Michele McColgan

Dr. Michele McColgan earned her B.A. in Optics at the University of Rochester and both her M.S. in Physics and Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Alabama. She is a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the Advanced Laboratory of Physics Association. Michele has worked as a Research Scientist, an Adjunct Faculty, and as an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, allowing her to utilize her knowledge and passion she holds for the subject. Some of her largest accomplishments are not measured with awards or titles, but are instead the daily impacts she had that are described by her students as “a true testament to the extraordinary work she has done with the Physics Department”.

One of Dr. McColgan’s most significant contributions is her creation of Urban Scholars, a program for an inner city middle school to support students who are interested in pursuing STEM careers. It is this expression of care and innovation that causes her students to trust her advice for their academic and personal decisions. Dr. McColgan is known for her “passion for getting other students involved in Physics” along with the “caring and loving” way in which she helps students who seek it. Her tireless devotion to helping and empowering her students is displayed whether she goes to school on weekends for Physics Club activities and buying students “brain food” while they study. Whether it is one-on-one or leading an entire chapter, Dr. McColgan leaves the same impact on the students who admiringly call her an “innovative” and “empowering” leader for the Physics Department at Siena College.