The Institute offers a wide variety of fields for graduate work in physics. OCIP Poster
The members of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Physics affiliated to the University of Ottawa are engaged in three main research areas: condensed matter physics, biological physics and photonics.
Work in condensed matter physics includes a broad range of interdisciplinary topics. In experimental condensed matter physics, we are interested in studying the properties of materials under high pressures, in growing and characterizing semiconductor nanostructures, in studying the properties of novel alloys, processes on surfaces and turbulent flows. Theoretical condensed matter physicists are interested in semiconductor quantum dots, quantum information and nano-spintronics. We are also studying dynamics of the Earth and non linear processes in geochemical systems.
Researchers in biological physics perform experimental work in cell biophysics, biomolecular assemblies and biophysical sensing. Our theoreticians are interested in polymer dynamics, nanofluidics, mechanical properties of biological membranes, neurophysics and systems biology.
In photonics, our research efforts cover a wide range of fundamental and applied topics. We are improving the characteristics of fiber optics for telecommunications and sensing purposes. We are working on better optoelectronic devices and solar cells. We are interested in medical applications of photonics. We are improving the quality of lasers and improving our understanding of laser-matter interaction. We are interested in quantum and nonlinear optics and we are using ultrafast optics to probe matter over unprecedented short time scales.
At Carleton University, the main areas of research are particle physics and medical physics.
The Theory group at Carleton University is one of the largest phenomenology groups in Canada, trying to relate new models of electroweak physics to experiments. In the era of the LHC experiment this endeavour is particularly exciting as the new data promise to tell us something new about electroweak physics. The Theory group is also involved in research on quantum chromodynamics, string theory, dark matter and other exotic extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Internationally recognized physicists from Carleton helped make the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory a scientific success. Carleton has lead the construction of the new underground facility SNOLAB, which will provide a low background environment for the next generation of neutrino and particle-astrophysics experiments.
The ATLAS experiment at the CERN Laboratory based in Geneva, Switzerland (the world's leading centre for particle physics research) is one of the largest collaborative efforts ever undertaken in the physical sciences. With its unique expertise and facilities for making the complex detectors required to observe elementary particles, Carleton University is an important partner in this scientific endeavour. The Carleton group actively participates in the operation of the experiment and in the comparisons of the acquired data with predictions that will help to either validate the existing theory of matter and forces or lead to the discovery of new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.
Medical physicists aim to improve the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of disease using the tools of physics.
Carleton Physics faculty and students work closely with physicists at centres such as The Ottawa Hospital and Cancer Centre, the National Research Council Canada, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Health Canada. The Ottawa Medical Physics Institute (OMPI) is a city-wide network that connects medical physics researchers in these diverse institutions. Graduate student projects on the Carleton campus include the development of Monte Carlo simulation techniques for medical physics with emphasis on radiotherapy treatment planning and the measurement of radiation, x-ray imaging, the application of positron emitters to tumour tracking, and radiation dosimetry using optically-stimulated luminescence. Graduate student projects off campus at our partner sites include mri, radiobiology, cardiac molecular imaging, radiation dosimetry, and projects involving the optimization of clinical radiation therapy procedures.
The Carleton PhD Physics specialization in medical physics is accredited by CAMPEP.
In addition to its scientific attractions, Ottawa is an outstanding place to live.
For information on the degrees available and how to apply, please go to directly to the institution's information pages on Graduate Studies.
| Graduate Studies in Physics at Carleton University | Graduate Studies in Physics at University of Ottawa |
If you're interested in more than one area of study, we request that you apply to the university offering your first choice. For instance applicants whose first choice is theoretical or experimental particle physics or medical physics should apply to Carleton University, while those whose first choice is photonics, condensed matter or biological physics should apply to the University of Ottawa.