Research in Physics at the University of Trento started around 1973, when the Faculty of Science was created. Since then, the scope and breadth of research at the Department of Physics have continuously been growing. Now the Department includes more than 40 faculty members, about 40 PhD students, a large number of post-docs and visiting scientists, and about 30 professional staff. The Physics Department strives to balance high quality education with outstanding research. The diversity of our programs offer an wide range of research options for our students. In addition to courses provided for students progressing toward a B.S. and Master in Physics, the Department offers service courses to both the Faculties of Science and Engineering.

The recent years have been very productive for our Department, in both quantity and quality. This is also testified by the level of funding that the Department has been awarded by the independent referees of external funding agencies. External funding agencies include INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare), INFM (Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia), CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana), ESA (European Space Agency), EU (European Union), as well as several commercial companies.

Collaboration with foreign universities and research institutes has strengthened as our research activities have achieved international recognition. A particular reason for satisfaction has been the growth of the PhD programme. The number of students has increased and new forms of international collaboration between graduate schools (cotutelle des thиses) have been implemented.

The Department of Physics enjoys a beautiful location in Povo, in the foothills rising to the east of Trento, one of the oldest and most historic cities in the Alps. Trento is rather active in the scientific and technological development. The Department of Physics takes advantage of many fruitful connections with the other departments of the University, including new inter-departmental initiatives, as well as with other research centers nearby, like the "Fondazione Bruno Kessler", the "Fondazione Edmund Mach", the "Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali", the "European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas".