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The College of Arts & Sciences
Uniquely versatile undergraduate and graduate programs, an unrivaled breadth of research training, and Nobel Prize-winning work in world class facilities, defines the Department of Physics at Cornell University as a national and global leader in physics training and education. The department has more than 40 active professors, approximately 180 graduate students and 65 undergraduate majors, and offers a full range of university-level work in physics, from general education courses for nonscientists to doctoral-level independent research.
Cornell University physicist J.C. Séamus Davis won the 2026 Michael Faraday Medal and Prize for quantum materials research and experimental physics. His latest work uses AI-driven quantum imaging analysis to accelerate discoveries in macroscopic quantum phenomena.
Physics researchers in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences discovered that six-layer graphene displays superconductivity and electrically controllable magnetism. The findings present rhombohedral hexalayer graphene as a promising quantum materials platform for studying electron interactions and developing technologies.
Cornell researchers have demonstrated that uranium ditelluride can exhibit both flavors of superconductivity at once, setting it apart as a leading candidate to be a topological superconductor. The College of Arts & Sciences team also demonstrated a rare superconducting phase interaction, resolving key uncertainties about the material’s behavior under pressure.
Sarah Gates ‘25, a physics major in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University, reflects on her experience as a Nexus Scholar.
Cornell University launched Kalaniyot to expand academic collaboration with Israeli scholars through postdoctoral and sabbatical fellowships. The new program supports research partnerships across multiple colleges while bringing Israeli scholars to campus for projects spanning food science, ecology, psychology and quantum technology and more.
Physics researchers in Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences developed a programmable platform to create microbubbles on demand. The device directs fluid flow and could be used for targeted drug delivery and other biomedical applications.
BA Physics and Math
Financial Analyst, Soccer Fan, Physicist!
Steven (he/him) turned his physics analysis skills to the field of finance. His path has led him through several different companies in various roles managing data and using complex forecasting models to inform financial decisions like product pricing, budgeting and strategic planning. In his free time, Steven enjoys reading non-fiction, soccer, and running his own stock portfolio.
The analytical and problem-solving skills from physics have been of much use to him in the corporate world
BA Physics and Art History
Art Historian, Photographer, Physicist!
Victoria (she/her) followed her physics degree with a PhD in visual and cultural studies from the University of Rochester. She then became Director of the Bannister Gallery and Adjunct Professor of Art History at Rhode Island College. Through her career, Victoria has been able to turn her passions into her work. In her free time, she enjoys baking.
The critical thinking skills she developed as a physicist have always helped her along the way.
BA Physics and Economics
Lawyer, Boston Sports Fan, Physicist!
David (he/him) went from Cornell physics to Boston College where he earned degrees in law and business administration. He held several positions in both marketing and law and then became a lawyer for a biological engineering lab at Harvard. In his free time, he enjoys working on his house.
Physics has been his most valuable degree, developing his problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
Research in the department is organized in two laboratories, the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (LASSP) and the Laboratory for Elementary Particle Physics (LEPP). Explore the links below to learn more about the major research areas of the department and the facilities available to researchers.
Location: Physical Sciences Building, 120
Location: Physical Sciences Building, 120