HBCU Physics Department Spotlight

February 23, 2026 - Grambling State University

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:26:28 GMT

Grambling State University – Department of Mathematics and Physics
Posted By Dr. Naidu Seetala, Head of the department.

Overview: Grambling State University (GSU) was founded in 1901 and operated as an open admission university until 2007. GSU is a comprehensive institution that offers baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree programs. GSU offers STEM degree programs in Biology, Chemistry, Cloud Computing, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering Technology, and Mathematics & Physics, all at the undergraduate level. One STEM undergraduate certificate program is offered in Data Analytics. The Mathematics and Physics Program at GSU is established in 2012 by combining mathematics and physics programs and it is the only program in the state of Louisiana that offers a combined degree in Bachelor of Mathematics and Physics. It offers four tracks: a core in Mathematics and Physics; a concentration in Biomedical Sciences; a concentration in Material Science; and a concentration in Actuarial Science. 1) The core prepares the students for graduate schools in Applied Mathematics, traditional Mathematics or Physics graduate programs. In addition, more and more openings for people with a strong mathematics background in the areas such as stock market, marketing strategies, cyber security, and risk management among others. Also, the combined Mathematics and Physics degree helps for entering students to earn engineering degrees. 2) The concentration in Biomedical Sciences at the undergraduate level is a new trend. The current trend, across the nation, is to offer Ph.D. and master's degrees in biomedical sciences. This concentration supports the nationwide trend to fulfill the workforce required in health-related areas by providing a strong foundation in mathematics and basic sciences (physics, biology and chemistry) needed for MCAT preparation or for Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. 3) The concentration in Materials Science provides an opportunity to study materials using a core of courses in physics, and a select set of courses in engineering technology and chemistry. It prepares students for continued study of material science in graduate school or to pursue a career in manufacturing, engineering, and nanoscience among others. 4) The concentration in Actuarial Science has been developed in close coordination with the College of Business. It provides an opportunity to become an actuary by incorporating additional courses in statistics, mathematics of finance, economics, finance, and elective courses in accounting, business, mathematics, and computer science. Actuaries are in high demand from financial institutions such as insurance companies, banks, hedge funds, and other financial institutions. The department has 12 regular faculty and 6 temporary/adjunct faculty with close to 40 majors.

Research: The department has been receiving federal and state grants funding for research from NSF, NASA, AFRL, DOE, ONR, NIH etc. and the research topics include: 1) Ultra-high-temperature ceramic composite materials, 2) Materials synthesis using additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing and laser heat treatments 3) Nano-enhanced armor protection material such as B4C-CNT and materials for blast and fragmentation protection such as CNT/nanoclay enforced polyurea. 4) Polyimide-carbon nanotube composites for a variety of aerospace applications. 5) Chemical ordering of FePt/FeRh nanoparticles for magnetic recording/storage media applications. 6) Nanoparticle mixed alcohol catalysts to produce synthesis gas. 7) Metal nanoparticle synthesis by laser ablation in liquids. 8) Optical properties using photoluminescence (PL). 9) high density quantum dots (QDs)and nanowires. 10) application of collimating polycarpellary x-ray optics in X-ray Lithography and Imaging. 11) Quantum Optics and Mathematical Photonics. 12) Mathematical Biology, Machine Learning, Dynamical System.

Mathematics and Physics department has research capabilities to study nano-porosity in polymers and vacancy defects in metals using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, microstructures and elemental analysis using SEM/EDX system, crystal phase composition and nanoparticle size analysis using XRD, magnetization studies using VSM, micro-hardness analysis, laser spectrometer with lock-in amplifier to obtain the emission spectra from nanocrystals. This spectrometer system has the capability of detecting very weak signal, less than two (2) femtowatts (fW) between 320 and 1,100 nm and less than 8 fW between 800 and 1,700 nm range. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) system to study the nanoparticles integrations with host material. Currently our diode laser systems are used to produce melting of metallic powders. Recently we acquired a new pulsed (microseconds) laser system and in the process of acquiring nanosecond (7 ns) Diode Pumped Solid State (DPSS) system of 100 micro-Joule range.

Prominent Alumni: Dr. Willie Rockward, Head of the Department of Physics, Morgan State University; Dr. Donald Lyons - Endowed Professor of Physics/Director of the Research Center for Optical Physics (retired), Hampton University; Dr. Matthew Ware, Head of the Department of Physics GSU (retired); Dr. Lenward Seals - Optical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Instrument Systems and Technology Division; Dr. Curtis Banks – Scientist, Marshall Space Flight Center; Dr. JoAnn Scales - Associate Provost Academics, Wiley University, Marshall, TX; Dr. Bryan Wallace - Dean of Graduate Studies, Fisk University; Dr. Jonah Flowers, OD, Associate Chair of Family Medicine, Edward Via Collage of Osteopathic Medicine; Dr. Gabriel R. Burks - Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame; Dr. Constance Meadors – Scientist, NASA Office of STEM Engagement; Dr. Michelle B. Lee - LANL Health Physicist, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Ms. Jessica A. Harris - Director of Communications & Conference Programming Liaison, Washington DC.

If you are interested in learning more about our department or be involved, contact Dr. Naidu Seetala, Chair (naidusv @ gram.edu).

February 9, 2026 - Benedict College

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:35:41 GMT

Profile: Benedict College Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Health Science

Benedict College’s Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Health Science is housed within the School of Science and Engineering. The department offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Health Science, as well as minors in Chemistry and Physics. Small class sizes, a rigorous curriculum, and a hands-on approach to learning prepare students for success in industry, government agencies, and graduate or professional schools. Scholars at Benedict College actively engage in faculty-mentored, cutting-edge research during the School of Science and Engineering’s Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI). Faculty and student researchers also collaborate with faculty from the University of South Carolina and other institutions.

Current and ongoing research areas in Physics include:

Discovering and optimizing thermoelectric materials with higher figures of merit
Intense laser–matter interaction in plasma and nano-plasma
Modeling X-ray laser pulses interacting with atomic clusters
Theory and simulation in magnetic fusion energy science
Quantum computing, machine learning, and data science
Design and synthesis of fluorescent molecular probes for environmental and biological analytes
Combinatorial synthesis of antifungal and antibacterial organic compounds
Materials science and renewable energy research focused on fuel cells, batteries, and catalysis

Undergraduate Physics majors have the opportunity to participate in the following extracurricular clubs and activities:

NSBE Chapter- STEM outreach and travel to conferences
Robotics Club- build, test, and deploy BlueBoat, SeaPerch, and other platforms
SURI- annual 8-week summer research program for Benedict STEM undergraduates

Picture captions:

Picture 1: SURI 2025 Poster Session, Benedict College

Picture 2: Benedict College Robotics Club at the FIRST Robotics Symposium held in November 2024

February 6, 2026 - South Carolina State University Physics Program

Fri, 6 Feb 2026 19:42:05 GMT

South Carolina State University Physics Program

The Physics Program is part of the Department of Biological & Physical Sciences. Currently, there are three tenured faculty and one full time adjunct. The number of physics majors declined after 2008, concurrent with a steep drop in enrollment at the university. The number of majors has slowly rebounded from single digits to currently 15 students. In addition to the standard physics B.S. degree, offerings include B.S. in physics with options (concentrations) in medical physics, health physics, and astronomy. Physics with a concentration in engineering is currently being prepared for approval. Additionally, SCSU and Clemson’s physics programs have a Memorandum of Agreement that allows physics students to earn their B.S. at SCSU and an M.S. in physics from Clemson in only five years and a summer.

