NIU Physics

Welcome! It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Northern Illinois University Department of Physics Facebook Site. Vishnu Zutshi
Department Chair

We would be pleased to provide you with additional information about our department, programs, or people. You may contact us by phone at (815)753-1772, by FAX at (815)753-8565, or by email at [email protected] . NIU is located near Fermilab and Argonne and most faculty, and a large number of undergraduate and graduate students, are involved in research at these two national laboratories. NIU's physics graduate program was recently ranked in the upper 40% among U.S. universities and concentrates on research in materials science, nanoscience, accelerator physics, and particle physics.

08/18/2026

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08/11/2026

This Wednesday will be the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower! While the observatory will be open from 9-11 for our public hours, we are NOT the best place to view a meteor shower! Meteors can be seen across the entire sky, while the telescope is great for focusing in on one particular spot. The best way to view the shower is to find a nice open space with lots of clear, dark sky and bring a blanket and pillow (and a beverage of your choice) so you can lie back to see the entire sky. The new moon means it will be nice and dark but it does look like we'll have some cloud cover, especially after midnight. Hopefully everyone gets a chance to see at least a few good ones!

07/30/2026

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of hosting 20 high school students for a Physics camp here on campus. We spent the week learning about NIU's involvement in international research projects, visiting Fermilab for a day, making holograms, and creating our own cloud chamber particle detectors. Everyone had a a great time learning about the exciting world of Physics, and we hope to have a few new Huskies joining the dept soon!

07/06/2026

NIU Physics doctoral student Dorcas Joseph has been selected as a 2026-27 Student Ambassador for the American Physical Society, a prestigious leadership role. https://bit.ly/4uIlJOu

05/12/2026

NIU professors, alumni from physics and engineering share in $3 million Breakthrough Prize

05/04/2026

May the Fourth be with you!

04/30/2026

Fermilab and Northern Illinois University are joining forces to offer a unique Master of Science in Physics program specializing in quantum science and technology. This innovative graduate program combines the expertise of a DOE national laboratory quantum center and a prominent state university to....

02/22/2026

Quantum Entanglement Takes 232 Attoseconds to Form, Not Instantaneous

Scientists at TU Wien have discovered that quantum entanglement—the mysterious connection between particles—does not occur instantly. Instead, it develops over a measurable period of 232 attoseconds (1 attosecond = 10⁻¹⁸ seconds).

Using ultra-precise laser pulses to eject electrons from atoms, researchers were able to observe the gradual formation of correlations between particles. This “attosecond heartbeat” shows that even the fastest quantum processes have distinct, measurable stages.

The finding challenges the long-held assumption that entanglement is instantaneous and could have important implications for quantum computing, secure communication, and the fundamental understanding of quantum mechanics.

Source: TU Wien Research, 2026

02/14/2026

Happy Valentine's day everyone!

Address

202 La Tourette Hall, NIU
Dekalb, IL
60115

Telephone

+18157531772

Website

http://www.niu.edu/physics/

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