Faculty and Staff

Faculty

Spencer L. Buckner, Associate Professor, joined the faculty in 1999 with a B.S. in Engineering Physics, an M.S. in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Physics all from Texas Tech University. His background is in experimental thin film physics of organic and inorganic insulators.  His current interests are in the areas of astronomy and astronomy education.
Email: buckners@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B326
Phone: (931) 221-6241

Laura Camp, Visiting Instructor, has joined the Department for the 2012-2013 academic year with a B.S. in Physics from APSU and an M.S. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Email: campl@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B327
Phone:  (931) 221-6242

Arthur Carpenter, Associate Professor, joined the faculty in 1988 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. in Physics from Florida State University. His background is in theoretical nuclear physics of nucleon-nucleon scattering.

Email: carpentera@apsu.edu
Office: Austin Peay Fort Campbell
Phone: (931) 221-1400

B. Alex King III, Professor and Chair, joined the faculty in 2000 with a B.A. in Physics and Chemistry from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, an M.S. in Physics from Southern Methodist University, and a Ph.D. in High-Energy Physics Theory from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His current research interests include applied quantum mechanics, lattice QCD, and quark-antiquark (quarkonium) bound states.
kinga@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B324 
Phone: (931) 221-6102

Andriy Kovalskyy, Associate Professor,  joined the faculty in 2011 with a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Lviv State University, Ukraine. His current research interests include: atomic and electronic structure of non-oxide glasses and amorphous thin films (EXAFS, XANES, XPS, Raman, positron annihilation); structural dynamics in glasses; interaction of light and ionizing radiation with amorphous solids; surface science in application to solid state disordered media; gray scale photolithography and electron-beam nanostructuring on glasses; amorphous optical IR materials for micro- and nanophotonics.
Email: kovalskyya@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm. B325
Phone: (931) 221-6157 

Justin R. Oelgoetz, Associate Professor, joined the faculty in 2008 with a B.S. in Chemistry from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Ohio State University.  His current research interests include: the spectroscopy (X-Ray, UV-VIS, IR, Raman, Nuclear Magnetic resonance, etc) and electronic structure of novel materials at the molecular, nano, and bulk scales; the spectroscopy and electronic structure of ions in plasmas and the collisional and radiative processes that connect various states; plasma spectroscopy as an astrophysical diagnostic tool; novel applications of thermodynamics and kinetics and new algorithm development.  
Email: oelgoetzj@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B323 
Phone: (931) 221-6158

Jaime R. Taylor, Professor and Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, joined the faculty in 1996 with a B.S. in Physics from Austin Peay State University, and an M.S. and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee Space Institute. His research interests are in applications of biologically inspired algorithms or “ soft computing” methods such as neural networks, fuzzy systems and genetic algorithms.
Email: taylorjr@apsu.edu
Office: Hemlock Semiconductor Building, Rm 105
Phone: (931) 221-7964

J. Allyn Smith, Associate Professor, joined the faculty in 2006 with a B.S. in General and Molecular Biology, an M.S. in Space Sciences (Atmospheric Physics), an M.S. in Space Technology (Space Systems Operations), and a Ph.D. in Space Sciences (Astrophysics), all from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL. His background is in observational astrophysics with primary research interests in the late stages of stellar evolution and survey calibration.
Email: smithj@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B329
Phone: (931) 221-6104

Pei Xiong-Skiba, Professor, joined the faculty in 1993 with a B.S. from Fudan University, China, an M.S. in Physics from Southeastern Massachusetts University, and a Ph.D. in Physics from Wesleyan University of Connecticut. Her background is in experimental surface physics using electron emission.
Email: xiongp@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B325
Phone: (931) 221-6118

Staff

Sherry Bagwell, Administrative Assistant II, joined the department in 2002. She has a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Education, both from Austin Peay.
Email: bagwells@apsu.edu
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B334
Phone: (931) 221-6116

Bryan Gaither, Laboratory Manager, joined the department in 2013. He has a B.S. in Physics from Austin Peay.
Email: gaitherb@apsu.edu 
Office: Sundquist Science Center, Rm B121
Phone: (931) 221-6117

Emeritus Faculty

Melburn R. Mayfield, M.S., Professor of Physics (1957-1987); Chair of Department of Physics (1958-1970); Vice President for Development and Field Services (1972-1976); Executive Director of University Advancement (July-December 1976).