From astronomy to molecular physics research in physics spans vast orders of magnitudes in space, time, and energy. Atomic properties of rare earth elements, spin polarization, carbon and boron nitride nanotubes, atomic clusters, photonics and waveguides, protein folding, dislocations, atmospheric and cloud processes, and astrophysics are all studied.

Gamma ray bursts—high-energy pulses observed from billions of light years away and dating from the early universe—are researched here. The highest energy cosmic rays are investigated via the Auger Observatory, the largest observatory in the world. The department is home to at least fifteen active research faculty, as well as adjunct faculty, visitors, postdocs, and forty graduate students. Physics hosts seven labs, is involved in the operation of three observatories, and provides a machine shop, liquid nitrogen facility, and advanced research computing workstations and clusters. Researchers also have easy access to scanning electron microscopy labs and other advanced characterization and fabrication facilities.