Faculty Profile: Andy Hauger “I am exactly two meters tall. I’m just a bit taller than Paul Harris,” he quips. But the Milwaukee native’s height isn’t the only quality that makes him stand out among others on campus—he is also known for his friendly personality and interaction with fellow faculty and students. “A big plus for me is that as chair of the department, I still am able to teach,” he says. “Teaching is very important to me.” It was Dr. Hauger’s mother-in-law who initiated his teaching. She was a guidance counselor at a high school and would send students to him for tutoring and teaching physics. “It was her confirmed idea that I would teach,” he laughs. “She was behind it all.” His first “real” teaching opportunity came when he was in the U.S. Navy at the Nuclear Power School in Orlando. He was offered a teaching position in the physics division where he taught college-level courses. After spending four years in the Navy, the physicist pursued master’s and doctoral degrees in physics at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He went on to teach for one semester at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., before joining the faculty at Augusta State in 1996. “I wanted to come back to the South. I had lived in Augusta when I was very young, and I liked it. And though much smaller, Augusta State is very similar to the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, which is where I earned my bachelor’s degree,” says Dr. Hauger. “I knew I would be able to teach electronics at ASU, and that was a big deal for me. It was a good fit.” In 2004, Dr. Hauger became the director of the university’s Honors Program where he was charged with advising, recruiting, and assisting Honors students with their schedules. After more than a year as director, Dr. Hauger took a fellowship in medical physics at Vanderbilt University. He returned this summer and accepted the position as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics. “As chair, I hope to increase the amount of student involvement in research which is important for retention. I’d also like to add some new courses to attract more students to our major,” says Dr. Hauger. “We also would like to pursue American Chemical Society (ACS) accreditation for our chemistry program.” And, he hopes to get more students interested in physics. “It’s a tough major to sell,” Dr. Hauger says. “It’s not obvious to people that it is good to have a background in physics. It’s good for lawyers, people in the medical field, etc. It’s used everywhere.” Who: Andy Hauger Position: Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics How long at ASU: 10 years Family: Wife, Carrie; daughter, Jessica, and son, Peter Did you know? Dr. Hauger is a member of the Augusta Rowing Club. A few years ago, his students sparked his interest in rowing, and since then, he’s competed in several regattas. What do you like most about working at ASU? “There are two things I love about teaching at ASU: one, my experience is that there’s a good relationship between the faculty, administration, and staff; and two, the students who come to Augusta State are great. We as a faculty have the potential to impact their lives.” Other News Stories: JSAC | A Day | Focus on Ethics | Lyceum Series | Grants Office | Literature Series | Women's Golf Coach | Visiting Scholars | ITS Update | Human Resources | Construction Update | Faculty Profile | Staff Profile | Campus Notables | News Briefs | Photographic Review | Calendar | Birthdays | Office Visit | Table of Contents
September 2006 |
Standing tall at nearly 6 feet, 7 inches, it would be hard to miss the new chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics. Andy Hauger’s height is the first thing many people notice when they meet him.
