Physics

A Bachelor of Science in Physics equips you with critical problem-solving skills and technical tools to prepare you to work in research and development departments for high-tech companies, in government labs, or as a high school or junior college teacher. You’ll learn about proper methods for conducting research, and you'll develop proven techniques for observing, measuring, interpreting and developing theories to explain physical phenomena using mathematics.

The Department of Physics at the University of Idaho is a leading program due to its renowned faculty. Not only are our faculty members internationally recognized for outstanding research efforts, they are also dedicated to teaching and providing a high quality undergraduate education rooted in personal support and attention.

Through lectures and labs, you’ll learn the fundamentals of scientific problem solving, mathematics skills, physics principles and modeling and simulation. You’ll also gain experience using lab and instrumentation equipment in your exploration of the many subareas of physics, including:

• Classical mechanics
• Electronics
• Optics and Light
• Atomic and nuclear physics
• Quantum mechanics
• Electricity and magnetism
• Thermodynamics
• Statistical mechanics
• Materials science
• Solid-state physics
• Astronomy/astrophysics

You'll receive personal attention from our outstanding faculty, with opportunities to fully participate in faculty and graduate student research programs. 

To gain a competitive advantage in the job market, many physics majors earn a second degree in a related field, such as: 

• Mathematics
• Engineering
• Computer and information sciences
• Astronomy and astrophysics
• Chemistry
• Education, plus teaching certification
• Economics/business
• Law (patent law)

Prepare for Success

If you are looking to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Physics, you should have strengths in mathematics, chemistry and physics, with an interest in spending some of your time in a laboratory. To prepare for the program while in high school, it is a good idea to take precalculus, trigonometry and a calculus class. You should also explore other subjects that interest you, such as astronomy, philosophy or computer programming. This will give you a broader perspective as you begin to study physics and learn how to identify and analyze various patterns in the universe.

Your First Year

During your first year, you will complete core university requirements and typical first-year classes for physics majors; many of which include lab requirements:

• Physics Seminar (PHYS 200)
• Engineering Physics I (PHYS 211)
• Calculus I (MATH 170)
• Calculus II (MATH 175)
• Principles of Chemistry I (CHEM 111)
• Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM 112)

What You Can Do

With a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Physics, you may become a:

• Research physicist (government lab or high-tech industry)
• Core technology scientist
• Electro-optic engineer
• Applications engineer
• Manufacturing tools project leader
• Reactor coolant system engineer
• Project engineer
• Senior noise engineer
• Senior scientist
• Highway designer
• Teacher
• Medical physicist
• Professor (university and college level)
• Remote sensing scientist

Opportunities

Our physics graduates are in demand by today’s top well-paying employers, specifically in the areas of research and development. The federal government, software companies, engineering firms and science laboratories are always looking for graduates with an extensive science background like physics. They are particularly interested in students who can apply fundamental properties of the natural world in the development and design of new technologies and discoveries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual earnings of physicists was $94,240 in May 2006, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $52,070, and the highest 10 percent earning $143,570.

Below is a list of employers in Idaho that recently hired University of Idaho graduates with a B.S. Physics:

• Bechtel Corporation
• BestBuy Corporation
• Dell Computers
• Micron Technology
• GoNano

You’ll also have the option to pursue an advanced degree in physics or in a related field such as mathematics, chemistry or computer science.

Current Research

Our program is unique in that as an undergraduate you’ll have excellent opportunities to get involved in some exciting research projects. Our graduate students and faculty are committed to giving undergraduates access to high-quality research experiences. Some of the most significant research efforts in the University of Idaho Department of Physics are happening in the areas of:

• Condensed matter physics
• Nuclear physics
• Biological physics
• Astronomy and planetary science

Activities

By joining the University of Idaho Society of Physics Students, you’ll have the opportunity to meet fellow students who share your same interests, and you’ll learn about job opportunities and discoveries in the modern world of physics.

Also, the Department of Physics Colloquia organizes a variety of lectures and workshops on campus and at neighboring universities.

Hands-On Experience

As a student in the University of Idaho Department of Physics, you will have opportunities for group projects, internships and research assistantships that allow you to apply your knowledge in and outside of the classroom.

Undergraduate physics majors have outstanding opportunities to engage in top research programs alongside our leading faculty and graduate student researchers. Many of our faculty members have secured funding from their research grants to support undergraduates during summer research assistantships. We also give class credit for undergraduates who work in our labs during the school year.

The National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Program provides additional undergraduate research opportunities.

Facilities

The University of Idaho has extensive research facilities and tools, including:

• Physical Characterization
• Electrical Characterization
• Fabrication/Synthesis
• Theory/Modeling
• Machine Shop
• Observatory
• Demonstration Room
• Micro- and Nanotechnology Clean Room

Faculty Involvement

Regardless of what emphasis area you choose, you’ll benefit from direct interaction with faculty and instructors who genuinely care about your success. As an undergrad, you’ll also have significant opportunities to contribute to important research activities happening on campus. You will be assigned one of our faculty to be your adviser, and because our department is not too big, you are ensured of getting to know many of the faculty quite well before you graduate.

Gwen Barnes
Research Assistant Professor
Gwen studies the physical processes that shape the surfaces of the Moon and Mars.
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Jason W. Barnes
Assistant Professor
Specialty: Astronomy/Planetary Science Research Areas: Saturn's moon Titan, Extrasolar planets, orbital dynamics, astrobiology, spacecraft and space exploration
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Leah Bergman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Optical and phonon dynamics of semiconductors and their nanostructures. Wide-bandgap novel-nanomaterials. UV-photoluminescence and Raman micro-spectroscopy. Optical and structural properties of nanomaterilas under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature.
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Christine Berven, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Prof. Berven studies charge and thermal transport in reduced-dimensional submicron-scale devices. These systems are charactierized by finite- and quantum-size effects predominate
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Ruprecht Machleidt, Ph.D.
Professor
Theoretical nuclear physics. Specialty: Theory of nuclear forces; meson theory, chiral effective field theory.
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David N. McIlroy, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor
Research Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
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John (Jack) McIver, Ph.D.
Professor & Vice President for Research
Specialty: Non-Linear Systems/Laser Physics Dr. Jack McIver was appointed the Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of Idaho in 2008 and in this role he oversees, coordinates, and facilitates all U-Idaho research activities, including sponsored and internally funded research, center and institute research, interdisciplinary research programs, and research related to the university's land grant mission.
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You Qiang, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
My recent research interests mainly include two areas: (1) Nanomagnetism of clusters and cluster-assembled materials for biomedical and environmental applications, and (2) Magneto-optical properties of ZnO based spintronic nanoclusters.
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Francesca Sammarruca, Ph.D.
Professor
I am involved with a broad spectrum of studies aimed at improving our knowledge of nuclear matter and its extreme states in terms of density, asymmetry, and temperature. The nuclear matter properties I calculate have relevance for the physics of rare, short-lived nuclei as well as the nuclear physics of compact stars. With the Facility for Rare Isotope Beam (FRIB) recently approved for construction at Michigan State University, theoretical studies of neutron-rich systems, such as those I pursue, become especially important and timely.
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Bernhard J. Stumpf, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Experimental Atomic Physics
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F. Marty Ytreberg, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Developing computational methods for proteins and using these approaches to understand the underlying biophysical mechanisms that define protein structure, function and evolution.
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