Physics Student Community
Student Organizations
Our student community is very active. There are several clubs directly organized by physics majors and/or sponsored by the Department of Physics in which physics majors participate in significant numbers.
Physics-Related Student Clubs
Astronomy Club
Join astronomy enthusiasts to observe with the club's many telescopes. The club members have regular weekly meetings during the Fall and Spring semesters. They have acquired a wide range of astronomical equipment over the years including reflecting, refracting, and catadioptric telescopes, binoculars, a range of eyepieces (varying fields of view and magnifications), sun filters, and photographic equipment. Plans for a new observatory are in the works. Club officers plan special viewing parties around astronomical events. This 100+ member club is active, educational and fun with astronomy speakers, first place Carnival booth designs, field trips to star parties, dark sky sites, Allegheny Observatory, the Buhl Planetarium and outreach events.
Meets: Fridays at 7:30 PM in Doherty A301D
Faculty Contact: Diane Turnshek, email
Join the mailing list
Rocket Command
The Carnegie Mellon Rocket Command (CMRC) competes in high-powered collegiate rocket competitions and providea opportunities for people of all skill levels to get involved and learn about rocketry. Their goal is to introduce students to rocketry through hands on experience building both personal rockets and a team rocket for collegiate competitions. For more advanced builders, they offer opportunities for national certification. During most of the year, CMRC is focused on designing a high-powered technical rocket for the NASA Student Launch Initiative. Members are involved in the design, fabrication, and testing of all components, including critical flight avionics. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a physicist to join the CMRC! Winner of the 2018 NASA Student Launch Altitude Award.
Meets: Tuesdays 4:30-6:30 PM and Sundays 4:00-6:00 PM in DH A200
Faculty Contact: Diane Turnshek, email
CMU Women in Science
Women in Science promotes a strong community of support, service, education, and connections for women studying the sciences and their peers in Carnegie Mellon University. We strive to help women form connections between graduating classes and between women of different majors, give women access to information about women in academia and in the job market, and help students get to know their professors and their peers.
Faculty Contact: Jyoti Katoch, email
Email Contact: cmuwis@gmail.com
Find updates on their Facebook Page
Society of Physics Students (SPS)
Come have fun with other physics majors designing demonstrations, building spaghetti and gumdrop bridges, criticizing old sci-fi films, playing Physics Jeopardy, making liquid nitrogen ice cream, firing potato guns, etc.
Meets: Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m. in Doherty Hall A200
Faculty Contact: Riccardo Penco, email
Club President: Rachel Koenig, email
Find updates on their Facebook page
Join the mailing list
Here For You
Here for You is a student organization that aims to address student mental health issues, especially the lack of support in the campus culture. We will be having bi-weekly discussion groups, holding campus-wide events to reduce stigma and educate the CMU community about mental health issues. We also organize campus resources, making them more accessible for students. If you want to be part of Here for You, please email us or sign up for our mailing list!
Meets: Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. on Zoom. Connection details here
Email Contact: hereforyoucmu@gmail.com
Find updates on their Facebook page
Join the mailing list
Physics Steering Committee
Get involved with the academics and non-academic aspects of the Physics department. Discuss course curriculums, facilities, classes to offer in future, etc., and make the most of student feedback. The Steering Committee also designs the much-acclaimed department t-shirts.
Faculty Contact: Scott Dodelson, email