THE MORE THE MERRIER ASU Physics welcomes new faculty and staff

Cecilia Lunardini, ASU Assistant Professor of Physics
Dr. Lunardini is the newest addition to the Physics faculty at ASU and comes to us via the University of Washington.  Dr. Lunardini will also be a RIKEN Physics Fellow and work closely with the subatomic theory group at Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Her research is in the area of theoretical particle-astrophysics.  She will strengthen department efforts in subatomic physics and build connections between our theory group in physics and the growing astronomy/astrophysics program in the School of Earth and Space Exploration. 
 
Kathy Hermanson, Business Manager
Kathy comes to Physics from the ASU Department of Geography where she served as the lead financial and personnel specialist. During her 20+ years as an ASU employee, Kathy has served as a systems analyst for ASU Financial Services where she was instrumental in developing financial systems training manuals, seminars, and the helpdesk. She will focus on management, analysis, and strategic planning of business operations for the department.
 
Deborah LaBranche, Accounting Specialist
Deborah joins the office team after previously working in the private sector, the government (US Navy and Army), as well as in the ASU Department of Psychology. She will be focusing on payroll maintenance and troubleshooting as well as assisting in other business functions. She is also the proud mom of a current ASU freshman.
 
Amanda Wright, Graduate Program Coordinator
Amanda transfers her skills and experience as a Retention and Recruitment Specialist with the ASU College of Education to the Physics Department where she will help guide our graduate students through their ASU careers from the recruitment stage through to graduation. In addition to being a full-time employee, Amanda is also pursuing her Masters in Public Administration.

incoming and veteran students. Staff are getting to know students beyond what recitation they are teaching or what override they need. There is a genuine interest in where they are coming from and what they hope to do in the future. That kind of service results in a wonderful office atmosphere that dispels the notion that we - staff, faculty, and students - all have different agendas. The reality is that our agendas are the same: working together to create a positive, meaningful physics education experience. That may manifest itself in service, research, teaching, or learning, but the goal is still the same.  It is as selfish as it is selfless as we want to be included in the positive experience as much as we want to make it available for others.
     Unabashedly biased, I am particularly proud of the staff and how they have stepped up to the challenge of reaching that goal. They have worked tirelessly to promote a sense of community in our new class of undergraduate and graduate students. That is no easy task considering all the new policies, procedures, and systems that were rolled out this summer. It is with great satisfaction that I observe students wandering into the office not only for answers and guidance, but sometimes just to chat with a staff member - now a familiar, reliable facet of their college experience. 
     August has been a wild month to say the least. So now, as the monsoons start to dissipate, we look forward to the steady transition to autumn. The intensity eases - both in temperature and turmoil - and we settle in to our work with satisfaction of having ridden out one storm and the confidence to do it all again eleven months from now.

-  Margaret (Peg) Stuart
Department Manager