Department of Physics and Astronomy (GRAD)
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers graduate work leading to the degrees of master of science and doctor of philosophy.
The active fields of research are biophysics, medical physics, condensed-matter physics, materials physics, nanotechnology, nuclear physics, neutrino physics and nuclear astrophysics, quantum field theory, theoretical particle physics, general relativity and gravitation, extragalactic and stellar astronomy, and astrophysics. Students can also work in the UNC–Chapel Hill biophysics program. The graduate courses are designed to give students a broad foundation and to introduce them to the special fields in which the research interests of the department lie.
The general regulations of The Graduate School govern the work for the degrees of master of science and doctor of philosophy. To begin a graduate program in physics or astrophysics, the student should have completed most of the requirements for the degree of bachelor of science with a major in physics at the University, or their equivalent elsewhere. The minimum prerequisite for graduate study consists of the basic undergraduate courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 118 | 
Introductory Calculus-based Mechanics and Relativity H, F | 4 |
| PHYS 119 |
Introductory Calculus-based Electromagnetism and Quanta H, F | 4 |
| PHYS 311 | Electromagnetism I | 3 |
| PHYS 401 | Mechanics I | 3 |
| PHYS 412 | Electromagnetism II | 3 |
| PHYS 421 | Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 441 | Thermal Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 521 | Applications of Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| Together with the following courses: | ||
| MATH 232 |
Calculus of Functions of One Variable II H, F | 4 |
| MATH 233 |
Calculus of Functions of Several Variables H | 4 |
| MATH 528 | Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences I | 3 |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
| F | FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute. |
Research Interests
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Research includes the formation, structure, and evolution of stars, our Milky Way galaxy, evolution and dynamics of galaxies, gamma-ray bursts, cosmology, numerical relativity and sources of gravitational radiation, stellar seismology and quasars, exoplanets, and interstellar medium physics. UNC–Chapel Hill has guaranteed observing time on the 4.1-meter SOAR Telescope in Chile. UNC–Chapel Hill operates a number of smaller robotic telescopes as well and maintains multiple astronomical instrumentation laboratories dedicated to adaptive optics and state-of-the-art spectroscopy.
Biological and Medical Physics
Experimental studies include manipulation and force measurement techniques with applications to DNA, molecular motors, cells, and cilia, and hydration effects in adsorption of biochemicals. There is also a strong focus on the theoretical and experimental translational research in medical imaging technologies, including radiotherapy instruments based on carbon nanotube X-ray emitters such as single-cell irradiation and in vivo micro-CT; optical coherence tomography with nanoparticle molecular imaging agents; and systems-level implementation of tomographic imaging instruments.
Condensed-Matter Physics
Experimental and theoretical studies of nanomaterials. Atomic scale studies of devices and nanoelectromechanical systems, including quantum computation and transport, actuating nanomotors and sensors, amorphous materials, semiconductors, superconductors, the optical properties of solids, charge transport in solids and fluids, epitaxial growth, magnetic materials and heterostructures.
Field Theory, Particle Physics, Cosmology, Gravitation and Relativity
Research includes gauge field theories, quantum chromodynamics, electroweak theory, grand unified theories, string theory, supersymmetry, supergravity, quantum gravity, theoretical cosmology, numerical relativity, gravitational radiation, and relativistic astrophysics.
Materials Science and Materials Physics
Experimental and theoretical research in the design, synthesis, integration, and characterization of novel solid state materials, including nanostructured materials such as quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and nanorods, quasi-crystals, and metallic glass. Applications of novel materials for solar energy, electron field emission, probes and sensors, and data storage. Applications include flat-panel displays, an X-ray system for biomedical imaging, and rechargeable batteries.
Nuclear Physics
Experimental and theoretical work includes neutrino oscillations and neutrino mass measurements, fundamental symmetries and weak interactions in supernovae. The structure and evolution of stars are investigated using nuclear probes. The origin of the elements in the universe is studied using local accelerator facilities. The nature of the nuclear force and properties of few-body systems. Polarized beams of light ions and gamma-rays and polarized 3He target. Applied nuclear physics.
