Chilakamarri (Chary) Rangacharyulu

Award for Distinction in Outreach & Engagement - Fall 2006

At the heart of Dr. Rangacharyulu’s exemplary record of professional and public service is a deep commitment to promoting and fostering youth science education at home and around the world.

As faculty member in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Professor Rangacharyulu has taken his passion for science beyond the boundaries of his Department, College and this University.  Since 1999, he has participated in every Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), co-chaired the successful bid proposal to bring the 2002 Fair to Saskatoon and then co-chaired the organizing committee. He has fostered alliances with both the Saskatchewan Association of Science Fairs Inc. (SASFI) and the Youth Science Foundation, which is the governing body of science fairs in Canada.  In addition, Dr. Rangacharyulu has become involved with the International Biology Olympiad and was a key driver in bringing the IBO competition to Saskatoon in 2007.

Dr. Rangacharyulu has been a tireless advocate of student success, particularly when it comes to ensuring successful transition from high school to university. He has built strong and fruitful relationships with teachers across the province, partnerships that have been instrumental in the formation of the Knowledge and Education Exchange Network, more commonly known as KEEN. This group is dedicated to bringing together high school teachers and University faculty in an effort to ensure students are adequately prepared for the challenges of post-secondary education. He also works as an active member of the NSERC-funded CRYSTALSs team, which is committed to developing and offering appropriate math and science transition programs for Aboriginal and Northern schools.    

The impact and benefits of Dr. Rangacharyulu’s work, however, are not limited simply to Saskatchewan and Canada; his international partnerships, for example, have resulted in the development of student exchange programs in physics between the U of S and universities in Germany and Japan. His dedication to teaching and research has also resulted in discussions between the U of S, the Biotechnology Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, Melbourne University, and Tsukuba University (Japan) that are centered on the development of an international interdisciplinary centre.

Dr. Rangacharyulu’s passion for his work serves as a model for outreach and public service. This is how one of his nominators described him, ‘Chary’ “is a constant source of optimism and energy for all who are associated with these outreach endeavors.  In addition, Chary offers all his vision and passion for engaging youth in being and doing their very best.  In this process, he has also energized and mobilized the skills and energies of others . . . [and] the many talented young people who are the direct beneficiaries of his efforts.”