University of Washington Seattle

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PHYSICAL SCIENCES

As any good physical scientist will tell you, matter matters. From the cells that form our bodies to the gases that combine to make our sun, matter is a major organizing principle of life. Physical scientists are concerned with why things are the way they are. They strive to understand the laws that govern the physical properties of everything-from our bodies to our world to the worlds beyond. They ponder the activity of volcanoes and the nature of black holes. They track the movements of mountains, clouds, and planets. They predict sunshine and rain, measure the strength of earthquakes, and make new medicines for headaches and high blood pressure. They find cures for disease and develop ways to remove pollutants from our air and water. They study atoms, oceans-even ice.

Students of the physical sciences become environmental consultants, astronauts, doctors, and weathercasters. They lead biotechnology companies, research hereditary diseases, and teach high school chemistry. They are seekers of truth who find order in chaos. In doing so, they help us better understand ourselves and our world.

Student Profile

“I didn’t even like chemistry in high school! I took an intro course here when I was pre-med, but once I realized that chemistry makes life work, I was hooked. I added biochemistry because it’ll help me with medical research. The best thing about this program? Students are really involved in research. Labs are small-usually no more than 15 students-and the department makes an effort to hook us up with professors. Professor Frank and I looked at how DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light leads to skin cancer. For the past two years, I’ve presented my results to the university community at the Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium. When I head for Stanford this fall to begin work on my Ph.D., I’ll go knowing the UW prepared me well.”