Profile

Professor Emeritus of experimental condensed-matter physics with the University of Alabama Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Tri-Campus Materials Sciences Program and the Graduate School, with outstanding program reviews in all areas, attained through topical research projects, progressive undergraduate and graduate education methods, and contributions to the academic community.

Education

  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, 1982, Lycoming College
  • Ph.D., Physics, 1992, The Pennsylvania State University

Employment History

  • 1993-1995, Postdoctoral Scholar, The Pennsylvania State University
  • 1995-1996, Postdoctoral Researcher, Louisiana State University
  • 1996-2001, Assistant Professor of Physics, University of Alabama
  • 2001-2005, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Alabama
  • 2005-2022, Professor of Physics, University of Alabama
  • 2008-2010, Graduate Director of Physics, University of Alabama
  • 2011-2012, HERE Faculty Sabbatical, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • 2012-2015, Graduate Director of Physics, University of Alabama
  • ​June 2022, Retired
  • September 2022, Professor Emeritus

Professional Memberships

  • Inaugural Member of the University of Alabama Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors
  • American Physical Society
  • Emeritus Member of the AVS Science and Technology Society
  • Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
  • Neutron Scattering Society of America
  • Sigma Pi Sigma National Physics Honor Society

Awards

  • Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education HERE Faculty Fellowship
  • National Science Foundation International Programs Postdoctoral Fellowship, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Munich, Germany
  • Participating Guest Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • IBM Graduate Researcher, Thomas J. Watson Research Center
  • Outstanding Teaching Award, The Pennsylvania State University Department of Physics
  • Davey Fellowship, The Pennsylvania State University Department of Physics
  • Charles J. Kocian Award for Outstanding Mathematics Major, Lycoming College
  • Elisha Benson Kline Prize in Applied Mathematics, Lycoming College
  • John C. McCune Memorial Prize in Physics, Lycoming College

Research Experience

  • 1988-1992, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, inverse photoemission experiments
  • 1991-1993, National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, synchrotron radiation experiments
  • 1994-1996, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, synchrotron radiation experiments
  • 1994-1996, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, synchrotron radiation experiments
  • 1994-1995, Max Plank Institute for Plasma Physics, Munich, Germany, spin resolved inverse photoemission experiments
  • 1994-present, Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Baton Rouge, LA, synchrotron radiation experiments
  • 1998-present, Synchrotron Radiation Center, Stoughton, WI, synchrotron radiation experiments
  • 2000-present, High Flux Isotope Reactor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, neutron scattering
  • 2002-2004, Swiss Spallation Neutron Source, Paul Sherrer Institute, neutron scattering
  • 2002-2004, Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, Argonne National Laboratory, neutron scattering
  • 2002-2007, National Center for Neutron Scattering, National Institute for Science and Technology, neutron scattering
  • 2004-2008, Center for Nanoscale Materials Science, Argonne National Laboratory, nanofabrication
  • 2005-2012, Center for Nanophase Materials, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis
  • 2006-2018, Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, neutron scattering

Extramural Funding

  • 1994-1995, Spin resolved inverse photoemission, PI, NSF, $36,000
  • 1996-2001, Magnetic nanostructures, co-PI (with 4 others), DOD, $2,000,000
  • 1996-1998, UA MRSEC MINT Center, co-PI (with 7 others), NSF, $640,000
  • 1996-1998, Magnetic imaging, PI (with W. Doyle), ARO, $300,000
  • 1997-1998, Acquisition of a multi-wavelength spectroscopic ellispsometer, PI (with J. Barnard), NSF EPSCOR Infrastructure, $100,000
  • 1998-1999, Single-crystal spin valves, PI (with H. Fujiwara), National Storage Industry Consortium, $50,000
  • 2000-2003, Oligomolecular nanodevices, co-PI (with 4 others), NSF, $1,700,000
  • 2001-2005, Neutron scattering of magnetic nanostructures, PI, DOE EPSCOR, $500,000
  • 2002-2007, UA MRSEC MINT Center, co-PI (with 11 others), NSF, $6,000,000
  • 2002-2004, SGER: Self assembled nanowires for spin electronics, PI (with H. Fujiwara), NSF, $80,000
  • 2003-2005, Development of a synchrotron beam line for magnetics research and education, co-PI (with 4 others), NSF, $94,000
  • 2004-2008, Nanoscale catalysts for fuel cells, co-PI (with 6 others), DOE EPSCOR, $500,000
  • 2005-2007, Acquisition of a advanced analytical transmission electron microscope for materials research and education, co-PI (with 4 others), NSF, $1,200,000
  • 2006-2007, Commissioning of a spin and angle resolved electron spectrometer, PI, DOE, $30,000
  • 2008-2011, Exchange Interactions in Epitaxial Intermetallic Layers, co-PI (with P.R. LeClair), DOE EPSCOR, $450,000
  • 2008-2011, Major Research Instrumentation: Acquisition of A Hybrid Deposition System for Materials Science Research and Education, PI, NSF, $413,000
  • 2010-2012, Major Research Instrumentation: Acquisition of a High Energy Resolution Angle Resolved Spin-Polarized Photoemission Instrument, co-PI, NSF, $713,000.
  • 2012-2016, Rare Earth Free Permanent Magnets for the Next Generation (with 14 others), co-PI, NSF, $1,400,000.
  • 2018-2019, UA MRSEC (with 14 others), PI, NSF, not funded.
  • 2020-2022, Magnetic Structures of High Maximum Energy Products (Energy Density) of Rare-Earth-Free Permanent Magnets in Response to Climate Change, co-PI, DOE, not funded.

