Physics (PHYS)

Physics Homepage
Degrees Offered
Faculty
Program Description

Program Admission Requirements
Financial Assistance
Programs and Courses

L. MICHAEL HAYDEN, Chair
TERRANCE L. WORCHESKY, Associate Chair
TODD B. PITTMAN, Graduate Program Director

DEMOZ, BELAY, Ph.D., University of Nevada; Atmospheric physics and chemistry, meteorological observations.
FRANSON, JAMES D., Ph.D., California Institute of Technology; Quantum optics, quantum information, fundamentals of quantum theory
GOUGOUSI, THEODOSIA, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Thin films, surfaces and interfaces, Atomic Layer Deposition.
HAYDEN, L. MICHAEL, Ph.D., University of California, Davis; Photo-refractive and electro-optic properties of polymers, non-linear optics, terahertz science, imaging
JOHNSON, ANTHONY, Ph.D., City College of the City University of New York; Non-linear optics, photonics, fast optical phenomena
PITTMAN, TODD B., Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Quantum optics, quantum information, non-linear optics
MARTINS, J. VANDERLEI, Ph.D., University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Atmospheric physics, aerosols, clouds, instrument development, in situ and remote sensing
ROUS, PHILIP J., Ph.D., Imperial College of Science and Technology and Medicine, U.K.; Theoretical physics, surfaces, interfaces, nano-structures
SHIH, YANHUA, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Non-linear and quantum optics, laser physics
TURNER, T. JANE, Ph.D., University of Leicester, U.K.; X-ray astronomy, active galactic nuclei.

Associate Professors

GEORGANOPOULOS, MARKOS, Ph.D., Boston University, high energy astrophysics, active galactic nuclei, relativistic jets, extragalactic background light.
GEORGE, M. IAN, Ph.D., University of Leicester, U.K.; X-ray astronomy, active galactic nuclei, quasars, photoionized gas.
HENRIKSEN, MARK J., Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; X-ray astronomy, astrophysics
KESTNER, JASON, Ph.D., University of Michigan; Theoretical physics, semiconductor quantum dots, cold atoms, quantum information
PELTON, MATTHEW, Ph.D., Stanford University; Optical studies of nanomaterials; nanophotonics.
SPARLING, LYNN C., Ph.D., University of Texas; Atmospheric physics, dynamics and modeling
TAKACS, LASZLO, Ph.D., Lorand Eotvos University, Budapest; Mechanical alloying, X-ray diffraction
WORCHESKY, TERRANCE L., Ph.D., Georgetown University; Electro-optic effects in III-V semi-conductors
ZHANG, ZHIBO, Ph.D., Texas A&M University; Remote Sensing, Cloud Physics, Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interactions.

Assistant Professors

ATACA, CAN, Ph.D., Bilkent University; computational physics, materials physics, low-dimensional materials.
DEFFNER, SEBASITAN, Ph.D., University of Augsburg; quantum thermodynamics, quantum information theory, theoretical physics.
MEYER, EILEEN, Ph.D., Rice University; Astrophysics. Galaxy formation; HST imaging
ZHAI, PENGWANG, Ph.D., Texas A&M University; Light scattering, radiative transfer, and remote sensing in coupled atmospheric and ocean systems.

Research Faculty: Professors

STROW, L. LARRABEE, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Infrared molecular spectroscopy, atmospheric physics.

Research Faculty: Associate Professors

KOCHUNOV, PETER, Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio; MRI, quantitative imaging, imaging genetics.

Affiliated Faculty: Professors

REMER, LORRAINE, Ph.D. University of California, Davis; Aerosols, remote sensing and climate change.

Affiliated Faculty: Associate Professors

DAVIS, DAVID S., Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Multi-wavelength studies of galaxies
HOBAN, SUSAN, PhD, University of Maryland, College Park; Planetary Science, Comets, Dust in the Solar System, STEM Education
MCCANN, KEVIN, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology; Atmospheric physics, atomic and molecular scattering
OLSON, WILLIAM, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; Modeling of cloud processes
POTTSCHMIDT, KATJA, Ph.D., University of Tuebingen, Germany; High energy astrophysics, accreting X-ray binary stars
VARNAI, TAMAS, Ph.D. McGill University, Canada; Cloud heterogeneities

Affiliated Faculty: Assistant Professors

ENGEL, DON, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Computational physics, molecular biophysics, statistical artificial intelligence.
DE-SOUZA-MACHADO, SERGIO, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Atmospheric spectroscopy, plasma physics
JOHNSON, BENJAMIN, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; Cloud modeling, radiative transfer, remote sensing.
YUAN, TIANLE, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

Program Description

The Department of Physics offers graduate programs leading to the MS and PhD degrees in physics. The Department is located in the 78,000 sq. ft. Physics building (built in 1999), which contains numerous research and teaching labs, offices, classrooms, a machine shop, and a physics library.

Research in the UMBC Physics Department is centered in 4 main areas: condensed matter physics, quantum optics and quantum information science, astrophysics, and atmospheric physics. Faculty members are engaged in both theoretical and experimental research in these areas.

Detailed information about UMBC Physics Department research and facilities can be found at www.physics.umbc.edu

Program Admission Requirements

The admission process is competitive, with selections determined by an Admissions Committee comprised of faculty members of the Department of Physics. The number of available admission slots varies from year to year based on faculty and financial resources. Applicants are required to submit undergraduate transcripts, 3 recommendation letters, a personal statement, and scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test. The GRE Subject Test in Physics is highly recommended.

Financial Aid

All full-time PhD students are supported by 12-month Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships, or Research Fellowships. These include a stipend, tuition coverage, and health benefits.

Programs

Courses

Physics