Wayne State University Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Wayne State University has 30 faculty members. It is a part of WSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The department offers academic programs leading to the B.A., B.S., and Ph.D. degrees. The WSU Department of Physics and Astronomy is a major focus for research activities with annual R&D expenditures of over $6 million.
Faculty and faculty awards
Among the faculty are six NSF CAREER Award winners, one PECASE award winner, one United States Department of Energy (DOE) Outstanding Junior Investigator, one Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, and six American Physical Society Fellows.
Research
Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty pursue vigorous research programs in applied physics, astrophysics, atomic physics, biophysics, condensed matter physics, high energy physics, and nuclear physics.
Current international research projects include
* A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) collaboration at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. WSU's area of responsibility was a construction of electromagnetic calorimeter and data analysis.
* Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. WSU's area of responsibility is commissioning and operation of the cathode strip chambers for CMS muon detectors and data analysis.
* STAR detector collaboration at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA. WSU lead international effort in construction of electromagnetic calorimeter and silicon vertex detector components of STAR, as well as participated in data analysis.
* Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL, USA.
* Belle experiment (Belle-II) at High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) in Tsukuba, Japan.
The department promotes research participation for both graduate and undergraduate students. The department's National Science Foundation-supported Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program has been in operation for over 15 years.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate Programs
Bachelor of Science in Physics Program
The Bachelor of Science degree in Physics program offers two options. The general physics option is primarily for students who intend to go on to graduate studies in physics. It also satisfies the requirements of industrial and government employers who demand a traditional education in physics. The applied physics option is intended to provide training which is required for a variety of applied fields and to provide the essential understanding of the physical foundations of those fields. It combines training in fundamental physics with courses in other areas such as biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, and mathematics. A Physics Honors program is also available.

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Physics Program

The biomedical physics program deals with applications of physics to questions of biology and medicine. It is an interdisciplinary program, combining courses from physics, biology and medicine. It is designed to train students to use quantitative, physical science inspired approaches to problems of the life sciences. This program prepares students for careers or graduate studies in biophysics, medicine, biomedical engineering, medical physics or any other field requiring physical and technological approaches to medical or biological questions. A Biomedical Physics Honors program is also available.

Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy
The Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy program is intended to provide students with foundational knowledge in astronomy, including contemporary developments such as the problems of dark matter and dark energy in the universe. Students graduating with a B.A. in astronomy will have strong scientific preparation for entry-level jobs or advanced degree programs in a broad spectrum of disciplines including business, education, law, and social and physical sciences.
Graduate Programs
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers full programs of graduate study leading to M.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in physics. Research specializations are offered in the theoretical and experimental areas of applied physics, astrophysics, atomic physics, biophysics, condensed matter physics, high energy physics, and nuclear physics.
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External Activities
The department hosts the only operating Planetarium in the city of Detroit.
Notable People
Henry V. Bohm , formerly an Emeritus Professor. President of Argonne Universities Association, the governing board for Argonne National Laboratory from 1977 to 1983.
Sean Gavin . Professor. 2004 US Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) awardee.
Suraj N. Gupta, an Emeritus Professor, notable for his contributions to quantum field theory. Best known for developing the Gupta-Bleuler formalism of field quantization.

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