Apollo Mian, Ph.D.

A Physics and Engineering professor who explores nonlinear optics and spectroscopy in the lab.

Focused | Passionate | Discerning: Apollo Mian is a caring professor who enjoys working with students and transforming them into passionate learners. Over the past 20 years, he has helped countless students fill their knowledge gaps, allowing them to reach their full potential. His desire to help students who struggle is motivated by his own life’s experience where a compassionate seventh-grade teacher made all the difference in the world. Many of his students have gone on to complete graduate degrees in Physics and Engineering from prestigious universities and now have distinguished careers in the field.
What’s your background? Where were you before McDaniel and when did you start here?: I received a bachelor’s degree in Physics and Mathematics from Berea College in 1990, followed by a Ph.D. in Physics in 1996 from Oklahoma State University. My area of expertise is nonlinear optics and spectroscopy with a focus on glasses, organic semiconductors, and photonic crystals. I taught at Gettysburg College for a couple of years and did a year of postdoctoral research at the Applied Optics Center at Delaware State University before joining McDaniel College in 1999. I’ve held two five-year appointments as an honorary research fellow, one at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (2008-2012) and another at the Department of Physics, University College London (2015-2020). This international collaboration has helped me professionally and provided valuable research experience for McDaniel students.
What have you enjoyed most during your time at McDaniel?: As a teacher-scholar, I’ve enjoyed the synergy between teaching and discovering. I’m passionate about helping students overcome their misunderstandings in science and watch them develop into lifelong learners. I also love working with students in my research lab. With student assistance, I’ve built a robust research program that has resulted in peer-reviewed papers in international journals as well as conference proceedings.
What do you hope students take away from your courses?: I want students to sample the joy that understanding science can bring to one’s life, be good critical thinkers who can evaluate data and develop sound conclusions, be able to tell the difference between science and pseudoscience, and develop a passion for learning. Most importantly, I want them to be global citizens who care for all people and be good stewards of the environment.

Directory Profile for Apollo Mian

Apollo Mian, Ph.D.

About Prof. Mian