Prof. Truncale is the undergraduate physics lab director for the Physics/EE Department. His responsibilities include consulting with other general physics and elements of physics faculty in planning the laboratory to ensure that course objectives are met, selecting laboratory exercises that appropriately compliment lecture materials, ordering laboratory materials, overall responsibility for equipment setups and maintenance, and training, supervising and evaluating graduate teaching assistants. He also teaches General Physics, Elements of Physics, and Earth Science lecture courses.  His research interests include creating unique physics experiments and demonstrations for use within the classroom and laboratory.  Prof. Truncale is a proponent of the Faculty Student Research Program at the university.  His FSRP listing and other faculty listings can be found on the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (OSRP) under the Student Research Link.

Prof. Truncale’s recent faculty student research projects include:

• LED Lab - developed an LED (light emitting diode) experiment for the introductory physics laboratory to demonstrate electromagnetic absorption.  The lab also includes constructing a pulse oximeter as an application of the absorption
• Visualizing Sound with an Electro-Optical Eardrum –created a device that a deaf student can use to create a hearing sensitivity plot.  Presented to deaf students in HS located in Pittsburgh PA.
• The Reflective Solar Tracking Array (RSTA) - partnering with lab equipment manager James Loven, this ongoing project involves two students who are analyzing a new system to collect solar energy

Prof. Truncale serves as a consultant for the department’s Kane Competition where he performs various administrative and behind the scenes duties and he is involved with the department’s astronomy and IEEE clubs. He is also a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).  In his spare time, he spends time with his family and son Zachary and plays on an intramural Frisbee team at the University.