Purdue’s new cutting-edge physics labs ignite innovation in Indianapolis
02-11-2025
INDIANAPOLIS —Purdue University is expanding hands-on learning in the capital city with a new state-of-the-art physics labs, providing students with cutting-edge facilities to enhance hands-on education in STEM fields.
Designed to offer immersive, real-world experiences, the new physics labs serve as a hub for experimentation and discovery. The advanced facility equips future scientists, engineers, and innovators with the tools to apply physics concepts in meaningful ways, reinforcing Purdue’s commitment to experiential learning in Indianapolis. The labs include specialized equipment such as motion-tracking devices, electric coils, magnetic field generators, and other essential tools that immerse students in active learning.
“At Purdue, we know that the best way to learn is through hands-on experience and direct interaction with the material,” said Jeffrey Gerber, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, who is leading the laboratory setup and management.
“These labs allow students to engage with physics concepts in real-time, reinforcing what they learn in lectures with practical application. This hands-on learning is key to developing problem-solving skills, and these new labs provide an environment where students can explore, test, and innovate,” said Gerber.
Gerber received valuable support from graduate students Sean Savage, Nikhil Borse, Ravishankar Chatta Subramanium, Alex Whitman, and Winter Allen during the initial setup phase. Many of these graduate students also serve as teaching assistants for laboratory courses. Physics Professors Sanjay Rebello and Ian Arnold contributed to the laboratory setup.
The new facility features two fully-equipped lab rooms, currently serving approximately 350 students currently taking physics courses to satisfy their degree requirement. By fall 2025, enrollment is expected to expand to 500 students, demonstrating the growing demand for hands-on physics education.
“We are especially excited about these new lab spaces because they provide students with opportunities to apply physics principles in meaningful ways,” said Jonathan Rienstra-Kiracofe, associate dean for undergraduate STEM education in the College of Science.
Rienstra-Kiracofe also emphasized the significance of this development: “We are especially pleased with our new physics lab spaces as they ensure that our Purdue students studying in Indianapolis are receiving the same high-quality physics teaching lab experience as students studying in West Lafayette.”
Purdue’s expansion in the capital city reflects its commitment to providing students with world-class learning opportunities. “Teaching and educating students is a passion of mine,” Gerber added. “I’m excited to help shape these courses with new physics education research and provide Indianapolis students with an unparalleled opportunity for hands-on learning.”
"We’re thrilled to expand our services to Purdue University in Indianapolis, upholding the same level of excellence and innovation as at West Lafayette. With state-of-the-art facilities and a devoted faculty team, we are committed to offering students a top-quality education along with practical experience. We look forward to nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers in Indianapolis with the same Boilermaker spirit that propels us forward," says Gabor Csathy, professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
About Purdue University in Indianapolis
Purdue University in Indianapolis is a fully integrated expansion of West Lafayette, extending to central Indiana the academic rigor and accessible excellence for which Purdue is known. As the state’s only top 10 public university, most trusted university and most innovative university, Purdue is focused and committed to strengthening its presence in Indiana’s industrial and technological center. Purdue University in Indianapolis is creating an innovative, STEM-based collegiate experience by connecting future-ready Purdue students and faculty in Indianapolis to local businesses to accelerate Indiana’s STEM pipeline and tech ecosystem, fueling impact for our region and the world. Learn more at https://www.purdue.edu/indianapolis.
About the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University
Purdue’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has a rich and long history dating back to 1904. Our faculty and students are exploring nature at all length scales, from the subatomic to the macroscopic and everything in between. With an excellent and diverse community of faculty, postdocs and students who are pushing new scientific frontiers, we offer a dynamic learning environment, an inclusive research community and an engaging network of scholars.
Physics and Astronomy is one of the seven departments within the Purdue University College of Science. World-class research is performed in astrophysics, atomic and molecular optics, accelerator mass spectrometry, biophysics, condensed matter physics, quantum information science, and particle and nuclear physics. Our state-of-the-art facilities are in the Physics Building, but our researchers also engage in interdisciplinary work at Discovery Park District at Purdue, particularly the Birck Nanotechnology Center and the Bindley Bioscience Center. We also participate in global research including at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, many national laboratories (such as Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermilab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Stanford Linear Accelerator, etc.), the James Webb Space Telescope, and several observatories around the world.
About the College of Science
Purdue University’s College of Science is committed to the persistent pursuit of the mathematical and scientific knowledge that forms the very foundation of innovation. More than 340 tenure-track faculty conduct world-changing research and deliver a transformative education to more than 6,800 undergraduates and 1,800 graduate students. See how we develop practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges with degree programs in the life sciences, physical sciences, computational sciences, mathematics, and data science at www.purdue.edu/science.
Written by: David Siple, Communications Specialist, Purdue University Department of Physics and Astronomy