STaR Division

LOOK TO THE STARS

Renowned astrophysicists Duncan Lorimer and Maura McLaughlin build careers and lives in West Virginia.

Scientist Spotlight Video Series

Scientists take many paths throughout their careers. Explore the daily lives of four West Virginia science professionals working in academia, government, and industry.

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Vision 2025: West Virginia Science & Technology Plan

Strategic goals aimed to develop West Virginia’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent pipeline while expanding research, innovation and entrepreneurship

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Every time I am teaching, I am trying to adjust and learn from my students. There are no similar students. Each is a different learner and understands physics differently. It’s not easy.

Maria Babiuc Hamilton

Associate Professor, Marshall University

It just gives me a really deep sense of wonder. I think that if we can translate that sense of wonder to people, to kids and adults, we’ll have a better audience when we want to talk about climate change or global warming or other serious discussions that we need to have as a culture and as a species.

F. Robin O'Keefe

Professor, Marshall University

They say Einstein’s is the face that launched a thousand physics careers. Well, I’m one of them.

Zach Etienne

Assistant Professor, West Virginia University

People like me, the science professors or scientists, don’t seem to have a lot of public contact, and we could probably do more about that. Politicians are on television all of the time, but the scientists are not.

David H. Huber

Professor, West Virginia State University

I was very lucky as my mom was a pioneer back home. She was my mentor. She guided me all the way through. She always told me that, ‘As a girl, you are no less than anyone else.’ Unfortunately, many female students in rural West Virginia – and all over the world – are not as lucky as I was. The ones who are lucky, I think it is our goal to help those who are not.

Afrin Naz

Associate Professor, West Virginia University Institute of Technology

That’s probably the best part of the job is getting the students involved. Watching them learn science by doing science. Seeing how excited they get when they make a discovery or achieve a goal in the laboratory. I really, really enjoy that.

Joseph Horzempa

Associate Professor, West Liberty University

Sometimes the most difficult questions in life are the easiest. We just need to quit trying so hard and look at what’s right in front of us.

Jason Hubbart

Professor, West Virginia University

Continued funding for research is crucial to helping West Virginia and the United States move forward.

Eric Blough

Professor and Associate Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs for the School of Pharmacy, Marshall University

If you have a strategy, there is a way to improve the water quality. Whatever we do here is going to benefit many people.

Fernando Rojano

Assistant Research Professor, West Virginia State University

Overcoming the social barriers for adopting new technology is really huge. It’s very difficult, even more difficult than overcoming a technical barrier for new technology. In my opinion – of course, I’m biased – West Virginia has the opportunity to be at the forefront in developing these kind of technologies (improvements in coal waste disposal and energy efficiency) and making a huge impact in coal producing regions worldwide.