Award-Winning Professor Puts Students First

It’s all about the students for Kent Gee, BYU professor and most recent winner of the Lawrence K. Egbert Teaching and Learning Fellowship.

“At the end of the day, the only reason you can receive an award like this is because of the students,” Gee said.

The fellowship award recognizes faculty mentors who have made a significant impact in the area of mentored learning. The award also supports efforts to improve teaching and learning at BYU.

Included with the Teaching and Learning Fellowship is a salary stipend and research grant. Gee already has several ideas on how to use the funds, including supporting a new acoustics lab course for undergraduate seniors and first-year graduate students.

“I’m really excited about how this is going to impact students in the program,” Gee said.

Another one of Gee’s ideas is to use the funds to send students to conferences.

“I think conferences are one of the most important aspects of students’ education,” Gee said. “Often going to a conference helps them meet somebody or opens their eyes to what’s available.”

Gee first became interested in physics in high school, although he didn’t discover his aptitude for the subject immediately.

“It was one of the subjects in high school that I wasn’t good at,” Gee said. “It was the thought process—you had to figure out how to even approach problems.”

That interest in physics grew, and it led Gee to earn his bachelor’s degree in physics from BYU in 2001 and master’s degree in physics from BYU in 2002. It was during that time that Dean Sommerfeldt, one of Gee’s mentors, asked whether he had ever considered teaching.

Gee said he couldn’t get the suggestion out of his head after that, and he returned to BYU to teach after earning a PhD in Acoustics from Penn State in 2005.

Gee said BYU’s mission “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life” resonates with him.

“Everything I do has a chance to positively impact a student in some way,” Gee said.

More Information on This Article

Article Source/Further Information

News and Events

BYU’s Rising Astronomers Take Center Stage at the Winter AAS Conference

In early January 2025, a group of 16 students from Brigham Young University’s Physics & Astronomy Department showcased their research at the prestigious American Astronomical Society (AAS) in National Harbor, Maryland.

Acoustics group studies the roar of SpaceX's Starship

Acoustics faculty and students measure the thunderous noise of the world’s most powerful rocket, exploring its impact on communities and the environment.

Gus Hart Receives the Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award

Dr. Gus Hart received the 2024 Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award for his work in computational material science and his continued innovation in computational methods.

Astronomers Discover New Course

This winter, ten students in BYU’s new “Advanced Planetary Astrophysics” taught by Darin Ragozzine course gained hands-on experience in planetary science research, mastering interdisciplinary skills to prepare for future careers in astronomy.

New Applied Physics Major with an Emphasis in Data Science

Starting Fall 2025, BYU will offer a new Applied Physics: Data Science major that combines rigorous physics training with data science skills to prepare students for the growing demand in data-driven careers.

The Physics of Life

BYU's new Biological Physics course introduces students to the physics behind biological processes, fostering interdisciplinary skills to tackle complex biological questions.

Dr. Kent Gee Receives Top faculty Award

Dr. Kent Gee has been named the recipient of the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award

Drs. Davis and Vanfleet Receive Technology Transfer Award

BYU Physics and Astronomy Professors Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanfleet recently received the 2024 award for outstanding achievement in technology transfer from the BYU Technology Transfer Office.

New Acoustics Major

The BYU Physics & Astronomy department recently introduced the Applied Physics: Acoustics degree.

Chris Verhaaren Creates Particle Physics Class

After 3 years of being offered as 513R, elementary particle physics is finally an official course and accepted for credit in the physics major!

A Practical Scientist’s Field Guide to Dealing with Science and Religion.

Dr. Michael Ware hopes to help students develop the skills to navigate discussion of science and religion

Kent Gee Forum: Lessons from Noise, Crackle to Calm

This year’s Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Kent Gee, delivered his forum address on the science of sound and how he and BYU students have contributed to significant research in the acoustics industry.

Campbell and Stokes Receive Crystallographic Association Award

In July 2025, Drs. Branton Campbell and Harold Stokes (BYU Emeritus Professor) will receive the Kenneth N. Trueblood Award from the American Crystallographic Association for exceptional achievement in computational crystallography.

New ESC Weather Station

A group of undergraduate students braved the heat and heights of the ESC roof to install a new weather station. The station is up and running, and will hopefully record data for years to come.

Study analyzes distant Kuiper Belt object with NASA's Hubble data

Using data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, a new study suggests that an object previously thought to be a binary system may be a rare triple system of orbiting bodies.