Physics and Astronomy

A photo of Grace Murray Hopper from the Vassarion. Hopper has dark hair and is dressed in formal attire, wearing a pearl necklace and facing the camera.

CelebratingGrace Murray Hopper ’1928

Grace Hopper is often credited for creating modern computing. In many ways, Vassar helped to create Grace Hopper. Read more about Hopper’s life and work.

The Physics and Astronomy Department at Vassar College offers students an engaging learning environment consisting of a rigorous program of study augmented by a diverse research agenda.

The department faculty are dedicated to continuously using and exploring innovative and effective teaching strategies, and to developing a strong research program aimed at providing ample opportunity for undergraduate students to have a hands-on experience. Physics and astronomy majors are prepared for graduate studies in not only physics and astronomy, but also engineering, education, and medicine. The faculty is also committed to teaching courses that promote scientific literacy for students who do not choose to major in the sciences.

News

Two smiling people in a lab wearing gloves and holding lab containers.

Thanks to URSI, Scientific Research is Going Strong at Vassar

Deep cuts in government funding for scientific research have forced many colleges and other institutions to curtail or even eliminate many research programs. This is not the case at Vassar. The College’s Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) ran right on schedule this summer.

Vera C. Rubin Observatory sits atop a rocky mountain ridge at sunset, with vibrant orange and yellow hues lighting the sky.

Powerful Telescope at Observatory Named for Vera Rubin ’48 Captures Stunning Images of the Cosmos

Vera C. Rubin Observatory, situated high in the Andes Mountains, is enabling scientists across the globe to learn a lot more about the nature of the universe.

Person speaking to an an audeince in front of a window with trees in the background.

Vassar Celebrates 50 Years of Science, Technology, and Society Program with Two-Day Event

Students, faculty, alums and scholars from several colleges and universities took part in a celebration of more than 50 years of teaching and learning in Science, Technology and Society at Vassar.

Associate Professor of Astronomy Colette Salyk was quoted in an article for Space.com about a star consuming a planet, after the two collided, along with the mention of the observatory honoring noted astronomer Vera C. Rubin ’48.

A group of people in a classroom standing behind a computer.

Vassar Acquires Powerful Quantum Computer for Use in the Classroom and Student Research

Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy enabled Vassar to acquire a powerful quantum computer that will be used as a teaching tool for physics majors and others at the College.

Two people standing in a classroom speaking to each other with other people and classroom tables in the background. One of the people speaking is wearing a camouflage, military uniform.

Science and Tech Bring Vassar and West Point Together

Professor of Physics and Astronomy Jenny Magnes kicked off her leadership of Vassar’s West Point Initiative with a visit by six members of the West Point faculty to explore how the two institutions can share their scientific equipment, including Vassar’s new quantum computer.

Annie Dickson-Vandervelde, Faculty Research Associate in Physics and Astronomy, spoke to Science about a study on Jupiter’s moons.

A portrait of Stephen Andrade, a person with short black hair and beard, glasses, and a dark suit coat.

Vassar’s Newest Professors Hail from Burbank to Bulgaria

Vassar welcomes 15 new tenure-track faculty members—the largest cohort in more than 20 years—to the campus this fall.

20 people sitting around a large oval table in a room with large paintings, floor to ceiling windows, and long, gold drapery.

Convening in Edinburgh, International Group of Education Leaders Collaborate on Liberal Arts Initiatives

In March, representatives of Vassar, the University of Edinburgh, University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay convened on the campus of the revered University of Edinburgh in Scotland to collaborate on initiatives incorporating the principles of the liberal arts.