An assistant professor of physics can instruct students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. They generally teach introductory or general education courses on various topics of physics, such as laws of matter and energy, electricity and magnetism, thermal physics, quantum physics, and mechanics. As they gain experience, they may teach higher-level courses that include condensed matter, atomic and molecular physics, biophysics, theoretical physics, and astronomy. Assistant professors of physics create syllabi for classes which outlines the term’s assignments, labs, and tests for the students. They may also participate in research projects and publish papers in industry journals.