Teaching

  • PH105, General Physics with Calculus I. Taught in a studio format where lecture and laboratory are combined
  • PH106, General Physics with Calculus II. The second semester of physics in the engineering curriculum
  • BUI301, The Science of Survival. Covered topical scientific problems facing our world today, including limited resources, mankind’s influence on the environment, preservation of species and the population explosion
  • PH334, Analog Electronics. The basics of analog electronics for scientific measurements
  • PH411/511, Biophysics. Physics of biological systems: proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, supramolecular structures, and molecular motors; structure, function, energetics, thermodynamics, bionanotechnology. Emphasis on systems that are best understood in physical and molecular detail. ​
  • PH434/534, Digital Electronics and Computer Interfacing. Trains users of the LabVIEW computer language develop programs for the collection and analysis of scientific data
  • PH491/591, Advanced Experimental Physics. Vacuum technique, thin film deposition, spectroscopy, diffraction, microscopy and microfabrication are covered
  • PH531, Electromagnetic Theory I. Electric and magnetic fields, Green’s functions, and Maxwell’s equations
  • PH532, Electromagnetic Theory II. Electromagnetic waves, relativity, and selected topics
  • PH597, Physics Seminar. Interpreting and reporting on physics research presentations, delivering a physics research presentation.

Service

  • 1994-present, referee for Physical Review Letters, Physical Review B, Applied Physics Letters, Journal of Applied Physics, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, Nuclear Instruments and Methods of Physics Research, Surface Science, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Journal of Alloys and Compounds.
  • 1998-present, reviewer for National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, the Research Corporation, European Science Foundation, NIST National Center for Neutron Research, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation and Louisiana State Board of Regents
  • 1996-present, department committee work including colloquium committee (1996-1998, chair in 1997), graduate examinations committee (1997-1999, chair in 1998), numerous faculty search committees, SPS advisor (1999-2002), web designer (2000-2005), long range planning committee (2004-2006), World Year in Physics demonstration organizer (2005), graduate recruiting committee (2010-2013), graduate advising committee (2010-2015), awards committee (2015-2017), graduate exam committee (2015-2017)
  • 2003-2006, university-wide Academics and Athletics Committee
  • 2005-2008, college-wide Committee on Undergraduate Learning
  • 2005-2007, college-wide Tenure and Promotion Committee
  • 2008-2010, university-wide Undergraduate Programs and Services Committee
  • 2006-2007, Secretary of Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Division of the AVS Science and Technology Society
  • 2007-2008, Chairman of Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Division of the AVS Science and Technology Society
  • 2011-2013, Treasurer of Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Division of the AVS Science and Technology Society
  • 2011-2017, ORNL Neutron Scattering Science Review Committee.
  • 2014-2017, university-wide Technology Committee
  • 2015-2022, executive committee for the  Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Division of the AVS Science and Technology Society

Students/Postdocs Advised

  • Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Carey Nilson (1998), Fredrick Mackey (1999), Kristen Rover (2000), Aaron Himmler (2001), Kara Scott (2002), Ihouma Nwagwu (2003), Tracy Williams (2004), Thomas Jacob McDill (2014)
  • Undergraduate Researchers: Wayne Eads (1997), James Suggs (1998), Knut Lehman (2000), Tien Bui (2002), Emad M. Abdel-Raouf (2003), Brett Jenkins (2004), Gabriel Hammerquest (2005), Jonathan Crowfoot (2005), Patrick Patterson (2006), Jeremiah Rowland, Palmer Swanson
  • Graduate Researchers​:Stefan Maat (MS & PhD 2000), Congxiao Liu (PhD 2001), Fenglin Liu (1997-2001), Fredrick Mackey (2000-2003), Said Al-Ghamdi (2002-2004), Zhao Zhiya (MS 2004), Hamid Alouach (MS 2003, PhD 2004), Tien Bui (MS 2005), Prakash Mani (PhD 2006), Ilir Zoto (PhD 2006), Michael J. Walock (MS 2009), Hwachol Lee (PhD 2012), Zhongliang Ouyang (MS 2014), Jian Yu (PhD 2014), Ezhil Manoharan (PhD 2016), Narpinder Chahil (PhD 2016), Zhong Li (PhD 2020), Chhatra Raj Joshi (PhD 2022).
  • Postdoctoral Researchers: Mark Tomlinson (1996-1997), Olga Koshkina (1996-1997), Mike Umlor (1996-1998), Liyong Shen (1997-1999), Huaming Jiang (1997-1999), Chengtao Yu (1999-2000), Vemuru V. Krishnamurthy (2002-2005), Hideo Sato (2008-2010).

Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors

  • Graduate and postdoctoral advisor: Roy F. Willis (deceased), Penn State University 
  • Postdoctoral advisor: Richard L. Kurtz, Louisiana State University