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Gravitational wave

We are a leading research and education center whose members and graduates make positive contributions to science, the economy, and society.

We provide physics and astronomy students with rigorous problem-solving skills and analytical training to prepare them for STEM careers in academia, research, and industry.

Astronomy student looks through telescope in the observatory.

Visit Us On Campus

Planetary Hall at George Mason University Fairfax Campus

Our goal is to advance knowledge and promote scientific literacy through instruction, research, and outreach.

Our faculty and students collaborate with local and national research institutions, including the Naval Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NASA, the Jefferson Laboratory, and many others to push the boundaries of physics and astronomy research.

George Mason University student and alumna study space weather at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Why the Physics and Astronomy Department?

9%

BLS overall employment growth from 2018 - 2028 for physicists and astronomers.

1000+

The observatory allows over 1,000 people every year to view the cosmos and learn from experts.

8

Various research centers and facilities to explore your academic and research interests. 

Mason Physicist receives NSF CAREER Award for Quantum Cryptography Research, Outreach

In spring, 2019, George Mason University College of Science assistant professor Patrick Vora received a $557,230 National Science Foundation CAREER award to create technologies that enable unbreakable encryption protected by the laws of quantum mechanics.

Dr. Patrick Vora profile picture

News and Events

Upcoming Events

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Apr16

Pluto: Ice World Full of Surprises A Grand Tour of the Solar System

Apr 16, 2024, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Pluto: Ice World Full of Surprises A Grand Tour of the Solar System Purchase tickets Evening Lecture/Seminar Pluto is the largest known member of the Kuiper Belt, which contains an estimated 100,000 dwarf planets and is located just outside of Neptune’s orbit. This belt contains many worlds such as Pluto
Oct17

American Society for Intercellular Communication (ASIC)

Oct 17, 2024, 12:00 PM - Oct 19, 2024, 2:00 PM

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

The meeting is organized by a group of investigators seeking to create a platform for informal exchange of ideas on emerging questions and cutting-edge developments in the field of Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), Extracellular Particles (EPs), and particulate carriers of extracellular RNA (exRNA) as biological mediators, regulators and diagnostic analytes. Our