This fall, Peddie welcomes the knowledgeable and worldly Dr. Diehl to the Science Department, where he will teach Honors Physics and AP Physics C.

Dr. Diehl was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. When he was young, his family moved to Suriname in South America. They then relocated to Curasol (an area in Curaçao, a country in the Caribbean), followed by Aruba. Dr. Diehl reported spending most of his free time outdoors as a child. Sailing, swimming, climbing and exploring the jungle near his home were a few of his favorite activities.

In high school, Dr. Diehl discovered his passion for science. Chemistry, specifically. He credited his chemistry teacher with piquing his interest in the subject. He decided to major in chemistry as an undergraduate. He spent his undergraduate years at the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York. Adjusting to the cold and darkness was a challenge, he said.

Later, realizing that chemistry was not his calling, Dr. Diehl studied engineering in graduate school at the University of Virginia. He pursued his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering Research at Arizona State University.

His thesis was centered around high resolution electron microscopy – a sophisticated technique used to image atoms and analyze the atomic structure of materials. He looked at materials called “X-ray mirrors” – artificial lattice structures that reflect X-rays. Today, these materials are used to make microchips for computers. At the time, the military was also interested in these materials for weaponry purposes.

After obtaining his Ph.D., Dr. Diehl worked as a researcher at a university but found that his position did not afford him the level of intimacy with students he desired. Meanwhile, his experience as a soccer coach helped him realize that he liked working and interacting with high schoolers. Dr. Diehl and his wife, Dr. Nancy Diehl, subsequently moved to South Carolina, where he began teaching at the high school level. Besides South Carolina, he has taught in Hong Kong, Thailand and Israel. His foreign teaching stints were brought about by his desire for his children to gain an “international perspective of the world.”

Besides his role as a classroom teacher, Dr. Diehl serves as a coach for the girls’ novice crew team. During the times he is not fulfilling his Peddie duties, Dr. Diehl enjoys traveling, reading, biking and hiking. He hopes to explore South America and Iceland in the near future. Sitcoms such as “Seinfeld” and “Modern Family,” as well as nonfiction documentaries, are his go-to television programs.