Facilities Moody Science Hall, constructed in 1968 and renovated in 1995, provides classrooms and laboratories for physics, as well as biology and chemistry. Instruments that physics students are expected to use include a scanning electron microscope with an x-ray fluorescence attachment, a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, a fourier transform infrared spectrometer, a magnetic susceptibility apparatus, and a speed of light apparatus. A darkroom and glass-blowing facilities also are available for student use.
Microcomputers are an important laboratory tool and are used in introductory courses.
The small size of physics classes permits considerable attention to each individual student. Laboratories are designed to prepare students for independent projects after four semesters of structured experiments. Students then are encouraged to schedule independent research projects with a faculty member. The modest number of required physics courses for the major also makes it possible to combine an emphasis in physics with a concentration in any of several other disciplines. Research interests include computer based instruction and liquid-solid interfaces.