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The Rocket Tricycle makes its internet debut! Watch the movie!
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Physics Program           Astronomy Program

Physics & Astronomy Department Photo 2003-2004
(See Past Department Photos: 2002-2003: 2001-2002: 2000-2001)

The Department of Physics & Astronomy

Physicists and astronomers attempt to understand the universe--what it's made of, and how it works. We study the universe out of a deep faith that it is both understandable and worth trying to understand.

The members of the department first became excited about science when we discovered that it's something you can enjoy doing, rather than just a set a facts to be memorized. We share this excitement with our students by having them do hands-on work in every course we offer. Every student in every astronomy course has the opportunity to use a 12-inch computerized telescope visually and as a research instrument using a CCD camera. Astronomy courses are web-based and interactive, challenging students to think creatively about the material and discuss it both in the classroom and through electronic discussions. (Relatives of Wheaton students have "taken" these courses from as far away as Australia.) In the Introductory Physics course, students use a variety of cutting-edge technologies, uncovering paradoxes that lead to a deeper understanding of the physical world. In the Electronic Circuits course, students spend all their time in class experimenting with electrical components and even designing and building their own circuits. Our most rewarding moments as teachers come when our students discover for themselves that they can creatively solve problems and understand the universe more deeply than before.

As teachers, we are both storytellers, conveying truths that are universal and timeless, and researchers, attempting to discover new truths, in partnership with students. Over 20 students (many of them supported by winter or summer grants from the College) have collaborated with faculty on research projects using the Astronomy Observing Deck, which is one of the best facilities of its kind for both teaching and research; most of these students were non-science majors, but several are now pursuing astronomy Ph.D.'s in graduate school. Many students have worked with the equipment in our new Laser Research Facility to study the optical properties of materials; a number of senior theses have resulted from this work, as well as papers co-authored with faculty and published in prestigious journals. Above all, we are partners with our students, working with them to meet the challenges of a field that is demanding, deeply rewarding, and integral to a liberal arts education.

At the top of this page, you will find links to the Physics Program and the Astronomy Program.  Feel free to explore these pages at your leisure and to see what is available for students interested in either Physics or Astronomy.

If you have any questions about the Physics or Astronomy Program that are not answered by this website please feel free to contact the department chair, Prof. John Collins.

Last Update 10/03 Lori Agan