Irina Mazilu - Personal Statement - Washington and Lee University

Personal Statement
Irina Mazilu
“Why Physics” This is the first question that I ask my first year students every September, on the first
day of class. The answers vary from year to year: “I liked physics in high school”, “I think it’s cool”, “To
impress my girlfriend” During my very first year of teaching, a vivacious student decided to turn the
tables on me, and asked me: “Why do you teach physics” My answer to this question has grown more
meaningful with every new term, blossoming with the help of every single student and colleague. But it
always starts with “I love teaching and I love physics”.
And then the second question comes from my students, perhaps triggered by my distinctly non-southern
accent:”Where are you from” I moved to the United States on a stifling hot and humid August day
eleven years ago. After a long and bumpy flight, my husband and I landed at JFK airport, hand in hand,
anxious, excited and confused by the New World. For two Romanians used to the metric system, 95
degrees seemed awfully hot, a pound of apples was too little, and a mile was too long. I was 24 years old,
and I was ready to live the American dream. My journey since that day has been amazing, and the dream
has been fulfilled: first in Blacksburg as a graduate student at Virginia Tech, and later as an assistant
professor at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. Virginia is very much home now.
A very wise and dear friend once told me that sharing my passion for physics and my scientific work is
my responsibility. What I share with my students is a personal perspective of what physics represents to
me: the sense of wonder, the sheer thrill of a new scientific discovery, the harmonious marriage of
beautiful mathematics and creative experiments, the comfort of order and knowledge. In physics, the
questions that we are trying to answer are simple: What is stuff made of How is stuff put together
According to some, physics is the easiest of the sciences. Physics makes it possible to build a machine
that flies faster than any bird, even faster than a bullet, but it will never be able to manufacture a bird or to
predict and prevent a war.
My first year students always seem puzzled when I recite to them a favorite Romanian poem that includes
these lines:
” I do not crush the world's corolla made of wonders and never slay –
through reason – mysteries I meet along my way.”
and then ask them “What does a physicist have to say to a poet or a poet to a physicist What is the bridge

etween the arts and the sciences
I am fortunate to work at Washington and Lee University, in a liberal arts environment that promotes
these types of questions and connections, that encourages and nurtures intellectual curiosity and
creativity, for students and faculty alike. Growing up in communist Romania, a country where freedom of
thought and travel was not a given, but had to be won through a revolution, makes me appreciate a liberal
arts education even more. I always tell my students how lucky they are to have the opportunity to explore
so many interesting fields and to find their calling during their time at W&L.
Over the years, I have learned to appreciate more and more the wonderful community that is Washington
and Lee University. My colleagues and friends guided me through the thorny first years of the tenure –
track job, encouraged me to pursue my scientific dreams, supported my ideas of developing new courses
and teaching methods. I had the opportunity to build a strong research program, attend national
professional meetings, and extend research collaborations. I have learned a lot from my colleagues, and
became a better teacher and scholar. At W&L, I found my own voice.
When I first came to Washington and Lee University, I was told that I was the very first woman ever
hired as a professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering. I was honored and surprised at the
same time, and I feel the responsibility to promote the interests of women students in science. I am happy
to see how the number of women interested in physics and engineering has grown over the years. Seeing
these young women thrive and succeed in a field that is still considered tough and male dominated gives
me a great sense of satisfaction.
Ever since I started my job, I have learned from my students and colleagues amazing lessons in courage,
dignity, and kindness. To paraphrase Kierkegaard, “to be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner. I
am not a teacher, only a fellow student”. I strive for a life of continuous learning, discovery, service and
honor, an ideal I encourage my students to emulate each time I walk into the lab or classroom.