![Noureddine Melikechi headshot](/Images/Our%20Five%20Senses_tcm18-384694.jpg?w=s)
Physics and applied physics explore the universe we inhabit, from the infinitesimal to the infinite, from the quantum to the cosmic, by studying light, matter and energy.
Explore the Physics & Applied Physics Department
Research: Merging Technology with Science
Research lies at the heart of our department, with expenditures totaling over $10 million annually.
Work alongside our world-class faculty in a diverse array of experimental, computational and theoretical research as you prepare for stimulating careers in academia, industry and government.
![Two UMass Lowell physics students look at equipment in a classroom.](/Images/physics-2-males-looking-at-equipment-800_tcm18-345136.jpg?w=l)
Read our Merging Science with Technology: Research Programs Brochure (pdf)
Meet Our Students
![UMass Lowell student Albert Farah is seated at a desk while looking at a computer and tablet.](/Images/Albert-Farah-1400_tcm18-375238.jpg?w=m)
Albert Farah found multiple paid research experiences at UMass Lowell.
![Shanice Kelly works in a lab with another student](/Images/Shanice-kelly-env_tcm18-332707.jpg?w=m)
Shanice Kelly is a leader in multiple campus clubs because she wants to get more students of color involved in STEM, especially space science programs.
![Francesca Kamwa on a spiral staircase in the nuclear reactor at UMass Lowell](/Images/Francesa_Kamwa_1400_tcm18-349058.jpg?w=m)
Francesca Kamwa ’21 nearly dropped out when her father died. Thanks to support from UML faculty, she’s now applying to medical schools.
![Cassia Fontes wears a graduation cap while she floats in an inflatable tube in a water tank at UMass Lowell](/Images/Cassia_Fontes_1400_tcm18-368475.jpg?w=m)
Double River Hawk Cassia Fontes’ work with the Radiation Safety Office has set her apart in the job market.
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