New Mexico Tech Physics
Home Prospective Students Undergraduate Graduate Degree Programs Assistantships How to Apply People News and Events Student Resources Research Contact & Directions Site Map	Graduate Study in Physics The graduate studies program at New Mexico Tech prepares students for careers in advanced physics research or applied advanced physics. The salient component of graduate study is participation in original research. This research component is coupled with study in advanced theoretical physics and mathematical techniques, and well as focused study in a specialized physics discipline. Strong collaborations between the Tech Physics Department and national research facilities, including the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, offer varied and exciting research opportunities for New Mexico Tech graduate students. The Physics Department offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in physics. Students pursuing these degrees must complete the general degree requirements, in addition to requirement for the specific course of study chosen by the candidate. Students may do research in any of the areas on which our faculty members, adjuncts and collaborators are working. At present, MS and Ph.D. degrees are offered in these areas are: Astrophysics Atmospheric Physics Shock Physics Mathematical Physics We also offer an MS degree in Instrumentation. The degree programs are supported by courses at the graduate level in the fundamental areas of physics, and also by specialty courses germane to each area. Astrophysics is one of the three main research areas in the Physics Department, and is one option for our Ph.D. program. Current research interests are broad; they include Clusters of galaxies: the distribution of hot gas and dark matter, the role of the magnetic field, and the acceleration of relativistic particles. Normal galaxies: the dynamics and evolution of their stars, the ecology of their interstellar gas, both dwarfs and giants. Pulsars: the plasma physics of these objects, and also the development of front-line instrumentation with which to obtain high-quality radio data. Radio galaxies: the origins, and plasma dynamics, of radio jets and lobes; and why are some galaxies active and others not? Tech faculty and staff take advantage of national observatories, including two important sites in our own "back yard". The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) operates both the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array, through its headquarters on campus. The VLA itself is located an hour's drive from campus. The close collaboration between New Mexico Tech and NRAO provides a unique opportunity for graduate student involvement with NRAO at all levels, from employment opportunities to the chance to do thesis or dissertation work under an NRAO staff member. Over half the Tech Physics Department's graduates students are funded to do research through the NRAO, and both faculty and students have offices in the NRAO complex. Tech is also a founding partner in the proposed Magdalena Ridge Observatory. We are building two facilities: a 2.4m fast-tracking single telescope and a ten-element (1.4m apertures) optical interferometer in the nearby Langmuir Research Site. These will be the first major telescope facilities to take advantage of this high quality dark site. The single-telescope is in the build phase with first light expected in 2006, while final stages of the design work are ongoing for the interferometer. First light for the interferometer is expected in late 2007. In addition, department faculty and students sometimes work with other optical telescopes (such as Kitt Peak National Observatory), with X-ray satellites (such as ROSAT), and with other radio telescopes (such as Arecibo Observatory). Atmospheric Physics is a second main research area in the Physics Department, and is also an option for our Ph.D. program. Current research interests include Cloud physics: from the internal dynamics of clouds (such as convection and ice/rain formation) to their role in global climate patterns. Thunderstorms: how they become electrified, and the dynamics of the lightning they produce. The middle atmosphere: how solar radiation propagates, is absorbed, and affects the chemical and thermal state of the atmosphere. Atmospheric Radioactivity: the properties and transport of aerosols in the atmosphere, and how that depends on weather and ground conditions. Tech faculty and students are often active in developing specialized, front-line instrumentation which is used to gather atmospheric data. They use both national instruments and our own "back yard" sites. New Mexico Tech runs the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, located at 10,000 feet in the Langmuir Research Site, about an hour's drive from the campus. This is a very good site for direct study of thunderstorms. The lab has facilities for balloon, radar and rocket-based study of storms, and offers an unparalleled opportunity for graduate student research. Students can also take part in an air quality research group at Tech which focuses on basic physical processes important to understanding atmospheric pollution and environmental quality. In addition, students and faculty members are also often involved in field programs that use the National Center for Atmospheric Research aircraft and radar. Shock Physics is being developed as a new research area in the physics department, to take advantage of the expertise available through the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) located on campus. EMRTC runs both field testing sites and specialized research laboratories. Faculty from several departments at Tech are involved in EMRTC-based research. Students have the opportunity to become involved at EMRTC both as employees and to carry out the research leading to a graduate degree. Mathematical Physics, both analytic and numerical, is also a part of department research. We offer a mathematical physics option at the Ph.D. level. Current faculty research involves the development and use of numerical simulation codes, backed up by analytic methods, which model the dynamics of astrophysical plasmas. EMRTC research includes numerical hydrodynamic simulation codes which model shock propagation in several settings. Instrumentation development and use is an important part of our program. Several of our faculty members are active in this area. Some current areas include radio interferometric lightning mapping, pulsar instrumentation, Doppler radar, measuring small aerosols, in situ electric field measurement, and fluid simulations of astrophysical dynamos. We offer a M.S. in instrumentation, and are discussing a combined 5-year undergraduate and MS program. In addition, many of our Ph.D. students are also working on instrumentation-based research projects.
Maintained by Gina Chavez (e-mail: rchavez@kestrel.nmt.edu). Modified: July 12, 2005.

