Physics
Matter, energy, space, time
Physics provides a rich framework for appreciating the universe as well as a system for explaining the phenomena within it. Physics at Roanoke offers you a close-knit community, challenging coursework and the opportunity for genuine scientific investigation. Because physics impacts discoveries in astronomy, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, geology and biology, you'll be encouraged to pursue meaningful connections across the curriculum.
Whether you're a first-year student or an upper-level minor in physics, research experiences with individual faculty mentors abound.
Graduates in physics prosper in the employment market and graduate school programs, with recent students going on to excel in engineering, computer science, law and, of course, physics.
We offer both a major and a minor in physics. We also offer a concentration in materials & nanoscience.
Physics at Roanoke College
“Rather than being a vague face in a sea of students, each student receives personal attention, creating an excellent classroom environment and allowing for valuable research experiences.”
Jake Bennett ’08, physics graduate and current assistant professor of physics at the University of Mississippi
Why Roanoke?
- Awarded the Nationally Distinguished Chapter of the Society of Physics Students in 2017.
- Two of the College's four Goldwater Scholarship recipients are physics students.
- Four valedictorian and salutatorians over the past 11 years.
- Roanoke physics faculty have recently received awards to research at Harvard and Stanford Universities, as well as Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- Six physics majors presented their research at PhysCon, the international quadrennial physics conference.
Roanoke physics program earns national recognition
The Roanoke College chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has won an Outstanding Chapter Award from the SPS National Office.
Roanoke College alumni make local 40 Under 40 list
From hospitals to schools to the fire station, these graduates are making a difference in the Roanoke and Salem region.
Students learn value of community outreach through work in schools
Members of the Society of Physics Students have been working with local elementary school students through an after-school STEM program. "We hope that getting kids excited about exploring science and math will help keep them engaged in their STEM classes," says club member senior Morgan Heckman. The opportunity to run this program has also been an educational experience for club members. "Learning how to communicate and foster excitement about STEM is a necessary skill for anyone in the STEM fields. Kids helps us find ways to do this more effectively, and their enthusiasm can be infectious."
Our grads work at great organizations
Roanoke College physics majors have been valedictorians three times in the last 15 years.
Student’s Love for Computational Astrophysics Explored Through Summer Scholars
Austin Bane was able to spend his summer working on research with Dr. Matthew Fleenor in the field of computational astrophysics through the Summer Scholars program. "I have a passion for computer science and physics and wanted to combine the two elements into one project," Bane says. Bane created a simulation that modeled protostellar disk formation, or the transition from a shapeless cloud of dust into a disk. "It's unlikely that I would have been able to do this research without being at Roanoke College. Undergraduate research isn't easy to get at large institutions with graduate students."
Sample Course Offerings:
- PHYS 203: Modern Physics
- PHYS 299: Astrophysics
- PHYS 458: Optics & Spectroscopy
View all courses
Many opportunities for independent study
Physics of Nanotechnology: Daniel Ballou synthesized Goethite nanotubes.
Physics of Galaxy Formation: David Guynn studied the influence of environment on galaxy clusters.
Physics of Material Science: Anne Kyner analyzed Mossbauer data from planet Mars.
Peering into the nano world
The Physics Group has purchased a high-resolution atomic force microscope (AFM). This instrument can produce high-resolution images of structures that are 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. Physics students and faculty use the AFM for mapping micro and nanostructures, studying surface properties of thin films, and manipulating matter at the nanoscale.