Faculty-led research in the fields of astrophysics and nuclear physics heavily involve undergraduates. The nuclear physics faculty member includes collaborations with MIT, Michigan State University (MSU) and others with recent and future beam time on the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at MSU. Astronomers in the department have several collaborations including one with scientists using data from the recently commissioned LSST telescope at the Rubin Observatory in Chile. As a member of the South Carolina Space Grant Consortium, the faculty and students are engaged in numerous outreach activities. Some of the more exciting events have resulted from the fortuitous location of the SCSU campus in the path of totality of the Great American Eclipse of August 2017 and again during the partial solar eclipse passing through in April 2024.
If you are interested in learning more about the SCSU Physics program or to be involved, visit https://scsu.edu/academics/programs/physics.php and contact the Physics Academic Program Coordinator, Dr. Donald Walter (dwalter@scsu.edu).

Photo 1:
Physics majors Andrew Johnson (left) and Christina Jones (right) at the physics table on the SCSU Student Plaza during the partial solar eclipse in April 2024 demonstrating a small solar powered motor.

Photo 2:
A group of SCSU physics majors, minors and faculty members toured the Levine Cancer Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, in April 2025. They are standing next to the only proton beam therapy instrument in the Carolinas.

February 1, 2026 - Virginia Union University

Sun, 1 Feb 2026 21:04:18 GMT

The American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) founded the school in 1865 shortly after Union troops took control of Richmond, Virginia, at the end of the American Civil War. The college became the first academic library at an HBCU, building the library in 1865 the same year the college was established. Members of the ABHMS proposed a National Theological Institute to educate freedmen wishing to enter the Baptist ministry. Soon the proposed mission was expanded to offer courses and programs at college, high school, and preparatory levels, to both men and women. Separate branches of the National Theological Institute were set up in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, with classes beginning in 1867. In Richmond, the efforts were more difficult. Beginning in 1867, Colver Institute, a VUU predecessor school, was housed in a building long known as Lumpkin's Jail, a former "slave jail" owned by Mary Ann Lumpkin, the African-American widow of the deceased white owner. In 1899, the Richmond Theological Institute (formerly Colver Institute) joined with Wayland Seminary of Washington to form Virginia Union University at Richmond. In 1932, the women's college Hartshorn Memorial College, established in Richmond in 1883, became a part of Virginia Union University. Storer College, a historically black Baptist college in West Virginia (founded in 1867), merged its endowment with Virginia Union in 1964. Famous students there included Dr. Booker T. Washington and Dr. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. VUU Physics Department was established in the late 50s, but was shut down in 2013. Thanks to herculean efforts, it was brought back in 2017. It is currently housed in the Department of Natural Sciences of the School of Arts and Sciences with three faculty conducting research in three areas: intermediate energy regime at the nearby Department of Energy funded Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility with Dr. Narbe Kalantarians, STEM education in Dr. Trina Coleman, and Atmospheric Science collaborating with the National Aeronautical and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with Dr. Francis Mensah who also serve as the Chair of the Department. They serve a total of 10 undergraduate students. Dr. Coleman obtained her PhD in theoretical nuclear physics and is one of only 100 Black women physicists and 5 nuclear physicists!

February 2, 2026 - Xavier University

Tue, 3 Feb 2026 22:16:03 GMT

Xavier’s origins date back to 1915, when then Mother Katharine Drexel, a former Philadelphia socialite who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and devoted her life to the education of African Americans and Native Americans, opened a high school on the site previously occupied by Southern University. A Normal School, offering one of the few career fields (teaching) open to Blacks at the time, was added two years later. Ten years later, in 1925, Xavier University of Louisiana became a reality when the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences was established. The first degrees were awarded three years later.

The Department of Physics and Engineering is in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students electing physics as a major can obtain a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. The B.S. is designed to prepare students for a career as a physicist while the B.A. is for further study and work in such fields as medicine, law, physical chemistry, biophysics, business administration, psychology, education, and many others. Xavier also has dual-degree programs combining Physics with Civil, Electrical, Environmental or Mechanical Engineering. These are 3-2 programs where the student spends 3 years at Xavier studying both Physics and Engineering, then goes to an Engineering school for 2 years. In the end, the student will have a Physics degree from Xavier and an Engineering degree from the Engineering school. We also have a 4-year degree program in Robotics and Mechatronic Engineering. This degree can be completed entirely at Xavier.

If you are interested in learning more the Physics and Engineering Department Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Freddie Landry (flandry @ xula.edu).

February 28, 2025 - Lane College

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 22:03:57 GMT

The enterprise of building a school in Tennessee was conceived as early as November 1878 at the Colored Methodist Episcopal (CME) denomination’s Tennessee Annual Conference. A pivotal moment of the Conference occurred when Reverend J.K. Daniels presented a resolution to establish a Tennessee school. Amid much applause, the resolution was adopted, and a committee was appointed to solicit means to purchase a site. Due to the great yellow fever epidemic of 1878, the committee’s work was hindered. However, when Bishop Isaac Lane was appointed to preside over the Tennessee Conference in 1879, there was a turning point: he met with the committee, gave advice to help formulate plans for the founding of what would be called the CME High School. On November 12, 1882, the CME High School began its first session under the guidance of its first principal and teacher, Miss Jennie E. Lane, daughter of Founder Isaac Lane. The school’s name was changed in 1884 to Lane Institute in acknowledgement of Bishop Lane’s vigorous work in establishing the school, chartered under the laws of the State of Tennessee. In 1896 its name was changed to Lane College. During that time the curriculum was broaden into the classical, the natural and physical sciences, and mathematics.

The Department of Physics is housed under the Division of Natural and Physical Science. It offers a B.Sc. in physics to train students in basic principles and theories of physics, develop essential skills such as critical thinking, logical reasoning, problem analysis and solution, and the techniques in experimental physics, that are necessary for success in graduate and professional schools and for careers in industry and teaching, and appreciate and understand the significance of the principles of physics in daily lives.

Most recently, Lane College has partnered with the two other degree granting physics departments at Fisk University and Tennessee State University along with the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to offer summer internships in fusion energy at ORNL under the Department of Energy FES-RENEW grant “Partnering to Improve Diversity in the Fusion Workforce.”

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Nicholas Wolff, Chair (nwolff@lanecollege.edu).

