Five Star Physics & Astronomy

The School of Physics and Astronomy has achieved the highest possible rating of 5* in the HEFCE 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). This ranks the School as one of the top 5 in the UK, along with Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College and Lancaster.

Our research strategy has been strongly supported by a major University of Southampton investment programme, personally led by our former Vice-Chancellor, Sir Howard Newby, who backed our vision. Physics provides the underpinning science and technology for many disciplines, linking particularly with Electronics (5*), Computer Science (5*), Engineering (5*) and Chemistry (5). The strength and breadth of our research is found in our internationally-renowned centres in Optoelectronics and Liquid Crystals, emerging excellence in Nanomaterials and world class activity in high energy Astronomy and Theoretical Particle Physics.

We look forward to strengthening and expanding interdisciplinary links across the University, aided by recent funding from SRIF, DTI (Faraday) and industry.

All the University's RAE results are on SotONLINE.