Physics students at the University of Rochester discover quickly that Professor Joseph Eberly is different, and that he treats science differently.
If they haven't figured it out by the first exam, it certainly becomes clear then.
"My students, whether it's the freshmen in the spring semester or the graduate students in the fall, are required to write," Eberly said. "My exams usually have an essay question. Physics students are not used to that. But, if they cannot explain their science, there's no way to know if they really understand. They need to know how to write, especially the graduate students for dissertations and publications."
Eberly learned the importance of writing from his father, Norman Eberly, who graduated from Dickinson College in 1924, and then worked as a newspaper journalist for 20-some years -- first even as an undergraduate -- before joining the Penn State faculty as a writer-editor in the College of Agricultural Sciences. He helped publicize agricultural extension and outreach efforts across the state of Pennsylvania.
Norman Eberly retired from Penn State to continue his writing career with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, where he coordinated public relations efforts for the Secretary of Agriculture and made an impact across the Commonwealth, but he always stayed connected to Penn State.
Until his death in 1996 at age 99, he faithfully followed Penn State football.
Now, a major gift by Joe and his wife Shirley has ensured that the senior Eberly's dedication to writing and to Penn State will be remembered in perpetuity and have a profound impact on the College of Communications and its students.
In response to Penn State’s ongoing Faculty Endowment Challenge, the Eberlys have created the Norman Eberly Professor of Practice in Journalism. The first-of-its-kind gift to the College will provide support for an outstanding professionally-oriented faculty member in the Department of Journalism.
"It's clear that my father wasn’t an academic, but a writing-editing journalist," Joe said. "The new category of professional position that’s appearing on university faculties across the country, called variously professor of practice or a similar title, would fit his style very well. My wife and I hope that Dad would like having his name associated with journalism at Penn State."
The gift will make an impact.
"We're simply elated that Joe and Shirley have deemed us worthy of such a generous gift," Dean Doug Anderson said. "We pride ourselves on our faculty balance -- we value those with strong academic credentials as well as those who possess extensive professional media backgrounds -- and this endowed professor-of-practice position will enhance that overall balance."
The holder of the position will boast exceptionally strong professional credentials and skills, possess extensive contacts at media outlets and organizations, stand among the best classroom teachers in the College, work within the College to facilitate internship and career placement opportunities, and serve as a liaison for the program with relevant journalism associations and organizations.
Joseph Eberly earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Penn State in 1957 and his doctorate in physics from Stanford in 1962. He was named recipient of the Outstanding Science Alumni Award from Penn State in 1998.
Eberly knows the importance of sharing his expertise and sharing a message. He judges his own teaching success in part by how well students relay information back to him on those exams.
"I believe strongly that you don't know what you believe until you write it down," he said. "It's not only telling the world at large what you believe, but organizing it for yourself. In the classroom I try to give students time to share what they’re thinking. For education to be successful it cannot be one-way communication, with just the teacher talking. They have to be able to share what they’re learning."
Eberly understands and appreciates the importance of endowed positions. He is the Andrew Carnegie Professor of Physics and Professor of Optics at the University of Rochester.
The author or co-author of three textbooks and more than 300 scientific articles and papers on quantum optics and laser science, he was awarded the Frederic Ives Medal in 2010, the highest award of the Optical Society of America.