February 27, 2025 - Texas Southern University

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 14:18:23 GMT

On September 14, 1927, the Houston Public School Board agreed to fund the development of two junior colleges: one for whites and one for African-Americans. With a loan from the Houston Public School Board, the Colored Junior College was born in the summer of 1927 under the supervision of the Houston School District. It was established to provide an opportunity for African-Americans to receive college training. The Junior College progressed so fast that by 1931, it became a member of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges. In the summer of 1934, the Houston School Board changed the Junior College to a four-year college and the name to Houston College for Negroes. In the fall of 1946, the college moved from Jack Yates High School to its first building, the new T.M. Fairchild Building, which still operates as an active building in the university's facilities inventory. On June 14, 1947, the decision was made to use the site of Houston College for Negroes, with its new campus at the center of a large and fast growing black population leading to a new law school for Negroes of Texas and the birth of Texas State University for Negroes. On June 1, 1951, the name of this new university for Negroes was changed from Texas State University for Negroes to Texas Southern University after students petitioned the state legislature to remove the phrase "for Negroes."

The Department of Physics is located in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology. It offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Physics in two concentrations: (1) Engineering Physics and (2) Pre-medical Physics. The goal of the undergraduate physics program is to help students develop learning skills, problem solving techniques and professional ethics and attitudes that will support their further academic work or future employment in their technical or biomedical career of choice, through the study of physics. The program is part of the Texas Physics Consortium (TPC) and is composed of and sustained by 7 member institutions including TSU. Students can interact with peers and professors from universities around Texas to have more research opportunities. The B.S. degree in physics is issued under the authority of the Texas A&M University (TAMU) system which governs the TPC. In effect, the coupling of TSU physics with the TAMU system provides a solid foundation in physics which is required for contemporary applications such as, medical physics, material science, biophysics, optics and photonics, patent law and quantum computers, to name just a few.

The Department of Physics has significant resources on site to assist students and ensure their success through various laboratories that include a High Performance Computing Lab, a Radio Astronomy Lab and two Radiation Detection Labs. The faculty of the Department of Physics conducts research in the areas of Astrophysics, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Computational Physics, High Energy Nuclear Physics and Radiation Health Physics.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Victor Migenes, Interim Chair (victor.migenes@tsu.edu).

February 26, 2025 - Morehouse College

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 14:16:40 GMT

On February 14, 1867, Augusta Institute was founded at Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, GA, by the Rev. William Jefferson White, with the Rev. Richard C. Coulter and the Rev. Edmund Turney. In 1879 the Institute moves to Atlanta’s Friendship Baptist Church and became Atlanta Baptist Seminary which was changed to Atlanta Baptist College in 1897. In 1913 Atlanta Baptist College changes its name to Morehouse College to honor Henry Lyman Morehouse, corresponding secretary of American Baptist Home Mission. Sixteen years later, in 1929, the Atlanta University Affiliation is established with Morehouse, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University, later called the Atlanta University Center consortium (AUC) that is still used today. In 1948 the Martin Luther King Jr. graduates from Morehouse.

The Department of Physics at Morehouse College offers a BS in physics in six concentrations: astronomy, computational physics, interdisciplinary science (applied optics route), interdisciplinary science (biomedical physics route), physics education, and applications to society (law and politics route).

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Wesley Sims, Interim Chair (wesley.sims@morehouse.edu).

February 25, 2025 - Prairie View A&M University

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 14:10:09 GMT

Prairie View A&M University is the second oldest public institution of higher education in Texas and the first state supported College in Texas for African Americans. It was established during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. The University had its beginnings in the Texas Constitution of 1876, which, in separate articles, established an “Agricultural and Mechanical College” and pledged that “Separate schools shall be provided for the white and colored children, and impartial provisions shall be made for both.” As a consequence of these constitutional provisions, the Fifteenth Legislature established “Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth” on August 14,1876. After changing its names numerous times over the years until the Sixty-third Legislature in 1973 that changed the name to its current “Prairie View A&M University”.

The Department of Physics motto is "Stimulating the Minds of Today to become the Innovators of Tomorrow”. It is part of the Texas Physics Consortium which includes nine Texas institutions that together offer the bachelor of science degree in Physics. The Department houses state of the art research and instructional labs available for its students, and is proud to have an excellent student-to-faculty ratio. In addition, students get valuable mentoring from a dedicated faculty whose goal is to ensure that each student develops to their full potential.

The faculty in the Department are involved in various research projects under its NASA Center for Applied Radiation Research, Solar Observatory and its partnership with the Bureau of Economic Geology. Students projects span across physics and engineering topics such as geophysics, planetary science, nuclear physics, optics, computer simulation for space exploration and radiation belts effects, integrated circuits, electronic and magnetic properties of single crystal anisotropic organic conductors, electronics of devices and sensors to name a few.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Kevin Storr, Physics Chair (kastorr@pvamu.edu).

February 24, 2025 - Florida A&M University

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:52:38 GMT

In 1884, Thomas Van Renssaler Gibbs, a Duval County educator, was elected to the Florida legislature. Although his political career ended abruptly because of the resurgence of segregation, Representative Gibbs was successful in orchestrating the passage of House Bill 133 in 1884. This bill established a white normal school in Gainesville and a school for African Americans in Jacksonville. The bill passed, creating both institutions; however, the state decided to relocate the school for African Americans to Tallahassee which was then officially founded on October 3, 1887. The State Normal College for Colored Students became Florida’s land grant institution for African Americans, and its name was changed to the State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students. In 1909 the name was changed again from The State Normal College for Colored Students to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes (FAMC). In the early fifties, the Florida legislature elevated the College to university status, and in 1953, Florida A&M College became Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

The Department of Physics at FAMU is housed under the College of Science and Technology. It offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, a graduate Master of Science (M.S.) degree, and a graduate Ph.D. degree in Physics. Its research facilities and equipment include, but are not limited to: a sixteen-inch telescope with internet access installed in the FAMU Observatory atop Jones Hall science building, The Center for Plasma Science & Technology (a research laboratory located in the Leon County Innovation Park to conduct research in plasma, laser, and computational physics), four research laboratories in the Humphries Research Center on the main FAMU campus where faculty and students conduct research in detector physics, laser-based electron acceleration, X-pinch fusion research, and computational atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics. The Department has also a dedicated material science laboratory for advanced characterizations and offers one of a few Bachelor of Science in Physics Education at HBCUs that provides a Teacher Certification option to prepare students to teach physics and related science courses in grades K-12.

In addition to basic research, the Department includes an applied physics option that prepares students to pursue a more diversified career in many science-related areas such as computers, the environment, management, government agencies, and research laboratories. Students take courses in business and management, computer science, and humanities to assist in their future careers.

In the Fall 2001, a Ph.D. Program in Physics started, making it one of only five HBCUs that offer such doctoral degree. The primary objective of the Ph.D. program in Physics is to provide talented graduate students with a rigorous academic environment in which to conduct research and to develop the analytical, empirical, and leadership skills required for mathematical, scientific, and technological careers. The Department is comprised of fifteen faculty members committed to excellence in research. The faculty conducts experimental research in the areas of: axion and astrophysical particle detection, high energy physics, laser ablation, laser interactions with matter, nanomaterial growth and properties, plasma physics and theoretical research, atomic and molecular scattering, electronic and structural properties of carbon, numerical algorithms and optimization methods, and quantum theory on manifolds.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Bidhan C. Saha, Interim Chair (bidhan.saha@famu.edu).

