Matthew Wright

Matthew Wright earned his B.S. in Physics from Westminster College and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Wright currently works as an Associate Professor at Adelphi University.  He is currently the Chair of the Physics department, the Director of the Business of Science program, and serves as an Advisor for their SPS Chapter along with Dr. Bentley. He has earned the Teaching Faculty Excellence Award from Adelphi in 2016 and the Professor of the Year award from Adelphi in 2015.  His articles on teaching physics include Teaching Physics with Love (Inside Higher Education), Join the Club: The Benefits of Getting Students Involved with Departmental Clubs (Faculty Focus), Put Teaching First (Faculty Focus) and How I Got a Grant I Never Thought I Could Get (Inside Higher Education).  In 2018, he and his group were awarded a research grant from the National Science Foundation (Atomic Physics with Rapidly Frequency Chirped Laser Light, award #1803837). 

While being an available source of information, guidance, and opportunity, Dr. Wright believes it’s important to give students space to become leaders on their own.  He accomplishes this by giving the students the resources and the freedom to do the activities THEY want to do, while still working to maintain an inclusive environment where significant contributions to the community are made – reaching the Outstanding Physics Club status the last three years (10 out of the last 11 years).  The Adelphi Physics club has been given a four-star rating (highest) by Adelphi University Center for Student Involvement for the last three years.

We do a number of events to foster a strong physics department as well as outreach events, such has inviting local high school students to Adelphi for physics workshops help by physics majors.  As the advisor for the Adelphi SPS chapter, Dr. Wright is valued for leaving his door open for any questions or guidance his students need and his willingness to keep open communication within the chapter.