A message from the Chair…

Dear Physics Community Members,

I am so proud of the Syracuse Physics Department’s smarts, work, and heart in 2023. In the smarts department, we had a major increase in science funding thanks to the new faculty hires and increased applications to federal agencies. In the work department, everyone was giving their all to support the teaching and research missions. In the heart department, we continued with new outreach and public engagement work, bring new faces into physics and supporting student with diverse identities. Thank you for being part of our community!

Jenny

The faculty and staff news highlights promotions, recognitions, awards, and other achievements from the Syracuse University Physics Department. We are proud of their excellence, accomplishments, and innovation.

We are pleased to take this opportunity to highlight our students in a special way. Our students represent Syracuse University Physics through their commitment to learning, dedication to research, and qualities of excellent leadership. Enjoy getting to know more about them below!

A Chat with Matt Cufari

Matt Cufari, who graduated this year with his BS in physics and computer science, is no stranger to awards. He was awarded the 2022-2023 Astronaut Scholarship, 2022 Goldwater Scholarship, and the 2022 APS LeRoy Apker Speaker award for his undergraduate research on tidal disruption events. Matt has recently started grad school at MIT where his research focus will shift to plasma physics. He chatted with physics professor Georgia Mansell about physics.

Alumni Updates

Syracuse University Physics Department holds its alumni in the highest esteem. We are always excited to learn and celebrate your accomplishments and contributions. Catch up on some of our alumni’s journeys here.

I Am A Physicist – Seeing Myself in Physics

To recruit and retain talented diverse students and faculty in physics, we must build a community that embraces everyone, regardless of background or identity. We have been working on that through several initiatives, including sending our students to Physics conferences focused on research and identity and with our celebration of diverse physicists from Syracuse.

Revitalizing Science with Space Renovations and Advancements

Over the past several years, we have been working slowly and steadily to make the department a nicer, cheerier place to work and learn. The Beautification committee led by Joey Paulsen, with Mitch Soderberg, recently retired Experimental Machinist Phil Arnold, Yudy Salomon Sargenton, and myself, with the help of undergraduate physic’s major Corinne Motl, has made big changes in the department.

Creating a Pipeline into Physics: Syracuse University Research in Physics (SURPh) Summer Internship for High School Students

Many students aiming for higher education, especially those from underserved communities, face a lot of worries and barriers. To up our enrollments, we’ve been working hard to tackle these concerns head-on by giving high school students a clear peek into campus life and what it’s really like to study physics here.

State of the Physics Department

Jennifer Ross, chair of the Department of Physics, provided alumni with a virtual presentation about the state of department. Professor Ross shared highlights from the past year, challenges the department is facing, and exciting opportunities in the year ahead.

We invite you to share any update or accomplishments. We want to hear about your professional achievements. We also welcome announcements of marriages and family additions. We would love it if you included your pictures! Email your news and updates to phyadmin@syr.edu