The MS of Physics program at WPI combines essential theoretical knowledge of physics principles with boundary-pushing research to equip you with the skills you need to pose and answer important questions and then solve problems in settings as varied as a pharmaceutical lab to a lecture hall.
Our expert faculty members are focused on helping you refine your interests, provide applied learning opportunities that will secure your professional future, and challenge you to make exciting discoveries and create new knowledge.
Many industries seek a physicist’s skills—whether it’s working on applied optics in telecommunications, project work for leading software companies, developing modeling for banks and the financial industry, or even research and development for pharmaceutical companies. WPI has particular strengths in Biophysics and Nanoscience and there are several state-of-the-art facilities available on campus for cutting-edge research.
WPI’s well-rounded approach helps you find your strengths with opportunities for applied learning and targeted research throughout the graduate curriculum. Working collaboratively with our accomplished and curious faculty across all disciplines, you’ll participate on current, cutting-edge research projects tailored to help you reach your specific goals.
Typical course work includes Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, and Advanced Electromagnetic Theory. A thesis plan or a directed research project with a qualifying exam is also required. Physics students may guide their own educational path with an Independent Study/Project that lets them choose, design, and follow the path of study that interests them the most.
Physics research at WPI is groundbreaking, collaborative, innovative, and inspiring. In an atmosphere of thrilling discovery and encouragement, students work on faculty research and lead independent research that will sharpen their interests for the next step, whether that’s a career in industry or an advanced degree.
Recent student research topics:
The modern facilities at WPI offer excellent opportunities to perform exciting research and make advances using the latest equipment and instruments like fiber optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy. Some of our innovative research labs include the IPG Photonics Laboratory, the Atomic Force Microscopy Laboratory, the Soft Matter Laboratory, and the Center for Computational Nanoscience.
Teaching is a learning and discovering process, both for me and my students. While introductory classes motivate me to develop better ways of explaining elementary concepts and clear misconceptions, upper-level classes stimulate my thinking of the subject material and sometimes challenge me beyond my expectations. The project-based curriculum at WPI also allows me to explore new and exciting areas in computational and biological physics with my students.
Research efforts of the Ultrafast THz and Optical Spectroscopy Lab at WPI (PI- Lyubov Titova) are focused on three themes: (i) Application of terahertz (THz) spectroscopy to probe dynamics of photo-excited charge carriers in nanomaterials with applications in photovoltaics and solar fuel production; (ii) Using THz pulses and ultrafast optical techniques to study intermolecular dynamics in liquids; (iii) Investigating interactions of intense THz pulses with cells, tissues and their constituents, with a goal of development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic app
Professor Wen is an experimental biophysicist who is interested in applying physical methods to understand biological phenomena. By measuring the mechanical properties of living cells and the mechanical interaction between cells and ECM, he aims to understand how cells convert external mechanical signals to internal biochemical signals that govern cellular function, including cell morphology, migration, and differentiation. His research will help to design novel materials for wound healing, tissue engineering, and tumor treatment.
Professor Quimby teaches courses and engages in research in the area of photonics, specializing in lasers, fiber optics, and the optical properties of materials. He particularly enjoys developing and teaching interdisciplinary courses that are relevant and interesting to both science and engineering students. Examples of courses he has developed at WPI include PH2501 Photonics, PH2502 Lasers, and PH2601 Photonics Laboratory.
Graduates of the MS in Physics program emerge with valuable hands-on experience that makes them well positioned to move on to careers in fields including software, biomedical, telecommunications, aerospace, academia, and nuclear science. Employers seek WPI grads because of their excellent reputation as problem solvers who can implement necessary change.
