Stony Brook University Earns Global Recognition With Physics & Astronomy Program Ranked Among World’s Top 100

STONY BROOK, NY - March 25, 2026 - The State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University), New York's number one public university and flagship, continues to gain international recognition with its Physics & Astronomy program ranked No. 85 worldwide in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject -placing it among the top 100 university programs globally in the field.

"The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences is one of Stony Brook's most distinguished departments," said Carl W. Lejuez, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. "Since the great C.N. Yang joined Stony Brook shortly after the university was founded, exceptional faculty, researchers and students have been drawn to study physics and astronomy here and explore the complexities and infinite possibilities across time, space and the natural world."

The QS World University Rankings by Subject are based on five key indicators that measure both reputation and research impact. These include academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index, which reflects both the productivity and impact of a department's research. The rankings also consider the international research network, which measures how effectively a university collaborates with institutions around the world.

Stony Brook was previously ranked in the top 100 for Physics and Astronomy in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. For this year's ranking, the university was evaluated based on reputation and research output for 6,273 institutions, 1,908 ranked across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas.

"While no single number can capture the quality of a program's faculty, staff, and students, we are always gratified when they are recognized for their outstanding contributions to their field," said Braden Hosch, vice president for Educational and Institutional Effectiveness.

"I am exceptionally pleased to see the QS ranked our department within top 100 (#85) globally, which is essentially our highest QS ranking in history," said Chang Kee Jung, SUNY distinguished professor and chair, Physics and Astronomy. "While I truly believe the quality of our department is even higher, I welcome this ranking that reflects our excellent faculty, and graduate and undergrad programs."

The College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics and Astronomy pursues a broad range of research programs. The department shares faculty with the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics; the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics; and the Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology.

Recent highlights from the department include a new Quantum Institute, led by Director and Endowed Presidential Professor of Physics Eden Figueroa; a $300 million dollar investmentfrom New York State; and the launch of a new Quantum Design Lab. At the same time, the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics has been further strengthened by a $12 million giftfrom alumni, creating an endowed fund to support faculty, students, and pioneering research in fundamental physics.

Learn more about the Department of Physics and Astronomy at https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/physics/