About the Department of Physics and Astronomy

The department carries out world-class research and education in both theoretical and experimental physics and has wide-ranging interaction with the outside world. The department is highly placed in international rankings and Nobel prizes have been awarded to Manne Siegbahn and Kai Siegbahn.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is located at Ångström laboratory and is one of the largest departments at Uppsala University with about 400 employees, of which roughly 120 are PhD students. The department is part of the Physics Section of the Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, one of three such disciplinary domains within Uppsala University.
The department was formed on the 1st of January 2010, combining the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Physics and Materials Science.
Organisational structure and Manangement
The department is led by a head of department and a department board. The head of department is supported by a management team. The department board is supported by a strategy committee.
The department is administratively organised in twelve divisions, led by division heads with delegated staff and management responsibilities, and is a part of Uppsala University’s line organisation.
In addition, there is an administrative division, with responsibility for finances, HR and service, led by an administrative manager, and an undergraduate studies division, led by the directors of undergraduate studies.
The Research at the department is organised in 14 research programmes led by Program Manager Professors.
At the department there is also four units. The 14 research programmes are thematically divided in three research units and the three infrastructure divisions at the department are gathered in an infrastructure unit.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy has a number of staff recognised as Distinguished University Teachers and there is an extensive pedagogical quality work ongoing at the Department.
Approximately 2 500 students take courses at basic and advanced levels at the department. The department hosts several degree programmes and gives many courses at basic, advanced, and postgraduate level. The undergraduate education is led by directors of undergraduate studies and by programme managers for the educational programmes. The department also offers a Science and Technology Foundation Year Programme and Contract Education Studies.
Postgraduate education is led by the Director of Postgraduate Studies, and for each specific subject area there is a responsible professor.