February 23, 2025 - Grambling State University

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 00:43:27 GMT

Grambling State University – Department of Mathematics and Physics
Author By Dr. Naidu Seetala, Head of the Department

Overview: Grambling State University (GSU) was founded in 1901 and operated as an open admission university until 2007. GSU is a comprehensive institution that offers baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree programs. GSU offers STEM degree programs in Biology, Chemistry, Cloud Computing, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering Technology, and Mathematics & Physics, all at the undergraduate level. One STEM undergraduate certificate program is offered in Data Analytics. The Mathematics and Physics Program at GSU is established in 2012 by combining mathematics and physics programs and it is the only program in the state of Louisiana that offers a combined degree in Bachelor of Mathematics and Physics. It offers four tracks: a core in Mathematics and Physics; a concentration in Biomedical Sciences; a concentration in Material Science; and a concentration in Actuarial Science. 1) The core prepares the students for graduate schools in Applied Mathematics, traditional Mathematics or Physics graduate programs. In addition, more and more openings for people with a strong mathematics background in the areas such as stock market, marketing strategies, cyber security, and risk management among others. Also, the combined Mathematics and Physics degree helps for entering students to earn engineering degrees. 2) The concentration in Biomedical Sciences at the undergraduate level is a new trend. The current trend, across the nation, is to offer Ph.D. and master's degrees in biomedical sciences. This concentration supports the nationwide trend to fulfill the workforce required in health-related areas by providing a strong foundation in mathematics and basic sciences (physics, biology and chemistry) needed for MCAT preparation or for Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. 3) The concentration in Materials Science provides an opportunity to study materials using a core of courses in physics, and a select set of courses in engineering technology and chemistry. It prepares students for continued study of material science in graduate school or to pursue a career in manufacturing, engineering, and nanoscience among others. 4) The concentration in Actuarial Science has been developed in close coordination with the College of Business. It provides an opportunity to become an actuary by incorporating additional courses in statistics, mathematics of finance, economics, finance, and elective courses in accounting, business, mathematics, and computer science. Actuaries are in high demand from financial institutions such as insurance companies, banks, hedge funds, and other financial institutions. The department has 12 regular faculty and 6 temporary/adjunct faculty with close to 40 majors.

Research: The department has been receiving federal and state grants funding for research from NSF, NASA, AFRL, DOE, ONR, NIH etc. and the research topics include: 1) Ultra-high-temperature ceramic composite materials, 2) Materials synthesis using additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing and laser heat treatments 3) Nano-enhanced armor protection material such as B4C-CNT and materials for blast and fragmentation protection such as CNT/nanoclay enforced polyurea. 4) Polyimide-carbon nanotube composites for a variety of aerospace applications. 5) Chemical ordering of FePt/FeRh nanoparticles for magnetic recording/storage media applications. 6) Nanoparticle mixed alcohol catalysts to produce synthesis gas. 7) Metal nanoparticle synthesis by laser ablation in liquids. 8) Optical properties using photoluminescence (PL). 9) high density quantum dots (QDs)and nanowires. 10) application of collimating polycarpellary x-ray optics in X-ray Lithography and Imaging. 11) Quantum Optics and Mathematical Photonics. 12) Mathematical Biology, Machine Learning, Dynamical System.

Prominent Alumni: Dr. Willie Rockward, Head of the Department of Physics, Morgan State University; Dr. Donald Lyons - Endowed Professor of Physics/Director of the Research Center for Optical Physics (retired), Hampton University; Dr. Matthew Ware, Head of the Department of Physics GSU (retired); Dr. Lenward Seals - Optical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Instrument Systems and Technology Division; Dr. Curtis Banks – Scientist, Marshall Space Flight Center; Dr. JoAnn Scales - Associate Provost Academics, Wiley University, Marshall, TX; Dr. Bryan Wallace - Dean of Graduate Studies, Fisk University; Dr. Jonah Flowers, OD, Associate Chair of Family Medicine, Edward Via Collage of Osteopathic Medicine; Dr. Gabriel R. Burks - Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame; Dr. Constance Meadors – Scientist, NASA Office of STEM Engagement; Dr. Michelle B. Lee - LANL Health Physicist, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Ms. Jessica A. Harris - Director of Communications & Conference Programming Liaison, Washington DC.

February 22, 2025 - Lincoln University in PA

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 00:30:16 GMT

After serving as a missionary and preaching to the slaves in Georgia, John Miller Dickey became pastor of the Oxford Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Pennsylvania, in 1832 where his father was a minister. In October 1853, the Presbytery of New Castle approved Dickey’s plan for the establishment of “an institution to be called Ashmun Institute, for the scientific, classical and theological education of colored youth of the male sex” known as The Ashmun Institute which received its charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on April 29, 1854, making it the nation's first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU). On April 4, 1866, the institution was re-named Lincoln University in honor of President Abraham Lincoln. The Department Chemistry and Physics at Lincoln University offers a BS and BA degree in physics, in a program designed to prepare you to understand essential concepts in science, engineering, and technology. With a strong foundation in math and scientific principles, this degree can prepare you for careers in engineering, industry, aerodynamics, and more. We also offer an engineering science BS degree if you're looking to put your study of science to practical use. Students study alongside passionate students and learn from a dedicated and highly qualified faculty who are eager to share their passion for these scientific fields. Many of the graduates from our department hold important job positions in the government, the sciences, academia, and several different industries. After you graduate, you'll be ready to take your place among them and use what you've learned to build your own career and impact your community. Students have the opportunity to conduct research in theoretical condensed matter physics (strongly correlated electron systems, high temperature superconductivity, plasmons, carbon nanotubes and quantum dots), astrophysics and cosmology (cosmic background, active galactic nuclei, and galaxy cluster gases) If you are interested in learning more about our Department or being involved, contact Dr. Carla Gallagher, Interim Chair (cgallagher@lincoln.edu).

February 21, 2025 - Lincoln University Missouri

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 00:28:20 GMT

As the American Civil War drew to a close in 1865, two regiments of emancipated Black soldiers took action on a decision that would reverberate from their Army station at Fort McIntosh, Texas, all the way to the Missouri state capital. The men, who learned to read and write as part of their training in boot camp, were determined to start a school for other freed Black people when they returned to their homes in Missouri after the war. The soldiers of the 62nd United States Colored Infantry established an educational institution in Jefferson City, which they named Lincoln Institute. In 1871, Lincoln Institute moved to its present campus. In 1921, the Missouri Legislature passed a bill to expand the school to a four-year college and change the name from Lincoln Institute to Lincoln University.

The Department of Science, Technology and Mathematics offers a bachelor degrees in Physics and Physics Education. Lincoln University's diverse physics curriculum along with several opportunities for undergraduate research is taught in a small-classroom environment. This has led to our graduates doing well in industry, graduate school and in school teaching. Students have the opportunity to conduct research in various areas such as cosmology and galaxy evolution, gravitational-wave physics, and the physics of the interstellar medium as well as being involved in projects such as the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (for dark energy search), the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (for black holes and neutron stars studies), soft matter computational physics as well as optoelectronics, semiconductor devices, thin films and nanotechnology, and nonlinear optics.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Aimee Busalacki, Chair (busalackia@lincolnu.edu).

