Message from the Department Chair

Thank you for visiting the web page of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, one of the major science departments of the University of Pittsburgh. Our university is a highly regarded educational and research institution, and a long-standing member of the American Association of Universities (AAU).

Clicking one of the links on our webpage will open additional pages that introduce you to our outstanding faculty, our very active and highly visible research program, and our students who have come here to learn and to conduct research in astrophysics and cosmology, condensed matter and solid-state physics, and particle physics. While most of our graduate students obtain degrees in these well-established areas of physics and astrophysics, we also provide opportunities to work in emerging and/or multidisciplinary fields such as quantum information, nanoscience, biological physics and survey-based astronomy. An increasing number of our students now work in multidisciplinary research that we pursue in collaborations with other university departments, such as chemistry, mathematics and statistics, as well as the School of Medicine and the Engineering School.

If you are "shopping" for a graduate program in physics and/or astronomy, I am very confident that our department would be an excellent choice for you. If you are a high school senior or undergraduate student considering majoring in physics, I assure you that we will make every effort to provide you with a rewarding learning experience by letting you participate in the research programs of our faculty, as part of the Capstone Experience program of the School of Arts & Sciences, and by personal arrangements with members of our faculty.

You will find Pittsburgh an inviting place, having all the amenities of a major city, including a vibrant arts scene, professional baseball, football and hockey teams, and easy access to outdoor recreation. Yet it remains a manageable and "livable" city. City of Pittsburgh.

If you have any questions concerning the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the University of Pittsburgh or the city, please don't hesitate to contact me at davidt@pitt.edu.