Department of Physics

We are one of the UK's top Physics departments and have a reputation for high-quality teaching, driven by outstanding research, performed in an inclusive and welcoming community.

Welcome to the Department of Physics at Durham

The Physics Department is a thriving centre for research and education.

We are proud that our Department closely aligns the teaching and learning experience for its students with the research-intensive values and practices of the University. Research-led teaching is embedded at all levels from first year laboratory reports to our final year MSci flagship individual research projects.

The Department incorporates the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, is home to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and the Institute for Computational Cosmology. The Ogden Centre is also the base for our innovative outreach programme for school children and their teachers.

A graphic showing an on-campus scene of students walking past the modern, glass-sided library building with the University's Physics and Astronomy Top 100 ranking emblazoned on it

Find out more about us

2nd in the Guardian University Guide 2024

3rd for Physics and Astronomy in the Complete University Guide 2024

96% of our research outputs are world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)

3rd in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

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Before you arrive Welcome and Induction

News

'The price is right' for undergraduate project

In a tremendous final-year project, two Durham undergraduates apply data-analysis techniques taught as part of their Physics degree to another real world data set - house prices.

Joseph Bullock interviewed on BBC Radio Tees

Joseph Bullock, a Postdoctoral Researcher within the Physics Department here at Durham, who is also a United Nations Global Pulse Industry Research Associate, gave an interview to BBC Radio Tees recently on the important COVID-19 modelling work he has been undertaking.

Image manipulation of the coronavirus inside the globe

Centre for space research celebrates 20th anniversary

Our Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Planets are projected on to the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics

Scything course update

We had a fantastic time scything the physics meadow last Saturday with our scything tutor Danny. As both an experienced scyther and conservationist, he was able to advise us on both the meadow management to promote diversity and the technique of scything! The department kindly supported this eco-venture by paying half of the course fee, for which we are extremely grateful.

Pastoral meadows meet fundamental physics

Lumiere lights up our ground-breaking research

This week sees the return of Lumiere, the dazzling light art event hosted in Durham bi-annually. This year’s event includes three installations drawing on some of our ground-breaking research.

Night time image from Lumiere 2021 showing the Ogden building with colourful abstract images projected onto one side

Famous name in space exploration drops into Durham

The man whose father was one of the first to set foot on the moon visited Durham city and the department on Monday. Dr Andy Aldrin is Director of the Aldrin Space Institute and president of the non-profit foundation dedicated to inspiring children’s passions for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths).

Our researchers are among the most cited in the world

Physicists from our Institute for Computational Cosmology have been named on a prestigious list for their world-leading research.

Professors Carlos Frenk Adrian Jenkins and Tom Theuns

How a balloon-borne experiment can do the job of the Hubble space telescope

Results have shown that balloon-borne experiments to explore space can be just as useful as those launched by rockets, while costing a fraction of the price. Dr Fionagh Thomson and Professor Richard Massey, from our Physics Department, explain how they are also ideal training for the next generation of technology leaders.

SuperBIT waiting for launch while its giant helium balloon is inflated

A step towards quantum computation with ultracold molecules

Researchers in the Quantum light and matter group led by Prof. Simon Cornish have demonstrated robust quantum storage with ultracold RbCs molecules in recent work published in Nature Physics.

IPPP develop new model that helps guide COVID-19 planning

Experts in the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology within the Department of Physics have developed a new model for simulating epidemics – and it’s already being used to inform the UK’s response to COVID-19.

Physics Department honours staff excellence with Department Awards

The annual Physics Department Awards for Excellence took place at 2pm on Tuesday 14 September. Held virtually on Zoom this year, there were a series of science talks aimed at all members of the department, followed by the presentation of awards. The awards recognise staff who carry out exceptional work, and go that extra mile.

Stocki image of a winners trophy and confetti

Exciting new studentship exploring the potential of nascent quantum technology

We are excited to announce a new collaboration in the field of quantum computing! Working with Dunnhumby, a global leader in customer data science, this project will fund a postgraduate student to work with Dr Nicholas Chancellor within the Quantum, Light & Matter (QLM) group to explore the potential of nascent quantum technology in solving hard real-world data-science problems.