Department of Physics & Astronomy
Alumni testimonials
Physics & Astronomy alumni hold positions as teachers, engineers, data analysts, project managers, researchers, health care workers, science writers, policy makers and lawyers, and many more. We interviewed some of our graduates about their professional paths and the role their physics or astronomy degree from our department played in shaping their current career.
Degree Programs
Undergraduate Program
An undergraduate education in physics provides a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning in a variety of disciplines, including science, engineering, math, finance, education, law, and medicine. Find out more
Optics Program
Established in 1983, the Optics Program at the University of New Mexico is one of the oldest and most successful science and engineering interdisciplinary programs with a strong international reputation in education and research.
OSE graduate students conduct research at facilities in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and at UNM’s Center for High-Technology Materials.
There are numerous collaborations with the three National Laboratories in New Mexico - Sandia, Los Alamos, and the Air Force Research Laboratory, and with members of the optics industry cluster (New Mexico Optics Industry Association – NMOIA).
Upcoming Events
Pushing the Limits of Radial Velocity Exoplanet Science with NEID and NETS
Arvind Gupta (University of Arizona)
CART Astrophysics Seminar Series
Sep. 24, 2:00 PM
- Sep. 24, 3:00 PM
PAIS 3205
Epitaxial layer transfer for high-performance photonics
Prof. Garrett Cole (Univ of Arizona)
Physics and Astronomy Colloquium
Sep. 25, 3:30 PM
- Sep. 25, 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100
Uncertainty quantification for many-body physics: from light nuclei to neutron stars
Ryan Curry (LANL)
Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars
Sep. 29, 2:00 PM
PAIS 3205
Pulsar Cyclic Spectroscopy as a Probe of the Interstellar Medium
Jacob E. Turner (Greenbank/Cornell)
CART Astrophysics Seminar Series
Oct. 1, 2:00 PM
- Oct. 1, 3:00 PM
PAIS 3205
Measurement of the CP-Violation Parameters Γ_s, ΔΓ_s and φ_s as a Probe of New Physics via the B_s^0 → J/ψ φ Channel using the ATLAS Detector, and Development of Technologies for a New Measurement at the Future Circular Collider
Saheed Oyeniran (UNM)
Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars
Oct. 6, 2:00 PM
PAIS 3205
Recent News
Diana Dragomir Honored with OAA Award
September 4, 2026Victor Acosta wins CHTM Funding Award
September 3, 2026Tim Dolch Joins National Effort to Listen for Ripples in Spacetime
August 21, 2026Five UNM PA faculty selected for Genesis Mission
July 27, 2026P&A Welcomes Michael Martinez, P&A's new Fiscal and Administrative Tech
July 22, 2026
