Department of Physics - Oxford University | University of Oxford Department of Physics

The future is quantum

Find out how our research is building the quantum technologies of tomorrow, how we are educating and inspiring future pioneers of quantum technology and how our research is being applied to real life, right now...

Quantum at Oxford

Latest news and comment

Second win for atomic ‘Cloq’ team

Following their success having come second in the University of Oxford’s annual Student Entrepreneurship Programme (StEP), a team of four students went on to win first prize in the Reuben College Entrepreneurship Forum 2026 pitching competition.

21 September 2026

Robotics meets physics

Researchers at Oxford’s Department of Physics have demonstrated a new way to control a robot using brain-inspired computing hardware based on physical waves.

15 September 2026

Black background with many different coloured circles and a few squares with four white spots in the centre.

Unravelling the secrets of DNA sequences at the molecular level

Researchers in the Department of Physics have developed a new method that can watch thousands of individual DNA molecules in action and then read the exact sequence of each one, directly linking what a molecule does to the code it carries.

14 September 2026

About the event display: Candidate event display of the ZH → μμcc process. The Z boson decays into two muons, shown as red tracks producing hits (green) in the endcap muon chambers. The Higgs boson decays to two charm quarks, resulting in two charm-tagged jets (blue cones) with associated energy deposits in both the electromagnetic (green) and hadronic (yellow) calorimeters.

Uncovering ‘spooky’ quantum effect in the Large Hadron Collider

Physicists at the University of Oxford have helped confirm that one of the strangest phenomena in physics - quantum entanglement - occurs even among some of the heaviest and most fleeting particles ever created.

11 September 2026

Student team secures second place with physics IP

A team of four students – three of whom are from the Department of Physics – came second in the University of Oxford’s annual Student Entrepreneurship Programme.

3 September 2026

Scientists observe Einstein’s gravity in the quantum world

An international team including Professor Sir Roger Penrose has observed a long-predicted effect of gravity on a falling quantum object for the first time.

3 September 2026

Upcoming events

3 October 2026

Alumni events

Afternoon of Astrophysics: Galaxies from the dawn of the Universe to the present day

Alumni and invited guests are welcome to join us for an afternoon of astrophysics.

6 October 2026

Public talks and lectures

Search for Long-Lived Particles in Run 3 at the CMS Detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider

Everyone is welcome to join us to celebrate Black History Month

20 - 21 October 2026

Other

Breakthrough Discuss 2026

LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE: AN EXPLORATORY DEBATE

21 October 2026

Public talks and lectures

The Lamb lecture 2026

Everybody is welcome to this public event by Professor Frans Pretorius, Princeton University.

Our research

Our researchers change the world: our understanding of it and how we live in it. We explore the fundamentals – how we got here and the secrets of the universe – as well as the practical from developing next-gen materials to pushing the frontiers of quantum and predicting the future for our planet.

Discover more

Launch your studies

Our dynamic programme of outstanding research as well as our specialist research facilities, collaborative research networks and international renown attract the brightest minds from around the world. Come and join them.

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

We work with businesses to share expertise, develop new ideas, provide services and commercialise research and our strong links with business are fundamental to how we work.

For business

We want to spark a passion for physics in young people and we work directly with primary and secondary schools on a local and national scale to encourage physics for all. We want to inspire the physicists of tomorrow.

For schools

Man talking outside with people in background and foreground

We organise a wide range of public events not only to share our passion for physics but also to help people understand our work and see how our research impacts lives.

For the community

Giving

How to support the Department of Physics

Find out how you can support our world-class scientific research and teaching and help the Department of Physics to tackle some of the most urgent and fascinating challenges we face today

Find out more

Alumni

Once a physicist, always a physicist...

Our alumni relations office exists to nurture and develop long-lasting relationships between students, staff and friends of the Department of Physics so please do get in touch with ideas, feedback or just to say hello!

Find out more

Department of Physics - Oxford University

The future is quantum

Latest news and comment

Second win for atomic ‘Cloq’ team

Robotics meets physics

Unravelling the secrets of DNA sequences at the molecular level

Uncovering ‘spooky’ quantum effect in the Large Hadron Collider

Student team secures second place with physics IP

Scientists observe Einstein’s gravity in the quantum world

Upcoming events

Afternoon of Astrophysics: Galaxies from the dawn of the Universe to the present day

Search for Long-Lived Particles in Run 3 at the CMS Detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider

Breakthrough Discuss 2026

The Lamb lecture 2026

Our research

Launch your studies

Giving

How to support the Department of Physics

Alumni

Once a physicist, always a physicist...

FIND US

CONTACT US