physics phd university of chicago

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Department of Physics

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Department Website: http://physics.uchicago.edu

• Peter Littlewood
• David C. Awschalom, PME
• Edward C. Blucher
• Marcela Carena
• John Eric Carlstrom, Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Juan Collar
• David DeMille
• Bonnie Fleming
• Henry J. Frisch
• Margaret Gardel
• Philippe M. Guyot Sionnest, Chemistry
• Jeffrey A. Harvey
• Daniel Holz
• William Irvine
• Heinrich Martin Jaeger
• Woowon Kang
• Young Kee Kim
• David Kutasov
• Kathryn Levin
• Michael Levin
• Emil J. Martinec
• Jeffrey McMahon
• Sidney R. Nagel
• Paolo Privitera, Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Robert Rosner, Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Michael Rust, Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
• Savdeep Sethi
• Abigail Vieregg
• Vincenzo Vitelli
• Carlos E.M. Wagner
• Yau Wai Wah
• Scott Wakely
• Robert M. Wald
• LianTao Wang
• Paul B. Wiegmann
• Linda Young

Associate Professors

• Luca Grandi
• David Miller
• Arvind Murugan
• Stephanie Palmer, Organismal Biology and Anatomy
• David Schmitz
• Wendy Zhang

Assistant Professors

• Clay Cordova
• Luca Delacretaz
• Karri DiPetrillo
• Keisuke Harigaya
• Andrew Higginbotham
• Elizabeth Jerison

Associate Senior Instructional Professor

• Zosia Krusberg

Assistant Instructional Professor

• Savan Kharel

Senior Lecturer

• Stuart Gazes

Emeritus Faculty

• Robert P. Geroch
• Gene F. Mazenko
• Frank S. Merritt
• Mark J. Oreglia
• James E. Pilcher
• Jonathan L. Rosner
• Melvyn J. Shochet
• Michael S. Turner
• Thomas A. Witten

The Department of Physics offers advanced degree opportunities in many areas of experimental and theoretical physics, supervised by a distinguished group of research faculty. Applications are accepted from students of diverse backgrounds and institutions: graduates of research universities or four year colleges, from the U.S. and worldwide. Most applicants, but not all, have undergraduate degrees in physics; many have had significant research experience. Seeking to identify the most qualified students who show promise of excellence in research and teaching, the admissions process is highly selective and very competitive.

Doctor of Philosophy

During the first year of the doctoral program, a student takes introductory graduate physics courses and usually serves as a teaching assistant assigned to one of the introductory or intermediate undergraduate physics courses. Students are encouraged to explore research opportunities during their first year. Students are strongly encouraged to take the graduate diagnostic examination prior to their first quarter in the program. The results of this examination will determine which of the introductory graduate courses the student must take to achieve candidacy. After achieving candidacy and identifying a research sponsor, the student begins dissertation research while completing course requirements. Within a year after research begins, a PhD committee is formed with the sponsor as chairman. The student continues research, from time to time consulting with the members of the committee, until completion of the dissertation. The average length of time for completion of the PhD program in physics is about six years.

In addition to fulfilling University and divisional requirements, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in physics must:

• Achieve Candidacy.
• Fulfill the experimental physics requirement by completing PHYS 33400 Adv Experimental Physics or PHYS 33500 Adv Experimental Physics Project .
• Pass four post candidacy advanced graduate courses devoted to the broad physics research areas of (A) Condensed Matter Physics, (B) Particle Physics, (C) Large Scale Physics (i.e. Astrophysics and/or Cosmology related), and (D) Intermediate Electives. The four courses selected must include at least one from each of the categories (A), (B), and (C).
• Pass two other advanced (40000 level) courses either in physics or in a field related to the student’s Ph.D. research.  The latter requires department approval.
• Within the first year after beginning research, convene a first meeting of the Ph.D. committee to review plans for the proposed thesis research and for fulfilling the remaining Ph.D. requirements.
• Attend annual meetings with the thesis committee.
• One to two quarters prior to the defense of the dissertation, hold a pre-oral meeting at which the student and the Ph.D. committee discuss the research project.
• Defend the dissertation before the Ph.D. committee.
• Submit for publication to a refereed scientific journal the thesis which has been approved by the Ph.D. committee or a paper based on the thesis. A letter from the editor acknowledging receipt of the thesis must be provided to the department office.

Acquire further information about our doctoral program with Zosia Krusberg , Director of Graduate Studies.

Master of Science

The graduate program of the Department of Physics is oriented toward students who intend to earn a Ph.D. degree in physics. Therefore, the department does not offer admission to students whose goal is the Master of Science degree. However, the department does offer a master’s degree to students who are already in the physics Ph.D. program or other approved graduate programs in the University. Normally it takes one and a half years for a student to complete the master’s program. A master’s degree is not required for continued study toward the doctorate.

In addition to fulfilling University and Divisional requirements, a candidate for the degree of Master of Science in physics must demonstrate a satisfactory level of understanding of the fundamental principles of physics by passing nine approved courses with a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Six of the nine courses must be:

The experimental physics requirement can be fulfilled either through PHYS 33400 Adv Experimental Physics or PHYS 33500 Adv Experimental Physics Project.

Testing out of certain courses (PHYS 31600, 32200, 32300, 34100, 34200, and 35200) on the Graduate Diagnostic Exam can be applied toward the Master’s degree in place of taking the course.  The 2.5 GPA minimum applies only to courses taken in addition to those credited by performance on the Graduate Diagnostic Exam.

The Department may approve substitutions to this list where warranted.

Teaching Opportunities

Part of the training of graduate students is dedicated to obtaining experience and facility in teaching. Most first year students are supported by teaching assistantships, which provide the opportunity for them to engage in a variety of teaching related activities. These may include supervising undergraduate laboratory sections, conducting discussion and problem sessions, holding office hours, and grading written work for specific courses. Fellowship holders are invited to participate in these activities at reduced levels of commitment to gain experience in the teaching of physics. During the Autumn quarter first year graduate students attend the weekly workshop, Teaching and Learning of Physics, which is an important element in their training as teachers of physics.

Teaching Facilities

All formal class work takes place in the modern lecture halls and classrooms and instructional laboratories of the Kersten Physics Teaching Center. This building also houses special equipment and support facilities for student experimental projects, departmental administrative offices, and meeting rooms. The center is situated on the science quadrangle near the John Crerar Science Library, which holds over 1,000,000 volumes and provides modern literature search and data retrieval systems.

Research Facilities

Most of the experimental and theoretical research of Physics faculty and graduate students is carried out within the Enrico Fermi Institute , the James Franck Institute and the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics . These research institutes provide close interdisciplinary contact, crossing the traditional boundaries between departments. This broad scientific endeavor is reflected in students’ activities and contributes to their outlook toward research.

In the Enrico Fermi Institute, members of the Department of Physics carry out theoretical research in particle theory, string theory, field theory, general relativity, and theoretical astrophysics and cosmology. There are active experimental groups in high energy physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics and space physics, infrared and optical astronomy, and microwave background observations. Some of this research is conducted at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, at Argonne National Laboratory (both of these are near Chicago), and at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Physics faculty in the James Franck Institute study chemical, solid state, condensed matter, and statistical physics. Fields of interest include chaos, chemical kinetics, critical phenomena, high Tc superconductivity, nonlinear dynamics, low temperature, disordered and amorphous systems, the dynamics of glasses, fluid dynamics, surface and interface phenomena, nonlinear and nanoscale optics, unstable and metastable systems, laser cooling and trapping, atomic physics, and polymer physics. Much of the research utilizes specialized facilities operated by the institute, including a low temperature laboratory, a materials preparation laboratory, x-ray diffraction and analytical chemistry laboratories, laser equipment, a scanning tunneling microscope, and extensive shop facilities. Some members of the faculty are involved in research at Argonne National Laboratory.

