The Department was rated as an internationally-prominent department in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Its research is well supported by a wide range of funding bodies and it has many collaborations worldwide. Since 2001 it has almost doubled in size and research grant income has more than doubled. The Physics Department at Warwick currently has over 50 research active academic staff together with a similar number of Research Assistants and strong technical support. The Postgraduate research student population has also increased significantly  to ~130 in 2009, as a consequence of Research Council grant awards.

 There are five research themes: 

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Theoretical and Computational Physics
• Elementary Particle Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics

Increased scientific diversity is indicated by the involvement of many staff in multidisciplinary ventures:

(i) The Centre for Scientific Computing.

(ii) Three EPSRC Doctoral Training Centres: Complexity Science, Molecular Organisation & Assembly of Cells (MOAC) and Systems Biology

(iii) The Science City research venture between Birmingham and Warwick Universities, which heavily involves and significantly benefits two of the Department's groups directly, Condensed Matter Physics and Theory and Computational Physics, plus the Centre for Scientific Computing

The HEFCE-funded Midlands Physics Alliance is a strategic research-led venture launched in 2007 and built around similarities in size and common research strengths at Warwick, Birmingham and Nottingham in Condensed Matter Physics. The first phase, a 5-yr, award, establishes collaborative training for PhD students, funds competitive PhD bursaries, and encourages collaborative research  within the Alliance.