UMassGives 2024
In Physics we proudly educate and support our pioneers of science!
Our Physics students learn core concepts of science, which encourages critical and innovative thinking, quantitative analysis, and problem-solving skills.
Our Bachelors, Masters, and PhD students join faculty in leading-edge research, attend research conferences, and assist in teaching in the classroom. They help share our excitement about Physics with schools and the broader community.
The Department of Physics conducts cutting-edge research, probing the structure of matter, fundamental symmetries, and forces of nature through complementary experiments and theoretical studies. The major research areas are:
- Experimental Particle and Nuclear Physics
- Fundamental Interactions Theory
- Quantum Matter and Quantum Information
- Soft Matter and Bio-inspired Materials
Sanford Underground Laboratory
An experiment hall nearly one mile underground at Sanford Underground Laboratory, being refurbished for the LUX and LZ experiments. Great depths are required to reduce background radiation from cosmic rays and make sensitive neutrino and dark matter searches possible.
Our Graduate and Undergraduate Award programs are continuously growing! Our creative and hardworking students are always striving to achieve their goals with the support of our outstanding faculty, staff, and peers.
Your generous support would continue to assist in the following growth activities of:
- Undergraduate Research Travel Fund
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fund
- On-Ramp Program for entering PhD students.
- Newfound Curricular and Research opportunities for students
- Graduate and Undergraduate Student Awards
- Society of Physics Students
- Womens+ Physics Group
- Physics Community Organization
We strongly encourage all our undergraduates to participate in a research internship to enhance their college learning experience beyond the classroom. Your support would help us bring this possibility to a greater number of students!
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Max Planck
Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Student Alumni Association | 128 |
2 | $500 | UMass Women into Leadership | 90 |
3 | $500 | Professional Writing and Technical Communication | 36 |
4 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 10 | |
5 | Men's Lacrosse | 8 | |
6 | Finance Department | 6 | |
7 | Management Department | 6 | |
8 | Women's Lacrosse | 6 | |
9 | Isenberg Class of 2024 Senior Gift | 6 | |
10 | Commonwealth Honors College | 5 | |
11 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 5 | |
12 | The Galbraith Prize | 4 | |
13 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
14 | Men's Swimming & Diving | 4 | |
15 | WMUA | 4 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Protect Our Breasts | 112 |
2 | $500 | University Without Walls | 69 |
3 | $500 | Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning | 31 |
4 | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | 29 | |
5 | Indian Classical Arts Society | 27 | |
6 | Public Interest Technology Club | 17 | |
7 | Accounting Department | 15 | |
8 | Club Softball | 12 | |
9 | Operations & Information Management Department | 11 | |
10 | Hockey | 10 | |
11 | Men's Lacrosse | 6 | |
12 | College of Natural Sciences Scholarships | 5 | |
13 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
14 | Institute of Diversity Sciences | 4 | |
15 | Football | 4 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Minuteman Marching Band | 87 |
2 | $500 | Fencing Club | 74 |
3 | $500 | Active Minds | 65 |
4 | Climbing Club | 60 | |
5 | HackUMass | 33 | |
6 | Department of Journalism | 26 | |
7 | Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers | 13 | |
8 | UMass Recovery | 10 | |
9 | Hockey | 8 | |
10 | Marketing Department | 6 | |
11 | Football | 5 | |
12 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
13 | Field Hockey | 4 | |
14 | Finance Department | 3 | |
15 | Men's Ultimate Frisbee | 3 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian | 277 |
2 | $500 | Men's Ultimate Frisbee | 134 |
3 | $500 | UMass CHAARG | 99 |
4 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 85 | |
5 | The Boltwood Project | 75 | |
6 | Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy | 74 | |
7 | Minutemen Racing | 73 | |
8 | Mock Trial Team | 66 | |
9 | Earthfoods Cafe | 64 | |
10 | Doo Wop Shop | 60 | |
11 | Muslim Students Association | 60 | |
12 | Club Water Polo | 54 | |
13 | S#arp Attitude | 50 | |
14 | Girl Up UMass Amherst | 40 | |
15 | Gospel Choir | 23 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Stonewall Center | 160 |
2 | $500 | Model UN | 71 |
3 | $500 | Women for UMass Amherst | 48 |
4 | Film Studies Program | 41 | |
5 | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 13 | |
6 | Hockey | 11 | |
7 | Sweets & More | 11 | |
8 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 8 | |
9 | Men's Cross Country/Track & Field | 5 | |
10 | Women's Lacrosse | 5 | |
11 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
12 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 4 | |
13 | Isenberg Class of 2024 Senior Gift | 4 | |
14 | Department of Political Science | 3 | |
15 | Baseball | 3 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Men's Rugby | 167 |
2 | $500 | Women’s Rugby Football Club | 122 |
3 | $500 | Student Care & Emergency Response Fund | 52 |
4 | UMass EMS | 46 | |
5 | UMass Hillel | 33 | |
6 | Center for Latin Am., Caribbean, & Latino Studies | 31 | |
7 | Cape Cod Alumni Group | 21 | |
8 | WMUA | 17 | |
9 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 15 | |
10 | Hockey | 11 | |
11 | Sailing Team | 11 | |
12 | Baseball | 9 | |
13 | Women's Rowing | 8 | |
14 | Men's Soccer | 7 | |
15 | Delta Sigma Pi | 7 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Men's Club Rowing | 216 |
2 | $500 | Women's Club Ice Hockey | 123 |
3 | $500 | Spanish and Portuguese Studies | 78 |
4 | Filipino Student Association | 69 | |
5 | Nursing Study Abroad Scholarships | 25 | |
6 | Sylvan Snack Bar | 25 | |
7 | UMass MannMukti | 25 | |
8 | Field Hockey Club | 24 | |
9 | Men's Rugby | 19 | |
10 | Dean's Fund for Library Excellence | 12 | |
11 | Alpine Ski Team | 12 | |
12 | UMass IT Internship | 11 | |
13 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 8 | |
14 | Women’s Rugby Football Club | 8 | |
15 | Minutemen Dancers | 7 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Duly Noted | 270 |
2 | $500 | Women's Ultimate Frisbee | 148 |
3 | $500 | Boxing Club | 80 |
4 | Engineers Without Borders | 40 | |
5 | Cape Verdean Student Alliance | 32 | |
6 | Ballroom Dance Team | 30 | |
7 | Vocal Suspects | 27 | |
8 | Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers | 27 | |
9 | Greeno Sub Shop | 26 | |
10 | UMass ALTITUDE | 21 | |
11 | InterVarsity Christian Fellowship | 19 | |
12 | UMass International Genetically Engineered Machine | 15 | |
13 | Cycling Club | 12 | |
14 | Women's Lacrosse | 11 | |
15 | Gymnastics Club | 11 |