The Institute for Biophysical Dynamics includes members of both the Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences Divisions, and focuses on the physical basis for molecular and cellular processes. This interface between the physical and biological sciences is an exciting area that is developing rapidly, with a bi-directional impact. Research topics include the creation of physical materials by biological self assembly, the molecular basis of macromolecular interactions and cellular signaling, the derivation of sequence structure function relationships by computational means, and structure function relationships in membranes.

In the areas of chemical and atomic physics, research toward the doctorate may be done in either the physics or the chemistry department. Facilities are available for research in crystal chemistry; molecular physics; molecular spectra from infrared to far ultraviolet, Bose Einstein condensation, and Raman spectra, both experimental and theoretical; surface physics; statistical mechanics; radio chemistry; and quantum electronics.

Interdisciplinary research leading to a Ph.D. degree in physics may be carried out under the guidance of faculty committees including members of other departments in the Division of the Physical Sciences, such as Astronomy & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences or Mathematics, or related departments in the Division of the Biological Sciences.

Admission and Student Aid

Most students entering the graduate program of the Department of Physics of the University of Chicago hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physics from an accredited college or university.

December 15 is the deadline for applications for admission in the following autumn quarter. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) given by the Educational Testing Service is required of all applicants. Applicants should submit recent scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytic writing tests and on the advanced subject test in physics. Arrangements should be made to take the examination no later than September in order that the results be available in time for the department’s consideration. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must provide the scores achieved on the TOEFL or the IELTS.

All full time physics graduate students in good standing receive financial aid. Most graduate students serve as teaching assistants in their first year.

The department has instituted a small bridge-to-Ph.D. program which does not require the Graduate Record Examination.  The application deadline for this program varies but is expected to be mid to late spring.

For information including faulty research interests, application instructions, and other important program details please visit our department website http://physics.uchicago.edu/ . You can also reach out to [email protected] with any questions or concerns regarding the admissions process.

Grading Policy

The department’s grading policy is available on the departmental website .

Course Requirements

Course requirements are available on the department’s website .

Physics Courses

PHYS 30101. Analytical Methods of Physics I. 100 Units.

This course focuses on analytical techniques used in physics. It is designed to have flexible topical coverage so that the course may be geared to the registered students. Enrollment is by instructor approval only.

Instructor(s): D. Reed     Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

PHYS 30102. Analytical Methods of Physics II. 100 Units.

Course focuses on analytical techniques used in Physics. It is designed to have flexible topical coverage so that the course may be geared to registered students. Enrollment is by instructor approval only.

PHYS 30103. Analytical Methods of Physics III. 100 Units.

PHYS 31600. Adv Classical Mechanics. 100 Units.

This course begins with variational formulation of classical mechanics of point particles, including discussion of the principle of least action, Poisson brackets, and Hamilton-Jacobi theory. These concepts are generalized to continuous systems with infinite number of degrees of freedom, including a discussion of the transition to quantum mechanics.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 18500

PHYS 31700. Symplectic Methods of Classical Dynamics. 100 Units.

This course covers advanced techniques in classical dynamics including Lagrangian mechanics on manifolds, differential forms, symplectic structures on manifolds, the Lie algebra of vector fields and Hamiltonian functions, and symplectic geometry.

Terms Offered: Spring

PHYS 32200-32300. Advanced Electrodynamics I-II.

This two-quarter sequence covers electromagnetic properties of continuous media, gauge transformations, electromagnetic waves, radiation, relativistic electrodynamics, Lorentz theory of electrons, and theoretical optics. There is considerable emphasis on the mathematical methods behind the development of the physics of these problems.

PHYS 32200. Advanced Electrodynamics I. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 22700 and 23500

PHYS 32300. Advanced Electrodynamics II. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 32200

PHYS 33000. Math Methods Of Physics-1. 100 Units.

Topics include complex analysis, linear algebra, differential equations, boundary value problems, and special functions.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 22700

PHYS 33400. Adv Experimental Physics. 100 Units.

For course description contact Physics.

PHYS 33500. Adv Experimental Physics Project. 100 Units.

PHYS 34100-34200. Advanced Quantum Mechanics I-II.

This two-quarter sequence covers wave functions and their physical content, one-dimensional systems, WKB method, operators and matrix mechanics, angular momentum and spin, two- and three-dimensional systems, the Pauli principle, perturbation theory, Born approximation, and scattering theory.

PHYS 34100. Graduate Quantum Mechanics-1. 100 Units.

This course is a two-quarter sequence that covers wave functions and their physical content, one dimensional systems, WKB method, operators and matrix mechanics, angular momentum and spin, two-and-three dimensional systems, with Pauli principle, perturbation theory, Born approximation, and scattering theory.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23500

PHYS 34200. Graduate Quantum Mechanics-2. 100 Units.

This two-quarter sequence covers wave functions and their physical content, one-dimensional systems, WKB method, operators and matrix mechanics, angular momentum and spin, two- and three-dimensional systems, the Pauli principle, perturbation theory, Born approximation, and scattering theory

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 34100

PHYS 35200. Statistical Mechanics. 100 Units.

This course covers principles of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, as well as their applications to problems in physics and chemistry.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 19700 and 23500

PHYS 35300. Advanced Statistical Mechanics. 100 Units.

This course will cover advanced topics in collective behavior, mean field theory, fluctuations, scaling hypothesis. Perturbative renormalization group, series expansions, low-dimensional systems and topological defects, random systems and conformal symmetry.

PHYS 36100. Solid State Physics. 100 Units.

Topics include Properties of Insulators, Electronic Properties of Solids, Thermal Properties, Optical Properties of Solids, and Transport in Metals (conductivity, Hall effect, etc.)

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23600, 34200, 35200

PHYS 36300. Particle Physics. 100 Units.

PHYS 36400. General Relativity. 100 Units.

This is advanced-level course on general relativity treats special relativity, manifolds, curvature, gravitation, the Schwarzschild solution and black holes.

Terms Offered: Winter 2014

PHYS 36600. Adv Condensed Matter Physics. 100 Units.

Phasetransitions, Magnetism, Superconductivity, Disorder, Quantum Hall Effect, Superfluidity, Physics of Low-dimensional systems, Fermiliquid theory, and Quasi-crystals.

Terms Offered: Winter

PHYS 36700. Soft Condensed Matter Phys. 100 Units.

This course will cover topics including granular and colloidal matter, jamming, fluids, instabilities and topological shapes and transitions between them.

PHYS 37100. Introduction To Cosmology. 100 Units.

PHYS 37200. Particle Astrophysics. 100 Units.

This course treats various topics in particle astrophysics.

Terms Offered: TBD

PHYS 38500. Advanced Mathematical Methods. 100 Units.

Course description unavailable.

PHYS 38600. Advanced Methods of Data Analysis. 100 Units.

This course covers advanced methods of data analysis including probability distributions, propagation of errors, Bayesian approaches, maximum likelihood estimators, confidence intervals, and more.

PHYS 39000. PREP for Candidacy. 300.00 Units.

Registration for students who have not yet reached Ph.D. candidacy.

PHYS 39800. Research: Physics. 300.00 Units.

Registration for students performing individually arranged research projects not related to a doctoral thesis.

PHYS 39900. Prep For Candidacy Examination. 300.00 Units.

PHYS 40600. Nuclear Physics. 100 Units.

No description Available

PHYS 40700. X-ray Lasers and Applications. 100 Units.

This course will introduce the basic concepts of accelerator-based x-ray light sources (XFELs and synchrotrons) and survey contemporary x-ray applications such as nonlinear multiphoton absorption, induced transparency/saturable absorption, and atomic x-ray lasing in systems ranging from atoms to clusters to solids.

PHYS 41000. Accelerator Physics. 100 Units.

