Areas of research cover atomic, molecular and optical physics, nonlinear dynamics, nuclear physics, plasma physics, fluid dynamics, condensed matter physics, relativity and cosmology, statistical mechanics, and elementary particle physics. The Department enjoys close research collaborations with scientists in other departments with related research interests. The strong support of basic and applied research by the State of Texas through the Advanced Research and Advanced Technology Programs has enabled the development of new research directions in the Physics Department, and is an indication of a deep commitment to academic excellence. The graduate program in the Physics Department currently enrolls approximately two hundred and seventy students. Students who are accepted to the program are generally offered Teaching Assistant positions.
Many students become research assistants after they join research groups.
Recruitment of top students is a very high priority for the Physics Department and it has been able to compete successfully with the very best schools. Incoming students are encouraged to identify areas of interest, and to find faculty advisors early in their program.