February 19, 2025 - Dillard University

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 02:05:23 GMT

After the Civil War, New Orleans experienced an influx of formerly enslaved people. One institution that sought to serve them was Thompson Biblical Institute, founded in 1866 to train freedmen to become ministers, that became a biblical department within Union Normal School in 1869. Union, which was run by the Freedmen’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church (now the United Methodist Church), was established to train African-American teachers, providing a significant need throughout the South. In 1873, Union was converted to New Orleans University. Part of that ecosystem was Flint Medical College, founded in 1889 to meet the demand for trained Black nurses. Later, the University absorbed Phyllis Wheatley Sanitarium, founded in 1896 that was renamed Sara Goodridge Nurse Training School. On June 6, 1930, the newly formed board of trustees proposed a charter for the opening of Dillard University, named for James Hardy Dillard, an educational reformer who promoted racial harmony. The University’s seal, which was designed by Dillard, includes the motto “Ex Fide Fortis,” an anchor to represent steadiness, and scales to represent justice. Opening its doors in 1935, Dillard University was established to serve as an educational center of excellence in the South. The campus, which remains in its original location, had the unique attribute of being the first HBCU with a sound architectural plan.

The Physics Department is housed within the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The Department provides B.S. in physics with concentrations in Medical Physics and Pre-Engineering, to equip students with a solid foundation for graduate studies, research, or employment. It also offers options to explore interdisciplinary research in areas such as Chemical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Material Science. The Department is poised to house dual degrees with esteemed institutions like Columbia University and Georgia Tech, opening doors to diverse career pathways in engineering and beyond.

The Department of Defense Air Force Office for Scientific Research and Army Research Office funded the Center of Laser Ablation and Materials Science to conduct research in Pulsed Laser Deposition for fabrication of nanocomposite thin films for energy harvesting, solar cells, wearable devices, chips, and more … Dillard University Physics Department hold more patents than any other HBCU in the nation.

The Department is recognized as the second in graduating the most female African American physics undergraduate women in the nation. It is also the home of the two-decade long Dillard University Women in STEM High School Experience in Summer (DU-WISHES) program for high school females of color who are interested in physics and optics, aligning with its goal to increase the number of African American women in STEM fields. It started in 2017 with 7 high schoolers and is now serving 100 students annually. In the last 39 years, U.S. physics doctorates went to 66 black women, five from Dillard University.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Abdalla Darwish, Chair (adarwish@dillard.edu).

February 18, 2025 - Tougaloo College

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 02:02:13 GMT

In 1869, the American Missionary Association of New York purchased five hundred acres of land from John Boddie, owner of the Boddie Plantation, to establish a school for the training of young people "irrespective of religious tenets and conducted on the most liberal principles for the benefit of our citizens in general." The Mississippi State Legislature granted the institution a charter under Tougaloo University in 1871. The Normal Department was recognized as a teacher training school until 1892, at which time the College ceased to receive aid from the state. Courses for college credit were first offered in 1897, and in 1901, the first Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded to Traverse S. Crawford. In 1916, Tougaloo University's name was changed to Tougaloo College.

The Department of Chemistry and Physics offers all major undergraduate courses in physics required to complete a degree in Physics. The degrees offered are B.S. in Physics, B.S. in Physics with Secondary Education and a B.A. in Health Physics. The Department also offers a minor in Physics and Dual Degree Programs with partner institutions to pursue careers in Physics and Engineering. Physics majors seeking interdisciplinary careers in the Biomedical fields, Law, Technology, etc. are advised to choose appropriate minors from Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Pre-Med, or Pre-Law.

February 17, 2025 - Norfolk State University

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 03:12:28 GMT

Norfolk State College was founded on September 18, 1935. The College, brought to life during the Great Depression, provided a setting in which the youth of the region could give expression to their hopes and aspirations. At this founding, it was named the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University. In 1942, the College became the independent Norfolk Polytechnic College, and two years later an Act of the Virginia Legislature mandated that it become a part of Virginia State College. The College was able to pursue an expanded mission with even greater emphasis in 1956 when another Act of the Legislature enabled the institution to offer its first Bachelor's degree. The College was separated from Virginia State College and became fully independent in 1969. Subsequent legislative acts designated the institution as a university and authorized the granting of graduate degrees. It was renamed as Norfolk State University in 1979.

The Physics Department offers a B.S. degree in Physics, as well as a minor in Astronomy for students majoring in mathematics, engineering, or the sciences. The Department also offers graduate study courses leading to the M.Sc. degree in Materials Science. Interested students can also pursue a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering. The Department of Physics thus provides the instruction necessary for the understanding of physics, astronomy, and materials science. Students have the opportunity to work on projects with external research organizations including national laboratories, industries and universities such as NASA Langley Research Center, Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory, Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Arizona, Purdue University, the NSF Science and Technology Center on Real-Time Functional Imaging (STROBE) at the University of Colorado, and the 2D Crystal Consortium-NSF Materials Innovation Platform at Penn State University. Students regularly attend national and international conferences where they present their research results. Graduates of the NSU Materials Science and Engineering programs have obtained employment at government agencies and companies including Exxon, Intel, IBM, and Solvay. They have also obtained faculty or post-doctoral positions at various universities.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Doyle Temple, Chair (datemple@nsu.edu).

February 16, 2025 - Spelman College

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 05:31:40 GMT

Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles founded as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary in 1881. The School opens on April 11th in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church, the Rev. Frank Quarles. In 1883, Spelman was moved to its present site occupying nine acres and five frame buildings as a "Model School" to train student-teachers. Its name changes to Spelman Seminary in honor of Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman, longtime activists in the antislavery movement. The first Spelman class graduates receiving high school diplomas in 1887.

The primary goal of the Spelman College physics program is to lay a strong foundation in the knowledge, practice, and applications of physics so students will be motivated for further studies and scientifically competent in all their endeavors. The courses strongly support majors in other fields, such as chemistry, computer science, mathematics and engineering. Students can conduct research in basic science such as high-speed videography of liquid drop impact on liquid surfaces, theoretical and computational physics in high energy nuclear physics, as well as digital signal and image processing. In addition, the Department offers applied research such as laser interactions with biological tissues and electro-optical effects in biomolecules, medical physics, biophysics and solid-state physics, and modeling the effect of variable mechanical impedance on root growth. Lastly, an exposure to physics education research with a focus on fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments in physics for underrepresented groups, including Black women and individuals with disabilities, is also available.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Marta Dark-Mcneese, Chair (mldark@spelman.edu).

