CAS CONNECT 2017

A challenge is defined as “difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to the one engaged in it.” And after 21 years at the University of Idaho, Dr. David McIlroy was looking for a new one. McIlroy found just the chal- lenge he was seeking with the open position of depart- ment head in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics at Oklahoma State University. “I decided I could either stay here for another 12 to 13 years and cruise to retirement, or I could find something new and interesting to do,” McIlroy says. “The position as it was advertised looked really interesting to me.” McIlroy is already famil- iar with the challenges that come with leading a phys- ics department, which he did at the University of Idaho for four years. “The main goal, as I see it, is to continue to build the undergraduate physics major enrollment, continue to bring in higher and higher qual- ity graduate students … help guide the department and rein- vigorate its research,” McIlroy says. “Part of the goal is to take the department to what I view a modern physics depart- ment to be, which is a lot more student-inclusive, espe- cially with the undergraduates, and have a lot more under- graduate research, which is what the department wants to move toward as well.” In fact, McIlroy sees under- graduate research as one of the most important parts of the department. “It is the main thing that is critical to any physics program,” he says. “In these days, the students are so much more knowledgeable on what they want to do. If you can answer their questions and it matches with what they had in mind, you start to attract the best students, which is really what physics is all about because it is a difficult subject.” OSU’s physics department is larger than Idaho’s, which McIlroy says allows for more opportunities — and taking more risks. “There is not a lot of room for error [at the University of Idaho], so we have to be really careful with our strat- egy,” he explains. “At some- where like OSU, the department can take more chances, which means we can pursue different opportunities.” McIlroy is looking forward to the changes and challenges of his new position. “It is a new beginning,” he says. “Just the excitement of working with people who want to see change and want to bring the department up to a different level.” — Karolyn Bolay Dr. David McI lroy McIlroy leaves Idaho to lead OSU’s physics PHOTO / COURTESY DAVID MCILROY 31