Introduction and Early Faculty
The Physics Department was introduced in 1924 as part of the intermediate course, with Mr. S. V. Subbaiyar as the first faculty member. The department expanded in 1927 when Natural Science was introduced, and Rev. Fr. Schneider S.J. joined the faculty. Notable additions in the early years include Mr. Thomas Joseph and Rev. Fr. Laurent S.J. in 1942, and Mr. P. Chidambaram in 1950.
Milestones in the Department
The B.Sc. Physics program was introduced in 1956, with Mr. N. R. Krishnamoorthy serving as the first Head of the Department. Leadership transitions occurred frequently, with Mr. Thomas Joseph, Mr. I. Soosairethanam, and Mr. Peter Angelo among the notable figures who contributed to the department's growth.
Key Faculty Members
Several faculty members have left a lasting impact on the department:
- Mr. S. Ambrose - Appointed in 1965.
- Rev. Fr. John Bosco, S.J. - Joined in 1969.
- Mr. M. Kanakaraj - Joined in 1975, served for 30 years.
- Dr. S. Paulraj - Led the department during its expansion as a research center in 2010.
Department Growth and Research
In 2010, the department was upgraded to a research center. Since then, it has received over seventy lakhs in research funding, and more than 500 papers have been published in reputed journals. The department currently has 14 teaching staff, 13 of whom hold Ph.D. degrees in Physics.
Achievements
- M.Sc. Physics started as a self-financing course in 2007-08.
- B.Sc. Physics was introduced in the self-supporting scheme in 2019.
- There are currently 29 scholars registered for their Ph.D. under 9 research guides.
Laboratories and Equipment
The department is well-equipped with laboratories and advanced research facilities. Key equipment includes:
- Spin Coater
- Muffle Furnace
- UV Visible Double Beam Spectrophotometer
- Electrochemical Workstation
The department also houses a library with over 300 books and maintains separate laboratories for undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students.