What is an Astronomy and Astrophysics Degree?

The astrophysics degree and astronomy degree option, focused on the study of celestial bodies beyond the Earth's solar system, is designed to meet the needs of students intending to pursue graduate education and a career in the astronomical sciences. Physics and space sciences at Florida Tech have been setting the standard since 1958, successfully preparing students for high-tech careers at top space agencies and research firms. Faculty specialize in everything from human space exploration to stellar evolution and are devoted to an astrophysics degree undergraduate education, providing personal attention in the classroom and countless professional-level research opportunities. Located on Florida's Space Coast, just 60 miles from America's spaceport, the Kennedy Space Center, there is no better place to get an astrophysics degree than Florida Tech.

Advantages

Why Florida Tech: First space science program in the world Faculty are internationally recognized scientists Home to the largest research-grade telescope in Florida Close to Kennedy Space Center

Facilities: The Olin Physical Sciences building provides 51 laboratories (14 teaching and 21 research), consolidates faculty offices and enhances the use of technology in teaching the physical sciences. Upwards of 1000 students use the building on any given day. The 69,348-sq.-ft. facility also includes two large multi-use lecture/demonstration classrooms. Olin Observatory, which houses our 0.8-m Ortega Telescope, or the SARA 0.9-m telescope located at Kitt Peak National Observatory outside Tucson, Arizona Department faculty also operate the world's largest x-ray array for measuring lightning, co-operate (with UCLA) a chain of 10 geomagnetic field observatories from Central Florida to Maine, and maintain a NASA-qualified clean room. The focus of physics research is our high-bay Physics Experiment Hall where very large research projects are conducted.

Learning

Clubs and Organizations: Society of Physics Students ,Sigma Pi Sigma - National Physics Honor Society, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, Student Astronomical Society

Research: The Astronomy & Astrophysics degree Group at Florida Tech is concerned primarily with observational and theoretical studies of white dwarf stars, M dwarf stars, and cataclysmic variable systems. The research in condensed matter physics group of Florida Tech covers materials physics, statistical physics, scanning tunneling microscopy and optical spectroscopy of semiconductors, and engineering physics. The experimental High Energy Physics groups work is centered around the L3 and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiments at the European Center for Particle Physics. The Lightning Research Group in the Geospace Physics Laboratory primarily investigates the role of runaway breakdown in thunderstorms, lightning and in the upper atmosphere. The Space Physics Group works in conjuction with Geospace Physics Laboratory (GPL) at Florida Tech. Current research topics include studying the Solar-Earth magnetospheric and ionospheric interactions, and cosmic ray propagation.

Internships and Cooperative Learning: Astrophysics degree students have the opportunity to participate in cooperative programs and internships with various agencies and companies such as NASA, DRS Optronics, Lockheed-Martin, Harris and Northrop Grumman. Recently, Florida Tech Students have: Helped to develop and test new night-vision optics used by the U.S. Army in Iraq Worked with the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory Spent the summer at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, working on the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) Experiment Interned at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, studying galaxy clusters Monitored the Deep Impact Mission's collision with Comet Tempel using a one-meter-class automated telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory

Future Outcomes

Outcomes - Grad School: More than half of astrophysics degree students pursue graduate school after graduating from Florida Tech. In addition to the master's and doctoral programs at Florida Tech, recent graduates have been accepted to and enrolled in graduate studies at schools including: Auburn University CalTech Dartmouth University Johns Hopkins Georgia Tech Ohio STate University Rice SUNY Buffalo SUNY Stony Brook UCLA University of Arizona University of Florida University of Texas Vanderbilt University Yale

Outcomes - Career and Salary: Astrophysics degree students choosing not to attend graduate school typically enter the workforce in one of the high-tech corporations that have research and development divisions. These include Harris, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, DRS Optronics, Kennedy Space Center, NASA Goddard and the Space Telescopic Science Institute