The course begins with the historical development of accelerators and their applications. Following a brief review of special relativity, the bulk of the course will focus on acceleration methods and phase stability, basic concepts of magnet design, and transverse linear particle motion. Basic accelerator components such as bending and focusing magnets, electrostatic deflectors, beam diagnostics and radio frequency accelerating structures will be described. The basic concepts of magnet design will be introduced, along with a discussion of particle beam optics. An introduction to resonances, linear coupling, space charge, magnet errors, and synchrotron radiation will also be given. Topics in longitudinal and transverse beam dynamics will be explored, including synchrotron and betatron particle motion. Lastly, a number of additional topics will be reviewed, including synchrotron radiation sources, free electron lasers, high energy colliders, and accelerators for radiation therapy. Several laboratory sessions will provide hands-on experience with hardware and measurement instrumentation.

Terms Offered: Autumn

PHYS 41100. Many Body Theory. 100 Units.

The course will follow roughly the new textbook by Piers Coleman "Introduction to Many-Body Physics". The topics are: Second quantization, Path integral, Quantum fields, Green functions, Feynman diagrams, Landau Fermi Liquid theory, Phase transitions, BCS theory, more advanced topics.

PHYS 41200. Topological Quantum Matter. 100 Units.

PHYS 41300. Topological Phases in Condensed Matter. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 36100

PHYS 42100. Fractional Quantum Hall Effect. 100 Units.

PHYS 42600. Fluid Mechanics. 100 Units.

PHYS 44000. Principles of Particle Detectors. 100 Units.

PHYS 44100. Advanced Particle Detectors. 100 Units.

We will explore the development of modern detector types, and examine opportunities for developing new capabilities in a variety of fields.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 32300

PHYS 44300. Quantum Field Theory I. 100 Units.

Topics include Basic Field Theory, Scattering and Feynman Rules, and One Loop Effects.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 34200

PHYS 44400. Quantum Field Theory II. 100 Units.

Topics include Path integral formulation of QFT, Renormalization, Non-Abelian gauge theory.

PHYS 44500. Quantum Field Theory-3. 100 Units.

PHYS 44800. Field Theory in Condensed Matter. 100 Units.

PHYS 45210. Quantum Dynamics. 100 Units.

This course focuses on the behavior of dynamical and driven quantum systems, as employed for quantum state preparation and manipulation. It is designed to help students master a common set of concepts and techniques used in nearly every modern atomic physics and quantum engineering lab. The target audience is experimentalists in quantum physics, broadly defined; emphasis will be on experimentally relevant arguments, rather than strict formalism. The graduate-level quantum sequence (PHYS 341-342) is a prerequisite. Topics will include: classically driven two-level systems (Rabi flopping and Bloch sphere picture); driven multi-level systems (two-photon transitions, AC Stark shifts); adiabatic & sudden effects (Landau-Zener, geometric phase); bound state coupled to a continuum; dark states (slow light, electromagnetically induced transparency); quantization of the electromagnetic field; atom-photon interactions (spontaneous emission, Jaynes-Cummings model); density matrix dynamics (optical Bloch equations, optical pumping, decay and dephasing); Master equation (quantum jump operators, stochastic evolution).

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 34100-34200

PHYS 45700. Implementation of Quantum Information Processors. 100 Units.

This course emphasizes the experimental aspects of quantum information focusing on implementations rather than algorithms. Several candidate quantum information systems will be discussed including ion traps, neutral atoms, superconducting circuits, semiconducting quantum dots, and linear optics.

PHYS 45710. Physics of Superconducting Circuits. 100 Units.

This course will give a brief introduction to superconductivity as it relates to building quantum circuits. Circuit quantization will be introduced and used to derive the Hamiltonians of several standard circuits including sensors such as single electron transistors and superconducting quantum interference devices as well as various flavors of superconducting qubit. We will study cavity QED and how such physics is realized with superconducting circuits. We will discuss the experiments used to characterize such quantum systems. The course will have a strong numerics component across all topics.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 34200 or MENG 31400 or consent of Instructor

PHYS 45800. The Physics of Quantum Information. 100 Units.

PHYS 46000. Gravitational Waves. 100 Units.

This course will provide a broad overview of gravitational waves, with a focus on current results from LIGO. We will cover the basics of gravitational wave theory, compact binary coalescence and sources of gravitational wave, ground-based gravitational wave detection, LIGO and the first detections, LIGO's black holes and how the Universe might have made them, gravitational wave astrophysics, and the near future of gravitational wave science.

PHYS 46200. Nuclear Astrophysics. 100 Units.

PHYS 46700. Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime I. 100 Units.

This course covers introductory topics in the study of quantum field theory in curved spacetime. These topics include QFT for a free scalar field and for globally hyperbolic curved spacetimes, and the Unruh effect.

PHYS 46800. Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime II. 100 Units.

This course covers advanced topics in the study of quantum field theory in curved spacetime. These topics include the Hawking effect, quantum perturbations in cosmology, black hole evaporation and information loss, and other modern topics.

PHYS 46900. Effective Field Theories. 100 Units.

PHYS 47100. Modern Atomic Physics. 100 Units.

This course is an introduction to modern atomic physics, and focuses on phenomena revealed by new experimental techniques.

PHYS 48102. Neutrino Physics. 100 Units.

This is an advanced course on neutrino phenomenology. The topics include neutrino flavor transformations, neutrino mass, sterile neutinos, non-standard interactions of neutrinos, and other topics of modern interest.

PHYS 48300. String Theory-1. 100 Units.

First quarter of a two-quarter sequence on string theory.

PHYS 48400. String Theory-II. 100 Units.

Second quarter of a two-quarter sequence on string theory.

PHYS 49000. Basic Principles of Biophysics. 100 Units.

This course is designed to expose graduate students in the physical sciences to conceptual and quantitative questions about biological systems. It will cover a broad range of biological examples from vision in flies and developing embryos to swimming bacteria and gene regulation. This course does not assume specialized biological knowledge or advanced mathematical skills.

PHYS 49100. Biological Physics. 100 Units.

Course will be structured around unifying problems and themes found across biology that benefit from a quantitative approach. No specialized biological knowledge assumed. Topics covered include: active solution to passive problems, self-replication: the origin of life and evolution, mass, energy and growth laws, biological behaviors as stable dynamical attractors.

PHYS 49900. Advanced Research: Physics. 300.00 Units.

This course is for students performing research toward their doctoral thesis.

PHYS 70000. Advanced Study: Physics. 300.00 Units.

Advanced Study: Physics

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Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Phd program in astronomy and astrophysics.

Our faculty have been at the forefront of astronomy for over a century, shaping its course since the founding of our department by George Ellery Hale in 1892. Hale pioneered the big glass in telescopes that ushered in a new age in astronomy; Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar defined the agenda of theoretical astrophysics for fifty years; Eugene Parker revolutionized our view of the sun and the role of magnetic fields in the cosmos; and David Schramm brought together particle physics and cosmology.  Our students have been just as influential.  Edwin Hubble solved the puzzle of the nebulae and discovered the expansion of the Universe; Nancy Grace Roman made the Hubble Space Telescope a reality; Carl Sagan advanced our understanding of the solar system and how to share the excitement of what we do with the public; and Jeremiah P. Ostriker’s manifold contributions have made him the leading theorist of his generation.

Today graduate students in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics have multiple opportunities to engage with our pre-eminent faculty and their research groups on short- or long-term projects to complete pre-candidacy requirements and doctoral theses. Research fields span a wide range, with close integration between theory and experiment, and are enhanced by our connections to the Enrico Fermi Institute , the Departments of Physics and the  Geophysical Sciences , and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. We have strong partnerships with premiere facilities including  Argonne National Laboratory and  Fermilab , and we are a founding member of the 25-meter Giant Magellan Telescope, the world's largest optical telescope now under construction in the Chilean Andes. 

The PhD in Astrophysics is a year-round, full-time doctoral program on the academic quarter system, which encourages students to explore a range of courses, engage with more faculty, and challenge themselves in a fast-paced and academically rigorous environment. 

