See Nothing: Did a Magnetar Make Empty Stellar Space Visible?
A new study led by a GW physics student may prove a 90-year-old cosmic theory that the vacuum of space can be altered by extreme magnetic fields.
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Innovative thinkers pushing
the boundaries of discovery
Preparing the next generation of physicists in the classroom,
the laboratory and the world beyond
Who We Are
At the GW Department of Physics, faculty and students are at the forefront of transformative, interdisciplinary scholarship, as they seek answers to fundamental questions about matter, motion and the mysteries of the universe.
The department engages in collaborative research with some of the Washington, D.C., area's world-renowned centers and institutes, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, NASA and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.
Through in-depth research, faculty mentorship and unique learning environments, physics students are exploring the countless applications of physics to the working world.
Physics Graduate Programs Info Session: November 18
Join us online for an information session discussing the field of physics and the GW Physics Graduate programs.
What We Offer
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Outside the classroom, undergraduates participate in research through faculty projects, internships and special honors projects.
Graduate Research Opportunities
Graduate research is collaborative by design, and includes experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, biophysics and high-energy astrophysics.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
Our on-campus facilities include Science and Engineering Hall and historic Corcoran Hall, as well as access to several affiliated research institutions in the D.C. area.
Supportive and Diverse Community
The department strives to create a community-oriented environment in which everyone has a sense of belonging.
Quick Links
News from the Physics Department
Professor Downie is Interim Vice President for Research
GW has announced that Evangeline J. Downie, associate dean for research and strategic initiatives in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, leader of the arts and sciences research support team...
2026 InnovationFest: Physics research highlights
Seniors Logan Dempsey and Nick Rothwein gave participants an up-close-and-personal view of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a microscopic roundworm.
Research Areas
Astrophysics
Astrophysics explores the evolution of stars, galaxies and the entire universe. Undergraduates can major or minor in the field, and graduate students can join the department's astro group in collaborations with NASA, the Naval Research Laboratory, the University of Amsterdam and more.
Physics of Living Systems
The physics of living systems lab offers expertise in epigenetics, chromatin dynamics, bifurcation of diseases and more. The Physics Department offers a minor and a bachelor's degree in the field, as well as research opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Nuclear Physics
GW hosts one of the largest university-based nuclear physics groups in the nation. The lab collaborates with top researchers in Virginia, Germany and Switzerland. Both undergraduate and graduate students can choose between Experimental, Theoretical and Nuclear Phenomenology research groups.
“One of the main reasons I came to GW was the Physics Department. Once I met with them, I knew this was where I belonged. After four years, I know that I was right.”
Gabriel Grauvogel
BS '23, Physics
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