About the Physics Department
Mission
The Department of Physics offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Physics, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Astronomy, and a Master of Science (MS) in Materials Science and Engineering. The department’s faculty are committed to providing a transformative training experience to their students that is grounded in high-impact practices in the classroom, undergraduate and graduate research, internships, and mentorship.
As an integral component of their training experience, students from all programs participate in research in collaboration with national and international institutions on topics ranging from materials science to astronomy and astrophysics to physics education.
Through an innovative curriculum that leverages active learning to enhance student engagement and foster the development and retention of transformative skills, the department aims to graduate students well-prepared to navigate a lifelong dynamic professional landscape in areas such as data science, academia, medical physics, and engineering.
Research
Physics faculty have active research programs in the areas of condensed matter physics, astronomy & astrophysics, physics education research, and geology & paleontology. A list of faculty by research area can be found below.
Condensed Matter Physics
Condensed matter physics seeks to understand the behavior that emerges when large numbers of atoms come together to form a material. This involves connecting the physical laws that govern the interactions of microscopic particles to the macroscale properties of materials, including their electrical, thermal, magnetic, dielectric, optical, and mechanical properties. Faculty working in this area are:
| Name | Research Focus |
|---|---|
| Dr. Paula Mariel Coelho | 2D materials studied with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) |
| Dr. Lev Gasparov | Optical properties of materials, Raman spectroscopy |
| Dr. Jason Haraldsen | Theoretical and computational materials physics |
| Dr. Nirmal Patel | Thin-film gas sensors |
| Dr. Thomas Pekarek | Magnetically-doped semiconductors |
| Dr. Daniel Santavicca | Nanoscale electronics and optoelectronics, superconducting thin-film devices |
| Dr. Maitri Warusawithana | Molecular beam epitaxy, complex oxides, quantum materials |
| Dr. Gregory Wurtz | Nano-optics, nonlinear optics, ultrafast optics, and plasmonics |
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics is a study of the cosmos, including planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe as a whole. Astrophysics involves observing everything that is found in the sky as well as trying to understand how everything within it works, how it came to be, and how it will evolve. Astrophysicists analyze data from various observatories, construct theories of celestial phenomena, and build models of different celestial phenomena. Faculty working in this area are:
| Name | Research Focus |
|---|---|
| Dr. John Hewitt | High-energy astrophysics studies extreme astronomical objects that emit X and gamma ray light, including black holes, supernovae, and neutron stars. These objects also emit relativistic particles such as neutrinos and cosmic rays that have recently been detected on Earth. Merging these different views of our universe allows unique tests of the physics of nature's most extreme accelerators. |
| Dr. Chris Kelso | Astroparticle physics, including dark matter, supersymmetry, the CMB, neutrino physics, and cosmic rays; research often bridges the gap between theory and experiment as it has a particularly strong focus on data analysis |
| Dr. Marina Kounkel | Dynamical evolution of young stars across the solar neighborhood, such as examining how the structure within star forming complexes formed; binaries, including characterizing the overall multiplicity fraction, as well as using binaries to derive fundamental stellar properties |
| Dr. Victoria Martin | Mathematical structure of black holes (as solutions to Einstein's equations) to characterize quantum gravitational effects; holographic nature of black holes and other spacetimes; new holographic dualities beyond the AdS/CFT and Kerr/CFT correspondences |
| Dr. Rahul Poddar |
Non-perturbative approaches to quantum field theories, for example two-dimensional conformal field theories and their deformations. This is also applicable for studying quantum gravity through holographic dualities and string theory.
|
Physics Education Research
Physics education research seeks to better the teaching and learning of physics by bringing together theoretical and empirical work from the fields of physics, education, sociology, psychology, and cognitive science. Faculty working in this area are:
| Name | Research Focus |
|---|---|
| Dr. W. Brian Lane | Dr. Lane studies the integration of computational practices and activities into physics education, from high school to upper-division undergraduate courses and research experiences. This integration is known to expand students’ exploration of physics topics and develop transferable skills, with open questions remaining about best practices and comprehensive frameworks for integration. He primarily uses qualitative research methods such as interviews, open-response surveys, and task observations. |
| Dr. J. Caleb Speirs | Dr. Speirs incorporates results from cognitive theories of reasoning, most often dual-process theories of reasoning (DPToR), into curriculum development with an aim of aligning the teaching of physics with the way the brain naturally learns best. He also investigates how alternative grading strategies can impact the cognitive and behavioral culture of a physics classroom. |
Geophysics and Paleontology
| Name | Research Focus |
|---|---|
| Dr. L. Barry Albright | Geological and paleontological field research, including studies of the magnetic properties of fossil-bearing sedimentary rocks |
| Dr. Michael R. Johnson | Light stable isotopes from fossils for studying changes in paleoecology and paleoenvironments |
Physics Instrumentation
The Department of Physics has a variety of instruments used for research, including sample fabrication and characterization. These instruments include:
- Scanning electron microscope (imaging, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and e-beam lithography)
- Atomic force microscope (AFM)
- SQUID magnetometer
- Quantum Design PPMS
- Raman spectrometer
- Thin film deposition systems (thermal, electron beam, and magnetron sputtering)
- Reactive ion etcher (RIE)
Please contact us if you are interested in being an external user of any of these instruments.
Contact Us
Department Chair: Dr. Gregory Wurtz, g.wurtz@unf.edu
Department Office Manager: Nicole Menschel, nicole.menschel@unf.edu
Mailing address: UNF Physics Department, Building 50/2600, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224
Phone: (904) 620-2729
Contact information for individual faculty can be found in the Faculty and Staff Directory.
Location
The Physics Department is located in the Science and Engineering Building (Building 50). The main department office is room number 2600. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
The most convenient place to park when visiting the Physics Department is in the adjacent parking garage, Garage 38 (the Arena Garage). Daily parking is $5 and can be paid from a Pay-by-Plate kiosk or the smartphone Flowbird app. Helpful hint: take a picture of your license plate, this information will need to be entered into the kiosk or the app because the license plate becomes the permit. Permit enforcement is Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information about parking permits and daily passes, please see Parking & Transportation Services.
Giving
Your contribution is invaluable to our Physics students, as it enables their academic and professional development through student activities, scholarships, and research opportunities. https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=tcs&formId=05e65484-f494-45ee-9d8b-84487b29ff04&envid=p-n7FgNLAcfkCrDU-yEiaQNA&zone=usa