What is Physics?

Physics studies the fundamental laws of our Universe. By combining experimental data and theoretical models, and by using the powerful language of mathematics, physicists investigate and test the basic set of rules on which our natural world is grounded. This allows for predictions on the time evolution of physical systems, which will ultimately test our present understanding and inspire new investigations.

The history of physics closely follows the progress of our civilizations. Scholars, philosophers, and scientists pondered for centuries topics such as the motion of celestial objects, the nature of light and matter, gravity, etc. This interplay of experimental results, ideas and models, discussed in a rich literature and, at times, also through fierce academic disputes, allowed our society to develop and grow, all the way to the advanced technological achievements of the present. "If we have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" wrote Sir Isaac Newton in 1675 in a letter to a scientific rival.

Throughout the history of mankind, Physics forced scientists to question and challenge their beliefs in the light of new experimental evidence. In the early 1900's, the Theories of Special and General Relativity revolutionized our concepts of time and space, and Quantum Mechanics forced us to rebuild our understanding of the concept of measurements and interactions at infinitesimally small scales.

As technology evolves and our scientific understanding improves, new unexpected challenges and revolutionary ideas are hidden somewhere, waiting to be found. This is what Physics is about.

Short Description: City Tech, Physics Dept, ACP

The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) is the designated college of technology within the City University of New York (CUNY), a national model for industry-aligned education, and an engine of economic mobility, located at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. Founded in 1946, today City Tech offers 58 cutting-edge associate and baccalaureate degree programs spanning the technologies of art and design, architecture, biomedical informatics, business, teacher education, computer systems, engineering, entertainment, health care, hospitality, human services, legal studies, and the liberal arts and sciences. As per our mission statement, City Tech places an emphasis on applied skills and place-based learning, built upon a vibrant general education foundation. Students are equipped with problem solving skills, technical expertise, and an understanding of the social contexts of technology, that make its graduates competitive in the present job market.

During the Fall 2023 there were 13,784 students (65% full-time, 35% part-time), 408 full-time faculty, and 1,005 part-time faculty at City Tech. Among those students, 49% were enrolled in Bachelor Degree Programs and 51% in Associate Degree Programs. Of the total number of students in Fall 2023, 49% were in the School of Technology and Design, 39% were registered in the School of Professional Studies, 12% were registered in the School of Arts and Sciences. In the Fall 2023 semester, 1,123 students graduated with a Bachelor degree and 954 graduated with and Associate Degree. The student median age is 21.

The Physics Department at City Tech has currently 12 full-time members who are all actively involved in research, in areas of condensed matter, quantum technologies, optics, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, and data science. The department serves 800+ undergraduate students per semester offering algebra- and calculus-based introductory physics courses for a variety of STEM and non-STEM degrees.

Since 2017, City Tech offers a newly designed Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Computational Physics (ACP). Aside from the traditional physics curriculum, the ACP program is designed with a strong emphasis on classes where students can learn and practice advanced computational methods, including an introduction to quantum computing, machine learning techniques, and an advanced numerical methods course. These classes equip students with skills that are important within physics research and are also relevant for a variety of job opportunities in the private sector. Through our applied physics focus, students learn about the most complex laws of nature while developing the computational skills to explore these by themselves and pioneer their own smart solutions to the emerging problems of the world.