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Department of Physics and Astronomy, San Francisco State University

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Department of Physics and Astronomy, San Francisco State University

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We are an inclusive department where all students are welcome to study the cosmos! We offer B.A., B.S., and M.S. degrees in Physics & Astronomy.

Members of the department carry out major research programs funded by NSF, NASA, DOE, and other sources. We specialize in preparing students for entry into competitive PhD programs, for obtaining careers in science and technological industries, and for becoming teachers of physics and astronomy.

10/15/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, October 19, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

"Dynamical Origins of the Galaxy's Strangest Planetary Systems"

Speaker: Dr. Tiger Lu (Flatiron Institute)

Abstract: Planets are expected to form in well-behaved consistent configurations much like our own Solar System. Over the past three decades, this picture has been thrown into serious tension as a myriad of bizarre planetary systems have been discovered. In this talk, I will discuss how understanding planetary motion is often the key to reconciling these strange worlds with theories of planet formation. Through detailed N-body simulations incorporating various novel physical mechanisms, I will present the dynamical histories of a few of these systems. These case studies not only provide compelling explanations for the architectures of these specific systems, but also shed light on the importance of more nuanced and detailed theories of planetary motion.

10/14/2026

San Francisco State University
Noche de Estrellas
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Thornton Hall, 4th Floor, 7:00-9:30 PM

¡Acompáñenos el jueves 22 de octubre a una noche bajo las estrellas en la Universidad Estatal de San Francisco! Habrá charlas científicas divertidas y aptas para toda la familia, donde podrá conocer los últimos avances en astronomía y realizar observaciones desde la azotea con nuestros telescopios, utilizando el observatorio del campus. Todas las actividades de la noche son gratuitas y se ofrecerán tanto en inglés como en español. ¡Venga acompañado de sus amigos o familiares!

Presentador: Diego Bonilla
¿Cómo detectamos exoplanetas?
Fuera de nuestro propio sistema solar, hemos descubierto y confirmado más de 6300 exoplanetas en toda la galaxia. La informacion collectada de estos exoplanetas nos han enseñado mucho sobre cómo se forman las estrellas y los planetas, y cómo evolucionan los sistemas planetarios. Pero ¿cómo es posible estudiar objetos que se encuentran a billones de millas de distancia? Los científicos han desarrollado varias formas de observar y estudiar exoplanetas (velocidad radial, tránsito, astrometría, imagen directa y microlente gravitacional). Cada método tiene sus propias ventajas y desventajas, así es que los astrónomos deben elegir con cuidado para observar un exoplaneta específico. Acompáñanos mientras exploramos las distintas formas en que la humanidad estudia los cielos más allá de nuestro sistema solar.

Join us Thursday, October 22nd for a starry night at San Francisco State University! There will be fun, family friendly science talks where you can learn about the latest advances in astronomy and rooftop observing using our telescopes via our very own observatory on campus. All events throughout the night are free and will be available in both English and Spanish. Bring your friends or family along for the ride!

Presentor: Diego Bonilla
How do we detect exolanets?
Outside of our own solar system, we have discovered and confirmed an astounding 6300+ exoplanets throughout the galaxy. Data collected from these exoplanets have taught us a lot about how stars and planets form, and how planetary systems evolve. But how exactly are we able to study objects trillions of miles away? Scientists have developed several ways to observe and collect data (radial velocity, transit, astrometry, direct imaging, microlensing). Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, so astronomers must choose carefully when studying a specific exoplanet. Join us as we explore the different ways humanity studies the skies beyond our own solar system.

10/12/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, October 12, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

"Large-Scale Structure Cosmology with the Quaia Quasar Catalog"

Speaker: Kate Storey-Fisher (Postdoc, Stanford KIPAC)

Quasars, active black holes at the centers of galaxies, are some of the most luminous objects in the universe. They trace the distribution of matter out to high redshifts and at large scales, allowing for precise estimates of cosmological parameters as well as tests of fundamental cosmological assumptions. I will present Quaia, a recent all-sky quasar catalog based on data from space-based observatories Gaia and unWISE; it samples the largest comoving volume of any existing quasar sample. I will discuss the construction of the catalog, and share our precise constraints on cosmological parameters from cross-correlations between Quaia and CMB lensing. I will also highlight our work using Quaia to investigate the kinematic dipole in large-scale structure from our motion with respect to the cosmic rest frame, which has shown hints of cosmic anisotropy.

