_____ Piet Mulders/FAQs_____

What is physics?

Physics is a basic science that tries to grasp nature and to find the fundamental principles. In physics, experiments play a central role in testing our knowledge including both technical and applied research as well as fundamental experimental and theoretical research. Physics makes use of mathematics; mathematics and physics find their inspiration and applications in astronomy, computer science, chemistry, biology as well as in medical, agricultural, technical and economical sciences. Unexpected developments often happen at the boundaries of these sciences.

Why would you study physics?

Because you want to know how you can find out how things happen, how things are composed, what are the forces or what are the guiding principles in the formation of complex structures. That is not a study that leads to a specific profession, but it is a study that enables you to function in a rich variety of environments such as research, business, education, but also in positions related to medicine, economy or management. Physicists can play an important role in solving a broad range of problems, in science and society.

Why would you study physics in Amsterdam?

Because Amsterdam besides your study has much to offer on culture and entertainment. It can easily be reached by public transportation, in particular the VU University. There are two universities, two academic hospitals and various research centres. You can study physics both at the UvA and the VU University. Both (in future possibly combined) offer a Bachelor 'Physics and Astronomy' that gives access to several master programmes, among others the combined VU and UvA Master in Physics with tracks in Theoretical and Experimental Physics.

Why would you study physics at the VU University?

At the VU University the world of science opens up for you. A world that you can only really experience via the interaction with top researchers. That is our philosophy. And top researchers you can find. They are active internationally, for instance in the national NIKHEF collaboration in the field of astroparticle physics. Unique for the VU University is the presence on one campus of researchers in the exact sciences equipped with a unique laser research centre together with clinical physicists working in a large academic hospital, the VUMC, a campus which in turn is at the top location for business in the Netherlands at Amsterdam Zuid WTC.
Already in the bachelor programme the context of physics is central. This is different from the exercises in high school. You will work together with researchers working at the forefront of their fields and find out how existing concepts in physics are applied and how new concepts emerge. You can make choices that fit best your interests and capabilities.

Example of unique physics research items at VU University

• The world of quarks and gluons in a proton
• The search for gravitational waves in the universe
• Unraveling the mechanism of photosynthesis
• The physics of light and life