A Message From The Chair

Dear Friends of the Physics Department,

As we begin a new academic year at Stanford, I’m honored to return as chair of the Physics Department(I previously served from 2013–2016). I’m pleased to share this newsletter, which offers a window into the exciting and evolving work of our department.

Despite the many challenges facing higher education and the sciences today, our commitment remains strong: to push the frontiers of science and to educate the next generation of physicists. This past June, we celebrated the graduation of 25 physics majors, 11 engineering physics majors, and 23 new PhDs. We also welcomed 41 new PhD students this fall, bringing our current community to 85 physics majors, 20 engineering physics majors, and 244 graduate students.

This edition highlights major research efforts, including the first operations of the Vera Rubin Observatory, featuring the world’s largest digital camera, a collaboration between Stanford, SLAC, and others to study the universe at unprecedented scale. You’ll also read about DMRadio-50 Liter, a new experiment searching for signs of axion dark matter, and innovative work on the dynamics of spin glasses—a unique form of complex matter.

We’re also pleased to welcome several new faculty members:

• Geoff Penington, Associate Professor (from UC Berkeley), explores fundamental questions in quantum information and quantum gravity as a member of the newly renamed Leinweber Institute for Theoretical Physics (LITP).
• Oliver Philcox, Assistant Professor, joins both LITP and KIPAC, using advanced computational tools to probe the early universe and its composition.
• Tom Hartman will join us in January 2026 as Professor of Physics and LITP member, with research on quantum gravity and the emergence of spacetime.
• Ken Van Tilburg, arriving from NYU in March 2026, focuses on novel theoretical and experimental approaches to probing physics beyond the Standard Model.
• Alexander (Sasha) Philippov will join us as Associate Professor of Physics and KIPAC member during the summer of 2026. His research is currently focused on understanding the observed signatures of neutron stars and black holes starting with first-principles physics.

I hope you enjoy reading more about these developments. If you're nearby, please join us for our weekly physics colloquium and the informal reception that follows. The schedule is available online at: physics.stanford.edu/colloquium.

Finally, we remember our esteemed colleague Todd Smith, Emeritus Professor (Research), who passed away on September 24, 2025. Since joining Stanford in 1965, Todd played a pivotal role in developing the world’s first Free Electron Laser and advancing applications like near-field infrared micro-spectroscopy. We are grateful for his many contributions. Todd – Thank you. We will miss you.

  1940-2025