From the Dean

Over the past year, College of Sciences faculty, staff and students have been working hard on our “Big Ideas” initiative, a collection of community-generated proposals intended to elevate us to new heights over the next decade. As this work continues, I am pleased to report that one of these ideas was recently approved by the university administration: changing the name of the Department of Physics to the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

The study of astronomy at NC State goes back many decades, but it gained new prominence in 1985 when Stephen Reynolds joined the department as the first faculty member with an astrophysics Ph.D. Today, the department holds a position of national and international leadership in the field, largely thanks to the work of Steve and other talented faculty and staff members. This name change recognizes that eminence and also brings us in line with peers, many of which already use “Physics and Astronomy” in their department names.

In addition, this change benefits our efforts to recruit top graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom are interested in studying astronomy and astrophysics and will now see themselves more fully represented in the department’s branding. I would like to thank Department Head Paul Huffman and the entire physics and astronomy community for championing this name change and bringing its numerous advantages to our attention. You’ll see the new name reflected in web and print materials in the coming weeks. 

In the meantime, we’ll continue pushing to implement the priorities that are shaping our future in research, teaching and outreach. Your hard work and support make this possible. Thank you for everything you do for our college. 

Lewis Owen
Dean