Program Overview

• full-time scholastic residence of at least 300 units of coursework per quarter, including summer
• completion of required core graduate courses
• completion of one to three pre-candidacy research projects
• successful completion of a two-part candidacy exam
• completion of the teaching practicum
• identification of a thesis advisor
• formation of a thesis committee
• thesis research and preparation
• final examination

Please refer to the  Graduate Announcements for detailed program requirements and courses.

Each admitted student is assigned a mentor who will help the student navigate graduate school by guiding them to achieve academic and professional goals and supporting their well-being and personal development. The mentor can guide students in course selection, assist in navigating difficult situations when they arise, provide coaching when preparing for oral exams, and counsel regarding postdoc placement or other career options. 

Financial Support

Graduate students in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics receive full financial support from a combination of University and departmental fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. Students are also encouraged to seek out external fellowships, as these provide students with both financial support and the flexibility to focus on research goals of individual interest. A two-quarter practicum as a teaching assistant is required of all graduate students, typically in the first year of study. Teaching assignments include instructing lab sections for non-science majors, and collaborative teaching with the faculty instructor of lecture courses in the Major in Astrophysics program.

Students with questions may contact

• Fausto Cattaneo (Deputy Chair for Academic Affairs),
• Laticia Rebeles (Graduate Student Affairs Administrator),
• Bahareh Lampert (Dean of Students in the Physical Sciences Division),
• Amanda Young (Associate Director, Graduate Student Affairs) in UChicagoGRAD.

Related Links

• Graduate Program Requirements and Courses
• Information for International Students
• Online Application

The University of Chicago: Graduate Studies

Application management.

Applications for 2024 are closed. 2025 applications will be available here after the application opens. Welcome! Thank you for your interest in applying to a graduate program in the Physical Sciences Division of the University of Chicago. Through this site, you can apply to the following degree programs:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics (PhD)
• Biophysical Sciences (PhD)
• Chemistry (PhD)
• Computational and Applied Mathematics (MS)
• Computational and Applied Mathematics (PhD)
• Computer Science (PhD)
• Data Science (MS)
• Data Science (PhD)
• Environmental Science (MS)
• Financial Mathematics (MS)
• Geophysical Sciences (PhD)
• Masters Program in Computer Science (MS)
• Master of Science in Applied Data Science (Full-Time)
• Master of Science in Applied Data Science (Part-Time)
• Mathematics (PhD)
• Physics (PhD)
• Statistics (MS)
• Statistics (PhD)

You may begin your application using the “Start New Application” link below . Please note that if you plan to apply to more than one program, you should begin a new application for each program. If you have any questions about your application, please contact the program to which you are applying. Contact information can be found under the listings of graduate programs on the Graduate Admissions website .

Non-Degree Visiting Student Status (NDVS) :   NDVS is available to advanced graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a degree at another institution who have been invited by a University of Chicago faculty member to temporarily work on their research project. This status also applies to undergraduate students participating in summer research opportunities such as the PKU-CCME exchange program or other research experiences for undergraduates (REUs).  Questions about NDVS status may be directed to Aleksandra Ninova-Parris at  [email protected]   Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC):  TTIC students participating in research or University of Chicago courses should complete a non-degree application on this site to establish a student record with the University of Chicago.

We use data collected in the application to render admissions decisions, for internal and external reporting, institutional research, and other purposes. To learn more about how we use the information collected here please review our Privacy Notice .

The University of Chicago

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Phd program in physics, in a nutshell, open house 2024.

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The University of Chicago welcomes prospective students to apply to one or more programs across the University. All programs at the University of Chicago offer an online application system, but each school and division has its own application. To apply to multiple programs, you will need to create a unique application for each one. Please read the information provided by each program carefully for their requirements.

For PhD programs, faculty committees will review and decide all of the applications that are submitted. For masters’ programs, there may be committees that are comprised of a combination of faculty and admissions staff members. However, since study is so specialized at the graduate level, each graduate degree program has its own way of determining which applicants they wish to admit in any given year.

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The University of Chicago Physical Sciences Division explores new frontiers in the physical and mathematical sciences to lead the world in inquiry and impact. Read more .

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Gene mazenko, uchicago physicist and leading theorist in statistical mechanics, 1945–2024, astronomy and astrophysics phd student ava polzin selected as a 2024 quad fellow, graduate student sarah willson wins 2024 nellie yeoh whetten award from the american vacuum society, scientists lay out revolutionary method to warm mars.

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Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field  No restrictions. Prior academic work must include at least 20 semester hours of physics, including upper-level undergraduate electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and classical mechanics.
• Grade Point Average  At least 2.75/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required  GRE General exam is required; GRE Physics subject exam is highly recommended, but not required.
• TOEFL iBT  80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21,  OR ,
• IELTS Academic  6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores,  OR ,
• PTE-Academic  54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation  Three required.
• Personal Statement  Required.
• Nondegree Applicants  Nondegree applicants must submit transcripts and a personal statement.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required  96 from the baccalaureate.
• Coursework  At least 32 hours. A maximum of 6 hours at the 400 level can be approved to fulfill these requirements. The remaining hours must be at the 500 level and may not include  PHYS 596  and  PHYS 599 , or more than 4 hours of PHYS 595 . Courses taken outside of physics may only fulfill these requirements with prior approval from the department.  Students who enter the program with graduate-level credit from other  institutions can petition the department to reduce the required hours on  coursework. Students found to be deficient in specific  areas of physics on the basis of course work taken prior to entering the  program may have to complete additional hours beyond the  minimum 32 hours.

• Departmental Qualifying Examination : Required.
• Preliminary Examination : Required.
• Dissertation  Required.
• Other Requirements  Each student must serve as a teaching assistant for at least two semesters.

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Prospective graduate students.

Welcome to UIC Physics

Welcome to all prospective students, and thank you for your interest in our graduate program. The Department of Physics offers work leading to degrees in Physics at both the master's and doctoral levels. Our faculty members are currently conducting research and directing doctoral candidates in both experimental and theoretical topics in the major research areas of atomic, biological, condensed matter, materials, high-energy, nuclear, laser and molecular physics.

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. Application Deadlines:

UIC Physics only admits new students for the fall semester of an academic year, which starts in mid-August.

Please apply in advance of the following deadlines.

• December 1st  to be considered for an application fee waiver.  Applicants requesting application fee waivers must complete their applications by December 1st.  This includes having official TOEFL or other accepted English proficiency tests received by December 1st.  This deadline is strictly enforced.  For more on the UIC Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements please see this page: UIC Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements
• The Department of Physics will submit a nomination if you qualify. You do not need to do anything except submit your regular application by this date. Please do not mail in special requests.
• February 15th for International Applicants seeking a Teaching/Research Assistantship.
• February 15th (priority deadline) for Domestic Applicants seeking a Teaching/Research Assistantship.

Important note:  It is the LAST required item that you submit that will determine when your application is complete and ready to be reviewed by our admission committee.  The central application software is turned off on February and it is impossible to start a new application after that date.  Review of completed applications begins on December 15 th .

• View Graduate College Application and Credentials Deadlines

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• M.S. in Physics Check out admission and degree requirements for the M.S. in Physics.
• Ph.D. in Physics Check out admission and degree requirements for the Ph.D. in Physics.

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Application Instruction - Required and Optional Items:

The application is dynamic. Additional pages will unlock as information on the first few pages is submitted.

To complete the application you will need the following items.

• Domestic students can scan official transcripts (both sides) or upload official electronic transcripts. If you have attended an institution(s) outside the U.S. please follow the instructions below for international credentials.
• International students should consult this UIC admissions page and use the drop-down menu to view the requirements from your country(ies).

After reporting all post-secondary schooling on the Academic History page, upload required transcripts or other academic credentials, as indicated in the guidelines of acceptable U.S. and Foreign Credentials noted inside the application.

Do not mail any credentials to the Office of Admissions during the application process. Official credentials will be requested only from admitted students.

