Geneva physics in the top 20 of world universities.

The Department of Astronomy and the Physics Section of the Faculty of Science have propelled the University of Geneva (UNIGE) to 19th place in the Shanghai 2022 ranking in the field of physics. The UNIGE thus takes the first position in Switzerland ahead of ETH Zurich (33rd) and EPFL (49th). The University of Geneva thus confirms its great tradition of excellence in the field of physics research.

The Physics Section is extremely dynamic in its teaching activities, in its openness to the community and of course in its research activities, the priorities of which are based on four main orientations: theoretical physics, particle physics, quantum materials and quantum applications. The dynamism of the research within the Section is in particular stimulated by the extremely diversified profiles (physics, computer science, mechanics, electronics, administration, etc.) of its members while remaining on a human scale. The excellence of this research at the world level thus makes it possible to offer a very international environment and atmosphere, open, favourable to exchange and sources of innovative ideas. Many projects are also carried out at the intersection with other scientific disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, climatology or mathematics. For example, the Section is particularly active in the creation of four intra-faculty research centres in the following fields: gravitational wave science, quantum sciences and technologies, life physics and life in the Universe (in conjunction with the Astronomy Department). 

The Geneva Observatory, which became an astronomy department in 1972 and is currently celebrating its 250th anniversary, has been in the spotlight in recent years with the award of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics to two of its researchers, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, for the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995. Research into exoplanetary systems is, however, only one of the four strategic areas in which the astronomy department is renowned for its expertise. In addition to the field of exoplanets, the quality of research in the three other research fields (Stars, Galaxies and Universe, Extreme Universe) is also highly recognised internationally, which explains the very good performance of the UNIGE in the Shanghai ranking. Proud of its 250-year history, Geneva's astrophysics research is nevertheless looking to the future with the recent creation of a faculty centre that will allow a transdisciplinary approach within the UNIGE's Faculty of Sciences to tackle the difficult question of life in the Universe.