The Otago Department of Physics is a physics department located at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is situated in the Science 3 building, at the northwest corner of the campus. The building is located at the intersection of Cumberland and St. David Streets.
The Department of Physics at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand—also known in Māori as Te Tari Hū-o-te-Kōhao—is the nation’s oldest physics department, starting with natural philosophy as a founding discipline of the University in 1869. Professor John Shand was the first Chair of mathematics and natural philosophy, appointed in 1870, one of three foundation professors of the university. [1] He was succeeded by Professor Robert Jack in 1914, who later pioneered radio broadcasting in New Zealand. [2] [3] [4]
A bequest to the university by watchmaker, mathematician, and inventor Arthur Beverly in 1907 funds undergraduate bursaries and the Beverly Chair in Physics. [5]
The Beverly Clock—created in 1864—runs on daily temperature/pressure variations and has been in continuous operation (with minimal interruptions) in the physics building since 1907. [6]
Historical innovations
The department has research efforts in
The University hosts the The Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies (Māori : Te Whai Ao [21] ), named after New Zealand physicists Jack Dodd and Dan Walls.