Derrick Boucher Profile

Derrick was born in Yakima, Washington in 1965, the second of four Air Force brats to Don and Dolores Boucher. His parents met in the service but Mom had to resign due to what, in that era, was a disallowed medical condition, pregnancy. Dad continued serving and eventually became a meteorologist and Air Force officer. Mom mostly stayed at home and took care of the house and kids (hey, it was the 1960s and 70s!). Moving around every few years and long family camping vacations opened his mind to new perspectives. At home, a steady supply of resources (encyclopedias, kid’s magazines, etc.) oversight (Mom forcing him to read to her) and encouragement let him develop his innate curiosity about things scientific and technological. It helped that he lived on or around Air Force bases, with a constant supply of jet aircraft and high technology, including behind-the-scenes tours of the weather forecasting centers at the various bases.
In 1983 he graduated from Lakeland High School in rural northeastern Pennsylvania and then attended the University of Scranton. Graduating with a degree in physics, he went on to get a masters and PhD from Lehigh University, specializing in the quantum theory of solids. After a few years doing research and teaching at Rutgers and Lehigh, he accepted an offer for an assistant professorship in physics at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA (not the one in London). he taught there for fourteen years, gaining tenure and rising to the highest ranks in the faculty; Faculty Council President.

He decided to relocate south and in 2010 accepted a position as an associate professor of physics at Florida Gulf Coast University. He currently lives in Ft. Myers, Florida with his wife and two Yorkshire terriers. His interests include drumming, singing, bicycling, beer (drinking and making), gardening, travel and reading. His youngest son is a 2017 graduate of FGCU.

He is currently a member of the Electrostatics Society of America