Rate My Professor Chad Orzel

Chad Orzel is the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College in Schenectady, New York. He earned a B.A. in Physics from Williams College in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His doctoral research focused on laser cooling techniques conducted under William D. Phillips at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Following his graduate studies, Orzel held a two-year postdoctoral position at Yale University, where he investigated quantum mechanical effects in Bose-Einstein condensates. He joined the faculty at Union College in 2001.

At Union College, Orzel teaches a wide range of undergraduate courses in physics and directs undergraduate research initiatives. His research interests center on atomic physics, including molecular physics, laser cooling, Bose-Einstein condensation, and quantum physics. Orzel is renowned for his popular science writing and public outreach efforts. He has authored five books: How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog (Scribner, 2009), How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog (Basic Books, 2012), Eureka: Discovering Your Inner Scientist (Basic Books, 2014), Breakfast with Einstein: The Exotic Physics of Everyday Objects (BenBella Books, 2018), and A Brief History of Timekeeping (BenBella Books, 2022). He created four animated TED-Ed videos explaining physics concepts, contributed an article on the history of laser cooling to Physics World magazine in 2023, and has been quoted in The New York Times and ESPN on physics-related topics. Orzel maintained the blog Uncertain Principles and currently blogs for Forbes.com. In 2021, he was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society for his contributions to the public communication of physics.