Transcript department history in pictures

GMUGeorge
campus,Mason
Google
University,
Earth 2007
2007
In 1965 a small band of rebels left George
Mason Junior College which later split from the University
of Virginia to form George Mason University. The department began
when Eugenie Mielczarek joined George Mason College on a full-time
basis in 1965, to become the first woman so appointed to a tenure track position
in the Northeast. Two years later, Eugenie hired Dimitris Papaconstantopolous, who
later became the Department’s third chair. Dimiris was preceded in the chair position
by Bill Johnston who passed away in 1999. In 1977 Bob Ehrlich then joined
the department as its 4th chair. At that time the department of physics Included
all of engineering, which was then only a two-year program, which split off from
hysics when the first engineering degree program was approved. Aft
stepped down as department chair after serving 12 years, Menas Ka
d in to chair the department for several years before creatin
n proceeded to lead the department between 1990 and 199
ka became chair until 2007, when Bob Ehrlich again
George Mason College of the University of Virginia, 1964
Some interesting snippets from early GMU brochures and catalogs
“Women are not admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences as candidates for
the degree of Bachelor of Arts as pre-professional students or as special
students. They may, however, be admitted as candidates for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Bachelor of Science in Physics if
they are at least twenty years of age and have completed in an accredited
college at least two years (sixty semester-hours) of academic work with
satisfactory grades.” 1960-1961 brochure on George Mason College
“The Admissions Office considers each applicant individually, using the following
criteria: Evidence of academic achievement and promise, with acceptable facility
in the use of the English language and understanding the fundamental
mathematical processes. Evidence of good character and acceptable
social habits.”
1971-72 George Mason College Catalog, p. 21.
1967
Jeannie Mielczarek,
on the occasion of her
35th year of service
(1999)
35 years &
they give
me a pewter
mug & not a
gold watch!
Actually, the concept of “extra credit”
had not yet been invented in 1967
As an extra credit
question on the next
exam, I will ask you to
spell my name
Dimitris Papaconstantopolous, 1967
Faculty Circa 1976
Surrounding Eugenie
Mielczarek, the 3 central
people are Flinn, Ceperley
and Meshkov
-- Clockwise from upper left:
Papaconstantopolous,
Johnston*, Black, Kafatos,
Pedroni, Lankford,
Keramides, Leiter, and Lieb
*deceased
Standing: Lieb, Ellsworth, Gurfein, Kruppa, Johnston, Flinn, Black, Mielczarek, Hannigan, Kowalski, Evans
Sitting: Dworzecka, Ehrlich, Kafatos
Physics Department, 1983
From left: Lieb, Kowalski, Ellsworth, Mielczarek, Dworzecka, Evans, Ehrlich, Kafatos
1986
GMU Herschel Observatory, located
off Braddock Rd, Circa 1975
I hope they
like their
burgers rare!
Bill Lankford 2005
With his CASEP group
Bill Lankford, circa 1975,
Supervised telescope
construction by students
One amazing student project
Could
…no that
wait,be
aIt’s
black
daytime.
hole?
.
Menas Kafatos looking
through telescope,
circa 1975
New observatory, 2007
Leonid Ozernoy, 1939 -2002
Harold Geller, Observatory
Director, joined faculty in 1992
Merav Opher and grad student
Rebecca Evans.
Amazing – we still all
talk to each other!
Five living department chairs of Physics & Astronomy, 2007
EM: 1965-1968, WJ: 1968-1970, DC: 1970-77, RE: 1977-1989, MK: 1989-91, JL: 1991
1999, MD: 1999-2006, RE:2006-
Karen Sauer joined in 2004
Anna Wyczalkowski joined in 2001
Yakir Aharonov joined in 2006
Shobita Satyapal joined in 2001
Ernie Barreto joined in 2000
John Evans and Peter Ceperley at the
celebration of their retirement, 2007
Bob Meier joined GMU in 2003
Paul So joined in 1998
Amin Jazaeri
receiving a fake
diploma from Dr.
Menas Kafatos, his
thesis advisor, at a
celebration following
the receipt of his
real PhD, 2007.
Amin joined in 2001
joined in 1980
Jessica Rosenberg,
joined in 2007
Merav Opher
joined in 2005
Indu Satija joined in 1987
Art Poland joined in 2005
Mike Summers joined GMU in 1991
Yuri Mishin joined in 2000
Becky Ericson in 2005
joined in 1992
Joe Weingartner
joined in 2003
Phil Rubin
joined in 2003
Robert Oerter
joined in 1997
joined in 1997
Brian O’Haoloran
joined in 2007
Karen Sauer, and her two co-recipients of the first (2007) George
Mason Emerging Researcher, Scholar and Creator Awards.
Mike Summers at the reception following his receiving the
COS “Celebration of Scholarship award” for 2007
Rachel Dudik defending her Ph D. thesis, Nov 2007