Department of Physics & Astronomy College of Science

Our Culture

The University of Utah's Department of Physics & Astronomy is committed to pursuing key science questions within an inclusive academic community; to training and diversifying the next generation of researchers, educators, and technology workforce leaders; and to inspiring an appreciation for knowledge in students and the wider community.

To this end, the department is committed to improving equity and inclusiveness among our students, staff, and faculty by:

• • Providing an environment for all individuals, including those from underrepresented groups, to excel in their academic and professional development.
  • Providing a community in which all members (students, staff, and faculty) are expected to interact respectfully with each other and the public.
  • Increasing the diversity of our faculty, staff, and students by recruiting and retaining members of underrepresented groups, particularly those underrepresented in the department and in the physics and astronomy community nationwide.

A departmental Committee for Diversity and Inclusion oversees many of our efforts and reviews policies and procedures for inclusivity. The department sponsors two student groups that focus on education and action related to gender issues in science. They also support our minority students in a variety of ways. The department awards a Diversity Scholarship each year for "students demonstrating exceptional commitment to the advancement of women and underrepresented groups in the fields of physics and astronomy." The department also sponsors a number of scholarships of $10,000 each to students from underrepresented groups to supplement their stipend in the first academic year of their graduate study. Many of our departmental outreach events concern the pipeline from K-12 to college with the goal of improving access for potential first-generation college students and students from resource-challenged schools.