10/05/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, October 5, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

"Direct Imaging with Next Generation Telescopes and Post Processing"

Speaker: Dr. Joseph Long (Flatiron Institute Center for Computational Astrophysics)

In the 1990s, the existence of exoplanets—planets that orbit stars other than our Sun—was confirmed, a discovery recognized in 2019 with the Nobel Prize in Physics. Over the intervening decades, many thousands of exoplanets have been confirmed. However, the vast majority of exoplanets have been discovered by indirect methods using the light of the host star. Directly imaging exoplanets remains extremely challenging with current telescopes and instruments. Ground-based direct imaging depends on adaptive optics to maximize angular resolution and reach deeper contrasts. I will present the latest upgrades to MagAO-X, an extreme adaptive optics instrument to enable direct imaging studies at visible wavelengths. I will also discuss how our instrument is serving as a technology pathfinder for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the era of reflected-light exoplanet imaging. Finally, I will discuss how developments in numerical computing, such as automatic differentiation and deep learning methods, will help us distinguish between speckles of stray starlight and real exoplanets and disks in our data.

09/24/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, September 28, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

Speaker: Barkotel Zemenu (PhD Candidate, Stanford University)

What makes up dark matter? Nobody knows. Could it be axions? We are trying to find out. In this talk, I will review what we (don’t) know about the mysteriously missing mass of the universe, how hypothetical particles called axions theoretically solve the mystery, and how we can verify this solution through experiments. In particular, I will discuss two different experiments — ADMX and DMRadio — to highlight the diversity of experiments aiming to detect axions.

09/17/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, September 21, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

Speaker: Prof. Wes Bethel (SF State U.)

Quantum Computing: Principles, Performance, and Pathways

Quantum computing holds the potential to tackle problems of scale and complexity far beyond the reach of classical systems. This talk provides an accessible introduction to quantum computing, highlighting key differences from classical paradigms, the mechanics of scaling storage and computation, and the practical performance characteristics—and limitations—of today’s state of the art. Beyond the technology, the session will also explore the current industry landscape and highlight emerging career trajectories within the field.

07/09/2026

Biopharma Leaders of Color (BLOC) named SFSU College of Science & Engineering (CoSE) Dean Carmen Domingo as a BLOC100 Luminary. The honor recognizes 100 women of color and their allies for their meaningful contributions to biopharma, health care and life sciences.

05/07/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, May 11, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

Speaker: Prof. Xiangdong Zhu (UC Davis)

Let There Be light - Materials studies using linear optics that exploits various symmetries

When light is incident on a solid material, its electromagnetic fields drive electrons in the material so that the charge density changes accordingly. Those changes that vary linearly with the fields are linear optical responses. The re-radiation from these responses can be used to characterize the solid material in question. Most linear optical responses only cause small perturbations to light reflection and transmission, yet they reveal most interesting properties of the material. I will show how effects from these perturbative linear responses on optical reflection can be obtained using a simple perturbation treatment. And by taking advantage of symmetry properties that distinguish one material from another or one phase of a material from another phase of the same material, we can learn a great deal about materials using linear optical techniques.

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04/30/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, May 4, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

Speaker: Dr. Junze Zhou (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)

"Nanoimprinted Scanning Probe for Enhanced Spectroscopies and Nanoimaging on 2D Excitons and Plexcitons"

Optically active scanning probes simultaneously measure nanoscale topography and optical spectra with sub-diffraction spatial resolution. This capability is critical for elucidating how both intrinsic material properties and artificially engineered structures influence macroscopic functionality in low dimensional systems. In this talk, I will introduce a novel scanning probe fabricated using a cost-effective and scalable nanoimprinting approach, enabling correlated spatial, spectral, and temporal measurements in a single platform. I will then discuss how the nanoimprinted probe, together with tailored plasmonic cavities, enhances the optical response of 2D excitons in atomically thin materials, enabling probing dark excitons, strain-localized states, and the strong exciton-cavity interaction underlying plexciton formation.

04/17/2026

San Francisco State University
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series
Monday, April 20, 2026
SEIC 210, 3:30 PM

Speaker: Maureen Savage (UCSC Observatories)

"Science Instrument and Observatory Development - A perspective"

Perspectives on observatory and instrument development including work at San Francisco State University, NASA Ames Research Center, and UC Santa Cruz. Discussion of current existing and future projects to enhance observatory operations, as well as how SFSU physics and astronomy disciplines can enable support for critical emerging technologies in fusion power and space weather. I will include some details regarding the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), and UC Santa Cruz current projects for Keck (SCALES, the Keck Adaptive Secondary). I also hope to include information on the International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor (ITER) and a planned Space weather (small sat) project.

Address

1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA
94132

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

+14153381659

Website

http://physics.sfsu.edu/

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