I am pleased to inform you that Waterloo’s Department of Physics and Astronomy is ranked number one in Canada and number 38 in the world by the 2024 Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. This continues our department’s steep upward trajectory in the world rankings over the past decade and places us among the elite departments in the world. This honour is a tribute to hard work by world-class faculty, staff, and students performing research and teaching of the highest order, all enabled by a sharp, dedicated, and efficient administrative staff.
- Rank of Physics & Astronomy in undergraduate enrolment (2019-2020) in North America: 4
- Top four ranking institutions in undergraduate Physics & Astronomy enrolment in North America: U. Washington (208), Illinois Urbana-Champaign (146), California, Berkeley (145), U. Waterloo (140)
- Rank of Physics & Astronomy in graduate enrolment (2020) in North America: 5
- Top five ranking institutions in North America in graduate physics enrolment: Illinois Urbana-Champaign (324), Colorado, Boulder (309), California, Berkeley (274), MIT (262), Waterloo (255)
- Number of international Physics undergraduates at Waterloo in 2021-2022: 207
- Number of incoming undergraduate women physics majors at Waterloo in 2022: 60
Waterloo is an exciting and welcoming place to learn and do research in Physics and Astrophysics. Evidently that view is widely shared. If you are considering us, visit and give us a look. Let us convince you to come to Waterloo.
Brian McNamara
Chair, Physics & Astronomy
News
Lasering in on Experimental Physics Education
Josh Crone, an undergraduate lab development specialist at the University of Waterloo, recently scored a win in the 2023 Gentec-EO Laser Lab Awards. This global competition is dedicated to enhancing optics labs in educational institutions, ensuring students have access to industry-leading measurement instruments. Collaborating with Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland, Crone paved the way for the win by developing a compelling narrative on how this equipment would benefit physics education at Waterloo.
Donna Strickland receives Gold Medal from the CSIC
In a ceremony in Madrid, Spain, Noble Prize winner Donna Strickland received a Gold Medal from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the highest distinction granted by the organization.
Waterloo Science welcomes three Banting Fellowship recipients
University of Waterloo, the Faculty of Science celebrates three new Banting Fellows, which includes Saraswati Saraswati from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.