Faculty

In addition to studying natural philosophy simply because it’s beautiful, Dr. Spangler’s approach to physics has always been motivated by an interest in what physics reveals to us (humans) about how we see and organize our world. In a sense, studying nature tells us a lot about ourselves! His Masters of Science degree is in kinetic theory applied to plasma physics. Plasma is often called the fourth state of matter. It’s a little more interesting than water in that it supports very interesting waves, but it doesn’t exist in any form that can be kayaked. His Ph.D. is in nonlinear stability theory. It involves fluid dynamics, and this really complements my love of whitewater. Besides for physics, Dr. Spangler’s interests include music, winemaking, sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and of course all things related to the river.

Areas of specialization include physics, math, astronomy, music, winemaking, whitewater kayaking, and rafting.

Ph.D. from West Virginia University, 2005
M.S. from West Virginia University, 2001
B.S. in Physics with a Concentration in Environmental Studies, 1998