William Robert (Bob) Wood, PhD

Professor of Physics
I count it a privilege to work at a Christian university where my faith can be actively incorporated into my teaching and research.

Dr. Wood joined the TWU Faculty in 1992 after completing his PhD in Theoretical Physics at the University of Regina. He built the Physics program up to include a concentration a few years after arriving at TWU. In 1995, he taught a short course in Indonesia under the auspices of the Canadian International Development Agency. He was an active faculty member (e.g., participating on the Undergraduate Academic Council, Tenure and Promotion Committee, and the Faculty Affairs Committee, as well as maintaining an active research program and coordinating the Physics program) until 2002 when he moved into academic administration. He progressed through several academic administrative positions including serving as the Provost from 2012 to 2022, after which he took a one-year sabbatical and returned to a faculty position.

Throughout his tenure as Provost, Dr. Wood oversaw all areas of TWU’s academic life, helping design the University’s strategic planning, policy development, and metrics management processes. He was influential in the establishment and ongoing work of the University Senate, which develops and monitors policies, procedures, and quality standards to enrich TWU’s academic programs. To advance the success of TWU students, Dr. Wood facilitated the establishment of the University’s Academic Advising Office and the Learning Commons.

Dr. Wood sought to advance the educational experience of students and expanded research opportunities for faculty and visiting scholars by supporting the launch of multiple new centres of research at TWU, including The Inklings Institute of Canada, launched in 2013, and the Anabaptist-Mennonite Centre for Faith and Learning, launched in 2014. Propelling the University’s growth in the area of Indigenous reconciliation, Dr. Wood established the Aboriginal Partnership Council in 2012 and Institute of Indigenous Issues and Perspectives in 2015.

Further, Dr. Wood has played a key role in new program development. In 2014, Dr. Wood helped secure government approval for Trinity Western’s Master of Arts in Educational Studies – Special Education. More recently in 2021, Dr. Wood was instrumental in the University's successful application to offer its very first PhD program—a Doctorate in Philosophy of Nursing.

Since his 2012 appointment as Provost, Dr. Wood has provided oversight of academic processes and systems, including course evaluations, Academic Calendar revisions, academic technology, full-time faculty and academic leader hiring processes, academic dishonesty tracking system, academic probation system, and transition to remote learning during COVID-19. In the early months and years of the pandemic, Dr. Wood chaired the Academic Standards task force and co-chaired the Institutional Analysis task force, helping to guide the University's transition to online education during a critical time. Dr. Wood served as Acting President, May-June, 2019.

  • PhD (University of Regina; 1992)
  • MSc (University of Saskatchewan; 1986)
  • BSc - Hons (University of Saskatchewan; 1982)

Expertise

Leadership, Academic Administration, Faith Integration, Theoretical Physics, General Relativity, Quantum Theory

Selected Refereed Publications

  1. W.R. Wood, Critical matter and geometric phase transitions, Phys. Lett. A, 323, 1, 2004.
  2. A. Feoli, W.R. Wood and G. Papini, A dynamical symmetry breaking model in Weyl space, J. Math. Phys., 39, 3322, 1998. 
  3. G. Papini and W.R. Wood, A geometric solution to the de Broglie variable mass problem, Phys. Lett. A, 202, 46, 1995.
  4. Wood, N. Mobed and G. Papini, Composite particles and bubbles in Weyl space, Phys. Rev. D, 48, 5009, 1993.
  5. W.R. Wood, A. Feoli and G. Papini, Oscillating thin shells in Weyl space, J. Math. Phys., 34, 5916, 1993.
  6. W.R. Wood and G. Papini, A geometric formulation of the causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, Found. Phys. Lett., 6, 207, 1993.
  7. G. Papini and W.R. Wood, Maximal acceleration of thin shells in Weyl space,  Phys. Lett. A, 170, 409, 1992.
  8. W.R. Wood and G. Papini, Breaking Weyl invariance in the interior of a bubble,  Phys. Rev. D, 45, 3617, 1992.
  9. W.R. Wood, G. Papini and Y.Q. Cai, Maximal acceleration and the time-energy uncertainty relations, Nuovo Cim., 104B, 361, 1989.
  10. M.K. Ali and W.R. Wood, The Birkhoff-Gustavson normal form of one-dimensional double-well Hamiltonians, J. Math. Phys., 30, 1238, 1989.
  11. R. Skinner, D.F. Reding, K. Steinke and W.R. Wood, Gauge-field quantization, Can. J. Phys., 65, 409, 1987.
  12. M.K. Ali, W.R. Wood and J.S. Devitt, On the summation of the Birkhoff-Gustavson normal form of an anharmonic oscillator,  J. Math. Phys., 27, 1806, 1986.

Awards & Honors

  • Who’s Who in Canada (2009)
  • Received promotion to Full Professor (2008)
  • Achieved tenure and promotion to Associate Professor (1997)
  • Graduate Scholarship, University of Regina (1988, 1990)
  • John and Mary Spinks Scholarship, University of Regina (1989 to 1990)
  • Teaching Fellowship, University of Regina (1987 to 1989)
  • Leonard Foundation Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan (1980 to 1981)
  • Ducie Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan (1980)

Affiliations & Memberships

  • American Scientific Affiliation/ Canadian Christian and Scientific Affiliation - Member

  • PHYS 111/112 Fundamentals of Physics I/II
  • PHYS 210 Conceptual Modern Physics
  • PHYS 220 Mechanics
  • PHYS 230 Electricity and Magnetism
  • PHYSI 310 Topics in Modern Physics
  • PHYS 360 Optics
  • PHYS 400 Directed Studies in Physics
  • MATH 320 Complex Analysis
  • LDRS 501 Strategic Leadership