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.

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.