The history of Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, dates back to 1911 when College of Science, Tohoku Imperial University was founded. One of the first professors in the College of Science is Dr. Kotaro Honda, who just went back from his study abroad. The “Research First” policy was born through their intense spirt for research and education. After the World War II, at 1953, Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science was founded under the new school education system. There were 20 research groups until 1967 in the Department of Physics, Department of Nuclear Physics, and Department of Physics II, making it one of the world’s largest physics departments. In 1994, the three departments were unified as Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, under the new system that places priority on graduate school education.

Now, in Department of Physics, there are 5 core extension groups (Theoretical Nuclear and Particle Physics, Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics, Theoretical Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, Condensed Matter Physics -Electronic Properties-, and Quantum Condensed Matter Physics), and 2 professional groups (Soft Matter and Biophysics, and Strongly Interacting Many Particle Quantum Systems). In addition, research members in 6 collaboration groups participate in research and education in the department; Nuclear Science (Research Center for Electron Photon Science), High Energy Physics (Research Center for Neutrino Science), Nuclear Radiation Physics (Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center), Metal Physics (Institute for Materials Research), Crystal Physics (Institute for Materials Research) and Solid State Spectroscopy (Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials). Furthermore, researchers in other universities and companies are engaged in research and education as research groups in partner graduate school.

　　

Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University is one of the world’s largest physics research and education facilities; the number of the staff is approximately 160, and almost all advanced areas in recent physical science are covered. Physics researches in Tohoku University are highly appreciated by the international organizations, and it is rated as the world’s top-ranked facility (the 12th place in the world, and the 2nd place in Japan. (Thomson Reuters 2012))

During past several years, education programs in the graduate school course have been reformed. We have arranged education programs and environments, and provide lecture courses from basic to highly advanced subjects, in which the graduate school students learn a wide variety of knowledge and skills required for advanced researchers. In addition, the International Graduate Program for Advanced Science (IGPAS), which is the international priority graduate programs supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Technology, was initiated in 2004. Furthermore, Tohoku University program for leading graduate schools, and Graduate Program in Spintronics started recently.

After completion of the graduate school programs, the graduates find employments in domestic and foreign universities, research institutes, companies, government administration offices, and so on. A number of alumni work actively and globally all over the world, and represent the next generation of physical science and related fields.