Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne Inspires BYU Students with the Future of Gravitational-Wave Science
Four Decades Under the Stars: Honoring Dr. Mike Joner and the Legacy of West Mountain Observatory.
Connecting Experience to Opportunity: External Advisory Council Supports Career Pathways and Job Success for BYU Physics and Astronomy Students.
From Trapped Ions to Quantum Frontiers: Dr. AJ Rasmusson Launches Experimental Quantum Physics at BYU.
Dr. Gus Hart received the 2024 Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award for his work in computational material science and his continued innovation in computational methods.
This winter, ten students in BYU’s new “Advanced Planetary Astrophysics” taught by Darin Ragozzine course gained hands-on experience in planetary science research, mastering interdisciplinary skills to prepare for future careers in astronomy.
Starting Fall 2025, BYU will offer a new Applied Physics: Data Science major that combines rigorous physics training with data science skills to prepare students for the growing demand in data-driven careers.
BYU's new Biological Physics course introduces students to the physics behind biological processes, fostering interdisciplinary skills to tackle complex biological questions.
Dr. Kent Gee has been named the recipient of the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award
The BYU Physics & Astronomy department recently introduced the Applied Physics: Acoustics degree.
After 3 years of being offered as 513R, elementary particle physics is finally an official course and accepted for credit in the physics major!
BYU Physics and Astronomy Professors Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanfleet recently received the 2024 award for outstanding achievement in technology transfer from the BYU Technology Transfer Office.
Dr. Michael Ware hopes to help students develop the skills to navigate discussion of science and religion
The university's new electron microscopy facility opened in fall of 2025, offering atomic-level imaging and student-led research.
Brian Anderson and his students celebrated BYU's 150th birthday by blowing out candles using high-intensity focused sound waves.
This year’s Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Kent Gee, delivered his forum address on the science of sound and how he and BYU students have contributed to significant research in the acoustics industry.
In July 2025, Drs. Branton Campbell and Harold Stokes (BYU Emeritus Professor) will receive the Kenneth N. Trueblood Award from the American Crystallographic Association for exceptional achievement in computational crystallography.
A group of undergraduate students braved the heat and heights of the ESC roof to install a new weather station. The station is up and running, and will hopefully record data for years to come.
Archived News Stories
- Sign up for the 2026 Student Research Conference
- Study analyzes distant Kuiper Belt object with NASA's Hubble data
- BYU’s Rising Astronomers Take Center Stage at the Winter AAS Conference
- Acoustics group studies the roar of SpaceX's Starship
- Dr. John Colton’s Sabbatical to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Nathan Powers, Updated labs and AAPT lab committee work
- BYU Women Represent at CUWiP 2024
- Dr. Stephens’ Sabbatical to University of Arizona
- Society of Physics Students Awarded Outreach Grant
- Rocket Noise and Bird Songs
- Adam Fennimore's Insights for Students
- New Faculty Member, Dr. Greg Francis
- Dr. Ragozzine's Nice, France Obersvatoire Sabbatical
- Steve Summers' Insights for Students
- Wesley Morgan Doubles AP Physics Enrollment
- New Faculty Member, Dr. Micah Shepherd
- BYU Women in Physics Students Thrive at CUWiP
- Using Machine Learning to Get a Better View of Bacteria
- Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Using Magnetism
- Sommerfeldts Called as Mission Leaders
- Reveling in Uncertainty
- Sounding out the Deep: Traci Neilsen’s Trip to the North Atlantic
- Screening of Particle Fever
- BYU Acoustics Records Artemis Launch
- West Mountain Observatory contributes to understand distant galaxy
- Dr. John Colton: Table Tennis Champion
- Dr. Tim Leishman retires from BYU
- Dr. Aleksandr Mosenkov, new Astronomy faculty
- Debunking acoustics myths around the Saturn V
- Physics and Astronomy Student Advisory Board
- Mystery of Haumea's Formation Solved
- Capturing Images at the New Mexico Observatory
- Dr. Steve Turley Serves as NSF Program Officer
- Dr. Scott Sommerfeldt Awarded an ASA Silver Medal
- American Association of Physics Teachers Meet in Provo
- Dr. Dennis Della Corte launches Consortium of Molecular Design
- New Professor Dr. Benjamin Boizelle
- Planetarium Updates
- Sabbatical at Cambridge for Dr. Gus Hart
- Dr. Richard Sandberg, Brings Ultrafast Optics to Materials Research
- Darin Ragozzine receives Young Scholar Award
- Technology transfer award for a quieter airplane toilet
- Eric Hirschman honored for exceptional service
- Mark Transtrum: BYU Early Career Scholarship Award
- BYU Physics & Astronomy During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Brian Anderson
- See the Stars Even Better at the ESC Observatory
- Catching up on Five Years
- Scott Sommerfeldt, ASA Vice President
- LCA Postings
- Professor Receives Early Career Award
- Professional Faculty Job Opening
- BYU Physics Student Highlighted by APS
- New Campus 0.6-m Telescope
- How Many Earth-Like Planets Exist in the Universe?
