Montana State University

Department of Physics

Montana State University
P.O. Box 173840
Bozeman, MT 59717-3840

Tel: (406) 994-3614
Fax: (406) 994-4452
Location: EPS building, Room 264



Department Head:
Prof. Richard J. Smith
Homepage

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Department of Physics

 Next Colloquium, February 24th:
Molecular interactions in physics and biology: from classical approach to fully quantum mechanical consideration
Yi-Kuo Yu, National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

 How the Sun Gets Its Spots: New Theory Proposed for Solar Mystery.
Reports on the Ph.D. thesis work of Postdoctoral Associate Sara Jaeggli is showing up in a variety of sources on the internet. The articles describe her investigation of the formation of molecular hydrogen within the dark region of the sunspot. Sarah recently joined the group of Charles Kankelborg and is workiing on the IRIS project. Read more at Yahoo, Space.com and Sara's homepage...
Dick Smith 02/06/12

 Workshop Held in Honour of Dick Canfield and His Contributions to Solar Physics. Read more...
Dick Smith 02/06/12

 Congratulations to John Neumeier, Ben White, and their collaborators for a PRL in the Feb. 3rd issue, titled "Giant Nernst Effect and Bipolarity in the Quasi-One_Dimensional Metal Li0.9Mo6O17". The article received acknowledgement as "Editors Suggestion" and was further selected for a Synopsis in Physics.Very nice! Read more...
Dick Smith 02/03/12

 The LIGO collaboration with member Neil Cornish have another article just published in Physical Review Letters, Dec. 30, 2011 issue, titled "Directional Limits on Persistent Gravitational Waves Using LIGO S5 Science Data". Congratulations, Neil!
Dick Smith 01/06/12

 Pure Gold Award to Charles Kankelborg Congratulations to Charles on his Pure Gold Award. Charles was nominated by one of his PHSX 261 students as "one of those blessed instructors who can bring brightness and life into any subject...always willing to take time out to speak with his students, regardless of office hours, about anything from homework to hobby electronics...[with only] two expressions from the Professor: a straight face when in serious thought, or a hearty smile at all other times." Congratulations, Charles! Read more...
Link to MSU Pure Gold
Dick Smith 01/06/12


Welcome to the Department of Physics website!

"Our department is committed to education and research in physics, the study of the fundamental universal laws that govern the behavior of matter and energy, and the exploration of the consequences and applications of those laws.

Our department is widely known for its excellent teaching and student mentoring. Our department plays an important role in the university’s Core Curriculum. We have strong academic programs with several options for undergraduate physics majors, leading to the B.S. degree, as well as graduate curricula leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

Our research groups span a variety of fields within physics. Our principal concentrations are in Astrophysics, Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology, Condensed Matter Physics, Lasers and Optics, Physics Education, Solar Physics, and the Space Science and Engineering Lab.

Numerous outreach activities carry physics to K-12 teachers, classrooms, and the general public. NASA’s Montana Space Grant Consortium is hosted by the Physics Department.

Student involvement is central to all of our education, research, and outreach activities in Physics at MSU.

The accomplishments of our teaching, research, and outreach programs are a tribute to the extraordinary efforts of the faculty, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students, backed up by an outstanding and highly motivated support staff.

We offer an invigorating intellectual environment in a geographic area of unsurpassed physical beauty. Consider joining us for a visit, for a summer, a degree program, or a career!"

Dr. Richard J Smith
Head, Department of Physics                 Dr. Smith's homepage