Computational physics encompasses the use of computers in physics research and education. Theoretical physics provides the mathematical framework to describe nature, but it is often very difficult to solve the resulting equations analytically. Modern high-speed computation has essentially provided what some call a third branch of physics, besides theory and experiment, to allow investigation of physical systems that are too complex for analytical treatment. In addition, modern experiments can lead to very large data sets that can only be dealt with through highly automated high speed processing and storing.
Contacts
Xiaofeng Qian
Joint Appointment in Physics and Astronomy, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