• Statement of Purpose – in 2 or 3 pages tell us about your academic goals past, present, and future including why you are applying to UIC specifically. You are not expected to declare a subfield or if you plan to be a theorist or an experimentalist if you do not yet know.  Feel free to reference previous classes and/or instructors that have led you to apply to a graduate program in physics.
• Three Letters of Recommendation – You will need to submit the email addresses of three references, for example, instructors who have had you in their class or those who have supervised your previous work or research. After you submit the application, our admissions software will email your recommenders and ask them to upload their letter of recommendation.
• TOEFL iBT or rPT
• IELTS Academic
• PTE Academic
• Education-based waiver
• Employment-based waiver
• See the Office of Graduate Admissions website for minimum scores and official score reporting procedures.

Optional Items:

• General GRE scores are optional .
• Official Physics GRE scores are optional .
• Resume or CV can chronologically tell us about your education and work history in an easy to follow format.
• UIC Application for Graduate Appointment , which includes a 300 word statement inviting you to tell us why you would be a good Teaching Assistant. It is a requirement for the Ph.D. degree to teach at least two semesters, and this statement will help us evaluate your interest and prior experience in teaching.

Minimum Requirements on Standardized Tests

Please note the following Minimum Requirements on standardized tests:

• International students should have a minimum score on the TOEFL exam of 80 (internet based test). This requirement cannot be waived by the Department.
• There is no minimum on the GRE and the Subject GRE as they are not mandatory. All aspects of an applicant’s background are considered in making decisions on admissions. However, high scores on the general GRE and the subject GRE are looked upon favorably.

Information for International Applicants

To be considered, you must first submit the UIC Graduate College Application. A few days after your submission of the Graduate College Application, you will receive an e-mail from UIC indicating that your application has been received and that you can now log into your application to upload both your  credential requirements  and departmental supplemental materials.

For International applicants who are offered admission: International applicants offered admission may be asked to send a Declaration and Certification of Finances form along with a bank statement (please see notes on the Office of Admissions website).

This form should be submitted quickly after being offered admission. Delay in submitting this form can delay issuance of an I-20 immigration form. The deadline for receipt of these forms by the Office of International Services is May 1 or when our last vacant seat is filled, whichever comes first.

Please email any questions to  [email protected] .

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I apply for the Doctoral or the Master’s Degree program?

The UIC graduate physics program offers both Doctoral (Ph.D.) and Masters (MS) degrees and currently have around 85 Ph.D. students and 5 MS students. Our doctoral program is designed for incoming students holding a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, so if your end goal is a Ph.D. you should apply to the Ph.D. program.

Our MS degree students typically are:

• Those seeking to teach high school physics who already have a teaching certificate.
• Students applying for the Ph.D. program who have shown great promise in their coursework, but do not yet have the full scope of physics courses expected of Ph.D. applicants.

Is a MS degree required to apply for the Ph.D. program?

A Master’s Degree is not required to apply to the Ph.D. program, and our doctoral program is designed for incoming students holding a Bachelor’s degree.  However, if you already have a Master’s Degree, it may enable you to move through the doctoral program more quickly with greater understanding.

When do Ph.D. students have to decide which area of physics and research group they will work with?

Typically our Doctoral students decide what research to pursue after they pass our departmental Ph.D. qualifying exam, which is given in January of every year.  A majority of our students take the first two years to complete all of the coursework before starting their own doctoral dissertation research.  Research opportunities are typically available on a trial basis with groups in the summer semester for students who have not yet officially joined a research group.

What is the Ph.D. qualifying exam?

For more information on this please see the UIC Department of Physics website: https://phys.uic.edu/academics/graduate-studies/phd-qualifying-exam/

What GRE scores are required?

The GRE is not the U.S. version of a national college admissions test like those in many countries, nor does it purport to be such a test.  To read more about what the GRE tries to measure, please visit the GRE website.

• General GRE scores are optional now.  However, even for the years when they were required we did not have minimum scores because we believe GRE’s are only one measure of one’s abilities and preparedness.  Most applicants admitted have scores on the Quantitative section above the 70 th
• Physics GRE scores are optional. However, we have found that good scores on the Physics GRE can really help an application, particularly in terms of possible consideration for Fellowships.  We note that extensive preparation can often substantially improve one’s score on the Physics subject GRE.  There are many test preparation publications and classes offered.  Before you sign up for this exam, consider the amount of time you will be able to devote to preparing for the exam.

If accepted, will I be guaranteed a Teaching Assistant Position?

Almost all of our incoming graduate students will be offered a tuition waiver and a Teaching Assistantship.    All Physics Graduate students at UIC hold 9-month academic year appointments as a Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, or some combination throughout the duration of their graduate work.  Over the summers, graduate students are typically on a Research Assistantship, although a limited number of Teaching Assistantships

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Department of Physics 845 West Taylor Street MC 273, Chicago, IL 60607-7059

Email:  [email protected]

Program Codes

Campus Location: 2236 SES Department Code: 17 Curriculum Code: 5432 Admission Codes: 20FS0240MS (MS); 20FS0240PHD (PhD) Telephone: (312) 996-3400

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Physical Sciences Division

Gene mazenko, uchicago physicist and leading theorist in statistical mechanics, 1945–2024.

August 14, 2024

Remembered for humor, love of sports, and patient but rigorous mentorship

Gene Mazenko, Professor Emeritus in UChicago’s Department of Physics, the James Franck Institute, and the College, who focused on phase transitions and hydrodynamics of magnets, fluids, liquid crystals, and glasses, died in Antioch, CA, on July 7. He was 79.

Mazenko spent his career working with classical field theory techniques, studying tough problems in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. The throughline of his work was understanding how fluctuations and disorder led to unexpected physics phenomena.

“He pioneered a powerful theoretical way of approaching a series of questions that had a great impact not only in his subfield of condensed matter physics but more generally to other areas of physics,” said Sidney Nagel, the Stein-Freiler Distinguished Service Professor in UChicago’s Department of Physics.

“Gene had a great instinct for knowing where the exciting problems lay among the many physical systems and models in the world of time-dependent statistical mechanics,” said Sriram Ramaswamy, PhD’83, Honorary Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science and one of Mazenko’s former students. “He wasn’t given to quick hand-waving arguments though; he loved technique and hard calculational detail.”

“A born leader”

Mazenko was born July 5, 1945, in the small coal-mining town of Coalport, PA, and moved with his family to a small city east of Los Angeles when he was eight. In high school, he excelled equally in academics, where he was a member of the Math Club, and in sports, playing baseball (third base) and football (quarterback), becoming captain of both teams.

Mazenko received his BS from Stanford University in 1967 and his PhD from MIT in 1971, where he applied classical field theory techniques to the problem of sound attenuation in a dilute gas. As a postdoctoral research associate at Brandeis in 1971–72, he developed Fully Renormalized Kinetic Theory or FRKT, a modern approach to kinetic theory using operator methods. He then collaborated with researchers at Harvard and MIT to further develop these techniques in 1972–73 before returning to Stanford for a final postdoctoral fellowship to study the critical dynamics of isotropic ferromagnets.

Mazenko arrived at the University of Chicago in December 1974, where he applied the techniques developed earlier in his career to study the dynamics of glassy systems, nonlinear hydrodynamics, vortices, and liquid crystals. 

“Gene Mazenko was a born leader—both in his physics and administrative capacity,” said Nagel . “Gene, more than anyone else, helped rebuild the condensed matter effort at UChicago. Both as a member of this group and as the Director of the James Franck Institute for six years, he was instrumental in hiring so many of our colleagues who are still here today.”

His leadership expanded beyond the Physical Sciences Division. From 1992 to 1995, Mazenko served as Special Assistant to the Provost and then as Associate Provost. During that time, he oversaw the University library system, campus-wide computing resources, and research administration. 

When Mazenko returned to teaching and research, he focused on the theory of the growth of order in quenched systems and the kinetics of fluid systems. In the early 2000s, he wrote a series of graduate-level textbooks:  Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics ,  Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics ,  and  Fluctuations, Order and Defects . This work led him to develop a new fundamental theory of strongly interacting particle systems, which he applied to liquid-to-glass transitions. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2015.