- Battle of the Motors
- Researchers invent a quieter airplane toilet
- BYU Top in Addressing Shortage of Physics Teachers
- BYU study produces 3D images
- "Playing flag football at BYU has allowed me to make some great friendships"
- Physics Employee is Student Employee of the Year
- Astronomer co-authors paper in Nature
- Producing stronger, more pliable metals
- Hottest known planet discovery published in Nature
- A Master, A Teacher, A Leader
- Lego figurines don’t stand a chance against time reversal
- BYU researchers help discover massive exoplanet
- Sunshine matters a lot to mental health
- Dr. Neilsen Balances Family, Research, Classes, and Receives Award
- Professor Receives Outstanding Referee Award
- BYU Produces the Most Certified Physics Teachers
- BYU GALs Program Sheds Light on Physics
- Searching for Alien Comets: BYU Researchers Create Guidebook to Aid in First Discovery
- Physics Professor Makes Nanomagnetism Discovery
- Vatican Astronomer Bridges Faith and Science
- Harvey Fletcher, BYU’s first Physics graduate wins a posthumous grammy award
- BYU Professor Honored by Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters
- Physicists Can Be Writers, Too
- Physics Alumnus Improves Radar Systems
- Award-Winning Professor Puts Students First
- Lighting up the Science Center
- For the Love of Teaching… and Physics
- Burning Calories to Better Science
- Physicist Helps Students Shine
- The Sound of Music, According to Physicists
- Professor’s Curiosity Drives Research
- By Small and Simple Magnets Are Great Things Brought to Pass
- Craters Come to Astrofest
- Astrofest Brings the Stars to BYU
- BYU’s Physics Teaching Program Gains National Attention
- Student’s Nanocrystals Make Him a Wanted Man
- BYU uses planet-hunting satellite to observe supermassive black hole
- Google Glass adaptation opens the universe to deaf students
- BYU researchers create tiny nano-device in newest gene therapy advance
- Prestigious publication for ‘sloppy’ research
- The science of stadium sound
- Tiny cupid proof that BYU students love nanotechnology
- Harold Stokes: Dr. Superman
- Movement of black holes powers the universe’s brightest lights
- Rockets, gongs and Gatling guns make really loud science
- Scientists grow micro-machines (and "nano Jimmer") from carbon
- BYU telescope captures Halloween sights in the stars?
- Futuristic computing https://physics.byu.edu/edit/stories/departmentdesigns inside beetle scales
- Harvey Fletcher is Honored Founder for BYU Homecoming 2010
- BYU study: Halley’s comet first observed by ancient Greeks?
- BYU physics professor named fellow by National Science Foundation
- BYU's Scott D. Sommerfeldt elected to ASA Executive Council
- BYU study adds a ‘twist’ to stars’ death throes
- Nature and electronics meet: How to make a tiny wire and connect it to DNA
- Elder Richard G. Scott dedicates Royden G. Derrick Planetarium at BYU Sept. 28
- BYU undergraduate makes 'cents' of rare coins
- BYU scientists discuss yodeling, jet crackle and hearing
- BYU students to compete in Mars rover event in southern Utah desert
- BYU professor receives national acoustic education award
- BYU study another step in the march toward better superconductors
- BYU students experiment onboard NASA's "Vomit Comet"
- BYU mirror headed to space on Venus Express
- BYU astronomy department unveils new planetarium
- BYU physics professor receives national recognition
- BYU physicists quiet fans in computers, office equipment
- Preparing earthlings for Mars
- BYU physics professor appointed scholar-in-residence
News and Events
After 3 years of being offered as 513R, elementary particle physics is finally an official course and accepted for credit in the physics major!
BYU Physics and Astronomy Professors Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanfleet recently received the 2024 award for outstanding achievement in technology transfer from the BYU Technology Transfer Office.
Dr. Michael Ware hopes to help students develop the skills to navigate discussion of science and religion
The university's new electron microscopy facility opened in fall of 2025, offering atomic-level imaging and student-led research.
Brian Anderson and his students celebrated BYU's 150th birthday by blowing out candles using high-intensity focused sound waves.
This year’s Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Kent Gee, delivered his forum address on the science of sound and how he and BYU students have contributed to significant research in the acoustics industry.
In July 2025, Drs. Branton Campbell and Harold Stokes (BYU Emeritus Professor) will receive the Kenneth N. Trueblood Award from the American Crystallographic Association for exceptional achievement in computational crystallography.
A group of undergraduate students braved the heat and heights of the ESC roof to install a new weather station. The station is up and running, and will hopefully record data for years to come.
Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne Inspires BYU Students with the Future of Gravitational-Wave Science
Four Decades Under the Stars: Honoring Dr. Mike Joner and the Legacy of West Mountain Observatory.
Connecting Experience to Opportunity: External Advisory Council Supports Career Pathways and Job Success for BYU Physics and Astronomy Students.
From Trapped Ions to Quantum Frontiers: Dr. AJ Rasmusson Launches Experimental Quantum Physics at BYU.
Dr. Gus Hart received the 2024 Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award for his work in computational material science and his continued innovation in computational methods.
This winter, ten students in BYU’s new “Advanced Planetary Astrophysics” taught by Darin Ragozzine course gained hands-on experience in planetary science research, mastering interdisciplinary skills to prepare for future careers in astronomy.
Starting Fall 2025, BYU will offer a new Applied Physics: Data Science major that combines rigorous physics training with data science skills to prepare students for the growing demand in data-driven careers.