Highlights

• Since its establishment in 1986, the Physics Department at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has been a leading center for high-quality education and research in Oman and the region. We offer a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs that prepare students to meet the demands of the scientific community and the broader professional world.
• Our undergraduate programs provide a solid foundation in fundamental physics principles, equipping students with the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in various careers. We offer minor specializations in Medical Physics, Astronomy, and Nuclear Sciences. Soon, in collaboration with the Biology and Chemistry departments, we will coordinate a minor in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The department is the pioneer in introducing Active Learning in its teaching program at SQU.
• At the postgraduate level, we offer M.Sc. (Physics) and Ph. D. (Physics) programs that foster advanced research. These programs allow our students to be well acquainted with the advanced knowledge and skills that enable them to contribute to the development of diverse research fields, ranging from condensed matter physics to quantum physics, materials science, soft matter, and optics to high energy physics, astrophysics, and astronomy.
• The department is renowned for its high-quality research output, with faculty and students consistently contributing to global scientific research in theoretical, computational, and experimental physics and related fields. As hinted above, our research spans multiple disciplines, with a particular focus on areas such as theoretical and applied condensed and soft matter physics, materials science, high energy physics, and astrophysics. Excellent experimental and computational research facilities and an astronomical observatory support our research activities. Collaborations with local and international institutions further enrich the research environment, creating valuable opportunities for innovation and advancement. It is no wonder that, over the years, our department has made significant contributions to the international physics community through publications and the organization of international conferences and regional meetings.
• In 2025 the Department celebrated the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ‑2025) with a series of talks by distinguished local and international scientists, including Prof. M. Koca (SQU), Dr. A. Elagali (University of Western Australia), Dr. M. Henini (University of Nottingham, UK), Dr. N. Seriani (ICTP, Italy), Dr. R. Al Abri (UTAS, Oman), and Dr. N. Al Omaiari (UTAS, Oman).
• In November 2026 the Department plans to hold a Workshop on Computational Materials Science in collaboration with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy. We anticipate that scientists from Oman and neighboring countries will benefit from participating in this international activity.

     Proof. Hisham M. Widatallah, (HOD)

    Visiting Consultants & Part-time Instructors

    Spring 2025:

• Prof. Mohamed Elamin Elzain, PhD (Birmingham University, UK, 1978) (Visiting Consultant)
• Prof. Kazim Yavuz Eksi, PhD (Bogazici University, Physics Department, Istanbul, Turkey, 2003). (Visiting Consultant)
• Prof. Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi, PhD (Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 1998). (Visiting Consultant)
• Prof. Haikel Al Jelassi, PhD (Lieu: Laboratoire Aimé Cotton-CNRS- University of Paris-Sud FRANCE,1980).National Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies, 2020 Sidi Thabet Tunis Tunisia. (Visiting Consultant)

    Fall 2025:

•  Prof. Mohamed Elamin Elzain, PhD (Birmingham University, UK, 1978) (Visiting Consultant)
• Dr. Santhosh Mogurampally, PhD (IISC Bangalore, India,2013), Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, India (Visiting Consultant)
• Mr.Khalid Khamis Aljahwari, MSc, (Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman) (Part-Time Instructor)
• Ms. Al Maha Al Habsi, MPhys, (University of Liverpool, UK, 2021) (Part-Time Instructor)
• Dr. Mohammed Attia Mahmoud , PHD (Antwerp University, Belgium 2012) (Visiting Consultant)

      International Collaborations

• Dr. Abey Issac has research collaboration with Prof. Richard Hildner from Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
• Dr. Mohammed Souier has been collaborating with Pr. Matteo Chiesa (The Arctic University of Norway) on “simulation of scanning probe spectroscopy", and with Pr. Mohamed Bououdina (Prince Sultan University) on “photocatalytic activity of nanomaterials”.
• Dr. Sumesh Sofin is collaborating with Prof. Hanchun Wu, (Beijing Institute of Technology, China) on first-principles density functional theory (DFT) studies of oxide materials.
• Dr. Afsal Manekkathodi is collaborating with Prof. Tzu-Chien Wei (National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan) Prof.Nouar Tabet (University of Sharjah, United Arabic Emirates.)Prof. Vinod Erkara Madhavan, (National Institute of technology, Calicut, India) on Perovskite solar cell materials.
• Dr. Noor alhuda Al Saqri has established a one-year Research Collaboration Agreement with Prof. Mohamed Henini from the University of Nottingham, UK, starting in August 2025. The agreement includes the transfer of advanced semiconductor research equipment to the SQU Semiconductor Laboratory, valued at approximately a quarter of a million OMR, to support semiconductor research activities. As part of this agreement, Prof. Mohamed Henini visited SQU from 16–19 October 2025 to provide expert support for the installation and commissioning of new semiconductor characterization equipment.
• Dr. Noor alhuda Al Saqri is collaborating with Dr. A. Khatab from Taibah University, Saudi Arabia, and Prof. Nourredine Sengouga from the University of Mohamed Khider, Algeria, on semiconductor nanostructures and quantum heterostructures.
• Dr. Srinivasa Rao Varanasi has been collaborating with Dr. Ravindra Pandey, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India on “Nanoparticle, protein interactions with lipid surfaces”
• Prof. Mudhahir Al-Ajmi is collaborating with Particle Cosmology group at Sussex University, UK.
• Prof. Hisham Widatallah, Prof. Abbasher Gismeseed, Prof. Ahmed Al Rawas and Dr. Fatma Al Ma’mari are collaborating with Dr. E. A. and Dr. E. C. Crabb at the Open University, UK and Dr. O. Cespedes (Leeds University, UK).
• Dr. Amr Radi collaborates with faculty Prof. Gabriella Pugliese at Bar University, Italy, and works on CMS detector calibrations for CERN.