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About


The Department of Physics at Emory specializes in several emerging cutting-edge research areas such as biophysics, condensed matter physics and optics, soft matter physics, statistics of nonequilibrium and living systems, and network theory.

The moderate size of our Department allows us to emphasize collegiality and a sense of community, as well as a comprehensive student experience including high teaching standards in a small-classroom environment, direct interaction with faculty/advisors, accessibility of research facilities, and diverse extracurricular activities.

Our Department benefits from the beautiful campus setting of Emory University surrounded by quiet residential neighborhoods, with easy access to the urban conveniences of Atlanta, such as top-tier restaurants, shopping, nightlife, professional sports and other entertainment, as well as an undergraduate lounge conveniently located adjacent to faculty offices. 

Undergraduate Majors and Career  Paths

  • Physics
  • Physics & Astronomy
  • Engineering Science
  • Biophysics

While research is not a program requirement for our undergraduate majors, we are proud that well over half of our majors participate in research during their undergraduate career. Our majors have diverse interests and career goals.

Many students pursue double majors with Physics (math and music are popular choices) and/or participate in the Study Abroad program. Some of our graduating majors head off to PhD programs in physics, others to medical schools, engineering graduate programs, law school, or directly into industrial jobs.

Graduate Students

Graduate students can specialize in several research areas including biophysics, condensed matter physics and optics, soft matter and statistical and computational physics . Graduate students run the Young Emory Physicists (YEP) club. Weekly journal clubs, joint group meetings, and research colloquia bring students from different research groups together.

About half of our graduating PhD students go to postdoctoral positions after they graduate, while others go into industrial or other permanent research and/or teaching positions.

Department of Physics

N201 Math & Science Center
400 Dowman Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
Math & Science Center N201
8am - 5pm EST Monday - Friday

Department Contacts

Stefan Boettcher Headshot

Department Chair

Stefan Boettcher
Professor and Department Chair
MSC - RM N250
Hayk Harutyunyan Headshot

Director of Graduate Studies

Hayk Harutyunyan
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
MSC - RM N216
Alissa Bans Headshot

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Alissa Bans
Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies
MSC - RM N222

Program Coordinators, Staff

Susan Cook Headshot

Undergraduate Academic Degree Coordinator

Susan Cook
Sr. Academic Degree Coordinator, Undergraduate
MSC - N248
Barbara Conner Headshot

Graduate Academic Degree Coordinator

Barbara Conner
Sr. Academic Degree Coordinator, Graduate
MSC - RM N203