Darsa DonelanFaculty

Darsa Donelan, Ph.D. is a Senior Continuing Assistant Professor at Gustavus. They have a strong background in physics, mathematics, and the fine arts, having earned an A.A. in Fine Arts from Berkshire Community College in 2006, a B.S. in Physics and B.A. in Math from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2009, and both their M.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2016) in Physics from the University of Florida. Their Ph.D. thesis focused on the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.

While a graduate student at the University of Florida, Dr. Donelan received several awards for their teaching, including the Wayne Bomstad II Memorial Award for Teaching Assistants and the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant award. They also received an HHMI summer teaching fellowship to develop and assess cross-disciplinary laboratory modules that combined physics and chemistry through biomedical applications.

Since joining the faculty at Gustavus Adolphus College in 2016, Dr. Donelan has been recognized for their excellence in teaching and contributions to diversity and inclusion, receiving the Mark H. Anderson Faculty Diversity Award (2021, 2022), and the Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence (2022). They serve as the faculty advisor for Queers & Allies, Womxn in STEM, and the Society of Physics Students, supporting student-led efforts in inclusivity, outreach, and professional development.

Dr. Donelan’s research spans planetary atmospheres, radio astronomy, and physics education. Their current work expands the NASA Radio JOVE project through the development of a square antenna array to improve data collection for machine learning-driven classification of magnetic storms and potential exomoon detection. They are also incorporating Indigenous perspectives into astronomical infrastructure by honoring the Dakota people at their telescope site through celestial imagery, a constructed mound, wildflower plantings, and an electronics shelter designed as both a functional birdhouse and an artistic installation featuring Dakota-designed wallpaper. This effort reflects lessons from ongoing conversations around cultural and ethical considerations in astronomy, such as those at Maunakea.

Dr. Donelan is also involved in several professional organizations, including NASA's Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT), where they help lead the development of research-based instructional materials for astrophysics taught in introductory and upper-division physics and astronomy courses. They are an active member of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), serving as the Early Career Representative on the Board of Directors and co-chairing the Early Career Task Force. Additionally, they participate in AAPT's e-Alliance peer mentoring program for women physicists and astronomers. In the past, they have served as a workshop leader for New Faculty Workshops and Faculty Online Learning Communities.

As a non-binary physicist and educator, Dr. Donelan is committed to fostering inclusive learning environments and broadening participation in STEM. Outside of academia, they enjoy cosplay, drinking tea, napping with their cats, and working on jigsaw puzzles. They were honored with the 2023 AAPT Doc Brown Futures Award for their early-career contributions to physics education and leadership in the field.

Courses Taught