Independent thinkers

Mazenko trained many graduate students and postdocs who went on to positions worldwide and who continue to use the skills and knowledge they learned under his mentorship.

Robert Wickham, PhD’97, an associate professor in physics at the University of Guelph, highlights Mazenko’s significant impact on his career: “Gene took seriously the idea at Chicago that the thesis work should be the student’s alone.” He appreciated Mazenko’s hands-off approach for students’ final PhD years, which fostered independent research skills.

David McCowan, PhD’14, a laboratory instructor in UChicago’s Physics Department, recalls that “Gene was no-nonsense. He spoke his mind and would be forceful when needed.” Initially intimidated by Gene’s seriousness, McCowan soon discovered a patient, kind, and warm mentor, with “a dry sense of humor and a deadpan delivery that was so subtle you could miss the joke until it hit you a few minutes later.”

Shankar Prasad Das, PhD’86, professor of physics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, emphasizes Mazenko’s commitment to doing science on his own terms. “He took utmost care in this process, spared no effort, and lacked no energy to fully grasp what was being said,” said Das. “After going through that, when he took a stand, he would stand firm. And he was never hesitant to stand alone!”

“Gene expected the best from his colleagues and students,” said Woowon Kang, UChicago professor of physics. “But while he held himself and others to high standards, he was practical enough to make compromises when necessary.”

Lifelong pursuits

While Mazenko was distinctly dedicated to his academic career, his interests beyond science are well remembered. Mazenko was a long-distance runner, competing in the Chicago Marathon, and a dutiful fan of the Chicago Bears and Bulls, as well as the Celtics, from when he lived near Boston. Das recalls attending the 2015 symposium in honor of Mazenko’s retirement, when his former mentor told Das’s son, “Unlike your father, I hope you take an interest in sports,” before discussing cricket.

He loved movies and a broad range of music types, including classical and rock, specifically the Beach Boys and Steely Dan, according to his sister. Wickham recalls Mazenko listening to Enya in his office.

“Gene spent his life doing what he loved,” said nephew Mark Mazenko. “I hope the same can be said of me and of us all.”

Mazenko was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Andrew Stanislaus Mazenko and Margaret Dawn (Jeffries) Mazenko, and his wife, Judith Oakley Mazenko. He is survived by siblings Donald “Edward” Mazenko, Darrel John Mazenko, and Deborah Ann (Mazenko) Jeffries; 10 nieces and nephews; and 74 first cousins.

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‘A completely new frontier’: How UChicago experts are unlocking secrets of the microbiome

August 14, 2024

By Emily Ayshford

Nearly a quarter-century ago, Eugene Chang, MD’76 , was studying inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic yet poorly understood conditions marked by diarrhea, pain and fatigue — sometimes with life-threatening complications.

Cases of IBD had been rising for decades, but researchers at the time couldn’t determine why. The cause wasn’t just genetics, environmental factors or even one triggering pathogen. Chang suspected part of the answer could lie within our own gut microbiome — an ever-changing network of trillions of microbes that has co-evolved over time to help the body digest food.

Clearly, these bacteria were doing far more than just digesting. “It dawned on us that the gut microbes were affecting our gene expression,” said Chang, Martin Boyer Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago.

This story appeared in Medicine on the Midway magazine. Read the Spring 2024 issue here.

The hunch was so strong that Chang retooled his namesake lab in 2000 to focus on the microbiome, collaborating with scientists at Argonne National Laboratory and the Marine Biological Laboratory, and using the latest technologies to study microbes in detail.

Some colleagues questioned the pivot. “There was so little known about the microbiome, and most people were very skeptical that it could be studied,” Chang said. “You’re dealing with trillions of microbes. How do you sort that out?”

Today, the pursuit is booming at the University of Chicago. The gut microbiome has been implicated in a host of diseases and conditions, including those that affect the gastrointestinal tract. It has also been linked to metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, cancers, complex immune diseases, allergies, developmental abnormalities and neurological disorders.

As researchers untangle the web of microbiome and host, University teams are developing new breakthroughs that include management tools for IBD, metabolites to treat allergies and probiotics to improve liver disease outcomes.

“Our microbiome medicine and research programs are incredibly strong because of robust multidisciplinary collaborations,” said Chang, who in 2008 worked with Alexander Chervonsky, MD, PhD , and Betty Theriault, DVM , to create the Gnotobiotic Mouse Facility to study microbes’ behavior in germ-free mice — an effort that launched a tidal wave of research at the University.

“Our tools are getting better, and now we can model and simulate conditions to form and test hypotheses that translate into research directions that advance precision medicine.”

Delicate balance, hard questions

When the gut microbiome is healthy and functional, it lives in concert with many of the body’s biological processes, such as metabolism and immunity.

Microbes play a key role in extracting nutrients from the food we eat, but they also release metabolites (small molecules that enter the blood stream, affecting systems throughout our bodies) and produce antimicrobial substances to protect their host from external pathogens.

This microbial network is ever-evolving — depending on a person’s diet, environment, genetics and whether they have recently taken antibiotics — and it varies across ages and cultures.

“The gut microbiome impacts all of our physiology, and when it’s thrown off balance, that will predispose to many different kinds of diseases,” said Cathryn Nagler, PhD , Bunning Food Allergy Professor of Pathology, Medicine, Pediatrics and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.

Consider the United States, where modern-day environments have removed many microbes that humans lived with for thousands of years, and diets have proliferated that lack fruits and vegetables to help diversify the gut’s microbial membership and functions. Scientists theorize that these scenarios contribute to a rise in allergies and autoimmune conditions such as diabetes.

Over the past decade, Nagler said, microbiome researchers have moved beyond identifying which bacteria class is a target to examining host-microbiota interactions on a molecular level.

Progress and demand have led the University to create state-of-the-art microbiome research facilities and services — including the Duchossois Family Institute (DFI), the Microbiome Center and the Microbiome Medicine Program — as well as partnerships with affiliate institutions. Established in 2017, the DFI is led by renowned infectious diseases expert Eric Pamer, MD , Donald F. Steiner Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Microbiology.

Additionally, UChicago was selected as one of the first human demonstration projects by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Microbiome Project; it has since garnered numerous research grants from the NIH and other funding agencies.

Clear link to diabetes

Although an unbalanced microbiome has been linked to diseases throughout the body, many studies show correlation, not causation. Still, the gut microbiome has the clearest connection with conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract — including IBD, liver disease and diabetes.

In a study published in Cell Host & Microbe last year, Chervonsky, Professor of Pathology and Medicine, showed that when diabetes-prone mice were given a diet based on the milk protein casein, it helped prevent them from developing Type 1 diabetes. In fact, their insulin-producing cells had improved function, and their autoimmune response was limited.

But when gluten was added into their diet, it overrode the protective effects of casein. The research team found when gluten is eaten, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) , a common bacterium in the gut, secretes enzymes that digest the gluten. This process releases lipopolysaccharides (LPS) — components of non-native “gram-negative” bacteria.

That, in turn, stimulates the immune system to respond to the gut, which overpowers the protection given by casein and can lead to autoimmunity.

“Finding LPS was a surprise that we definitely did not expect, but it must be coming with gluten somehow,” Chervonsky said. “There are gram-negative bacteria everywhere in the soil, so maybe it’s associated with where the grains are grown, or it is contaminated in storage.”

Many of the microbes in the gut microbiome are obligate anaerobes, meaning they cannot live in an oxygenated environment. Instead of generating energy by respiring (“breathing”) oxygen, like most cells do, microbes can respire metabolites, which can then travel throughout the body and affect health.

