Dr. Mast taught 45 different courses in physics, computer science, mathematics, astronomy and other subjects during his 38 years at EMU. He founded the computer science program in the late 1970s and served as coordinator of the Academic Computer Center for five years. He also directed the EMU Planetarium for over 20 years, piquing the interest of school children throughout the Shenandoah Valley. In 1993 he submitted a grant application to the National Science Foundation that brought the Internet to EMU. Colleagues teased Mast about being a walking encyclopedia of information on an endless variety of topics.
Soon after retirement, Mast and his wife Nancy moved to Lancaster, Pa., to live next to Nancy’s father. They love to travel, including international trips, and Mast does income-tax preparation for an accounting firm to pay for the travel! Mast is a member in a local astronomy club, and he and Nancy are active in their Sunday school class at Mellinger Mennonite Church.
