Eric Hirschman received an Outstanding Service Award from the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Eric transformed the department graduate student experience. Under his leadership, the graduate committee established a stronger culture of student connectedness through weekly “graduate gobbles.” Eric helps students progress through key milestones by carefully reviewing each prospectus, thesis, and dissertation. Beginning with admissions, Eric discovered faculty needs, matched applicants, and raised awareness of graduate fellowships. The average number of graduate student-authored papers per year increased nearly 50% during his tenure. Eric’s tireless efforts have helped move our program to greater distinction.
News and Events

Dr. Stephens participated in a research project at the University of Arizona focused on studying brown dwarfs using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Using data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, a new study suggests that an object previously thought to be a binary system may be a rare triple system of orbiting bodies.

In early January 2025, a group of 16 students from Brigham Young University’s Physics & Astronomy Department showcased their research at the prestigious American Astronomical Society (AAS) in National Harbor, Maryland.

Acoustics faculty and students measure the thunderous noise of the world’s most powerful rocket, exploring its impact on communities and the environment.

Dr. Powers initiated the effort to update BYU’s physics undergraduate lab curriculum in 2015. The revamped curriculum, aimed at teaching students how to construct knowledge from experiments.