Sam Light, PhD , Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Microbiology, recently discovered that certain anaerobic microbes convert dietary protein into a small molecule called imidazole propionate, which impairs glucose tolerance. He and his team are now studying how these microbes contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

“We’re trying to find exactly which gut microbes make this compound and figure out what we can do to prevent them from doing so,” Light said. “That could be a dietary intervention that would prevent it from being produced, or we could introduce another bacteria that could compete metabolically.”

Insights on COVID-19, liver disease

For those who already suffer from certain diseases, an unbalanced microbiome can lead to severe or even deadly outcomes. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhakti Patel, MD , Assistant Professor of Medicine, was trying to figure out why some relatively healthy patients ultimately died from the virus and others recovered.

A study of the microbiomes of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the ICU at the University of Chicago Medicine between September 2020 and May 2021 offered new insights. “With the technology provided by the DFI, we can measure the microbiome function and potentially customize interventions that restore someone to a healthier state,” said Patel, who workedwith Pamer and a team to analyze those patients’ fecal samples.

Their findings: the COVID-19 patients who suffered lung failure and died had more of a group of bacteria called Proteobacteria in their gut microbiome, and they also had lower levels of secondary bile acids and less of a metabolite called desaminotyrosine.

The resulting study, published in Nature Communications , showed that the composition of the gut microbiome and metabolites the microbes produce could predict the trajectory of patients with severe COVID-19. Patel called the discovery “a paradigm shift” in microbiome research.

A microbiome-focused analysis also shed new light on liver disease patients who have a high incidence of infections from drug- or antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Matthew Odenwald, PhD’15, MD’17 , a former gastroenterology fellow in Pamer’s lab, has studied fecal samples of more than 250 patients hospitalized with liver disease. He, too, found that these patients had reduced microbiome diversity and high abundances of potential pathogens, and lacked certain metabolites that can impact immune defenses.

But a portion of those who had received lactulose — a synthetic sugar commonly given to liver disease patients to treat hepatic encephalopathy — had more gut bacteria called Bifidobacteria. Expansion of this group of bacteria inhibited growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and it was associated with reduced rates of serious infections and prolonged survival.

Odenwald, now an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago, along with Christopher Lehmann, MD, and Pamer, has received Food and Drug Administration approval to conduct a clinical trial that will provide probiotics — strains of bacteria in oral capsules — to liver disease patients. The goal: to test whether the bacteria engraft in the gut and positively affect clinical outcomes.

“To be able to do this translational work — from bedside to bench to back to bedside — is a pretty unique opportunity here at the University of Chicago,” Odenwald said.

‘A completely new frontier’

Identifying intricate patterns and behaviors is key to answering bigger questions. Chang and his group discovered a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by unique immune cells of the gut called Paneth cells. The peptide was identified as peptide YY, a known gut hormone produced by endocrine cells that is important for controlling appetite.

However, the form made and secreted by Paneth cells plays a very different and vital role that maintains intestinal fungi in a state of commensalism.

“This was an important finding because so little was known about how our body controls fungi that are part of the gut microbiome,” said Chang, whose findings were recently published in Science . “We know that they’re there, but now know a bit more about how we keep them under control and in states that benefit us.”

Erin Adams, PhD , is taking a different approach to study of the microbiome by investigating the structure of microbial proteins, finding one that has the same structure as proteins created by pathogenic microbes. But this protein, she said, seems to come from normal bacterial interactions in the gut, leading to questions about the origins and roles of these proteins.

“Does this mean that this protein allowed these microbes to colonize our guts without taking over as they co-evolved with humans?” said Adams, Joseph Regenstein Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “Was this co-opted from pathogenic bacteria to allow for some tolerance by our immune systems, or was it co-opted by the pathogenic bacteria?”

Nagler, who studies the gut microbiome as the key to curing food allergies, has analyzed bacteria in the Clostridia class down to their flagella, which propel them around the gut. A study from her research group shows that flagella on Clostridia stimulate the immune system far differently than flagella on pathogenic bacteria — a link that hadn’t been identified.

“That’s what makes microbiome research so exciting,” Nagler said. “It’s the ‘Wild West’ of science, a completely new frontier. The more we find out, the more we find out we don’t know.”

Turning innovation into intervention

Although new findings and published research on the gut microbiome have increased exponentially, many questions remain.

First, there is no universal agreement on what constitutes a healthy microbiome, since it can vary so much across age and cultures. Second, scientists still hope to disentangle the relationship between the gut microbiome and diseases beyond the GI tract.

The one thing scientists agree on is that prevention is easier than treatment. Which is why University experts are hopeful that more answers are within reach. “There has been a lot of hype and maybe some disappointment, but now we’re beginning to figure out exactly the ways in which these microbes interact with our bodies,” Light said.

Researchers know, for instance, that delivering key bacteria and the metabolites they produce to the gut is essential in rebalancing the gut microbiome. But it can be difficult to get bacteria to engraft in the gut.

Nagler and Jeffrey Hubbell, PhD , Eugene Bell Professor in Tissue Engineering, solved this problem by developing a polymer molecule designed to deliver metabolites directly to the gut.

The polymers, called micelles, are suspended in water and travel through the stomach to the small intestine and cecum, where they release the metabolite butyrate. Once there, butyrate helps repair intestinal barrier function and helps prevent food allergies.

The treatment was successful in mice, and the team formed startup ClostraBio to bring it to clinical trials to treat food allergies.

Chang, meanwhile, has developed a marker panel to assess how well a person’s microbiome is functioning. His startup, Gateway Biome, has filed provisional patents and is negotiating with manufacturers to produce home collection kits for the stool samples needed for the panel. The team is also conducting clinical studies to develop marker panels for all stages of life.

“We think this will be not only diagnostic but a very effective management tool that can guide physicians in making medical decisions and determining the right therapy to help repair and restore the health of their patients’ microbiomes,” Chang said.

Finding solutions to restore the microbiome is the next logical step — and it’s already underway, said Lehmann, an Assistant Professor of Medicine, who has also studied the connection between a healthy microbiome and reduced postoperative infections after liver transplant.

The Biological Sciences Division has a biobank containing thousands of bacteria, analyzed and categorized based on their genomes and what metabolites they produce. The University of Chicago also recently opened a Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant facility , where scientists can produce, filter and freeze-dry key gut bacteria from healthy donors and pack them into pharmaceutical-grade capsules.

Large or small, every step in the journey has a shared purpose. “Understanding the microbiome, testing the microbiome’s health and restoring the microbiome are all crucial new tools we can add to our arsenal,” Lehmann said.

Explore the Biological Sciences Division

New Webb Telescope data suggests our model of the universe may hold up after all

Uchicago-led analysis measures universe expansion rate, finds there may not be a ‘hubble tension’.

We know many things about our universe, but astronomers are still debating exactly how fast it is expanding. In fact, over the past two decades, two major ways to measure this number—known as the “Hubble constant” —have come up with different answers, leading some to wonder if there was something missing from our model of how the universe works.

But new measurements from the powerful James Webb Space Telescope seem to suggest that there may not be a conflict, also known as the ‘Hubble tension,’ after all.

In a paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal, University of Chicago cosmologist Wendy Freedman and her colleagues analyzed new data taken by NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope. They measured the distance to ten nearby galaxies and measured a new value for the rate at which the universe is expanding at the present time.

Their measurement, 70 kilometers per second per megaparsec, overlaps the other major method for the Hubble constant.

“Based on these new JWST data and using three independent methods, we do not find strong evidence for a Hubble tension,” said Freedman, a renowned astronomer and the John and Marion Sullivan University Professor in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago. “To the contrary, it looks like our standard cosmological model for explaining the evolution of the universe is holding up.”

Hubble tension?

We have known the universe is expanding over time ever since 1929, when UChicago alum Edwin Hubble (SB 1910, PhD 1917) made measurements of stars that indicated the most distant galaxies were moving away from the Earth faster than nearby galaxies. But it has been surprisingly difficult to pin down the exact number for how fast the universe is expanding at the current time.

This number, known as the Hubble constant, is essential for understanding the backstory of the universe. It’s a key part of our model of how the universe is evolving over time.  

