UTK Department of Physics and Astronomy

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Knoxville, TN
UTK Department of Physics and Astronomy

From subatomic systems to supernovae, our faculty and students unravel the mysteries of the natural world.

We enjoy both a thriving campus environment and close ties to nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Our research began in the 1930s with one spectrometer and has evolved into studies of complex materials, nuclear structure, the brilliant lives and violent deaths of stars, the mysteries of subatomic particles, the burgeoning territory between biology and physics, and innovative approaches to scienc

e education. Many of our students (both graduate and undergraduate) have rolled up their sleeves and gotten down to work in our campus labs and at ORNL (including the Spallation Neutron Source), U.S. and international synchrotron and collider facilities, and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Our faculty comprises outstanding theorists and experimentalists, including five AAAS Fellows and 11 APS Fellows and three NSF CAREER Awardees in the past three years.

08/31/2026

In today’s colloquium Assistant Professor Yang Zhang will show how his group uses AI to understand electron pairing in realistic materials.
physics.utk.edu/news-events/colloquia-series/

08/27/2026

“World-leading neutron science, supercomputing, AI, quantum materials expertise, and national laboratory partnerships all come together in one place to tackle scientific challenges that are beyond the reach of conventional computing approaches.”—Physics Professor Alan Tennant on UT’s Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, highlighted in this feature
https://artsci.utk.edu/material-results-for-the-quantum-ecosystem/

The Center for Advanced Materials Manufacturing connects cutting-edge UT research with shared state-of-the-art facilities, federal laboratory partnerships, industry connections, and student training programs. Introducing the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Materials Research Science and Engin...

08/24/2026

Join us today for the first colloquium of the year! Assistant Professor Joon Sue Lee will discuss his team's efforts using molecular beam epitaxy as a platform for controlling topological quantum phases.
physics.utk.edu/news-events/colloquia-series/

08/19/2026

We’re off to a great year in UT Physics! From hosting a lunch for our new grad students to inviting undergrads to spin the wheel for prizes, we’re delighted to welcome back our students!
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08/13/2026

Everyone is invited for a public lecture on Saturday, August 22, when Physics Professor Norman Mannella presents “Quantum Mechanics: A Centennial Story (1925-2025).” The event is free but space is limited, so registration is required.
Details at https://physics.utk.edu/public-lecture-on-quantum-mechanics/
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07/21/2026

We love to take the show on the road! Last month Physics Graduate Students Josh Kipiller, Colter Richardson, and Kya Schluterman helped Astronomy Outreach Coordinator Paul Lewis with a telescope event at Blackberry Farm. They had some great subject matter, including a trio of galaxies in Leo (Hamburger Galaxy, M66 and M65) and a crescent moon.
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07/17/2026

Congrats, Dylan!

The Haslam Leadership Scholars (HALS) program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, provides selected scholars the unparalleled opportunity to cultivate leadership skills and inspire positive change in Tennessee and beyond. Founded […]

07/16/2026

Congratulations to Brandi Skipworth on her GATE Fellowship! She is looking for “partner particles” predicted by supersymmetry, which could help explain phenomena that don’t fit the Standard Model.
https://physics.utk.edu/brandi-skipworth-wins-gate-fellowship/
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The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Science Alliance is investing more than $900,000 in graduate student research through its Graduate Advancement, Training and Education (GATE) award program, supporting 17 UT students conducting collaborative research with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The investment includes $640,000 in first-year funding for 10 new GATE fellows for FY27-28 and $263,000 in second-year funding for seven students whose awards were renewed after successfully completing their first year in the program.

Congratulations to the FY27-28 First-Year GATE Awardees:

Asmita Chaudhary
Swapnamoy Dutta
Ashlynn Hord
Vincent Jodoin, M.S.
Eva Kaushik
Josie King
Janou Milligan
Utkarsh Pratiush
Brandi Skipworth
Md Rahatul Islam Udoy

To learn more about the GATE program, visit https://utorii.com/science-alliance-announces-fy27-28-gate-awardees/

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
UT System

06/23/2026

Physics Professor Thomas Papenbrock is one of the university’s Research Rock Stars and explains his work exploring the properties of atomic nuclei in this terrific highlight:
https://research.utk.edu/2026/05/28/research-rock-stars-thomas-papenbrock-explores-the-forces-at-the-core-of-matter/
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University of Tennessee professor Thomas Papenbrock studies atomic nuclei to understand some of the universe's biggest questions.

06/01/2026

In a recent Physical Review Letters publication, Assistant Professor Haocun Yu and colleagues show how a tabletop experiment can bring together two bedrock physics theories: quantum mechanics and general relativity.
physics.utk.edu/reconciling-fundamental-physics/

Address

1408 Circle Drive, 401 Nielsen Physics Building
Knoxville, TN
37996

Website

http://www.phys.utk.edu/

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