Oswego State physics professor Carolina Ilie collaborated with current and former students on new electro magnetics textbook that will help give deeper comprehension of the course.

In December of 2015, the Institute of Physics (IOP) based in the United Kingdom and Morgan and Claypool Publishers, based in California, invited Ilie, an associate professor who has been teaching advanced electromagnetic theory in Oswego for over eight years, to write a student textbook that would accompany a book in the field “Introduction to Electrodynamics” written by David Griffiths.

Seeing the magnitude of this opportunity, she decided to combine her research and passion for working with students on this project.

Although it is not customary for faculty members to collaborate with alumni or undergraduate students on publishing textbooks. Ilie reached out to 2015 summa cum laude graduate Zac Schrecengost to be co-author and Julia D’Rozario, who graduated in Dec. 2016, to work on the textbook’s illustrations. 

Schrecengost, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science and completed degree requirements for physics, applied mathematics and software engineering, had been in communication with Ilie trying to seek material to review for his graduate school coursework when he was offered the role of co-author.

“I was extremely excited about this opportunity and very honored by her offer,” Schrecengost said.

Having Schrecengost in one of her electromagnetics class, Ilie witnessed his talent and chose him because of his “excellent high mathematics skills and his love for electromagnetism”. 

Ilie also recognized talent in D’Rozario who excelled in her electromagnetics course. D’Rozario who was an undergraduate student at the time, double majored in physics and cinema screen studies. Impressed by D’Rozario’s creative eye, Ilie instantly thought of her to be the textbook’s exclusive illustrator.

“I remember the meeting that I had with Dr. Ilie where she presented me with this opportunity and I agreed right away,” D’Rosario said. “I have always been open to new opportunities and I knew this was something I could contribute a lot of my creative skill to.”

The textbook titled “Electromagnetism: Problems and Solutions” has “brief theoretical introductory notes, followed by problems and solutions,” Ilie said.

Schrecengost, who is currently working as a software engineer in Syracuse, agreed to distribute the work evenly with Ilie.

“The entire process, from writing problems to proof reading, was equally divided between the two of us,” Schrecengost said.

D’Rozario illustrated 5-10 models per figure, totaling 500 models, narrowing it down to one that would best capture Ilie’s and Schrecengost’s ideas.

Challenges were shared in the process of publishing the textbook. Ilie, D’Rozario and Schrecengost balanced full-time jobs and school work, spending their free time working on the textbook.

“Working together on the book as a team was an extraordinary, rewarding experience for all three of us,” Ilie said. “Everybody was very reliable, worked very well- the key is to have in the team the best people, and to respect each other.”

Ilie also got some help from her students, Nicholas Jira, Vincent DeBiase, Ian Evan and Andres Inga with typing the textbook.

Ilie holds D’Rozario and Schrecengost as examples that it is never too early to attain great accomplishments in the professional world.

“With enthusiasm we are preparing for a second volume,” D’Rozario said.