Science Matters: Marsh White
Marsh White, in 1926, earned the first ever doctoral degree from Penn State – a physics degree. After graduating from Penn State in 1926, White joined the faculty as a professor of Physics, retiring in 1960.
Born in 1896, White earned his bachelor’s degree from Park College in Missouri. Then in 1918, he became an assistant instructor at Penn State, earning his master’s degree in physics and becoming an assistant professor in 1920.
Stella White, Marsh White’s wife, also earned her master’s degree in history in 1920, an achievement at the time.
In 1926, he earned his doctoral degree in physics, becoming the first person at Penn State to have been awarded a doctoral degree. His dissertation aimed to disprove Einstein’s theory of relativity. Despite not being able to disprove Einstein’s theory, White still earned his doctoral degree and emphasized the importance of scientific curiosity and discovery. White later became a full professor at Penn State in 1942.
During his time at Penn State, White founded two organizations at Penn State: Sigma Pi Sigma in 1926, the third oldest chapter of the American honor society for physics and astronomy in the country, and the Society of Physics Students, which he helped organize the national society for in 1968. He became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1931 and a Fellow of the American Physics Society in 1949.
A Focus on Science Education
As a professor, White spent a significant effort researching undergraduate education in the physical sciences, declaring in 1960 that he was primarily interested in teaching. White published Experimental College Physics: A Laboratory Manual in 1932, Practical Physics in 1943, College Physics in 1947, and Physics for Science and Engineering in 1957. He also served as the president of the American Association of Physics Teachers from 1954 to 1955.
White also served as a consultant on scientific manpower with the US Army from 1944 to 1955, earning the Presidential Certificate of Merit in 1948.
In 2026, the college is celebrating 100 years since Marsh White earned his doctoral degree in physics, becoming the first person from Penn State to do so. White’s legacy includes earning the first doctoral degree from Penn State, asking important scientific questions, and laying the groundwork for and spearheading a focus on undergraduate studies in the sciences at Penn State.