For years, Professor Joe Mast was the forefront of technology at 91短视频. You鈥檙e not misreading that last sentence. Mast was not at the forefront; he was the forefront.

Mast graduated from EMC in 1964 with a degree in mathematics. Following graduation, he taught math and physics at Eastern Mennonite High School before enrolling at the University of Virginia in astronomy.

Mast鈥檚 research for his dissertation, conducted at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Greenbank, West Virginia, explored the motion and distribution of interstellar hydrogen clouds near the sun. It was during those studies that he was introduced to the new field of computer science.

In 1968, Mast returned to EMC to join the new department of physics with fellow professors Robert Lehman and John Horst (some of the information in this article comes from an article that John Horst wrote for , the mathematics department newsletter, upon his colleague鈥檚 retirement).

That same year, the first computer arrived on campus: The IBM 1130, which took up its own room in the new Suter Science Center, quickly captivated Mast. The next year (fall of 1969), he started teaching 鈥淣atSci 151 Programming Computers鈥� (in Fortran).

He used the machine to grade tests for professors in all departments 鈥� using a punch card system that, he jokes, indicated answers in a similar manner to 鈥渢he hanging chads in the 2000 election.鈥�

Mast started using email in the 鈥�70s, when addresses were comprised of two numbers (鈥�375,75,鈥� he easily remembers years later.)

Around this time, he also used a teletype, or electromechanical typewriter, to communicate with professors at UVa.

In those early days, Mast says modem connections allowed data transfers at 300 characters per second (2400 bits/sec). To put that in perspective, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to send a picture [today], that would be a million characters 鈥� now we send things at billions of characters per second.鈥�

Mast taught programming through the 鈥�70s, complimenting his autodidactic nature with coursework at then-Madison College across town.

Notably, he didn鈥檛 have a formal degree in computer science until 1986, when he earned a Master鈥檚 of Computer Science at University of Virginia. This was several years after he gained approval, in 1979, to introduce a two-year computer science degree, and in 1981, a four-year degree.

The field was so new at the time that many academics, with tentacular knowledge that spreads across linked fields, could tell similar stories about the genesis of computer science programs at colleges and universities around the country.

John Horst writes appreciatively of his colleague鈥檚 eclectic knowledge and teaching responsibilities: 鈥淭he span of Joe鈥檚 teaching responsibilities through the 1970鈥檚 and early 80鈥檚, was remarkable: teaching courses in astronomy, courses in the physics major, courses in the math major, courses in computer science, helping with planetarium programs, and on occasion teaching in the interdisciplinary humanities program!鈥�

With such knowledge naturally came the task of developing and supervising technological acquisitions. Mast served as Academic Computer Center Coordinator from 1980-85, during which time an Apple IIe word processing lab was installed (1983) and the first laser printer arrived (1987).

He also opened an Apple store for students, until the company took control of all sales.

In the mid-鈥�80s, Mast also taught courses in the Information Systems major developed by the Business Department.

In 1993, Mast wrote and submitted a National Science Foundation grant that resulted, the next year, in the internet鈥檚 arrival to campus. (NSF managed non-military Internet connections from the early 鈥�90s through 1998.)

鈥淭he internet is like a great big tree, so our connection went directly to James Madison, which went maybe to the University of Virginia,鈥� Mast explained. 鈥淲e were glad to have it funded.鈥�

In fall 1994, Dan Marple was hired to head the new Information Systems Department, while Mast was on sabbatical at UVa.

In his 38 years at 91短视频, Mast also taught physics, mathematics and astronomy classes (45 different courses total), as well as directing the M.T. Brackbill Planetarium.

Mast now lives in Lancaster, Pa. He was married exactly 50 years to Nancy Noll 鈥�67 Mast, who retired after 30 years as a teacher and administrator in the Rockingham County Public School. Nancy died in 2015. He has two married sons: Brian, a nuclear engineer with Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, and Darrell, a computer specialist at Data Computer Corporation of America in the department that handles the Medicaid program for the US government.

