Physics is the study of forces and matter, from the structure of the atom to the structure of the universe. It is at the foundation of all basic science: astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, ... It is also the basis for the applied sciences and engineering which have taken our world from the horse and buggy to the supersonic jet, from the candle to the laser, from the pony express to the fax, from the beads of the abacus to the chips of a computer. Physics is a field of study full of excitement where future discoveries will continue to change the world in ways beyond our wildest imagination.

Have you ever wondered what black holes are and why they are called black, how the universe came to be and where it is going, why the sky is blue and a sunset red, how planes can fly, ...? These are some of the many questions asked by physicists. Perhaps you too have a physicist inside you waiting to emerge?

The laboratory of the physicist extends from the edge of the universe to inside the nucleus of an atom. A physicist may work in a laboratory designing materials for the computer chips of tomorrow, or smashing atomic particles against one another in a quest to understand how our universe began. Physicists have orbited the Earth as astronauts, and plumbed the oceans' depths.

Some make instruments that diagnose and cure disease; some develop safer and cleaner fuels for our cars and homes; some study how to harness the power of the sea and sun; some calculate the movement of arctic glaciers; and some create smaller and faster electronic components and integrated circuits.

Research physicists work in industry and government, in laboratories and hospitals, and on university campuses. Some physicists serve in the military, teach in high schools and universities, design science museum exhibits, write books and news articles about science, give advice to federal, state, local and foreign governments, work on Wall Street, and run businesses.

Students not interested in pursuing a science career can still benefit from majoring in physics. We all employ physical concepts in everyday life. Pole vaulters and drummers are not research physicists, but they make use of physical concepts such as elasticity, momentum, conservation of energy, vibration, reverberation, and reflection. Furthermore, a degree in physics is an excellent preparation for medical, business or law school. Physics is an extremely versatile major that serves as a stepping stone to any other career. Moreover, physics training today provides the education to develop or understand the technology of tomorrow.

Old Dominion University offers many exciting possibilities for studying physics. The physics department has been selected by the University to achieve national prominence, taking advantage of Old Dominion's proximity (a half-hour drive) to the recently completed Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), the world's premier nuclear physics research facility. As a result, the Old Dominion University physics department has grown tremendously in the past several years, with double the number of faculty, new teaching and laboratory facilities and modernized computer-based undergraduate laboratories. TJNAF and the NASA Langley Research Center, as well as the new Physics building, bring physics to life at Old Dominion. We offer real opportunities for research (as well as financial assistance) to graduate and undergraduate students alike. All of these contribute to the exciting atmosphere of our physics department.

Why is strength in research important to you? The faculty that create new knowledge in a field are in the best position to prepare the curriculum and give guidance to students who are trying to learn what's important in that field. In addition, research outside the classroom can enrich your education enormously. In the Department of Physics at Old Dominion, these resources are available, with the added advantage that you will not get lost in the crowd. Most of our upper level undergraduate students are involved in research and have established close collaboration with individual faculty members. The opportunity for intimate involvement in research with world-class faculty is here for any interested student.

Old Dominion University is located in Norfolk, Virginia, at the center of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area which has a population of about 1.4 million. The Hampton Roads region contains the world's largest natural harbor and is regarded as a national leader in business and industry. A major recreational area known for its

beaches and historical landmarks, the Hampton Roads region also profits from its relationship with the Navy and its proximity to Washington, DC and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The University had its formal beginnings in 1930 as a branch of the College of William and Mary. It became an independent state college in 1962, and in 1969 it became a university which today has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students. The University is rapidly growing with its new student center and expanded library and will soon include a new convocation center as well as additional student housing. A new (1997) physics and oceanography building houses modern classrooms and undergraduate laboratories.

The University is composed of six colleges: Arts and Letters, Business and Public Administration, Education, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences and Sciences. Old Dominion offers 65 bachelor's degree programs, 60 master's degree programs and 21 doctoral programs. The physics department offers B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

Undergraduate Physics Programs

To serve a variety of career objectives and interests, the physics department offers three broad curricula, each leading to a baccalaureate degree:

One option is for those preparing to work as physicists in corporate or governmental research and development activities, or for those intending to pursue a graduate education in physics.

A second path is for those pursuing careers in which a strong foundation in physics is essential, such as: engineering, advanced computing, mathematics, communications, optical systems, laser development, pre-medical and pre-law studies.

A third option is for those wishing to be high school physics teachers.

The physics department at Old Dominion University consists of 20 full-time and 16 part-time or adjunct faculty. The research programs are diverse and include theoretical and experimental work in: nuclear and particle physics, atomic, molecular and optical physics, materials science, solid state physics, plasma physics and astrophysics.

Teaching facilities include modern classrooms, multi-media lecture halls and undergraduate laboratories housed in the newly completed Physics and Oceanography building. Our introductory physics courses have recently been equipped with innovative computer-interfaced experiments, allowing students to obtain quantitative results while gaining experience with modern data acquisition and analysis methods. In addition, a 40 foot domed Spitz Ap-4 planetarium (the Pretlow Planetarium) as well as a new observatory atop the Physics and Oceanography building are used for introductory astronomy classes.

On-campus research facilities include modern laboratories in materials science, surface science, continuous-wave and pulsed laser spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy, atomic beams and laser cooling, gamma ray spectroscopy, and nuclear and particle physics detector development. These laboratories are equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art instrumentation including fast electronic and computer-based data acquisition systems, pulsed and continuous-wave narrow-band lasers, high and low temperature Mössbauer spectrometers, an X-ray diffractometer, and high resolution particle detectors.

Off-campus research is conducted at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and the NASA Langley Research Center, both within a half-hour from Old Dominion, as well as other laboratories all over the world.

Financial Aid

Clifford L. and Lillian R. Adams scholarship.

TJNAF undergraduate research assistantships.

Faculty research grants.

Life Outside the Classroom

There are many physics related activities in which students may get involved outside the classroom, to enrich their education and social lives:

• SPS, the Society of Physics Students, for social interaction and professional development

• Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society

• Women in Physics, for women students and faculty

• Guaranteed Practicum, allowing students to gain valuable experience before they embark on their career paths

• Mentoring, providing each incoming physics major with one faculty member who will follow their development and provide guidance on a regular basis

• Research in faculty labs during the school year as well as in the summer.