welcome ...

h i g h l i g h t

to the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The department traces its roots to pre-revolutionary times when it was a Department of Natural Philosophy. The department is housed in David Rittenhouse Laboratory, named after David Rittenhouse, FRS, a faculty member and trustee who served as Franklin's successor to the presidency of the American Philosophical Society.

recent news:

Walter SeloveWalter Selove

Walter Selove, an emeritus professor in our department, died on August 24, 2010 at the age of 88. Wally, as he was known to so many, started the high energy physics grant at Penn along with Sherman Frankel and Al Mann, sometime around 1957. He is well-known in experimental particle physics for discoveries in fixed target physics experiments (including the f0 resonance), particle detector technology (particularly with calorimetry), and B-physics. Wally was an important member of the high energy group and this department for over 50 years.

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