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Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy

Administration

Administration

smiling woman

Julia Velkovska

Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Physics

19th & Grand 370D
615-322-0656

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Kalman Varga headshot

Kalman Varga

Vice Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Professor of Physics

19th & Grand 370E
615-343-9278

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Alfredo Gurrola headshot

Alfredo Gurrola

Director of Graduate Studies in Physics
Associate Professor of Physics

17th & Horton A1010
915-401-9157

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Stephen Taylor headshot

Stephen Taylor

Director of Graduate Studies in Astrophysics
Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy

17th & Horton A1114B
615-343-6296

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Robert Scherrer headshot

Robert Scherrer

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Professor of Physics

17th & Horton A1016E

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Staff

Orrapan Aphayavong (Olly)

Orrapan Aphayavong (Olly)

Academic & Educational Support Program Coordinator
17th & Horton A1004

I can help you with

  • Coordinating Physics and Astrophysics Ph.D. programs
  • Managing graduate student payroll
  • Coordinating appointments and reappointments of postdocs and hiring

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Natalie Baggett

Administrative Specialist
19th & Grand 370
On Campus: Tu,Th
Remote: M, W, F

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Don Berry headshot

Don Berry

Coordinator, System Support
(615) 322-3542
19th & Grand 370

I can help you with

  • Placing Oracle orders and processing shopper requisitions
  • Processing expense reports for faculty
  • Content updates to the department website

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Michael Gillis

Grants Manager
(615) 875-9231
Buttrick Hall 412
On Campus: Tu, W, F
Remote: M, Th

 

I can help you with

  •  All aspects of the grant life cycle from proposal submission to post-award closeout
  • Communication with Research Finance and SPA as the department's primary point of contact
  • Coordinating set-up, continuation, and termination of all incoming and outgoing grant-funded subcontracts (incoming and outgoing) with the SPA Contracts team
  • Making payroll costing changes for lab personnel funded by external grants/contracts

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Libby Johnson headshot

Libby Johnson

Administrative Officer
(615) 343-2449
19th & Grand 370F
On Campus: M, Tu, W
Remote: Th, F

I can help you with

  • Anything related to the managing the day-to-day operations of the department
  • Processing faculty and other personnel record transactions as departmental HCM (Human Capital Management Specialist)
  • Reviewing and oversight of human resource activities, including payroll processing submissions for faculty (academic/summer), postdocs, staff, students, and temporary employees
  • Overseeing department finances, expenditures, and reporting

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Peggy McGowan headshot

Peggy Lucas-Mcgowan

Administrative Specialist
(615) 343-9072
19th & Grand 370G
On Campus: Tu, W, Th
Remote: M, F

I can help you with

  • Coordinating appointments, reappointments, and promotions of faculty and Visiting Scholar requests
  • Assisting Department Chair with calendar/scheduling
  • Assigning Postdoc/Graduate Students’ office and key access
  • Work orders
  • Designing graphics and updating visual displays for department events

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Jennifer Mcclellan

Administrative Specialist
(615) 343-7483
19th & Grand 370

I can help you with

  • Coordinating weekly colloquium speaker engagements (including travel arrangements and processing honoraria)
  • Planning department events and arranging faculty workshops
  • Guest travel for visitors
  • Procurement requests as a departmental procurement requester and one card holder

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Alisha headshot

Alisha McCord

FUM/Administrative Manager
(615) 322-2570
19th & Grand 370M
On Campus: W, Th, F
Remote: M, Tu

I can help you with

  • Serving as the department Financial Unit Manager (FUM), reviewing and approving expense reports, procurement requests, software store orders, and iLab requests
  • Assisting with troubleshooting expense report and procurement questions
  • Acting as the department liaison for hiring all research staff
  • Overseeing the department space and space survey

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Donald Pickert headshot

Donald Pickert

Program Specialist
(615) 343-1026
17th & Horton A1004
On Campus: M, Tu, W, F
Remote: Th

I can help you with

  • Assisting Directors of Undergraduate & Graduate Studies (DUS & DGS respectively) for graduate and undergraduate student needs
  • Booking guest travel for student-related travel, registrations, and events
  • Assisting students in completing necessary paperwork related to their Ph.D. and contact for graduate student recruiting
  • Coordinating conference room reservations: Room Reservation Request Form
  • Force registration for PHYS and ASTR classes 

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Juliet Traub headshot

Juliet Traub

Administrative Specialist
17th & Horton A1114E
On Campus: T, W, Th
Remote: M, F

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