Faculty & Staff

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is staffed by seven permanent faculty (one shared with Earth and Climate Sciences); visiting faculty as needed; two Assistants in Instruction; a machinist; and grant-funded postdoctoral research associates. All faculty have active scholarly research programs with opportunities for Bates students, and all teach a wide variety of physics and astronomy courses.

Photo of Casey E. Berger

Casey E. Berger

Assistant Professor of Physics

cberger3@bates.edu | 207-786-6325

Photo of Ryan K. Cole

Ryan K. Cole

Assistant Professor of Physics

rcole@bates.edu | 207-753-6909

Photo of Sarah A. Conley

Sarah A. Conley

Assistant Professor of Physics

sconley2@bates.edu | 207-786-6493

Photo of Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic

Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic

Associate Professor of Physics

adiamond@bates.edu | 207-786-6324

Photo of Wesley C. Gillis

Wesley C. Gillis

Assistant Professor of Physics

wgillis@bates.edu | 207-755-5983

Photo of Nathan E. Lundblad

Nathan E. Lundblad

Professor of Physics

nlundbla@bates.edu | 207-786-6321

Photo of Rebecca C. Payne

Rebecca C. Payne

Assistant Professor of Earth and Climate Sciences and Physics

rpayne@bates.edu | 207-786-6042

  • Peter Beach – Machinist
  • Cole Hastings – Assistant in Instruction
  • Juan Varela – Assistant in Instruction
  • Jean-Baptiste Gerent – Postdoctoral Research Associate
  • Abel Beregi – Postdoctoral Research Associate
  • Mark Nordberg (Assistant in Instruction 2005-2023)
  • Gabe Ycas (Assistant in Instruction 2005-2008)
  • Stephanie Haskins (Assistant in Instruction 1998-2005)
  • Names are sorted by decade and year in which each faculty member retired or left the department. Bold indicates faculty who were long-term members of the department.
  • 2020-2029 departure/retirement
    • Erin de Pree (visiting 2022-2025)
    • Bahar Modir (visiting 2024-2025)
    • Jeff Oishi (2016-2024) (now at U. New Hampshire)
    • John Smedley (1987-2024)
    • Hong Lin (1991-2023)
    • Travis Gould (2013-2022)
    • Raj Saha ’03 (visiting 2015-2021; now at the Roux Institute)
    • Catherine Whiting (visiting 2018-2020; now at Colorado Mesa University)
  • 2010-2019 departure/retirement
    • Bahar Modir (visiting 2016-2017; now at LANL)
    • Gene Clough (1978-2016)
    • Eric Wollman (1979-2016)
    • Mark Semon (1976-2016)
    • Michael Durst (visiting 2011-2014; now at Middlebury College)
    • Lily Childress (2008-2011; now at McGill University)
  • 2000-2009 departure/retirement
  • 1990-1999 departure/retirement
  • Historical
    • Robert Kingsbury
    • Ronald Reese
    • Karl Woodcock
    • George Gibbs
    • Carroll Bailey