Department of Natural Science Announces Leadership Change
September 26, 2022
Northwestern Oklahoma State University has new leadership in the Department of Natural Science as Dr. Jenny Sattler recently assumed the role of chair.
Sattler replaces Dr. Steven Maier who assumed the role of dean of faculty recently.
“Dr. Sattler is an active member of the campus community who involves herself in a variety of activities at Northwestern, both academic and co-curricular,” said Dr. James Bell, vice president for academic affairs. “She has become an essential part of the life of our campus in diverse ways, from serving as a member of the Online Education Committee to building components for the BEST-Robotics competition to demonstrating a craft technique to members of the Northwestern Art Society.
“In all she does, Dr. Sattler makes meaningful contributions, exemplifies a strong work ethic, and brings a keen intelligence to the task. I have no doubt she will do the same as department chair.”
Maier also said he’s confident in Sattler’s abilities to lead the department.
“NWOSU is fortunate to have Dr. Sattler serve as chair of the Department of Natural Science,” Maier said. “Her multi-disciplinary expertise in the sciences, demonstrated success on multiple fronts, and experience in outreach/service-learning programs are certain to be invaluable assets for the Northwestern community. We look forward to working with Dr. Sattler in this new capacity and are excited to see the Department of Natural Science grow with her leadership.”
Sattler, who serves the university as an associate professor of physics, joined the Northwestern faculty in January 2014. She teaches General Physics I and II, Radiation Biology, Astronomy, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, C-STEM Investigations and upper-division physics courses. She currently serves on the Honors Committee, Study Abroad Committee, Online Education Committee and Social Affairs Committee. She is the co-director of Heartland BEST and is the new director of the Regional Science Fair at Northwestern.
“As the demands in the science sector are steadily increasing, I want to ensure that the department and Northwestern are growing to meet this need,” Sattler said. “One of my goals as department chair is to recruit more students into science majors. I hope to do this through boosting our social media presence and developing other recruiting opportunities. I am excited to continue growing the outreach activities that the department already has established such as BEST Robotics and the Regional Science Fair.”
Sattler said she is excited to help grow the department while continuing on with the successful foundation that has already been built. She is excited to work with all of the students, faculty and staff as the department grows to meet the demands of the future.
“My favorite part of the job is seeing the ‘a-ha’ moment when a student understands a concept for the first time,” Sattler said.
The Department of Natural Science under the School of Arts and Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, chemistry or natural science education. The department also offers minors in biology, chemistry and physics.
For more information about the department, visit https://www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/natural-science or contact Sattler at (580) 327-8568 or jasattler@nwosu.edu.
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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Erin Davis, University Relations Specialist
eedavis@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480