Since it was founded in 1874, the Cavendish Laboratory has been at the forefront of discovery in physics. The core of the Laboratory’s programme has been, and continues to be, experimental physics, supported by excellence in theory. The policy of the Department is to promote world-leading experimental and theoretical physics in all its diversity.
At the same time, the Department encourages applied and collaborative research with our colleagues in other departments, with other Universities and particularly with industry.
Much of our research and teaching has been driven by the desire to understand physics at its most basic level. These topics include many of the ‘big questions’ in physics:
But equally challenging are researches in other cognate disciplines where physics can make innovative and paradigm-changing contributions.
These include:
All these research areas attract many of the world’s brightest students who relish the opportunity to tackle some of the toughest intellectual and experimental challenges in the whole of science.
Current collaborative partners at Cambridge include the Departments of Chemistry, of Material Sciences and Metallurgy, the Institute of Astronomy, the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and the Schools of Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, and Technology. Industry partners work closely with us. A number of staff have been outstandingly successful in exploiting new areas of research for the benefit of industry and society.