Steuard Jensen: Curious About the World
“It’s nice living somewhere where we can really get to know people, the other faculty and the students. People don’t just get lost here. The butcher shop already knows us by name.” – Steuard Jensen
Steuard Jensen was not only the reluctant prom king of his high school, but he also is an accomplished professor who earned his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Chicago in 2006.
Science has long been of interest to Jensen, who poured over books about astrophysics and Einstein while still in junior high. A childhood camping trip is what he credits for shaping his awe for science at an early age. It was this chance to look up at the stars, away from the glare of city lights, that sealed his fate as a self-described “science nerd.”
Steuard Jensen
“I’ve always been curious about the world around me,” says Jensen, assistant professor of physics whose research specialty is string theory, a field of physics that aims to explain the fundamental principles that govern all of nature. “The universe is an astounding place, and I want to know what makes it tick.”
Teaching, on the other hand, is something Jensen fell into. As a double major in physics and mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, he spent a surprising amount of time helping his friends and freshmen with their physics homework. Over the course of his college career, he became his dorm’s “go-to guy” and unofficial tutor for physics.
“Being a teacher is a role that comes very naturally to me,” says Jensen, who is in his first year as a member of the Alma College faculty. “At the time, I thought it was just part of a being physics major. I learned so much from helping others. I think physics is awesome, so it’s such a thrill to see someone else catch a hint of that feeling.”
It didn’t hit him until graduate school that not everyone enjoys teaching nearly as much he does, though.
“Seeing people in a setting where they often avoided teaching, I realized that if I wasn’t careful, I would fall into helping everyone. I also realized that in doing so, it would be very wise for me to work at a place where teaching is valued,” says Jensen.
After spending three years as a visiting assistant professor of physics at the joint science department at Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Jensen relocated to Alma with his wife, Kim, who currently teaches at the College as well. The couple is happy to be working at a college that offers both a strong liberal arts education and a strong sense of community.
“It’s nice living somewhere where we can really get to know people, the other faculty and the students,” he says. “People don’t just get lost here. The butcher shop already knows us by name.”
When he’s not teaching, Jensen spends his time trying to master the science of Rock Band. A classical music enthusiast, he hopes to soon pick up his trumpet and make music of his own again.
— Ellen Doepke
Posted: Thu, November 5th, 2009 at 2:10PM
