Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Student Oriented Spaces

Olin Hall incorporates student office spaces for all sophomore, junior, and senior physics majors. In addition to dedicated lounge and library spaces with access to computers and equipment, these spaces play a central role in fostering a sense of common identity and camaraderie among our students. It is common to see collaborative learning taking place at all hours of the day or night. Students in the physics program at Â鶹ÊÓƵ have a clear sense of identity and community usually found only in graduate or professional schools.

Fabrication Spaces and Equipment

Spaces for design, build, and testing of projects both in class and outside of class are available for student use. Equipment such as 3D printers, laser cutters, mills, and tools allow students to work with different media as they create and learn.

Laboratory Spaces

Separate laboratories are provided for each course in the curriculum, including each course in the introductory sequence as well as upper level laboratory courses.

Specialized Laboratory Equipment

Upper level classes in astrophysics, optics, condensed matter, nuclear, and contemporary physics each maintain a set of state of the art equipment for immersing the students in the discipline through laboratories and projects. Beginning at the introductory level, the laboratories are equipped with computer-controlled data acquisition instruments that enhance and speed up data collection, allowing the student greater freedom to explore the physical phenomena being studied. Examples of upper-level specialized equipment include:

• Computer controlled telescopes
• Lasers
• Fiber optics
• Superconductors
• High-resolution nuclear detectors

Research Equipment

Research space is provided for each faculty member's student-centered research program. The department and individual faculty also maintian specialized, modern equipment for use in faculty / student research projects. Some of the research equipment available:

• Materials tester
• X-ray diffractometer
• Scanning electron microscope
• Doppler vibrometer
• Ultra-fast pulsed laser
• Scanning tunneling microscope
• Surface science / vapor deposition chamber
• Atomic and molecular trapping chamber