WVU Department of Physics and Astronomy

/ The Department of Physics and Astronomy at West Virginia University is dedicated to the study of the physical world and the processes that govern it. Our faculty train students in a wide-range of fundamental areas of classical and modern physics through a structured program of courses, individual and group research activities, department activities and advanced electives.

We are home to six research groups in the areas of Physics and Astronomy:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Biophysics and Medical Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Optical and Laser Physics
• Physics Education Research
• Plasma and Space Physics

Our faculty are known for their student-centered approach and cutting-edge research funded by, among others, the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the US Departments of Commerce, Defense, and Energy. Our department also has partnerships with national laboratories including the Green Bank Observatory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Lawrence-Berkeley National Laboratory.

The Department of Physics was formed at WVU in 1897, and in 2012, it was renamed to the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since then, the Department has been located in White Hall on the Downtown Campus of West Virginia University.

To learn more about the department, check out our website.