Welcome to the Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University
of Oklahoma. Since 1909 the Department has had a tradition
of educating scientists, engineers, and teachers who have distinguished
themselves as leaders in industry and academia. With its three degree
programs (Physics, Astrophysics and Engineering Physics) our department is
home to graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty members, research scientists, and staff with a
wide range of interests.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Research Highlight: Testing the Standard Model in a Single Molecule
Symmetry dictates that states of an atom or molecule with total angular momentum M≠0 along the axis of an electric
field will exhibit a two-fold degeneracy between states differing only in the sign of M. A time-reversal asymmetry could break this degeneracy.
Almost every alternative to the Standard Model, (most notably Super Symmetric Theories), indicate that time-reversal asymmetry should lead to an
observable energy difference between these otherwise degenerate ±M states. Prof. Neil
Shafer-Ray is searching for the signal of this time reversal asymmetry: a non-zero electric dipole moment of the electron. High precision
measurements of PbF may reveal what billion dollar accelerators have not: evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model .