Students and teachers across Oklahoma knew Stewart Ryan as a passionate science educator, but also as his famous alter ego “Dr. Indestructo,” who transformed physics into a spectacle with daredevil demonstrations.
Ryan’s classes often involved his rainbow-haired mad scientist alter ego teaching students with memorable, but unusual, methods like drinking liquid nitrogen, lying on a bed of nails and rocket-bike riding.
Along with university lectures, Ryan took Dr. Indestructo to elementary, middle and high school science shows, bringing his love of science to not only his students, but also community members.
Dr. Indestructo inspired Sheeva Azma, a former middle school student of Ryan’s wife, Rita. Remembering demonstrations of liquid nitrogen to freeze and then break objects, Azma said his shows motivated her to pursue a career in science.
“I wasn’t a student, but I was a fan of Dr. Indestructo growing up,” Azma said. “His demos were part of what ignited my passion for science. They contributed a lot to me studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and becoming a scientist myself.”
Stewart "Dr. Indestructo" Ryan teaching.
After a 35-year career at OU, the beloved former physics professor died on Sept. 7. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday in Shelbyville, Indiana.
When not teaching or in character as Dr. Indestructo, Ryan could be found helping a friend in need, whether it be colleagues or his own grandchildren. Above all, Ryan loved physics, teaching, his students and his family.
Born in 1942 in Schenectady, New York, Ryan moved to Shelbyville where he met his wife of 58 years in middle school. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Notre Dame in 1964, and his doctorate in physics at the University of Michigan in 1971.
His class, “Physics for Poets,” grew in popularity across campus, drawing over 15,000 students throughout his career. Dr. Indestructo's show was a way for Ryan to make physics fun for students.
Ryan and his mentor, former physics professor Stanley Babb, created the “The Stan and Stu Show” early in his teaching career. After Babb’s death, Ryan reintroduced the Dr. Indestructo shows in his honor, leaving students with memories to last a lifetime.
Jennifer Stoll Barnard, a former student of his physics for non-science majors class at OU in 1994, recalls learning with the help of Dr. Indestructo’s demonstrations, ranging from David Letterman-inspired comedy sketches to driving nails into the floor with bowling balls.
“He is the only professor in my six years of schooling who I remember, and I remember him vividly,” Barnard said. “He wasn't there to try to make the students feel inferior and frustrated, like so many professors I encountered. He was there to show you the amazing things in the world around you.”
Having performed hundreds of shows in classrooms and libraries across Oklahoma, Ryan’s love for learning was contagious among students and fellow teachers. Among them, friend and fellow OU physics professor Kieran Mullen.
After teaching together for 17 years, they developed a great friendship, with Mullen visiting Ryan every week in his nursing home. Mullen admired Ryan’s teaching philosophy, and said he learned much from his methods.
“Stu would say there should be at least one person who's excited to be in the room, and that should be at least the instructor,” Mullen said. “He felt a duty to try and make sure the students who graduate from OU are not only literate, but numerate.”
This semester, Mullen is teaching introduction to physics, which used to be Ryan's class. Though some demonstrations are more dramatic than others, Mullen said he hopes to incorporate Dr. Indestructo’s methods into class.
“I learned from Stu that those demonstrations in which the instructor's life is in danger always focuses the attention,” Mullen said, laughing. “I fully hope to do the demonstration where I have to lie down on a bed of nails and have someone break a cinder block on my chest.”
Rooted in his passion for teaching, Ryan became heavily involved in the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence after winning the foundation’s Medal for Excellence in College and University Teaching in 1989. The nonprofit later appointed him to its Board of Trustees.
While a part of the foundation, Brenda Wheelock worked with Ryan for many years. Wheelock said she quickly learned of his passion for making science accessible and his contagious love of learning.
“He was very proud to be a part of the foundation and honor teachers,” Wheelock said. “He was a champion for public schools and getting students of all ages, not just college students, but common-ed students, excited about learning science.”
Ryan’s teaching methods earned him many other accolades including the David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus award, one of the university’s highest honors, before he retired in 2012.
“One of the emblems of OU is the Seed Sower, and I think Stu really was a seed sower of knowledge and interest in science,” Mullen said.
He also received the OU Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award, Regents’ Award for Professional and University Service, Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching, General Education Teaching Award, Student Government Association Outstanding Faculty Award and the Good Teaching Award.
In lieu of flowers, Ryan’s family has designated the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence as the beneficiary of memorial contributions.
“Stu was a master teacher,” Mullen said. “There was a deeper purpose behind all this. To try and get people to think about the physical universe, making it less intimidating, and just a little more fun.”
Stewart is survived by his wife Rita; three daughters, Kathleen Ryan, Beth "Colleen" Ryan Martin, and Ellen Mary Ryan-Vinciguerra; brother David Ryan; his grandchildren Finn Ryan Martin and Avalon Vinciguerra. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Nancy Ryan Soller.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza, Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele. Andrew Paredes and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