February 15, 2025 - Morgan State University

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 14:50:19 GMT

Founded in 1867 as the Centenary Biblical Institute by the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the institution's original mission was to train young men in ministry. It subsequently broadened its mission to educate both men and women as teachers. The school was renamed Morgan College in 1890 in honor of the Reverend Lyttleton Morgan, the first chairman of its Board of Trustees, who donated land to the college. In 1915 the late Andrew Carnegie gave the school a conditional grant of $50,000 for the central academic building. The terms of the grant included the purchase of a new site for the College, payment of all outstanding obligations, and the construction of a building to be named after him. The College met the conditions and moved to its present site in northeast Baltimore in 1917. Carnegie Hall, the oldest original building on the present MSU campus, was erected two years later. In 1975 the Maryland State Legislature designated Morgan as a university, gave it the authority to offer doctorates, and provided for it to have its own governing board. In 1988, Maryland reorganized its higher education structure and strengthened its coordinating board, the Higher Education Commission. The campuses in the state college system became part of the University of Maryland System. Morgan and St. Mary's College of Maryland were the only public baccalaureate-granting institutions authorized to have their own governing boards.

In December 1972, a group of friends, colleagues, and former students gathered at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee to honor three prominent Black physicists: Halson Eagleson, Donald Edwards, and John Hunter. Subsequent events, which also included scientific lectures and seminars, were held at Howard University in May 1975 and Morehouse College in April 1976. “These annual gatherings, which increasingly included both undergraduate and graduate students, grew in importance and significance, and led to the realization that a formal structure was needed to be effective in understanding, analyzing, and resolving various issues confronting African American participation in physics,” said Ronald E. Mickens, Distinguished Fuller E. Callaway Professor in the Department of Physics at Clark Atlanta University, who helped organize the events. The organizers selected Morgan State University as the site of the following year’s event because of its large physics department and its proximity to other Historically Black Colleges and Universities and national research facilities, according to Mickens. The Society of Black Physicists was inaugurated there on April 28, 1977. The organization was later renamed the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and has become the largest and most recognizable organization devoted to African American physicists. On September 14, 2020, the American Physical Society designated Morgan State University as a Historic Site and received a commemorated plaque on April 21, 2022.

The Department of Physics and Engineering Physics offers B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Physics that are designed to establish students with a fundamental understanding of the field as well as prepare students to solve various challenges of the modern world. In the Fall 2024, the Physics & Engineering Physics Department and the Chemistry Department within the School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) launched a new Ph.D. degree program in Integrated Materials Science. Physics students work alongside world-class researchers to foster ownership of their learning journey which is a valuable opportunity for both undergraduate and graduate students with options to enter any STEM-related career. Graduates from the program thrive and continue to join the Nation's leading research institutions for doctorial degrees in physics, astronomy and engineering, joining the workforce at top private, state, and federal agencies.

NSBP is celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth by highlighting HBCU physics departments. Our fifteenth HBCU is Morgan State University. If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Willie Rockward, Chair (willie.rockward@morgan.edu). #NSBPBHM #BlackHistory #HBCU #physics #BlackLivesMatter #BlackExcellence #AmplifyBlackSTEM #BHM #HBCUPhysics #MorganStateUniversity #STEMEducation #HBCUEducation #PhysicsCommunity #EmpowerBlackScholars #MorganStateUniversity

February 14, 2025 - Hampton University

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:57:22 GMT

In order to provide the masses of free slaves refugees from The American Civil War to Virginia some kind of education, Mary Peake, a free Negro, was asked to teach, even though an 1831 Virginia law forbid the education of slaves, free blacks and mulattos. She held her first class, which consisted of about twenty students, on September 17, 1861 under a simple oak tree. This tree would later be known as the Emancipation Oak and would become the site of the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Today, the Emancipation Oak still stands on the Hampton University campus as a lasting symbol of the promise of education for all, even in the face of adversity. In 1863, using government funds to continue the work started by Mary Peake, General Butler founded the Butler School for Negro children, where students were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and grammar, as well as various housekeeping skills. On April 1, 1868, Brigadier General Samuel Armstrong opened Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute with a simple declared purpose.

The Department of Physics offers high-quality physics education and research experiences through its Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree programs.

The thesis-based Master of Science degree is designed to provide graduate education for those persons who seek the master’s as the terminal degree or seek to pursue the master’s en-route to a doctoral degree in physics. The goals of the Ph.D. program in Physics at Hampton University are (1) to establish a research oriented environment in which students may study advanced topics in physics beyond the master’s level, participate in state-of-the-art-research and pursue original ideas and concepts that contribute to the body of knowledge in physics; (2) to provide a source of scientifically and technologically trained personnel for local, state and national needs; and (3) to significantly impact the number of underrepresented minorities with advanced degrees in physics. Both graduate programs offer research in high energy, medical, nuclear, optical, and plasma physics.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Jaetae Seo, Chair (jaetae.seo@hamptonu.edu).

NSBP is celebrating Black History Month by highlighting HBCU physics departments. Our fourteen HBCU is Hampton University. If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Jaetae Seo, Chair (jaetae.seo @ hamptonu.edu). http://NSBP.org/hbcuspotlight #BlackHistory #HBCU #physics #BlackLivesMatter #BlackExcellence #AmplifyBlackSTEM #BHM

February 13, 2025 - North Carolina A&T State University

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 15:53:10 GMT

The North Carolina A&T Physics Department, established in 1965, offers bachelor's degrees in Physics, Biological Physics, Engineering Physics, Interdisciplinary Physics, and a BS in Atmospheric Science, and Meteorology. Additionally, the department provides a master's degree in Physics and Physics with a concentration in Atmospheric Sciences, and two concentrations of Applied Physics and Atmospheric, Environmental and Energy Science of the Applied Science and Technology Ph.D. Program.

Our graduates have pursued careers as faculty members at various institutions, researchers at national labs, NASA, NOAA, the EPA, the Space Force, and other government agencies, as well as industry professionals at companies like Lockheed Martin, Meta, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, and IBM. Many have also continued their education in graduate programs.

Our esteemed faculty include APS Fellow Professors Shelly Lesher and Ashot Gasparian, NSF Career Award recipients Dr. Solomon Bililign and Dr. Chih-Kuan Tung, and top cited scientist Dr. Yuh-Lang Lin. Notable alumni include Ronald McNair, a physicist and Challenger astronaut; Lynnae Quick, a planetary geophysicist specializing in ocean worlds at NASA; and Ronald Gamble, a theoretical astrophysicist at NASA.

The department prioritizes hands-on experience, fostering research and faculty collaboration in Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science and Meteorology, Biological Physics, and Nuclear Physics. We have also established our chapters of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) and American Meteorological Society (AMS) and are actively engaging with the community to promote physics and astronomy awareness.

Shelly Lesher: srlesher@ncat.edu

February 12, 2025 - Jackson State University

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Founded as Natchez Seminary in 1877 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society, the school was established as Natchez, Mississippi “for the moral, religious and intellectual improvement of Christian leaders of the colored people of Mississippi and the neighboring states.” In November 1882, the school was moved to Jackson; in March 1899, the curriculum was expanded and the name was changed to Jackson College. The state assumed support of the college in 1940, assigning to it the mission of training teachers. Subsequently, between 1953 and 1956, the curriculum was expanded to include a graduate program and bachelor’s programs in the arts and sciences; the name was then changed to Jackson State College in 1956.

