Physics | Penn Today

Microscopic image of ice with hexagonal linked shapes

A close look at thin ice

A pairing of theory and experiment led to discovering atomic-scale details of the growth of ice on surfaces, which can inform the design of materials that make ice removal simple and cheaper.

a series of three abstract and disordered patterns made of different geometric shapes

Researchers use a material’s ‘memory’ to encode unique physical properties

A new study shows that, as materials age, they “remember” prior stresses and external forces, which scientists and engineers can then use to create new materials with unique properties.

Drops of liquid crystal molecules branch out into strange structures

Shaped by surface tension and elasticity, spherical drops of chain-like liquid crystal molecules transform upon cooling into complex shapes with long-reaching tendrils.

a group of people seated at a circle of chairs talking to each other

Inspiring young women in STEM

Over two days, nearly two dozen female STEM role models at Penn welcomed more than 100 high school students and teachers to campus as part of the Girls Advancing in STEM (GAINS) Initiative Conference on campus.

nine spirals of yellow and white over a dark blue impressionist background, with darker lines of waves along the bottom of the image

Researchers create better light-trapping devices

A new study shows how the performance of optical resonators can be improved using topological physics, which can lead to more efficient lasers, sensors, and telecommunication devices.

four people standing in front of an optics table behind a tangle of wires in a lab in

Bringing ideas to life through experimental physics

Researchers in the lab of Liang Wu are generating data to gain a better understanding of the properties of quantum materials. Their fundamental research can lead to applications ranging from better optoelectronic devices to quantum computers.

a cluster of galaxies shown against a dark blue background, a faint darker ring can be seen around the center of the image

By the Numbers

By the Numbers: Dark matter

Key facts and figures about the unseen matter that remains one of cosmology’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

Summer aerospace research at the Jet Propulsion Lab

Senior Alex Ulin from Los Angeles spent the past two summers working at a NASA-contracted field center, and is now aiming for a career leading teams of aerospace scientists and engineers.

microscope images of polymer spheres that twist into elongated and twisted objects

Physicists look to navigational ‘rhumb lines’ to study polymer’s unique spindle structure

Researchers show how polymer spheres contract to form unique spiral structures known as loxodromes, or rhumb lines, creating patterns that are ten times smaller than the width of a human hair.

a person sitting at a microscope looking at a computer screen surrounded by pipet boxes, chemicals, and cabinetry

From the classroom to the lab and back again

Senior Adithya Sriram is busy earning two degrees, researching new applications for graphene, and preparing physics courses for students in West Philadelphia.

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