Search PhysicsContent ManagerHome

The Department At A Glance

Since its inception, the Physics Department at UC San Diego has been counted among the leading departments in the country. The faculty includes 9 members of the National Academy of Science, 13 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 2 fellows of the Royal Society of London. Faculty members have received many prestigious prizes including the National Medal of Science, Fermi Prize, E. O. Lawrence Prize, Compton Prize, Maxwell Prize, Heinemann Prize, Buckley Prize, Warner Prize, APS Biophysics Prize, and London Prize. Research activity occurs in an unusually broad range of areas. Substantial groups work in:

· astrophysics and astronomy;

· biophysics;

· condensed matter physics;

· controlled fusion and plasma physics;

· elementary particle physics; and

· nonlinear dynamics.

The wide range of research interests represented in the department is reflected in its association with a number of campus research institutes and centers: the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS), the Center for Magnetic Recording Research (CMRR), the Institute for Nonlinear Science (INLS), and the Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences (IPAPS), among others. Interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues in other natural science and engineering departments, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the School of Medicine, are common. Weekly colloquia and seminars promote social interaction while introducing participants to a wide range of forefront research.

Departmental facilities include excellent electronics and machine shops, a liquid He facility, and extensive computing facilities. Additional computing support is available from the campus-based San Diego Supercomputing Center (SDSC). The campus libraries maintain a superb collection of books and journals in physics and related fields.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Department’s graduate students are drawn from the upper ranks of the finest colleges and universities throughout the world. The Department offers curricula leading to the:

· M.S. in Physics;

· Ph.D. in Physics; and

· Ph.D. in Physics/Biophysics.

A flexible program, consisting of coursework, research apprenticeships, teaching experience, and thesis research, permits students to emphasize their special interests while simultaneously providing a broad, advanced education. Graduate students are typically supported by a combination of research fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships.

Applications for graduate study are due by February 2nd for the following Fall Quarter.

UNDERGRAD PROGRAMS

UCSD has one of the largest and most productive undergraduate B.S. programs in the U.S. Our undergrads are regularly accepted into the most prestigious graduate schools or gain employment in a wide variety of high paying careers. A very diverse set of course offerings, along with various specializations, lets students chart their own course. Physics majors enjoy the benefit of small classes, hands-on laboratories, personalized attention, and opportunities to engage in research under the auspices of a faculty mentor. Undergraduate admissions are handled by the campus Admissions Office (http:///admissions.ucsd.edu)

 

THE CAMPUS

UC San Diego is recognized throughout the academic world for the eminence of its faculty and for the quality of its instructional programs. One of the youngest of the 9 campuses of the University of California, UCSD has already achieved a stature comparable to that of institutions founded a century or more ago. The high caliber of faculty and research staff attracts federal research grant funding equaled by few academic centers in the nation: UC San Diego ranks third in the nation and first in the UC system according to the amount of federal research dollars the campus spends on research and development.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT

UCSD overlooks the Pacific Ocean from a thousand-acre site in La Jolla. The Mexican border at Tijuana is thirty miles south of the campus; beyond it stretches the isolated and beautiful seacoast of Baja California. Fifty miles to the east the Cuyamaca mountains rise six thousand feet, and beyond them is the Anza-Borrego Desert. The climate is one of the finest in the world: winters are frost-free with little rain, and ocean breezes guarantee pleasant summers. San Diego’s scenic beauty and superb climate provide an unparalleled setting in which to live and study. Local cultural activities include off-Broadway premieres at the Old Globe Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse, muscial events ranging from rock-and-roll to opera, and many film and fine arts exhibitions. Recreational opportunities abound: cycling, jogging, and sailing are year-round activities; winter sports venues are within easy driving distance. San Diego is also home to a vibrant research community that includes many companies and research institutes in the high-technology and biomedical industries. Nearby universities include Cal Tech, UCLA, UC Riverside, and UC Irvine.

 

Highlights

 

75 faculty, including emeriti & research professors

9 National Academy of Science members

13 American Academy of Arts & Science members

125 graduate students

200 undergraduate majors

$16.5M annual research expenditures

 

Primary Research Areas

astrophysics and astronomy

biophysics;

condensed matter physics;

controlled fusion and plasma physics;

elementary particle physics; and

nonlinear dynamics.

Allied Organized Research Units:

Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences

Center for Magnetic Recording Research

Institute for Non-linear Science

Institute for Pure & Applied Physical Sciences

Departmental Facilities

electronics shop

computing facility

liquid He facility

 

UCSD

1350 faculty

5 Nobel Laureates

64 National Academy of Science members

3,762 graduate students

22,048 undergraduate students

3.9 average GPA for entering undergrads

1233 average SAT composite scores for entering undergrads

$351M annual research funding