Prospective Graduate Students

The UC Irvine Department of Physics & Astronomy is ranked 10th among U.S. public research universities for scientific influence in physics (ISI). The School of Physical Sciences ranks 2nd nationally in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to minority students (NCES). UC Irvine is ranked 12th among all public universities in the U.S. News & World Report annual college survey.

UC Irvine is the first public university with faculty receiving two Nobel prizes in two different fields - physics & chemistry - in the same year (1995).

The faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy are outstanding scholars:20 are Fellows of the American Physical Society,11 have received Sloan Research Fellowships, and since 2002, 5 have received the highest awards for new faculty from the Department of Energy or the National Science Foundation.

The 2002-03 extramural funding (grants, contracts, and gifts) for the School of Physical Sciences totaled $34 million. The Physics & Astronomy Dept ranks 2nd in research expenditures per faculty, among the University of California physics departments in Southern California.

Research
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- Research Areas
:: Astrophysics
:: Biomedical Physics & Biophysics
:: Condensed Matter Physics - Theoretical
:: Condensed Matter Physics - Experimental
:: Cosmology
:: Particle Physics - Theoretical
:: Particle Physics - Experimental
:: Plasma Physics

Location
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The UCI campus is located on 1,489 acres of coastal foothills just 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and midway between Los Angeles and San Diego. The temperate, Mediterranean climate is classic Southern California.

The proximity of the campus to the ocean provides ready access to water sports such as surfing, sailing, kayaking, and fishing at the local Laguna, Corona del Mar, and Newport beaches. Local mountain and desert recreation areas are within easy reach for skiing, hiking, and climbing expeditions. A wide variety of campus recreation programs are available to grad students and their families. Physics faculty and students participate in Department softball and soccer teams.

Support
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The graduate program in Physics & Astronomy at UCI provides some financial support to all entering students!

During the first year of study, graduate students are typically provided stipends, tuition fee fellowships, and/or teaching assistantships. In subsequent years, students typically receive support through Research Assistantships once they begin their doctoral studies. For more detailed information, please visit the Physics Graduate Studies webpage.

AAS - Female Friendly Physics Departments Study
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The AAS Committee on the Status of Women has compiled a survey of graduate programs in physics that could be helpful to those interested in assessing the climate for women at various graduate schools.

Department chairs (or their assignees) at more than 200 Ph.D.-granting institutions were asked to respond to five questions, including what makes their department female-friendly. The responses, for each institution, can be viewed at:

All information is self-reported. Neither the CSWP nor the APS assumes responsibility for its accuracy or timeliness.

Issue of October 25, 2005
eds. Patricia Knezek, Jim Ulvestad, & Joan Schmelz

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Activities

The Astro Grad Seminar is a weekly forum that provides a comfortable, faculty-free, environment for astronomy and physics graduate students to discuss their research and refine their speaking abilities. The Seminar allows students to better define their research and learn the work of fellow students through short presentations, discussions, and constructive peer criticism. Problems and questions specific to astronomy graduate research are also discussed along with any departmental concerns. The seminar is an ideal arena to exercise the students ability to express scientific ideas and promotes productive interaction between the students, faculty, and colloquium speakers.

For more information please visit: