Department of Physics and Astronomy

Collection

Identifier: U078

Staff Only

Abstract

Collection contains syllabi, degree and program information, reports, correspondence, news releases, proposals, annual reports, lab manuals, publications, the proceedings of the Echo Lake Cosmic Ray Symposium, Cosmic Ray Lab information, personal records, photographs, and administrative records related to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Denver.

Dates

Other: 1923-1996

Creator

University of Denver. Department of Physics (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

Physics and Astronomy courses have been a part of the University of Denver since the beginning, though not always as a shared department. In 1931, the Engineering Schools merged with the Science Departments, including the separate Physic and Astronomy departments, to form a School of Science and Engineering. At this time, Astronomy was not offered as a major. Prior to the 1950s when the two split, Mathematics and Astronomy were one department. By 1970, Astronomy was part of the Department of Physics, intermittently called the Department of Physics and Astronomy. In 1982, the College of Engineering re-launched under the Physics Department after a 10 year hiatus. In 1989, a gift from alum William Herschel Womble allowed for the creation of an endowed astronomy chair in the Physics Department and a formal re-naming as the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Astronomy program relaunched with an undergraduate minor and a graduate curriculum in 1993.