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

 The work of Sarah Jaeggli on the formation of molecular hydrogen in the cool, dark region of sun spots has earned her a 2012 AURA Science Award (See related item below)
Dick Smith 05/01/12

 Congratulations to all our graduating students for 2011-2012,  and our Award Winners for 2012. Read more...
Dick Smith 05/01/12

 Congratulations to the group of Rufus Cone who have just had one of their papers selected as a Phys. Rev. B Editors' Suggestion. For each issue, the editors list a small number of papers published in Physical Review B that the editors and referees find of particular interest, importance, or clarity. 
Optical decoherence and energy level structure of 0.1%Tm3+:LiNbO3
Y. Sun, C. W. Thiel, and R. L. Cone [Phys. Rev. B 85, 165106 (2012)] Published Fri Apr 6, 2012
Dick Smith 04/12/12

 Congratulations to Senior Courtney Peck on her award of a National
Science Foundation Graduation Research Fellowship
. Courtney is one of
our top seniors, and winner of one of the Chamber of Commerce Awards
for Excellence. Courtney has decided to continue
with graduate study in solar physics at UC - Boulder. We wish her well.
Dick Smith 04/10/12

 For Zach Dupree, Physics and Math double major, MSU has been all about connections. Zach is a McNair Scholar who aspires to earn a doctorate in astrophysics.
Read more about his experience...
Dick Smith 04/10/12

 SSEL: Hiscock Radiation Belt Explorer a 100% success!
Read the MSU news item here...
Dick Smith 03/06/12

 30th Annual Awards for Excellence to honor 40 MSU seniors and their mentors, Tuesday, Feb. 21, MSU Campus
Congratulations to Courtney Peck, Physics Major, and her mentor, Assoc. Prof. Jiong Qiu. Congratulations also to two other student winners who have had affiliations with the department, Ryan Hannahoe and Casey Donoven. Honored students were nominated by faculty in their college or department. Qualified seniors must have at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, as well as demonstrated campus leadership and community service. The award-winning students each selected a mentor who will be honored with them at the event. The MSU Alumni Foundation and the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the banquet.
Dick Smith 02/21/12

 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


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