The graduate program in physics is one of the largest and strongest in the country. We offer leading research programs in essentially all areas of physics including atomic, molecular and optical physics, condensed matter and materials physics, elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, plasma physics, biophysics, history and philosophy of physics and physics education research. Certain astrophysics fields, chemical physics and geophysics are offered in cooperation with other departments on campus. A special aspect of our program is the opportunity for our students to perform their PhD research at one of the many world-class research institutes in the Boulder area including JILA, LASP (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics), NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research), NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology), NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association), and NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab), etc.