The discipline of physics at the University of Science and Technology of China (hereafter USTC physics) was founded in 1958, with the participation of renowned physicists, including YAN Jici, MA Dayou, ZHAO Zhongyao, ZHANG Wenyu, WU Youxun etc.. Currently, USTC physics has 125 PhD advisors (including 10 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and 30 winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars), and is attended by 1240 undergraduate students, 405 master students, and 569 doctoral students. USTC physics was rated as A+ in the fourth round of discipline evaluation in 2016, has built more than 10 national-level or provincial/ministerial-level scientific research platforms (including the first national laboratory), and is one of the most important bases in China for physics talent training and scientific research.
The discipline direction at USTC physics is comprehensive, noted for its blend of theory and practice, and strong ability of interdisciplinary and integrated innovation. Its second-level discipline directions includ theoretical physics, particle and nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, plasma physics, condensed matter physics, optics, and etc. USTC physics also focuses on research frontiers, vigorously developing interdisciplinary directions of quantum information, precision measurement, medical physics, biophysics, etc., and actively participates in the international and domestic cooperation of large-scale scientific devices research (e.g., CERN-LHC, BES, RHIC, ITER, EAST, etc.).
USTC physics takes ""cultivating talents all over the world"" as its mission and has distinctive teaching characteristics. The undergraduate education focuses on strengthening the foundation of mathematics and physics, and implements the ""triad-structure"" teaching mode that integrates classroom teaching, academic exchange, and scientific research, which stimulates students' potential of scientific innovation. For graduate education, USTC physics adheres to long-term and wide-field teaching, removes course-selection constraints among different discipline directions, enables free choice of courses within the first-level discipline, and encourages course selection beyond first-level disciplines. USTC physics creates a rich and diverse platform for academic exchange activities, and provides fertile ground for interdisciplinary innovation.
USTC physics enjoys a remarkable effect of education. It has trained a number of famous scholars and discipline leaders. According to incomplete statistics, 26 USTC physics alumni have been elected academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, 53 have been elected the American Physical Society Fellows, and 66 have been elected winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars.
USTC physics has an abundant amount of high-quality scientific research achievements, and a high reputation at home and abroad. Five USTC physics achievements have been selected as Top Ten Chinese Science and Technology Progress News, two were selected as Top Ten Chinese Science Annual Progresses, and two were selected as Top Ten Highlights of the Year by the American Physical Society. One achievement won the second prize of the National Natural Science Award in 2020 (100% of the recipients), and three participating achievements won the first prize of the 2016 National Science and Technology Progress Award, the second prize of the 2016 National Natural Science Award and the second prize of the 2020 National Technological Invention Award. As the first affiliation, USTC physics has published 18 papers in Science or Nature, 1 in Reviews of Modern Physics, and 137 in Physical Review Letters. In 2020, the Nature Index of USTC physics was ranked sixth among world universities.
