Ian Bentley

Chair & Professor of Physics
Ian Bentley joined Florida Polytechnic University in 2023 as chair of the Department of Physics. Bentley was tasked with reimagining the physics curriculum and with providing additional support for the introductory physics courses. “Combined with the existing faculty in the department, we can provide support for a variety of student interests through coursework and research,” he said.
 
Before joining Florida Poly, Bentley taught physics at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. He was director of the college’s Dual Degree Engineering Program from 2022-2023, director of the Physics Program from 2018-2022, an associate professor of physics from 2018-2023, co-department chair of chemistry and physics in 2017 and 2018, and an assistant professor of physics from 2012-2018. During his time at Saint Mary’s, Bentley developed the physics program curriculum and led the college to establish bachelor’s degrees in physics, and physics and applied mathematics, and also a minor in physics, all of which began in the fall of 2016. He supervised the growth of that physics program, resulting in the classes of 2020 and 2021 graduating more physics bachelor’s degrees awarded to women than any other college or university in the state of Indiana. Bentley said he greatly values scientific research and that he has been fortunate to be part of some wonderful collaborations. He was the principal investigator for the first major National Science Foundation research grant awarded to Saint Mary’s College.
 
Prior to his positions at Saint Mary’s, Bentley served as an adjunct professor of physics from 2012-2023 at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. Bentley said he was grateful to be appreciated as a quality teacher there. He also was a postdoctoral research associate at the university from 2010-2011. He also was a visiting assistant professor of physics at Marquette University from 2011-2012, and an adjunct assistant professor of physics at Indiana University South Bend from 2010-2011.
 
At the engineering physics program at Florida Poly, Bentley said Florida Poly is supporting an exciting combination of a core physics curriculum (in mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, and quantum mechanics) that is paired design-based applications. Students are learning how to use mathematics, computation, and other tools to understand the rules that govern the universe. Together, these skills and the knowledge that students gain allow graduates from Florida Poly’s program to pursue traditional routes of going to graduate school for physics or engineering, as well as to go directly into their careers as engineers, research technicians, teachers, analysts, and a variety of other options, Bentley said.
  • Research Grant, Intuitive Video and Image Analysis Software Development, National Science Foundation (Award Number 1916850), 2019-2023
  • Research and Dissertation Award, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 2010
  • Research Honor Society Member, Sigma Xi, 2020
  • Mathematics Honor Society Member, Pi Mu Epsilon, 2013
  • Physics Honor Society Member, Sigma Pi Sigma, 2004
  • Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics, University of Notre Dame, 2010
  • M.S. in Physics, University of Notre Dame, 2008
  • B.S. in Physics (Astrophysics option and minors in History and Mathematics), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 2004
  • Computational Physics
  • Nuclear Structure
  • Astrophysics
  • Video Analysis
  • Member, American Astronomical Society (AAS), 2023-current
  • Life Member, American Physical Society (APS), 2012-current
  • Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 2022-current
  • Life Member, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) 2021-current
Astrophysics
Biology


Nuclear Physics

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