Alumni Profile:
Thomas O. Callaway, PhD 1973

Professor Tom Calloway recently swept the awards field at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacagdoches, Texas, when he was named the 1998 Regents Professor and also recognized with the 1998 University Teaching Excellence Award. His physics colleague Professor Robert Gruebel (PhD from U Arkansas, 1968) comments that "The Department in Fayetteville maintains pretty close contacts with its progeny and can be rightly proud of Tom. Paul Sharrah, Glen Clayton, as well as Charles Richardson, Don Pederson, Art Hobson, Ray Hughes, and Otto Zinke all contributed to developing one fine physicist and teacher."

Tom received his B.S. in 1965 and his M.S. in 1966, both from West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas. He served in the U.S. Army as Commanding Officer of the 49th Signal Detachment in Vietnam during 1968-69, receiving the Bronze Star for meritorious service. Following his PhD from the University of Arkansas, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Physics at SFA in 1973. He was Chair of Physics during 1979-1988, and was appointed Professor of Physics in 1984.

Professor Harry Downing, the current Chair of Physics, comments that, after arriving at SFA in 1975 "I realized that he was one of the hardest working, as well as extremely productive, faculty members that I had ever seen. My impressions of him have not changed after 22 years. Dr. Callaway still considers the education of our students as a personal challenge, and he is optimistic that he can make a difference. I am convinced that he does make a difference. He has taught almost all courses in our department and has written several laboratory manuals for our programs. He has personally created two of our most important courses. [The first of these] provides incoming freshman physics and engineering majors an opportunity to develop the necessary skills to be successful in our extremely challenging introductory physics course sequence. [The second] provides elementary education pre-service teachers the opportunity to develop skills in hands-on activities in physics [and thus] addresses a badly neglected area in teacher preparation."

Professor Downing states further that Tom "has been very instrumental in leading this department into the multimedia era, using very sophisticated multimedia presentations in our PHY 101 courses for 4-5 years, and teaching and encouraging the rest of us to employ this technology in our own classes. He is encouraging and pursuing ideas about distant learning and has taught three classes that employ this technology." Furthermore, "One of [Tom's] greatest impacts...relates to the Minority Mathematics and Science Education Cooperative Grants [under a] program operated by the Texas Higher Education Corrdinating Board. He has maintained grants with them since 1988 totaling over $500,000."

In addition to all of this, Tom has found time to do research and to direct graduate students. He has directed six Master of Science theses, published 16 research articles in refereed journals, presented 20 papers at professional physics conferences, and received 16 external grants in addition to 8 SFA faculty research grants.

In a recent interview with the Nacagdoches Daily Sentinel, Tom was asked why he chose this career. He replied "I originally planned to go into forestry. When I arrived at West Texas State Univerity, in the Texas Panhandle where there are no trees, I changed to physics. I still don't know why, but I've never regretted it." When asked what are his pet peeves, Tom replied "Negative criticism."

Asked who were the most influential people in his life, his response was "My mother, who taught me the value of hard work, and Glen T. Clayton. I consider him to be the best role model for a college professor that I've ever known." Clayton was Professor of Physics at the University of Arkansas during 1960-1972; in 1972 he went to SFA as Dean of Science and Mathematics and Graduate Dean and remained there until his untimely death.

When asked what are his goals, Tom replied "It's more of a mission. To promote the love of learning in children by using science as the vehicle."*