Facilities and Equipment
Research in physics and astronomy is carried out in laboratories on and off the Chapel Hill campus. Within Phillips Hall and Chapman Hall there are several major research laboratories including the "nanomanipulator" (a combination of a scanning electron microscope, an atomic force microscope, and sophisticated visualization graphics); the Keck Laboratory for Atomic Imaging and Manipulation, which includes two transmission electron microscopes; and the Goodman Laboratory for Astronomical Instrumentation. Other facilities include apparatus for nuclear magnetic resonance studies, scanning probe microscopes, and Raman and optical spectrometers. For synthesis and fabrication, major facilities include molecular beam epitaxy, microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, laser ablation, and photolithography and reactive ion etching. Resources for highly parallel computing are provided by UNC's Information and Technology Services as well as by national centers.
The department is a partner in the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory and plays a major role in experiments using the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics (LENA), Tandem Accelerator, and the High-Intensity Gamma-Ray Source at the Free Electron Laser facility. UNC–Chapel Hill has an active program in low-background physics at the KURF underground facility near Blacksburg, VA. UNC–Chapel Hill has a 0.6-meter on-campus telescope and is a major partner in the 4.1-meter SOAR Telescope in Chile. The department operates the PROMPT array of robotic telescopes in Chile and manages the SkyNet array of robotic telescopes. Numerous national laboratories, including Oak Ridge, Brookhaven, NIST, Los Alamos, and Argonne, as well as KamLAND, NRAO, NOAO, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory are also vital parts of our research efforts.
Fellowships and Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships (with stipends of $22,500 for nine months) are available to qualified graduate students. Summer employment is usually available. The duties of assistants include supervising laboratory classes in introductory physics or astronomy, supporting the supervision of advanced laboratories, teaching recitation sections, and grading assignments. Graduate School fellowships are available for well-qualified applicants to the department's graduate program. Graduate students can usually be supported in the summer by teaching or research.
Research assistantships are also offered, especially to those who have completed a year or two of graduate work. The stipend is at least $30,000 for the calendar year.
Application forms for admission, including graduate appointments, should be completed online.
Courses
Numbered 400-999:
The purpose of the graduate program is to educate professional scientists at the Ph.D. level. The training prepares students for careers on university and college faculties; in industrial research and development facilities; in government laboratories and research centers; and in a variety of other scientific and technical venues. Scientific training at this level is achieved through classroom study in the core areas of the discipline common to all subfields of physics and astronomy, as well as in specialized areas at the advanced level. With this foundation, training will continue by engaging in a program of research, in partnership with one or more faculty members, which results in original work of scientific scholarship in the form of a doctoral dissertation. This research may consist of experimental, theoretical, observational, or computational work; or it may combine elements of several or all of these. The general regulations of The Graduate School govern the work for graduate degrees in physics and astronomy. Specific requirements summarized below. Detailed information may be obtained from the department.
A candidate for a Ph.D. degree must complete the following requirements:
- Pass the doctoral written exam in four of the following seven core courses: PHYS 701, PHYS 712, PHYS 721, PHYS 741, ASTR 711, ASTR 712, ASTR 719 , and completing a research or literature review paper.
- Pass the teaching seminar (PHYS 510) and the introductory graduate seminar (PHYS 885).
- Completing course work in four additional electives at a satisfactory level. Generally, only courses numbered 600 or higher count for graduate level course credit.
- Passing the preliminary oral exam, presenting the thesis prospectus.
- Acquiring two semesters of teaching experience as TA or equivalent.
- Writing a Ph.D. thesis and successfully defending it during a final oral examination.
The department does not offer a terminal M.S. degree, but students are encouraged to acquire the M.S. degree (non-thesis option) as an additional milestone during their thesis work. All course work (see above) needs to be completed by the semester in which the M.S. degree is defended.
