Physics and Astronomy | The University of New Mexico

Chair: Richard Rand

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.

Alumni testimonials: Read success stories from alumni of our department and their reflections on the quality of our programs.

Degree Programs

Undergraduate

Graduate - Physics

Graduate - Optical Science and Engineering

Limited Operations Until April 6

Tuesday, March 17, 2020 -- For the next few weeks, UNM has reduced services. Most employees are working from home.

The Physics and Astronomy office and building are closed. If you need to speak to anyone, leave a message at 505 277-2616. We will respond as soon as possible.

News from the Chair

Brady Spears Wins Undergraduate Fellowship

Brady Spears

Brady Spears (BS Physics with EPS concentration, graduating this May) has been awarded a Harry and Mabel F. Leonard Fellowship.

Brady's Senior Honors thesis explores a joint inversion of cosmic ray muon attenuation and gravity data to infer the density of volcanoes. He is testing the feasibility of this approach for studying a lava dome in the Valles Caldera of the Jemez Volcano in northern New Mexico. This could lead to a more accurate understanding of what is happening below ground, including better predictions for eruptions.

Congratulations, Brady!

News from the Chair KRQE Visits the New Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science Building

KRQE 13 talked with Chair Richard Rand and toured the new Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science building. See the video.

News from the Chair

Three Faculty and Staff Job Openings at UNM Physics & Astronomy Department

Join Our Team We’re looking for people to fill the following positions:

Upcoming Events

Colloquium:

Fri 4/10, 3:30PM in 1100, Adam Myers, Mapping the Cosmos with DESI: Targeting and First Spectra

Other Events:

Fri 4/3, 1:00PM in TBD, Vladan Vuletic, Measurements of Isotope Shifts in Yb+ Search for Dark Matter

Mon 4/6, 3:00PM in 1100, Kevin D. Meaney, Cherenkov Gamma Ray Detectors on High-Energy-Density Systems

Events Quick Links

Physics & Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science building

The Physics and Astronomy department is at 210 Yale Blvd NE as of November 2019

Research Experience for Undergrads

REU 2018 program participants
sitting on the edge at the top of Sandia Mountain

Make Your Summer Count!

Get real research experience with a fun group of your peers in the high desert of New Mexico. Find out how.

Interactive Astronomy Apps

9 Educational Apps

Written by Kevin Dilts for the Astro 101 Lab, these free interactive javascript apps illustrate common astronomy concepts. Enjoy!