Theoretical physics is one of the highest impact fields in science. Its breakthroughs - such as those due to Newton, Maxwell and Einstein - enabled the creation of new technologies which have literally transformed society. Today, its ideas drive and guide giant international experiments like the Large Hadron Collider, which push technology to its limits and inspire the public about science. Theoretical physics is highly interdisciplinary, contributing key concepts to diverse fields from astrongomy to neuroscience, to pure mathematics to computer science. It is above all a creative field, constantly reinventing itself, discovering deeper insights into nature while broadening its range of application.
The goal of theoretical physics is to identify the basic principles relevant to a particular physical problem and then to translate those principles into accurate predictions. Historical successes include the dynamics of planetary motion, thermodynamics, relativity, quantum mechanics, the theory of the transistor, and many others. Future opportunities include unifying quantum mechanics with gravity, understanding and predicting new fundamental particles and new states of matter, and designing and building a practical quantum computer. PSI graduates will work at the forefront of theoretical physics, pursuing these opportunities and turning them into reality.