasmotics project. “It’s really nice to have someone to work with academically and in the lab,” he says. “By far, working in the lab is the best opportunity. That’s something that you can’t get at a lot of huge universities.”

Featured Faculty

Professor Davison Soper specializes in elementary particle theory and is a co-recipient of the American Physics Society’s 2009 J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics. His research includes studies in the influence of quantum interference on the behavior of parton showers, and developing methods for finding signals for new physics events in the Large Hadron Collider. Soper teaches graduate courses in quantum mechanics as well as courses in astronomy and terascale physics.

Associate Professor Miriam Deutsch works in the fields of optical and material sciences. Her research interests include fabrication and characterization of self-assembled photonic crystals and optics of metallic nanostructures. She is the director of the Oregon Center for Optics. The Deutsch Group works to understand the fundamental optical and electronic properties of very thin metal films. These films can function as ultra-sensitive detectors of chemical and biological contaminants and enhance the efficiency of solar cells. Deutsch has worked with many undergraduates who have pursued advanced degrees in the physical sciences. 

Assistant Professor Raghuveer Parthasarathy specializes in soft condensed matter and biophysics. He runs the Parthasarathy Lab, which conducts experiments that explore the physical properties of cellular membranes, such as the mechanical stiffness and fluidity that is important for cellular function. Using microscopic physical approaches like the use of light beams to apply forces to cell membranes, Parthasarathy and his students discover how proteins respond to environmental conditions.

Professor David Strom is an experimental particle physicist whose research interests include z-pair production in electron-positron collisions, precision electroweak measurements, and the detection of gravity waves associated with gamma ray bursts. Strom was elected by the ATLAS Collaboration Board to serve as “Trigger Coordinator” for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. During his yearlong service at CERN, Strom will be in charge of deciding which 400 collisions (out of 400 million that occur each second) warrant further analysis. 

Career Opportunities

There is a wealth of opportunities for those with an undergraduate physics major. You can do cutting-edge research in computer science and electronics, or you can pass on your knowledge to students by becoming a teacher. Physics and mathematics also are key components of engineering. “A lot of our graduates go into professional schools, law school to become patent lawyers, something like that,” says department head Stephen Kevan. With a background in physics, you can pursue careers in finance and business administration. A physics background is also great preparation for careers in astronomy and space technology. In physics, the universe is your laboratory.

Contact Information
(541) 346-4751
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