Dr. Nelson M. Duller '48

Dr. Nelson M. Duller ’48, retired Aggie physics professor, believed in making coursework exciting. To liven up classes during 50-plus years of teaching and mentoring Aggies, he would sing to students.

And now, to honor him, Dr. Edward S. Fry, head of the physics department, leads a drive to raise $1 million to establish the Nelson M. Duller ’48 Chair in Experimental Physics.

The effort received a big boost when an anonymous donor pledged as much as $100,000 to match contributions through Nov. 30, 2009. Fry has solicited contributions from more than 2,000 former students of Duller, an 86-year-old veteran of World War II. He was attracted to physics largely because of the abundance of challenging teaching material.

Duller (far right) and researchers in the lab, 1970.

Students revere Duller for his lively classes and for being accessible 24-7 by providing his home phone number. He is a three-time recipient of the Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching. Physics major Mary Chen ’01 describes a great teacher as “one that brings a student into his own life and sends him out changed. Dr. Nelson Duller is a man such as this.”

Duller has taught hundreds of students who would agree with Chen, and his chair will be a testimonial to his work as a Texas A&M professor. Once funded, the chair will be filled based on two equally ranked criteria: research expertise in experimental physics and outstanding teaching/mentoring. In addition to Duller’s direct generosity with his physics students, he and his wife, Joe Ann, made a substantial gift to the chair fund in August 2008.

To support the Duller chair, please contact Sharon Smith, assistant director of development for the College of Science, at (979) 458-4393.

To make a contribution to the account with your credit card, click the "Give Now" button at the top right of your screen and select "Physics" and "Nelson M. Duller Endowed Fund in Physics" from the two drop-down menus.