Department of Physics
Undergraduate research, public outreach, summer internships, publications, and R&D projects…there’s a lot going on in the Department of Physics at High Point University. We invite you to browse our website, blog, course materials, and photo galleries. But if you really want to know what we are about, we encourage you to come to campus and spend time with our faculty, our physics majors, and our alumni. We love to talk physics and astronomy, and we love to show you our results. So check out our annual reports.
2013-2014 Annual Report (79 MB, long download)
2014-2016 Annual Report (272 MB, long download)
Dr. Briana Fiser (bfiser@highpoint.edu)
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Physics
(336) 841-9412
Exciting News
Triad Children Observe Universe Through HPU Service Learning Course
Dr. Brad Barlow Co-Authors Peer-Reviewed Paper in Astrophysical Journal
HPU’s Department of Physics Hosts Virtual Graduation Featuring Famous Scientists
HPU Physics Faculty, Staff, and Students Create Online Planetarium and Classroom for Children
Sixth Annual HPUniverse Day Welcomed the Community to Explore Astronomy and Physics
NASA Awards Research Grant to Dr. Barlow
Thomas Boudreaux and Michael Welter Recognized for University Awards
Thomas Boudreaux Receives Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship
Dr. Fiser Receives HPU Teaching Award
Dr. Brad Barlow Receives HPU Research Award
(…more news.)
2021 Publications
Introducing SU(3) color charge in undergraduate quantum mechanics (Inscoe, B.*, Lancaster, J. L.), In American Journal of Physics, volume 89, 2021. [doi] |
*Denotes previous or current HPU undergraduate physics major.
2020 Publications
Slow-dissipation limit of the harmonic oscillator with general power-law damping (Lancaster, J. L.), In American Journal of Physics, volume 88, 2020. [doi] |
EVR-CB-004: An Inflated Hot Subdwarf O Star + Unseen WD Companion in a Compact Binary Discovered with the Evryscope (Ratzloff, J. K., Kupfer, T., Barlow, B. N., Schneider, D., Marsh, T. R., Heber, U., Corcoran, K.*, Bauer, E., Hämmerich, S., Corbett, H. T.), In Astrophysical Journal, volume 902, 2020. [doi] |
Multiwavelength Photometry and Progenitor Analysis of the Nova V906 Car (Wee, J., Blagorodnova, N., Penprase, B. E., Facey, J. P., Morioka, T., Corbett, H. T.,Barlow, B. N., Kupfer, T., Law, N. M., Ratzloff, J. K.), In Astrophysical Journal, volume 890, 2020. [doi] |
Hot Subdwarf All Southern Sky Fast Transit Survey with the Evryscope (Ratzloff, J. K., Barlow, B. N., Németh, P., Corbett, H. T., Walser, S.*, Galliher, N. W., Glazier, A., Howard, W. S., Law, N. M.), In Astrophysical Journal, volume 890, 2020. [doi] |
*Denotes previous or current HPU undergraduate physics major.
What can I do with this major?
With strong problem solving skills and theoretical understanding, experience in designing and carrying out experiments, and extensive application of computational modeling and computer programming, our graduates are prepared for a variety of careers and graduate programs in science that are as diverse as our students themselves.
Traditional areas: physics, engineering, atmospheric science, nanotechnology, microelectronics, computer programming and technology, instrumentation, materials science, astrophysics, biophysics and medical physics.
Non-traditional areas: teaching, medicine, finance or law.
Opportunities for experiential learning
In their first or second year, majors take a year-long course in undergraduate research where they complete an independent research project with a faculty member. Additionally in their first year, physics majors are taught the programming language Python in introductory, calculus-based physics. Through the Matter & Interactions curricula, majors learn both computational modeling and numerical problem solving.
Every physics course includes at least two of the following experiential learning components in which students apply what they are learning, develop critical thinking skills, and demonstrate problem solving:
- Experimental physics (laboratory)
- Computational modeling
- A culminating project that is theoretical, experimental, or computational.
What are grads doing with this major?
Why Physics?
Upon graduation you will be well-prepared for a wide variety of pursuits. If you choose graduate school, an undergraduate degree in physics is excellent preparation for graduate studies in a number of fields including astronomy, earth and atmospheric science, biophysics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and nuclear engineering, to name just a few.
If you are looking to enter the workforce right after graduation, your degree will open up a range of possibilities. Physics graduates work in such diverse fields as engineering, computer or information systems, medical technology, technical writing, finance, and education.
Depending on your interests, you may want to consider double-majoring while at HPU. For example, if you want to go into biophysics, you should take courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and general biology, for example. If you want to go into high-performance computing or do computational physics, consider double-majoring in computer science. If theory is your thing, then double major in mathematics.