Dr. Dan Waddill, professor of physics at the University of Missouri-Rolla and senior investigator in UMR’s Graduate Center for Materials Research, has been named chair of the physics department at UMR. The appointment took effect Aug. 1.

Waddill took over the position from Dr. Paul Parris, who remains on the physics faculty.

“Dr. Waddill brings excellent credentials to the job,” says UMR Provost Warren K. Wray. “He is a talented researcher, an effective teacher and is well-respected by his colleagues. I look forward to working with him in this new role.”

Waddill joined the UMR faculty as an assistant professor of physics and a research investigator in the Graduate Center for Materials Research in 1994. In 2000, Waddill was promoted to associate professor of physics and senior investigator for the Graduate Center for Materials Research. He was promoted to professor of physics in 2004.

During his tenure at UMR, Waddill has received the Faculty Excellence Award five times. He is also a recipient of the UMR College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award.

Prior to UMR, Waddill held post-doctoral appointments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of Minnesota.

A member of the American Physical Society, the American Vacuum Society and Sigma Xi, Waddill is the author of more than 100 refereed publications and 140 presentations.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree in physics from Rice University in 1980. He earned a master of science degree in 1984 and a Ph.D. in 1987, both in physics from Indiana University.