Physics (PhD)

The PhD in Physics program at WPI covers the full spectrum of research in the field with particular emphasis on Biophysics and Nanoscience. You’ll be well positioned to lead transformative research in our state-of-the-art labs.

Working collaboratively with world-renowned faculty and in small research groups, you’re part of the research fabric of the university. As a PhD candidate, you may choose to participate on outstanding faculty research projects such as light scattering, nanomechanics, liquid crystals, fiber optics, biophysics, order-disorder phenomena, and quantum computers.

Graduate Admissions

Curriculum

PhD candidates have the flexibility to work collaboratively on innovative faculty research endeavors and with colleagues from mathematics, computer science, or in the life sciences, but they can also develop their own tailored research approach in an area they are passionate about.

Requirements include approved courses like Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, and Advanced Electromagnetic Theory, and dissertation research, completion, and defense of the PhD thesis. PhD candidates will complete a one-year residency on campus.

We offer candidates more information about application specifics or available financial support.

Graduate Catalog

Research

You’ll find significant opportunities for applied learning as your research immerses you in a stimulating collaborative community of fellow researchers and engaged faculty focused on real-world problems in medicine and health, the environment, and national defense.

Recent faculty and student research projects:

The mechanical properties of materials at the nanoscale
Experimental studies of liquid crystal and protein interactions
Geometric proofs of the Kochen-Specker theorem
A nonlinear elliptical problem for solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

Explore our Research

Physics labs at WPI use the latest, up-to-date equipment to advance researchers’ efforts. The IPG Photonics Laboratory, Atomic Force Microscopy Laboratory, and the Center for Computational Nanoscience have collaborative lab space to make groundbreaking discoveries. You’ll have access to instruments like fiber optical tweezers, traction force microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.

View our Facilities

Faculty Profiles

David Christopher Medich

Associate Professor

Physics

I perform experimental and computational (Monte Carlo) research in the field of applied nuclear physics with a focus on Medical and Health Physics. Presently my research group is investigating: the development of a unique technique to enable high-resolution in-vivo functional imaging using neutrons, the adaptation of a 169Yb brachytherapy source to enable localized intensity-modulated radiation therapy, the creation of a field-deployable device for radiological and topological characterization, and are analyzing the time-dependent resuspension of radioactive Am-241 into the atmosphere.

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Erkan Tüzel

Associate Professor of Physics, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science

Physics

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.

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Lyubov Titova

Assistant Professor

Physics

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Qi Wen

Associate Professor

Physics

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.

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Getting Involved

PhD students find an active graduate student life and a welcoming campus environment. The Graduate Student Government brings peers together for events and also advocates for any of their concerns. Physics students are well represented with campus chapters of Sigma Xi, an international and multidisciplinary research honor society, and the Society of Physics Students.

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Students walking around the fountain in the springtime

After Graduation

A PhD in Physics from WPI gives you the qualifications to produce original, innovative, big-picture research that will advance the field. You’ll be prepared to meet your career goals in academia, industry, or government in whatever form you choose to pursue to make the path fulfilling and lucrative.

Career Outlook

Physics Department