Dr. Connor Murphy

I grew up in the Flathead Valley in a log house my father built before I was born. God's Creation, manifested as it is in the raw beauty of the outdoors, is and always has been a deep part of who I am. My earthly father passed away when I was young, and I have always had a deep thankfulness for the role God plays as Father to those of us in Church. I was homeschooled through 8th grade, after which I attended MVCA for two years in my freshman and sophomore years of high school. This time was challenging and formative and I am immensely grateful to the teachers I had during that time and the investment they made in me.

After this I took college classes at Flathead Valley Community College for my last two years of high school. I then attended Grove City College in Pennsylvania to get a dual degree in Physics and Mathematics. God made me able to understand and enjoy math, and as I studied Physics alongside Mathematics, it instilled in me a deep wonder of God's artistry and mastery over His Creation. I believe that when we study Physics- the blueprints of the natural world, and Mathematics- the language of Physics, we are actually getting a glimpse into the very mind of God, placed there for us to discover before the first human even took breath.

After this I attended Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman to get a doctoral degree in Physics. I spent six years at MSU, during which time I learned to love experimental research and tutoring students in Physics and Math. My doctoral work was in the field of levitated optomechanical systems, where small objects are levitated in order to probe the weakest forces in Physics and push the boundaries on our understanding of the fundamentals of the physical universe. I am very excited for the opportunity to teach students and invest in them as my teachers invested in me.

Outside of Physics and teaching, I enjoy playing Ultimate Frisbee, playing board games with friends and family, and spending time with my wife, Monica, and our two daughters, whose wonder for learning and living never ceases to fill my heart with joy.