“Confirming the reality of the Hubble constant tension would have significant consequences for both fundamental physics and modern cosmology,” explained Freedman.

Given the importance and also the difficulty in making these measurements, scientists test them with different methods to make sure they’re as accurate as possible.

One major approach involves studying the remnant light from the aftermath of the Big Bang, known as the cosmic microwave background. The current best estimate of the Hubble constant with this method, which is very precise, is 67.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec.

The second major method, which Freedman specializes in, is to measure the expansion of galaxies in our local cosmic neighborhood directly, using stars whose brightnesses are known. Just as car lights look fainter when they are far away, at greater and greater distances, the stars appear fainter and fainter. Measuring the distances and the speed at which the galaxies are moving away from us then tells us how fast the universe is expanding.

In the past, measurements with this method returned a higher number for the Hubble constant—closer to 74 kilometers per second per megaparsec.

This difference is large enough that some scientists speculate that something significant might be missing from our standard model of the universe’s evolution. For example, since one method looks at the earliest days of the universe and the other looks at the current epoch, perhaps something large changed in the universe over time. This apparent mismatch has become known as the ‘Hubble tension.’

Webb wades in

The James Webb Space Telescope or JWST, offers humanity a powerful new tool to see deep into space. Launched in 2021 , the successor to the Hubble Telescope has taken stunningly sharp images , revealed new aspects of faraway worlds , and collected unprecedented data, opening new windows on the universe.

Freedman and her colleagues used the telescope to make measurements of ten nearby galaxies that provide a foundation for the measurement of the universe’s expansion rate.

To cross-check their results, they used three independent methods. The first uses a type of star known as a Cepheid variable star, which varies predictably in its brightness over time. The second method is known as the “Tip of the Red Giant Branch,” and uses the fact that low-mass stars reach a fixed upper limit to their brightnesses. The third, and newest, method employs a type of star called carbon stars, which have consistent colors and brightnesses in the near-infrared spectrum of light. The new analysis is the first to use all three methods simultaneously, within the same galaxies.

In each case, the values were within the margin of error for the value given by the cosmic microwave background method of 67.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec.

“Getting good agreement from three completely different types of stars, to us, is a strong indicator that we’re on the right track,” said Freedman.

“Future observations with JWST will be critical for confirming or refuting the Hubble tension and assessing the implications for cosmology,” said study co-author Barry Madore of the Carnegie Institution for Science and visiting faculty at the University of Chicago.

The other authors on the paper were UChicago research scientist In Sung Jang, Taylor Hoyt (PhD’22, now at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), and UChicago graduate students Kayla Owens and Abby Lee.

Citation: “ Status Report on the Chicago-Carnegie Hubble Program (CCHP): Three Independent Astrophysical Determinations of the Hubble Constant Using the James Webb Space Telescope . ” Submitted to the Astrophysical Journal.

Funding: NASA.

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Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

2024 graduate – cyber engineer – capabilities development.

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Are you passionate about learning how things work and making them better?

Do you want the chance to push the boundaries of cyber defense?

Are you excited about working with others to solve some of the nation’s toughest cyber challenges?

If so, we want you to join our team at APL’s Capabilities Development Group (QCC)!

We work as a multi-disciplinary team of systems, cybersecurity, and software engineers, who enable mission resilience by developing novel tools. We leverage the latest threat intelligence along with cutting-edge cybersecurity trends, techniques and technologies to achieve an operational advantage for our sponsors.

As a member of our team you will… • Be mentored by top experts to learn the art and science of developing cyber capabilities • Work with sponsors and end users in defense or intelligence organizations to understand their operational needs and identify requirements • Build mission-aligned capabilities • Develop novel approaches to solving cybersecurity challenges in operational environments • Explore promising new research areas and seek ways to apply ideas to today’s problems • Share approaches and methods with others team members, APL management, and government decision makers

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you…

• Are graduating with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics or a Cybersecurity-related field • Have experience in one or more programming languages • Have experience developing concepts, systems, or analytics, with an understanding of systems engineering or operational planning • Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, good organizational skills, and the ability to work in teams • Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Secret Clearance. If selected, you will be subjected to a government security investigation, and you should meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified information up to the Secret level. Eligibility requirements include US citizenship.

You’ll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you…

• Have experience developing software using Java/Kotlin, Python, C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, C/C++, or equivalent • Can apply software development skills to different domains and subject matters (e.g. biotechnology, cybersecurity, etc.) • Have knowledge of geospatial information systems, deep learning, and computer vision • Have experience in DevSecOps, and/or network security and systems integration • Have experience with Department of Defense and/or Intelligence Community cyber operations/mission forces • Have experience in conducting research, development, and testing of cyber capabilities • Have experience in the development of related documents that define processes, solutions, requirements, and specifications for government agencies (military, federal departments/agencies, state, and local) and public organizations to collaborate and achieve greater cybersecurity • Hold an active Secret or Top Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain TS/SCI level clearance.

Why work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [email protected]. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.

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Dr. Lahiri's Lab

Dr. lahiri's theory group, quantum information and optics.

The Lahiri group focuses on developing novel approaches to quantum information science, imaging, and object reconstruction. We aim to push the current boundaries of these fields. Our approach is to combine concepts and techniques from quantum physics and classical optics.

Postdoctoral Students

Currently (updated September 2023), we have an opening for a postdoctoral position. The successful candidate should have a Ph.D. or about to submit their thesis in Physics or a related field with background in one or more of classical and quantum optics, imaging with light, and quantum entanglement. Strong analytical and programming skills are required. Previous experience in high-dimensional entanglement is a plus.

Currently (updated September 2023), we have several openings for Ph.D. students.

We gratefully acknowledge support from the following agencies:

• Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
• Office of Naval Research Science and Technology (ONR)

UCCCC, Medical Physics, and Chicago Public Schools partner for a Professional Development Day

August 12, 2024

Chicago Public School's STEM curriculum specialists Laura Decker and Joe Seabloom partnered with the UCCCC Office of Education and the Committee on Medical Physics for a CPS Physics Teacher Professional Development Day on March 19th.

After CPS-led curriculum planning sessions, Medical Physics students Gia Jadick ,  Sagada Peñano ,  Lucas Berens ,  Hadley DeBrosse , and  Chris Valdes led laboratory demos, including demonstrating the use of a portable ultrasound machine. They also gave talks on their current research and how it can be integrated with high school physics curriculum.

Following engaging research talks from the Medical Physics students, the CPS teachers were able to see medical physics in practice through demos by Radiation Oncology and Radiology faculty.  Jooyoung (James) Sohn, PhD  designed a 3D-printed block made of a material that blocks radiation (top center photo, above). The irradiation of film through the block created a unique souvenir for the physics teachers to take back to their classrooms (see the top right photo above).

Our partnerships with CPS are a great way to expand science communication skills as well as the breadth of impact. Each teacher interacts with hundreds of students a year, and we hope that the knowledge and insight we share with CPS teachers sparks a passion for STEM in the next generation of young scientists!

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

Professor jj carrasco earns 2024 frontiers of science award on “the duality between color and kinematics and its application” paper.

August 15, 2024

Congratulations, JJ!

A little more on the award:

The International Congress for Basic Science honors top research, with an emphasis on achievements from the past ten years which are both excellent and of outstanding scholarly value. For the 2024 selection, scientific works in both basic and applied research are chosen in 42 areas of the three basic science fields (mathematics, theoretical physics, and theoretical computer and information sciences) represented at the ICBS. A scientific achievement must meet the following three requirements to be considered: (1) it must have been published in the last 10 years; (2) it must be of highest scientific value and originality and have made an important impact on its area; (3) it must have been evaluated and accepted by scholars in its area. 

The goal of this award is to encourage young scholars to look to the frontiers of basic science, set goals to obtain breakthrough results as early as possible, and contribute wisdom and energy to humankind's study of the mysteries of the natural world.