Graduate Study in Physics

The graduate studies program at New Mexico Tech prepares students for careers in advanced physics research or applied advanced physics. The salient component of graduate study is participation in original research. This research component is coupled with study in advanced theoretical physics and mathematical techniques, and well as focused study in a specialized physics discipline. Strong collaborations between the Tech Physics Department and national research facilities, including the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, offer varied and exciting research opportunities for New Mexico Tech graduate students.

The Physics Department offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in physics. Students pursuing these degrees must complete the general degree requirements, in addition to requirement for the specific course of study chosen by the candidate. Students may do research in any of the areas on which our faculty members, adjuncts and collaborators are working. At present, MS and Ph.D. degrees are offered in these areas are:

Astrophysics
Atmospheric Physics
Shock Physics
Mathematical Physics

We also offer an MS degree in Instrumentation.

The degree programs are supported by courses at the graduate level in the fundamental areas of physics, and also by specialty courses germane to each area.

Astrophysics is one of the three main research areas in the Physics Department, and is one option for our Ph.D. program. Current research interests are broad; they include

Clusters of galaxies: the distribution of hot gas and dark matter, the role of the magnetic field, and the acceleration of relativistic particles.
Normal galaxies: the dynamics and evolution of their stars, the ecology of their interstellar gas, both dwarfs and giants.
Pulsars: the plasma physics of these objects, and also the development of front-line instrumentation with which to obtain high-quality radio data.
Radio galaxies: the origins, and plasma dynamics, of radio jets and lobes; and why are some galaxies active and others not?

Tech faculty and staff take advantage of national observatories, including two important sites in our own "back yard".

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) operates both the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array, through its headquarters on campus. The VLA itself is located an hour's drive from campus. The close collaboration between New Mexico Tech and NRAO provides a unique opportunity for graduate student involvement with NRAO at all levels, from employment opportunities to the chance to do thesis or dissertation work under an NRAO staff member. Over half the Tech Physics Department's graduates students are funded to do research through the NRAO, and both faculty and students have offices in the NRAO complex.
Tech is also a founding partner in the proposed Magdalena Ridge Observatory. We are building two facilities: a 2.4m fast-tracking single telescope and a ten-element (1.4m apertures) optical interferometer in the nearby Langmuir Research Site. These will be the first major telescope facilities to take advantage of this high quality dark site. The single-telescope is in the build phase with first light expected in 2006, while final stages of the design work are ongoing for the interferometer. First light for the interferometer is expected in late 2007.
In addition, department faculty and students sometimes work with other optical telescopes (such as Kitt Peak National Observatory), with X-ray satellites (such as ROSAT), and with other radio telescopes (such as Arecibo Observatory).

Atmospheric Physics is a second main research area in the Physics Department, and is also an option for our Ph.D. program. Current research interests include

Cloud physics: from the internal dynamics of clouds (such as convection and ice/rain formation) to their role in global climate patterns.
Thunderstorms: how they become electrified, and the dynamics of the lightning they produce.
The middle atmosphere: how solar radiation propagates, is absorbed, and affects the chemical and thermal state of the atmosphere.
Atmospheric Radioactivity: the properties and transport of aerosols in the atmosphere, and how that depends on weather and ground conditions.

Tech faculty and students are often active in developing specialized, front-line instrumentation which is used to gather atmospheric data. They use both national instruments and our own "back yard" sites.

New Mexico Tech runs the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, located at 10,000 feet in the Langmuir Research Site, about an hour's drive from the campus. This is a very good site for direct study of thunderstorms. The lab has facilities for balloon, radar and rocket-based study of storms, and offers an unparalleled opportunity for graduate student research.
Students can also take part in an air quality research group at Tech which focuses on basic physical processes important to understanding atmospheric pollution and environmental quality.
In addition, students and faculty members are also often involved in field programs that use the National Center for Atmospheric Research aircraft and radar.

Shock Physics is being developed as a new research area in the physics department, to take advantage of the expertise available through the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) located on campus. EMRTC runs both field testing sites and specialized research laboratories. Faculty from several departments at Tech are involved in EMRTC-based research. Students have the opportunity to become involved at EMRTC both as employees and to carry out the research leading to a graduate degree.

Mathematical Physics, both analytic and numerical, is also a part of department research. We offer a mathematical physics option at the Ph.D. level. Current faculty research involves the development and use of numerical simulation codes, backed up by analytic methods, which model the dynamics of astrophysical plasmas. EMRTC research includes numerical hydrodynamic simulation codes which model shock propagation in several settings.

Instrumentation development and use is an important part of our program. Several of our faculty members are active in this area. Some current areas include

radio interferometric lightning mapping,
pulsar instrumentation,
Doppler radar,
measuring small aerosols,
in situ electric field measurement, and
fluid simulations of astrophysical dynamos.

We offer a M.S. in instrumentation, and are discussing a combined 5-year undergraduate and MS program. In addition, many of our Ph.D. students are also working on instrumentation-based research projects.

Maintained by Gina Chavez (e-mail: rchavez@kestrel.nmt.edu).
Modified: July 12, 2005.