Presbyterian College physics professor and alumnus finds joy in helping students
Dr. Clay Wright has loved math and science for as long as he can remember.
As a high school student, he initially thought he wanted to pursue a career as a medical doctor, until he took a physics class and began thinking about pursuing engineering instead.
When he began his collegiate career at PC, he was interested in the college’s physics and engineering dual degree program, which would allow him to attend PC for three years before transferring to an engineering school, though that plan quickly changed.
“I liked it here so much, I wanted to stay for all four years,” he said.
After earning his Bachelor of Science in physics and applied mathematics from PC in 2019, Wright attended Georgia Tech, where he earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering.
During his time in graduate school, Wright was faced with two paths: a career focused on intense research or a career focused on teaching.
“I knew I wanted to teach for sure,” he said.
Living in Atlanta at the time, Wright, a Clinton native, wanted nothing more than to return to the slow pace he was familiar with, so when he stumbled across an open teaching position at Presbyterian College, it felt like fate.
“ love it. I wouldn’t do anything else. I love interacting with students, and I love having a job where I get to learn all the time.”
Dr. Clay Wright, Assistant Professor of Physics
Seeing PC in a new light
Wright returned to PC as an assistant professor of physics in January of 2025. In just over a year, he’s already made a tremendous impact, even having been selected for the 2025 South Carolina EPSCoR Faculty Research Development Academy, which is designed to help prepare researchers at undergraduate institutions to apply for major federal grants.
Wright truly loves every aspect of what he does, and it shows in the way he teaches and how he interacts with students.
“I love it. I wouldn’t do anything else,” he said. “I love interacting with students, and I love having a job where I get to learn all the time.”
Wright has enjoyed every moment of his time spent at the college as a professor, but without a doubt, what he values most about the opportunity to experience PC from a new perspective is seeing just how much students grow over the years.
“Physics is hard for everyone, even the people who are good at it,” he said. “But once it clicks, that’s a really awesome thing, and to try to help other people experience that and see them grow has been the best part.”
The biggest challenge Wright has faced so far? Getting to know the physics faculty as his colleagues and friends rather than as their student, particularly Dr. Eli Owens, who served as his mentor.
“When I was a student here, Dr. Owens was my professor, so the hardest part has been calling him by his name and not ‘Dr. Owens’ anymore,” he joked.
Excitement for the future
When Wright thinks about the coming years that he’ll spend at Presbyterian College, he’s most excited about all of the new students the future will bring and the opportunity to continue doing what he loves the most. “I think we have a lot of really cool programs that we’re trying to get off the ground, and I’m just really excited about the direction the college is heading,” he said
