Notable, active research projects include, but are not limited to:
| Project | Associated Faculty | Associated Facilities | 
| ArcheoPhysics (Neanderthal Tool Characterization) | Tonya S. Coffey | Coffey UHV Laboratory AppNano (Nano-Analysis and Fabrication Lab) | 
| Atmospheric Optical Characterization | James P. Sherman | AppalAIR (Optics Lab) | 
| Early Universe Physics | Anthony G. Calamai | Ion Trap Laboratory | 
| Eclipsing Binary Stars | Daniel B. Caton | Dark Sky Observatory | 
| Electrostatics - e.g. Mars Rover | J. Sid Clements | ASU Electrostatics Lab, Kennedy Space Center, FL | 
| Fluids / Granular Materials Coupling | Christopher S. Thaxton | Applied Fluids Laboratory | 
| Granular Flows and Sediment Transport (Computational, Experimental, and Field Research) | Christopher S. Thaxton | Naval Research Labs (Stennis SC, MS) | 
| Health Physics - Optics | Jennifer L. Burris | Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory | 
| Martian Atmosphere Characterization | Tonya S. Coffey | Coffey UHV Laboratory AppNano (Nano-Analysis and Fabrication Lab) | 
| Nano-Materials Fabrication and Characterization (multiple on-going projects) | AppNano (Nano-Analysis and Fabrication Lab) | |
| Nano-Tribology and UHV Surface Characterization (multiple on-going projects) | Tonya S. Coffey | Coffey UHV Laboratory | 
| NASA Instrumentation (ongoing: Space Shuttle, etc.) | J. Sid Clements | ASU Electrostatics Lab, Kennedy Space Center, FL | 
| O/B Associations and Galactic structure | Michael Briley | National Optical Observatories | 
| Organic Electronics (Transistors and Photovoltaics) | UHV Laboratories Center for NanoPhase Materials Science | |
| Physics and Astronomy Education and Pedagogy | John E. Cockman Patricia E. Allen | ASU P&A Instructional and Demonstration Facilities Rankin "GoTo" Instructional Astronomy Facility | 
| Regional Atmospheric Modeling | Christopher S. Thaxton | Applied Fluids Laboratory | 
| Statistical Analysis of Mountain Streams | Christopher S. Thaxton | Applied Fluids Laboratory | 
| Stellar abundances and populations | Michael Briley | Dark Sky Observatory | 
| Stellar Atmosphere and Earth Ionosphere Research | Anthony G. Calamai | Ion Trap Laboratory | 
| Stellar Spectroscopy | Richard O. Gray | Astronomy Instrumentation Development Laboratory | 
| Surface Physics (AFM, SEM, STM, STS, C-AFM, KPFM, etc) | Tonya S. Coffey | UHV Laboratories AppNano (Nano-Analysis and Fabrication Lab) | 
| Trojan Planet Project | Daniel B. Caton | Dark Sky Observatory | 
Other past projects include, but are not limited to, those disseminated in our students' Master's theses.