Department of Physics (Princeton University)

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Department of Physics, Princeton University

The Department of Physics at Princeton University is a private department in Princeton, New Jersey. It has about 71 faculty members (as of 2019) and is led by Dean James Olsen. The department is known for its strong research and has been associated with 19 Nobel Prizes, four National Medals of Science, and two Wolf Prizes in Physics.

Notable people connected with Princeton’s physics group include Richard Feynman, Joseph H. Taylor, Jim Peebles, Eugene Wigner, and John von Neumann. Albert Einstein was connected to Princeton through lectures and work at the Institute for Advanced Study, and his presence remains a notable part of the department’s history. John Archibald Wheeler, a longtime Princeton physicist, helped popularize general relativity in the United States and contributed to ideas about black holes and wormholes.

Academic programs
- Undergraduate: Bachelor’s degree (A.B.) in physics
- The curriculum is flexible and covers many subfields. After five prerequisites, students study quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, experimental physics, and complex analysis. A junior paper introduces topics for a senior thesis. Students can do research with faculty during the year or in the summer. Classes are small, with close faculty support.
- Graduate: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in theoretical or experimental physics

Research strengths
- Particle physics
- Gravity and cosmology
- Nuclear and atomic physics
- Mathematical physics

History highlights
- 1832: The first physics classes at Princeton, taught by Joseph Henry.
- 1909: The Palmer Laboratory opened for physics and electrical engineering.
- 1927: Arthur Compton becomes the department’s first Nobel Prize winner in Physics.
- 1929: The physics department becomes independent from the engineering school.
- The department’s history also includes important work in theoretical and experimental physics during the 20th century.

Highlights and rankings
- Princeton’s Department of Physics is frequently highly ranked in national and international evaluations.
- US News places Princeton No. 3 in Physics.
- World University Rankings (2019) ranks Princeton No. 1 in physical sciences.
- In research output, Princeton’s physics department is tied for first with Harvard, UC Berkeley, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Location and contact
- Location: Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Website: phy.princeton.edu

Note: This department is part of Princeton University, a private research university.