Mirela Alina Gearba-Sell

Alina Gearba-Sell earned her B.S. in Electro-physics, an M.S. in both Electrical Engineering and Electronics, and her Ph.D. in Physics Magna cum Laude at the University of Bucharest, Romania. She is currently an Associate Professor at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), where she is also the SPS chapter advisor. Throughout her career in physics, both in Romania and the United States, Dr. Gearba-Sell has been an active contributor, with many presentations and publications. She has been recognized for her dedication through many awards, including the Department of Physics Research Award from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2016 and the Student Organization Advisor of the Year from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Though Dr. Gearba-Sell’s contributions are numerous, the praise and respect she receives from her peers and students are similarly impressive. She is described as “instrumental” in an SPS chapter that is “made stronger for her efforts”. She is valued for the passion and skill she applies to both the classroom and the chapter, giving her students the best guidance she can provide. Throughout her time at USAFA, she has made an impact in the way she implemented “cutting edge classroom practices” that inspired and encouraged her students to pursue careers in STEM. Dr. Gearba-Sell dedicates her energy to a range of areas, from advocating for underrepresented groups in physics to helping students on cultural immersion trips. Referred to as the SPS chapter’s “rock”, Dr. Gearba has displayed her “unmatched passion for teaching” in a way that brings energy and success to her endeavors both in the classroom and outside of it.  Dr. Gearba-Sell was elected President of the Society of Physics Students national organization in Spring 2017.