How does experimental condensed matter research work?

Experimental condensed matter physicists typically work in small to medium-sized groups (3-20 people) made up of undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, staff scientists, and professors.  Typically each junior (student or postdoc) member of the lab will have an individual project they are responsible for, although group members often band together on more challenging projects or to maintain experimental infrastructure.  Most work is done in our laboratories at UC Davis, although experimental condensed matter physics researchers sometimes travel to shared user facilities with capabilities unavailable in a single professors lab (see facilities).  Often, research groups at UC Davis collaborate with each other or with researchers at other universities/national labs.

There are many opportunities for students to get involved.

Undergraduates: see our faculty websites for research opportunities, and contact professors directly.

Prospective graduate students: apply here.