The Department of Physics and Astronomy passionately pursues knowledge about the fundamental laws that govern the Universe and all that it contains. Our interdisciplinary research investigates how matter, forces, and energy interact and shape objects and environments; from our own direct surroundings here on Earth to the event horizon of black holes in the distant reaches of the Universe. We are as curious about the practical applications of physics to medicine and the environment as the fascinating physics behind the largest structures in the cosmos!