Research of the physics institutes covers fundamental topics of solid state and surface physics both in experiment and theory, atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics, materials physics, and developments of computational methods. The Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis with its high resolution instruments plays an important role as Austrian Center for researchers in all areas of science and engineering. Besides the education of physics students in bachelor and master programs, an interdisciplinary advanced materials master study is offered. The physics department also provides the physics courses for students in other science and engineering areas. Both teaching and research are conducted in close cooperation with Karl-Franzens-University as part of the NAWI Graz initiative.