About the Chapter

The Department of Physics at H.U. has offered the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Physics for over 35 years and the Master of Science (M.S.) for over 20 years. A new Ph.D. program in physics was established in 1990, which was the first doctoral program at H.U. in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In 1997, the first doctoral students graduated from Hampton University with Ph.D. degrees in physics. The Department of Physics is currently graduating 2-3 doctoral students each year. On average, there are approximately 15-20 undergraduate students and 30-35 graduate students in the Department. Currently, teaching and research is carried out by 14 regular faculty members and 24 research faculty/postdoctoral associates working in four different research areas including nanomaterials physics, nuclear physics, optics & photonics, atmospheric sciences, and medical physics.

The Society of Physics Students is strongly involved with campus activities, community service, tutorial programs and outreach to middle and high schools. We have consistently mentored high school students, assisted them with college applications and scholarship searches, and helped with SAT preparation. The Physics Department always has the most innovative booth at the annual high school day where different high schools visit Hampton University as prospective students. Our students have been very good mentors, starting from the graduate students down to the freshmen.

The students at Hampton are heavily involved with research, a number of them working at the Thomas Jefferson Accelerator Facility, NASA Langley Research Center and others even traveling to CERN every so often to collect data. The amount of research at Hampton affords every undergraduate to experience different fields, try something and see if they like it. Most student graduate with several publications and numerous conference presentations locally, nationally and internationally. Some of the places the students have presented their research would be at APS, AAPT, NSBP, NASA, and many more. Quite a number of students have received awards for the achievements and conducting research and presentation.

Message from the Vice President

My name is Moogega Cooper, and I am the Vice President of the Hampton University chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma National Physics Honor Society. The Physics Department has facilitated as a home base for relaying ideas and events (besides the internet, of course!) through our network of mailboxes and friendly faces. The faculty, staff, and students of the department have ameliorated the occasional trying duties as an officer. My roles as Vice President include maintaining the active status of the society in the Student Affairs office and I am a liaison between the organization and interested students. Holding this position is beneficial to advance my studies, because it allows my leadership experience and methodology to grow and develop while I am still in the Petri dish that is college. For my future career, which involves becoming an astronaut and a research physicist, it is imperative that I have the knowledge of planning and implementation methods. The Hampton University Department of Physics and my roles in Sigma Pi Sigma is truly an asset to my future. The Physics department at Hampton may be small, but great dreams come out of it.

Awards

In 2005, one of the graduating seniors, Mr. Peter Muhoro, was awarded the Hampton University President's Award Cup for outstanding achievement at Hampton University during his time. Ms. Moogega Cooper placed as runner-up at the Miss Hampton University beauty pageant. This has shown that not only are our physics students bright and great scholars, but they are also well-rounded. Ms. Leslie Upton, a freshman, was awarded a prize for future Nobel Prize winner.