Physics & Astronomy
Matter, energy, space, time, measurement, and observational systems.
Physical Sciences & EngineeringDiscovering the fundamental principles of nature and designing practical solutions.
Physics, Engineering & Instrumentation
Disciplinary strength connected to wider systems.
Physical Sciences & Engineering examines matter, energy, measurement, information, and designed systems. The division joins foundational physics and astronomy to materials characterization, optics, electronics, sensing, robotics, instrumentation, and engineering work that moves from concept through prototype and validation.
Departments
Fields of study and practice
Departments organize disciplinary identity, curriculum, faculty appointments, and research methods within the division.
Materials Science & Archaeometry
Composition, structure, surfaces, provenance, degradation, and analytical characterization.
Electrical, Sensing & Photonic Systems
Electronics, optics, photonics, sensing, embedded systems, and data acquisition.
Engineering, Robotics & Prototyping
Design, controls, automation, fabrication, field systems, and product realization.
Questions & domains
What the division studies
- Physics, astronomy, measurement, uncertainty, and quantitative reasoning
- Materials, surfaces, structure, composition, and analytical characterization
- Optics, photonics, electronics, sensors, and data acquisition
- Robotics, automation, controls, prototyping, and field systems
- Instrumentation design, experimental validation, reliability, and scale-up
Methods
How knowledge is produced
- Mathematical modeling, experiment design, calibration, and error analysis
- Spectroscopy, imaging, microscopy, XRF, optical and electronic measurement
- Circuit design, embedded systems, sensor integration, and data acquisition
- CAD, fabrication, robotics, controls, and iterative prototyping
- Field testing, systems engineering, verification, and technical reporting
Outputs
What students and faculty create
- Instruments, prototypes, sensors, robotic systems, and experimental platforms
- Measurement datasets, calibration records, models, and validation reports
- Engineering drawings, methods, technical documentation, and safety records
- Capstones, theses, dissertations, patents, publications, and applied systems
Programs
Academic pathways in Physical Sciences & Engineering
Degree programs
Applied Physics & Instrumentation
Builds foundations in physics, mathematics, experiment, electronics, optics, sensing, and scientific instrumentation.
Four academic yearsOn-campus with laboratory and project components
View pathway →Electrical Systems, Sensing & Robotics
Integrates electronics, embedded systems, sensors, controls, robotics, field automation, data acquisition, and engineering design.
Four academic yearsOn-campus with laboratory, fabrication, and field testing
View pathway →
Photonics, Measurement & Materials
Advanced work in optical sensing, spectroscopy, imaging, materials characterization, instrumentation, calibration, and analytical systems.
Two academic yearsLaboratory and hybrid graduate seminars
View pathway →Engineering Systems & Field Automation
Develops integrated robotic, sensing, control, and operational systems for field, infrastructure, environmental, agricultural, and research contexts.
Two academic yearsHybrid engineering studios with laboratory and field components
View pathway →
Engineering Systems & Frontier Technologies
Original engineering research across instrumentation, sensing, robotics, photonics, materials, autonomy, infrastructure, and complex technical systems.
Four to six academic yearsResidency, hybrid seminars, laboratory and field research
View pathway →Certificates
Archaeometry & Materials Analysis
Materials characterization, XRF, calibration, quality control, archaeological context, provenance reasoning, and technical reporting.
Two to four semestersHybrid with applied laboratory, field, studio, or computing work
View pathway →
3D Artifact Digitization
Structured-light capture, mesh processing, measurement, texture, metadata, web viewers, archival derivatives, and permissions.
Two to four semestersHybrid with applied laboratory, field, studio, or computing work
View pathway →Quantum Foundations & Contextuality
Quantum states, measurement, contextuality, symmetry, information, interpretation, and disciplined interdisciplinary reasoning.
Two to four semestersHybrid with applied laboratory, field, studio, or computing work
View pathway →Robotics, Sensors & Field Automation
Electronics, sensing, embedded systems, robotics, controls, autonomy, field testing, and engineering documentation.
Two to four semestersHybrid with applied laboratory, field, studio, or computing work
View pathway →Remote Sensing Instrumentation
Optical and electronic sensors, calibration, data acquisition, earth observation, signal quality, and field deployment.
Two to four semestersHybrid with applied laboratory, field, studio, or computing work
View pathway →Field, laboratory & professional intensives
3D Artifact Digitization
Intensive structured-light capture, model processing, measurement, texture, metadata, web presentation, and archival packaging.
One to six weeksConcentrated field, laboratory, studio, or hybrid format
View pathway →
Scientific Instrumentation Orientation
A practical orientation to measurement systems, laboratory readiness, sensors, calibration, data capture, safety, and instrument documentation.
One to three daysOn-campus laboratory workshop
View pathway →
Field Automation Prototyping
Requirements, sensors, embedded systems, robotics, testing, safety, and a demonstrated field-automation prototype.
One to six weeksConcentrated field, laboratory, studio, or hybrid format
View pathway →Courses
Selected courses
PHY-110
Physics of Measurement
Introduces mechanics, energy, waves, electricity, measurement, units, uncertainty, and experimental reasoning through practical systems.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
ASTR-210
Observational Astronomy
Develops astronomical observation, coordinate systems, imaging, spectroscopy, data reduction, and interpretation of celestial phenomena.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
MAT-240
Materials Characterization
Introduces structure-property relationships and analytical approaches to metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, geological, and cultural materials.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
ARCHM-320
Archaeometry & XRF Methods
Applies non-destructive and minimally destructive analytical methods to archaeological materials, provenance questions, technology, and conservation documentation.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
OPT-330
Photonics & Optical Sensing
Examines light, optical systems, detectors, spectroscopy, imaging, and photonic sensing for scientific and engineering applications.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
EE-250
Electronics, Sensors & Data Acquisition
Builds practical foundations in circuits, analog and digital sensing, embedded systems, signal conditioning, and reliable data acquisition.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
ROB-310
Robotics & Field Automation
Integrates mechanical design, electronics, sensing, controls, autonomy, and field testing for robotic and automated systems.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
DIGI-320
Structured-Light Scanning & Digital Models
Develops non-contact 3D capture, mesh processing, measurement, texture, metadata, web visualization, and archival derivative workflows.
- Credits
- 3.0
- Contact hours
- 45.0
Academic leadership & faculty
People and appointments
Academic inquiry
Connect your interests to a program, department, course, or research environment.
Admissions can help identify the most appropriate pathway across the division.