• About Us
• Contact
• Organizational Chart
• Location
• History
• Galleries
• Jobs
• Alumni

About Us

Mission Statement

Research

We pursue a rich research agenda and diverse teaching program in the most important and exciting areas of physics. These range from fundamental physical insights into Nature to the development of innovative technology for society. The core research and education domains are in Astrophysics, Condensed Matter Physics, Particle Physics, Quantum Optics and Electronics, and Theoretical Physics. Our members have access to the ETH platforms FIRST (nano-facility) and EMEZ (electron microscopy) and to excellent largescale infrastructure through the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the major international centers in high-energy physics (CERN, KEK), and the European agencies for astronomical research (ESO and ESA). We host the two National Competence Centers in Research on Quantum Science and Technology (QSIT) and on Molecular Ultrafast Science and Technology (MUST).

Education

We offer a comprehensive education program including practical work in experimentation and theoretical proseminars; the broad three-years Bachelor program is complemented with a three-semester Master program that offers focused studies in various directions of modern physics, including a four-month thesis; typically, students finish with the MSc degree, only few leave with the BSc. Furthermore, we offer a Joint Master in High-Energy Physics (with École Polytechnique, Paris), a Teacher Training Program, an educational program in Medical Physics, and various technical apprenticeships (vocational training). Doctoral studies are carried out in individual research groups. Numerous seminars and the weekly colloquium, organized jointly with the University of Zurich (UZH), bring students and faculty into contact with the latest scientific developments in the natural sciences.