The Department of Physics & Astronomy at George Mason University

10/06/2026

09/16/2026

☄️ Did you see any?

The Perseid meteor shower peaked overnight, giving stargazers across Northern Virginia a chance to catch one of the year’s most anticipated celestial displays.

George Mason astronomer and professor, Peter Plavchan spoke with the Prince William Times about what causes the Perseids, why meteors can appear in different colors and how to get the best view.

His advice? Find a dark spot, give your eyes time to adjust and keep looking up. 🌌

Read more: https://science.gmu.edu/news/media-george-mason-astronomer-explains-perseid-meteor-shower

The Department of Physics & Astronomy at George Mason University

09/01/2026

We’re so excited to celebrate former PhD student Natasha, who was recently awarded the Cosmos Club Scholars Prize for her outstanding dissertation research! ✨✨✨

Each year, the prize recognizes exceptional dissertation work by just four scholars from institutions across the DMV region, making this a wonderful and well-deserved honor.

Since completing her PhD, Natasha has continued her research as a NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellow at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

We’re incredibly proud to see her work recognized and can’t wait to see where her research takes her next. Congratulations, Natasha! 💫

08/04/2026

✨🚀The course introduces the fundamentals of orbital mechanics for space flight and spacecraft conceptual design as well as current and future space propulsion technologies.🔭
 
🛰️It also provides a brief overview of the history of spaceflight, and of the current and projected solar system objectives as driven by scientific, military, and commercial needs. 🌟

06/02/2026

✨ Please join us in congratulating Anna Engelhardt on being awarded a 2026–27 Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) Predoctoral Program Visiting Fellowship in New York City! Adding to this achievement, she has also recently completed a NASA FINESST Fellowship.
Congratulations Anna! These are remarkable accomplishments! 🎉

05/27/2026

05/15/2026

It’s , and we’re spotlighting Igor Mazin from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. 🧲✨

Mazin is featured in Scientific American for his expertise on altermagnets, a newly recognized class of magnetic materials that is changing how physicists understand magnetism.

As Professor of Practice in Advanced Studies in Theoretical Physics (Condensed Matter Theory), Mazin studies the superconducting, magnetic, and optical properties of materials. His work helps scientists better understand materials that could shape future technologies, from computing to energy-efficient devices.

Read the full story:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-physicists-found-a-new-type-of-magnet-hiding-in-plain-sight/


The Department of Physics & Astronomy at George Mason University