Dr. John Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) is a physics professor at the university East Texas Tech, which Sheldon attends part-time. Dr. Sturgis is initially a pen pal of Sheldon Cooper before the child prodigy audits his course on quantum chromodynamics. Dr. Sturgis is instantly smitten with Sheldon's grandmother, and they begin dating. He also shows some childish behavior, such as going to bed at 7:30 and asking Meemaw's permission to do things as if she were his mother. They later split up but remain friends.