Professors
Rosa Tamara Branca, Nuclear Spin Hyperpolarization-Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy, Biomedical and Biomolecular Imaging
James Christopher Clemens, Observational Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astronomical Instrumentation
Louise A. Dolan, Theoretical Particle Physics, Quantum Gravity
Joaquín Emiliano Drut, Computational Quantum Many-body Physics
Jonathan H. Engel, Theoretical Nuclear Physics
Adrienne Lynn Erickcek, Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology
Charles R. Evans, Gravity, Relativity, Theoretical Astrophysics
Fabian Heitsch, Computational Astrophysics
Reyco Henning, Neutrino Physics, Particle Astrophysics
Christian Iliadis, Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics
Amy Lynn Josefsberg, Biological and Medical Physics, Biophotonics
Dmitri V. Khveshchenko, Theoretical Quantum Many-body Physics, Holographic Principle
Nicholas M. Law, Exoplanets, Time-domain Astronomy, Data Science, Astronomical Instrumentation
Rene Lopez, Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
Jianping Lu, Medical Imaging Physics, AI, Nanotechnology, Computational and Condensed Matter Theory
Laura Mersini-Houghton, Theoretical Cosmology
Daniel E. Reichart, Gamma Ray Bursts, Early Universe, Interstellar Extinction, Galaxy Clusters
Frank Tsui, Experimental Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
John Franklin Wilkerson, Experimental Neutrino Physics and Fundamental Symmetries
Yue Wu, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Electron Spin Resonance in Solids
Otto Z. Zhou, Materials Science, Nanotechnology
Associate Professors
Akaa Daniel Ayangeakaa, Experimental Nuclear Structure Physics
Brad Barlow, Observational Astronomy
Gökçe Başar, Theoretical Nuclear and Particle Physics
Julieta Gruszko, Experimental Neutrino Physics
Andrew W. Mann, Observational Astronomy, Stars and Exoplanets
Amy Nicole Nicholson, Theoretical Nuclear Physics, Computational Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics
Assistant Professors
Igor Andreoni, Observational Astronomy
Carl Rodriguez, Computational and Theoretical Astrophysics, Stars, Black Holes, and Gravitational Waves
Mengen Wang, Computational Materials Science
Wei Zhang, Experimental Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Science
Research Professor
Arthur E. Champagne, Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics
Robert Victor Janssens, Experimental Nuclear Physics
Research Associate Professor
Christina Redmon Inscoe, Medical Physics
Research Assistant Professor
Yue Qiu, Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Gravity, Cosmology
Teaching Professors
Duane Deardorff, Physics Education Research
Teaching Associate Professors
Colin Wallace, Physics Education Research
Jennifer Weinberg-Wolf, Physics Education Research
Teaching Assistant Professors
Alia Hamdan, Physics Education Research
John Hansen, Physics Education Research
Muxin Zhang, Physics Education Research
Adjunct Professors
Gerald N. Cecil, Observational Astrophysics
Steven Mark Christensen, Gravitation, Quantum Field Theory, Black Holes, Cosmology
Brand Fortner, Astrophysics
Yosuke Kanai, Condensed Matter Physics, Chemical and Material Physics
Alfred Kleinhammes, Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Science
Laurie E. McNeil, Condensed Matter Physics
David Clarke Radford, Nuclear Physics
John Michael Shull, Experimental Astrophysics
Gregory Clayton Sloan, Experimental Astrophysics
Rachel Lofsky Smith, Observational Astronomy
Jie Tang, Materials Physics, Nanomaterials
Adjunct Associate Professors
Rafael Da Silva De Souza, Astrophysics
Stefan Jeglinski, Physics Education Research
David B. Hill, Biophysics
Yueh Z. Lee, Medical Physics
Thomas Osburn, Gravity, Relativity, Theoretical Astrophysics
Professors Emeriti
Charle V. Briscoe
Bruce Carney
Gerald N. Cecil
Wayne Christiansen
Thomas Clegg
Kian S. Dy
John P. Hernandez
Robert Victor Janssens
Sheila Kannappan
Hugon J. Karwowski
Laurie E. McNeil
Yee Jack Ng
Nalin Parikh
Lu-Chang Qin
James A. Rose
William J. Thompson
Sean Washburn
Department of Physics and Astronomy
