The mission of the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP) is to advance modern science through research and educational programs that are interdisciplinary between physical science and engineering. The flow of knowledge between basic science and engineering at IREAP is bidirectional: applying basic science skills to problems of practical importance and engineering skills to aid fundamental scientific investigations, with an emphasis on diversity, quality, and excellence.

IREAP is recognized internationally as a leading university research center and conducts experimental and theoretical research in many areas; e.g., high-temperature plasma physics, plasma spectroscopy, microwave electronics, high-brightness charged particle beams, laser-plasma interactions, nonlinear dynamics, biophysics, ion beam microfabrication techniques, nanoscience, and nanotechnology. A detailed list of research conducted at the Institute can be found on IREAP's research webpage.

IREAP has participating researchers from the Departments of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Materials Science and Engineering, Geology, and the Institute for Physical Science and Technology. Graduate students work on their research dissertation projects with members of the IREAP faculty. The research activity is reinforced and broadened by visiting scientists and by collaboration with other teaching faculty who are affiliate members of IREAP.