鈥淎 classroom this size is now a rarity at 91短视频,鈥� observed , who was a student in SC-106 when it was brand-new and who studied under each of the professors on the panel. 鈥淪maller classes are the norm now.鈥� Lehman, who chaired the that moved to the science center in 1981, retired earlier this year. He earned his PhD in applied experimental psychology at Virginia Tech University.

Most of the professors on the panel arrived at 91短视频, fresh out of graduate school, around the time the state-of-the-art building, with its domed planetarium, opened in 1968. All six were 91短视频 alumni. The science center had not yet been named for , longtime biology professor and pre-med advisor who retired in 1985 and died in 2006.

鈥淭he highlight of my career was working with all these people,鈥� said Joe Mast, looking fondly at the row of colleagues to his right. 鈥淲e formed quite a community.鈥�

The six professors were a good fit for a small college, where they had to teach a variety of courses. But they were also a product of a college where they were encouraged to delve into a variety of subjects. Many of them were on faculty teams that taught “IDS” (interdisciplinary studies) courses that were required of all students in the 1970s.

, who earned his PhD in plant ecology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, taught almost every science-related course, at one time or another, that didn鈥檛 have 鈥渉uman anatomy鈥� or 鈥減hysiology鈥� in its title. 鈥淚 even taught a nutrition course,鈥� he said. Over the years he became an expert on ornithology, the study of birds. For 25 years he was the curator of the in the science center.

Kenton Brubaker, with a PhD in horticulture from Ohio State University, branched out to , biochemistry, genetics, ecology and agriculture. 鈥淚 taught a course on cell biology, which was new to me but very exciting,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ears later I saw a former student who got a PhD in cell biology from Harvard. He said my course started his quest in the field.鈥�

鈥淣one of my nutrition students got a Harvard PhD in nutrition,鈥� retorted Mellinger.

One of Brubaker鈥檚 primary interests was international agriculture, fostered by a three-year teaching term in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 1960s with . Another interest that he pursued, beginning in the early 1970s, was environmental studies and conservation. He and Mellinger helped start a campus organization called that continues to this day.

Brubaker, the oldest of the retiree group, joined the 91短视频 faculty in 1959. The others came during the 1960s and early 1970s.

The Suter Science panel discussion, coinciding with the , attracted alumni who had studied in the building and sat in the professors鈥� classes.

Millard Showalter, who earned an EdD from the University of Virginia, taught in the mathematical sciences department. He followed five simple teaching principles: be enthusiastic, use humor, always be prepared for class, use praise, and demonstrate a sincere interest in each student.

In his 鈥淢ath and the Liberal Arts鈥� course, he had a standing invitation for students to earn an automatic 鈥淎鈥� by showing how they could take a plain sheet of paper and fold it eight times. For years, no one met the challenge. Showalter felt it was not humanly possible to fold a paper that many times. Finally, a student showed up one day with a tiny lump of paper that he had folded eight times. The student was 鈥� and Showalter looked to his left on the panel 鈥� Lehman, who worked part-time at a machine shop and used a mechanized press to aid him.

Glenn Kauffman, with a PhD in physical organic chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, marveled at the equipment improvements in his department over the years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that we never had a major fire in the chemistry labs in the early years,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd the organic chemistry lab used to be the smelliest place in the building.鈥�

Kauffman is most proud of 鈥渄eveloping a culture of research鈥� among his students. He devoted much of his own time 鈥� in addition to a full teaching load 鈥� to conducting research with students. Sometimes the research was in collaboration with James Madison University, across town, with grants from the National Science Foundation.

Joseph Mast juggled his interests in , , astronomy and . His PhD from the University of Virginia was in astronomy, but he was also trained in the other areas. He was an early student and then early instructor in computers. For 20 years he was director of 91短视频鈥檚 M.T. Brackbill Planetarium, enjoying his interaction with school children who came to his planetarium shows.

鈥淢y favorite course was astronomy,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen students would excitedly find Orion in the sky 鈥� that was great.鈥