Gettysburg College recognizes Physics Prof. Ryan Johnson for his innovative research and commitment to student-faculty collaboration.
This Fall 2025 semester, Gettysburg College Prof. Ryan Johnson has begun his five-year term as the W.K.T. Sahm Professor of Physics. This endowed professorship was established through the generosity of the family of alumnus W.K.T. Sahm, Class of 1872, and supports faculty excellence and student-faculty research in the Physics Department.
“I’m very appreciative of the generous gift to Gettysburg College’s Physics Department, on behalf of the family of alumni W.K.T. Sahm, to help support student-faculty research endeavors,” said Johnson. “Gettysburg College continues to distinguish itself as a place which prioritizes making faculty-led research part of the student learning experience. This has allowed me to bring my own research to students through summer and mid-semester projects, and into the teaching spaces for astronomy, physics, and data science. As the College embraces new technologies, I hope that this award will help me to continue making those research opportunities available for students.”
Johnson, who joined Gettysburg’s faculty in 2014, has distinguished himself as a dedicated teacher, researcher, and mentor. His primary research focus models the universe at the largest scales. He has also contributed to projects in areas as varied as sports metric analysis, geospatial and temporal data mapping, and predictive modeling for real-world applications including recipes, racial bias in housing, COVID-19 infection and death rates, and probabilities in games of chance.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Johnson earned his B.S. in astronomy and astrophysics in 2001 from the University of New Mexico. He went on to complete his Ph.D. in physics at Dartmouth College in 2011.
Through his new role as the W.K.T. Sahm Professor of Physics, Johnson will continue to foster exploration, discovery, and mentorship in his classroom, inspiring the next generation of scientists at Gettysburg College.
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Photo by Miranda Harple
Posted: 10/09/25