The Department of Chemistry, Physics, And Atmospheric Sciences offers a B.S. degree in physics through its Department of Physics, Atmospheric Science and Geoscience with multiple concentrations: general physics, medical physics, and Physical Science Education. In addition, students can pursue a 3+2 physics/engineering dual degree program between physics and either applied physics, computational physics or chemical physics. The Department also offers a Master in Teaching (MST) degree in Science Education with a concentration in general science, and a M.S. degree and Ph.D. degree in physical science with a concentration in Computational Data Enabled Science or Engineering. The research conducted in the Department of Physics, Atmospheric Science and Geoscience includes Nanotechnology, Materials Science, Optics and Photonics, Computational Physical Sciences, Meteorological Observations, Modeling and Forecasting, Earth and Space Science, and Science Education

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Mehri Fadavi, Chair (mehri.fadavi@jsums.edu)

February 11, 2025 - Tuskegee University

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 03:02:05 GMT

At the request of Lewis Adams, a former slave, tinsmith and community leader, Col. W. F. Foster, of the Alabama Senate with the assistance of his colleague in the House of Representatives, Arthur L. Brooks, passed a legislation for the establishment of a "Negro Normal School in Tuskegee." Booker T. Washington, from the Hampton Institute in Virginia, became the principal of the school from July 4, 1881, until his death in 1915 at the age of 60 years. Initial space and building for the school was provided by Butler Chapel AME Zion Church not far from this present site. Not long after the founding, however, the campus was moved to "a 100 acre abandoned plantation" which became the nucleus of the present site. Tuskegee attained University status in 1985. The College of Engineering, Architecture and Physical Sciences included the only Aerospace Engineering department at an HBCU for a while.

The Physics Department at Tuskegee University prepares students for graduate studies by providing quality instruction and research education leading to the B. S. degree. In addition to its Physics B.S. degree, the Department also offers a Physics Minor for Architecture and Construction Science Majors and a Physics Minor for Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Other Science Majors. The Department housed several opportunities for students such as its NSF funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Promoting Excellence, Scholarship, and Retention in STEM (PERSIST) , its DOE funded Tuskegee QuTeCMD research internship opportunity, and its NASA funded Tuskegee Summer Program for 9th,10th, and 11th high-school graders.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Akshaya Kumar, Chair (akumar@tuskegee.edu)

February 10, 2025 - North Carolina Central University

Sun, 9 Feb 2025 12:46:45 GMT

Dr. James E. Shepard, a successful businessman who was thought to be one of the wealthiest African Americans in the United States during the early 1900s, opened the doors of the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race on July 5, 1910. In doing so, he boldly declared its purpose to be “the development in young men and women of the character and sound academic training requisite for real service to the nation.” In 1923, the North Carolina state legislature converted the institution into the North Carolina College for Negroes and dedicated it to liberal arts education and the preparation of teachers and principals. The college thus became the nation’s first state-supported liberal arts college for black students.

The Department of Mathematics and Physics at North Carolina Central University provides all students opportunities in paid internships and research projects for course credit in mathematics, statistics, physics, and engineering. Students can conduct research in experimental and theoretical condensed matter physics, physics education, nanotechnology, nuclear physics and developing materials to improve solar cells, quantum physics, data science and statistics, as well as applied, computational and engineering mathematics among others.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Kimberly Weems, Chair (ksweems@nccu.edu)

February 9, 2025 - Benedict College

Sun, 9 Feb 2025 12:43:19 GMT

Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution with over 1,700 students enrolled in its 26 baccalaureate degree programs. On November 2, 1894, the South Carolina Legislature chartered the institution as a liberal arts college and the name “Benedict Institute” was formally changed to “Benedict College.”

The Department of Computer Science, Physics and Engineering Department is housed in the School of Science and Engineering to provide courses, training and innovative learning opportunities leading to baccalaureate degrees in computer science, computer, electrical, engineering and environmental engineering, and physics. The curriculum offers a comprehensive educational experience for students in these areas in preparation for graduate studies and professional employment.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Jessica Furrer, Chair (jessica.furrer@benedict.edu).

February 8, 2025 - Alabama A&M University

Sun, 9 Feb 2025 12:35:01 GMT

Established in 1875 by Dr. William Cooper Council, a former slave, Alabama A&M University (AAMU) proudly celebrates its 150th anniversary, reaffirming its leadership in student enrollment, research funding, and the development of world-class leaders. The Physics Department at AAMU began as a standalone program in 1975, offering a BS degree before expanding to include an MS in 1981 and a PhD in 1986. Over the years, it has earned national recognition through groundbreaking research, including NASA-sponsored space experiments, NSF-CREST funding, and support from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD). The department boasts distinguished alumni such as Dr. Shelia Nash-Stevenson, the first African-American woman to earn a physics PhD at AAMU, and Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, a pioneer in cancer treatment research and recipient of the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. With over $2 million in annual research funding from agencies like NASA, NSF, DOE, and DOD, the department leads cutting-edge studies in quantum information science, plasma fusion, radiation detection, materials science, and biomedical applications. AAMU Physics maintains strong collaborations with national laboratories and institutions, securing multimillion-dollar grants in artificial intelligence, neutrino physics, quantum computing, and defense education. Faculty members contribute significantly to the field through published books, patents, and innovative advancements in physics and engineering. Committed to excellence in education, research, and workforce development, AAMU’s Physics program offers a dynamic and forward-thinking academic environment, inviting students to become part of its legacy of scientific discovery and innovation.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Padmaja (Paddy) Guggilla (padmaja.guggilla@aamu.edu).

February 7, 2025 - Clark Atlanta University

Thu, 6 Feb 2025 22:48:41 GMT

Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College, both of which hold unique places in the annals of African-American history. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation’s first institution to award graduate degrees to African-Americans. Clark College, established four years later in 1869, was the nation’s first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African-American student population. CAU is the largest of the 37-member United Negro College Funds (UNCF) institutions and the largest of the four institutions (Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morehouse School of Medicine) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium.

The Department provides instruction and practice leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, Bachelor of Science with a dual major in physics and engineering in cooperation with a partnering engineering school, an accelerated program that awards both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in physics in five years, and a two-year Master of Science Degree in Physics.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact Dr. Michael Williams, Chair (mdwms@cau.edu).

February 6, 2025 - South Carolina State University

Thu, 6 Feb 2025 22:46:22 GMT

On March 3, 1896, the South Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation establishing the Colored Normal, Industrial, Agricultural and Mechanical College of South Carolina. Thomas E. Miller, a former Congressman from South Carolina, became the first president (1896-1911). During Dr. Miller’s tenure, and that of his initial faculty of thirteen South Carolinians, the College plant consisted of 135 acres, eight small buildings, a minimal dairy herd, and a few other farm animals. Because of the meager facilities, academic instruction was given primarily on logs hewn from the campus forest—logs that were later made into lumber for the first dormitory and classroom building. the Institution was designated South Carolina State University on February 26, 1992.

