Jae R. Ballif

Jae R. Ballif was a professor of physics and an administrator at Brigham Young University.

During his career at BYU, he was the founding dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical sciences, administrative vice president, provost, and academic vice president.

He received the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award in 1972 and a Karl G. Maeser Professorship in General Education in 1994.

Ballif’s father, Ariel, was a professor at BYU, and Jae came to BYU on a basketball scholarship. He preferred football and became co-captain of the team. He was an All-Conference and honorable mention All-American fullback. Also while a BYU student, he was the cadet commander of the 1,700 students in the campus ROTC program.

Jae graduated with a bachelor’s degree at the same time as his mother, Artemesia Romney Ballif, a sister of Marion G. Romney. He earned his PhD from University of California, Los Angeles in 1962, the same year he joined the BYU faculty.

Ballif is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings, including bishop, stake president, stake patriarch, and mission president.