The Physics Department offers various B.S. degrees tailored to students interests: Physics (to further their education in a graduate school or employment in a wide range of technical fields in industry, government, education, academia, and the private sector), Physics with Medical Physics Option (for a pathway to medical school, graduate school, or employment at hospitals, government laboratories and other medical facilities), Physics with Health Physics Option (to enter a graduate school or employment at nuclear laboratories, power plants, hospitals, and similar facilities) and Physics with Astronomy Option (to explore this field in a graduate school in astronomy or employment in science education such as a K-12 teaching position or a job at a planetarium or science museum). The Department also offers a 5-year B.S. and M.S. in Physics in Collaboration with Clemson University that is the first-of-its-kind program between the two schools that leads to a B.S. from SC SU and a M.S. from Clemson.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Donald Walter (dwalter@scsu.edu).

February 5, 2025 - Fisk University

Wed, 5 Feb 2025 04:24:37 GMT

In 1865, barely six months after the end of the Civil War and just two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, three men – John Ogden, the Reverend Erastus Milo Cravath, and the Reverend Edward P. Smith – established the Fisk School in Nashville. The school was named in honor of General Clinton B. Fisk of the Tennessee Freedmen's Bureau, who provided the new institution with facilities in former Union Army barracks near the present site of Nashville's Union Station. In these facilities Fisk convened its first classes on January 9, 1866. The first students ranged in age from seven to seventy, but shared common experiences of slavery and poverty – and an extraordinary thirst for learning. In February, 1978, the Fisk campus was designated as a National Historic District in recognition of its architectural, historic, and cultural significance.

The Physics Department is housed within the School of natural Sciences, Mathematics and Business. Its program articulates the mission of the University through an emphasis on physics and related scientific areas. The undergraduate physics degree in physics was designed to provide an excellent basis not only for graduate study in physics and related fields, but also for professional work in such fields as astrophysics, biophysics, engineering and applied physics, geophysics, management, law, or medicine. The Fisk/Vanderbilt Dual Degree program provides another option for students through this five-year program that allows a student to earn both a Bachelor's Degree from Fisk with a science major plus a Bachelor's Degree from Vanderbilt in engineering. Lastly, the Department has a concentration in astrophysics and space science, taught jointly by Fisk and Vanderbilt professors. Students choosing this option will also be directed to summer research internships in astrophysics.

The M.A. degree in the Physics Department at Fisk offers research in various areas such as infrared and Raman spectroscopy, crystal growth, chemical physics, plasma physics, and surface physics; all accessible for undergraduate students interested in conducting research. In 2004, the nationally recognized Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program was established that offers a unique pathway to a Ph.D. degree at Vanderbilt University. With its Center for Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Fisk is among the very few undergraduate institutions at which the National Science Foundation has chosen to establish a Center of Excellence.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Arnold Burger (aburger@fisk.edu)

February 4, 2025 - Howard University

Tue, 4 Feb 2025 17:30:07 GMT

Howard University, located in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1867. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is the oldest HBCU physics program in the United States to offer a BS (degrees conferred in 1920), MS (program started in 1934) and Ph.D. degrees (program started in 1958). In 2021, it launched its MS degree program in Medical Physics and became the first HBCU to become accredited by CAMPEP in 2024. Howard University, affectionately referred to as “The Mecca”, is only one of four HBCUs in the U.S. that offers a Ph.D. degree in physics and is among the largest producers of Black physicists in the country.

Among HBCU physics departments, Howard is the largest with approximately 20 faculty members conducting pure, applied and computational research with specializations in Condensed Matter Physics, Nanoscience, Batteries & Renewable Energy, Laser Spectroscopy & Optics, Cosmology & String Theory, Astrophysics, Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics, Biophysics and Medical Physics.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Quinton L. Williams (quinton.williams@howard.edu)

February 3, 2025 - Delaware State University

Sun, 2 Feb 2025 23:05:43 GMT

The Delaware College for Colored Students, now known as Delaware State University, was established May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890 by which land-grant colleges for Blacks came into existence in states maintaining separate educational facilities. With the appointment of an inaugural six-member Board of Trustees, that governing body used part of the initial $8,000 state appropriation to purchase a 95-acre property north of the state capital of Dover to establish the new college.

As of fall 2023, the University’s student enrollment is 6,451 students. The University’s physical infrastructure has grown from its 1891 beginning as a 100-acre property with three buildings to a beautiful 356-acre main campus with over 50 buildings and four outdoor athletic fields. The University also has locations in downtown Dover and Wilmington, DE, and two farm properties in Kenton and Smyrna, DE. Its Aviation Program maintains its fleet of planes and base of operation at the Delaware Air Park in Cheswold, DE.

The Department of Physics and Engineering is housed within the Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science under the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology. The mission of the Physics and Engineering academic unit is to provide a quality high education and training in physics and engineering to students of diverse backgrounds. It offers both undergraduate (B.Sc.) and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees. The Department is also home to the Optical Sciences Center for Applied Research (OSCAR), a major research center specializing in optical sciences and their broad applications. The center houses the Center for Research and Education in the Optical Sciences and Applications (CREOSA), an NSF-CREST center, and the Optics for Space Technology and Applied Research (O*STAR) Center funded by NASA MIRO program. Students can perform research activities in the Department of Physics and Engineering in the areas of optics, lasers, imaging, photonics, and space sciences.

If you are interested in learning more about our Department or be involved, contact the Chair Dr. Marwan Rasamny (mrasamny@desu.edu).

February 2, 2025 - Xavier University of Louisiana

Sun, 2 Feb 2025 05:04:36 GMT

February 1, 2025 - Virginia Union University

Sat, 1 Feb 2025 03:42:27 GMT

The American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) founded the school in 1865 shortly after Union troops took control of Richmond, Virginia, at the end of the American Civil War. The college became the first academic library at an HBCU, building the library in 1865 the same year the college was established. Members of the ABHMS proposed a National Theological Institute to educate freedmen wishing to enter the Baptist ministry. Soon the proposed mission was expanded to offer courses and programs at college, high school, and preparatory levels, to both men and women. Separate branches of the National Theological Institute were set up in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, with classes beginning in 1867. In Richmond, the efforts were more difficult. Beginning in 1867, Colver Institute, a VUU predecessor school, was housed in a building long known as Lumpkin's Jail, a former "slave jail" owned by Mary Ann Lumpkin, the African-American widow of the deceased white owner. In 1899, the Richmond Theological Institute (formerly Colver Institute) joined with Wayland Seminary of Washington to form Virginia Union University at Richmond. In 1932, the women's college Hartshorn Memorial College, established in Richmond in 1883, became a part of Virginia Union University. Storer College, a historically black Baptist college in West Virginia (founded in 1867), merged its endowment with Virginia Union in 1964. Famous students there included Dr. Booker T. Washington and Dr. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.

VUU Physics Department was established in the late 50s, but was shut down in 2013. Thanks to herculean efforts, it was brought back in 2017. It is currently housed in the Department of Natural Sciences of the School of Arts and Sciences with three faculty conducting research in three areas: intermediate energy regime at the nearby Department of Energy funded Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility with Dr. Narbe Kalantarians, STEM education in Dr. Trina Coleman, and Atmospheric Science collaborating with the National Aeronautical and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with Dr. Francis Mensah who also serve as the Chair of the Department. They serve a total of 10 undergraduate students. Dr. Coleman obtained her PhD in theoretical nuclear physics and is one of only 100 Black women physicists and 5 nuclear physicists!