Wayne J. Bresser

Assistant Professor of Physics

Department of Physics and Geology, Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 41099

Phone: 859-572-6678

BresserW@NKU.edu

Educational Background

Ph.D. in Physics, October 1986. “Molecular Phase Separation and Cluster Size in GeSe₂”, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

M.S. in Physics, December 1980. “Investigation of Structure and Chemical Bonding in (GeSe₂)_x(GeTe₂)_1-x Glasses Deduced by Quadrupole Interaction Using ¹²⁵Te and ¹²⁹I Mössbauer Investigations”, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

B.A. in Physics, May 1977. Thomas More College, Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

Teaching Experience

Lecturer of Physics at Northern Kentucky University. (8/02 to present) I am responsible for teaching University Physics with Lab II, Advanced Physics Laboratory I, II (topics include modern physics, solid state physics and optics), General Physics with Lab II, Modern Physics Ideas with Lab, Directed Research in Physics (Construction of Mössbauer Spectrometer and Closed Cycle Refrigerator), Topics Study in General Physics Lab and Independent Study in Astronomy (topics include: Formation and Chemistry of the Solar System). In addition I have:

1) directed undergraduate research projects.

2) advised majors in the physics department.

3) been NKU advisor to student research project in the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

4) been advisor for the Moonbuggy team which competed in the 9^th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race held in April 2002 at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Hunstville, AL.

5) been director of the department’s Telescope Nights.

6) been co-advisor for the Earth/Space Science Club and assisted with the club booth at the Cincinnati Gem and Mineral Show for two years.

7) been co-advisor for Physics Club.

8) acted as Project ASTRO mentor in conjunction with the Cincinnati Observatory Center and St. Agnes School.

9) been physics advisor to the CINSAM Function Box project, directed by Dr. Long.

10) been the department’s liaison to the Steely library. I have organized and updated the physics/geology/astronomy journals and have placed book requests for the department’s faculty.

11) designed and outfitted the machine shop for the New Science Center.

12) set up the new equipment for the Radioisotope Lab (Mössbauer spectrometer and Closed Cycle Refrigerator, high temperature furnaces with temperature controllers and radiation monitoring system) and Condensed Physics Lab (cryogenic pumping system, Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Thermogravimetric Analyzer).

13) worked on evaluating an interactive Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram using the Hipparcos star catalog in the Digistar 3 system for NKU’s Digital Theater.

14) assisted in the design and purchase of the monochromator system for Optic studies in Advanced Physics Labs.

15) coordinated the loan of demonstration equipment (Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer and Rheometer) from TA Instruments, Inc.

16) participated on departmental, college, and university committees as needed.

Lecturer of Physics at Northern Kentucky University. (8/00 to 8/02) I was responsible for teaching University Physics with Lab II, Advanced Physics Laboratory I, II (topics include modern physics and solid state physics), General Physics with Lab II, Modern Physics, Introductory level astronomy classes, and Directed Research in Physics. In addition, I have:

1) directed undergraduate research projects.

2) developed summer research opportunities at University of Cincinnati for undergraduate students.

3) tutored Comair pilot in physics for training requirement.

4) participated in outreach activities by giving talks at Northern Kentucky Physics Teacher Alliance meetings and at Mary Queen of Heaven Elementary School.

5) participated in two geology field trips. The first trip (September 2000) was to the Falls of the Ohio State Park where students learned about invertebrates and vertebrates of the Devonian and attended talks on the mineralogy of Kentucky and on Devonian paleogeography. The second trip (October 2000) was to southeastern Kentucky. On this trip students evaluated the Middlesboro impact structure and the Pine Mountain Thrust sheet.

6) been physics representative to geology field trips.

7) updated the electronics and detectors for nuclear radiation experiments.

8) coordinated the donation of Perkin-Elmer thermal equipment (Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Thermogravimetric Analyzer) from University of Cincinnati and Perkin-Elmer, Inc.

9) participated on departmental, college, and university committees as needed.

Part-Time Instructor at Northern Kentucky University. (8/92 to 5/00) I was responsible

for teaching evening introductory level astronomy classes with Lab. In addition I participated in a Geology field trip to Sidling Hill and Round Top Hill, MD, April, 2000

Assistant Professor at Xavier University. (9/85 to 5/92) I was responsible for teaching Introductory level astronomy classes, Introductory level geology classes, University Physics I and II and Labs, College Physics I with Lab, Electromagnetism I and II, Physical Optics and Lab, Quantum Mechanics, Electronics I with Lab and Digital Lab, Special Studies in Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Physics Research, and Advanced Physics Lab. In addition, I have:

1) directed undergraduate research projects.

2) advised majors in the physics department.

3) been advisor to student research project developing original Windows software for data manipulation and interfacing IBM’s Personal Science Laboratory (PSL) modules to PS/2 computers.

4) been director of SPS Chapter.

5) been advisor for Physics Club.

6) developed and implemented twenty new astronomy labs.

7) developed summer research opportunities at University of Cincinnati for undergraduate students.

8) developed and directed several Science Olympiad events for local high schools.

9) participated in outreach activities by giving talks at the Cincinnati Astronomical Society, Cincinnati Country Day School and St. Margaret Mary School.

10) presented several optics demonstrations to the Tri-State Physics Teachers meetings.

11) designed and outfitted a research lab and rooftop observatory in the new Physics Building.

12) beta-tested several astronomy programs of Stellar Concepts, Inc and integrated them into the introductory astronomy course.

13) invited Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist for colloquium and public talk on the Magellan mission.

14) coordinated donation of research equipment from Procter & Gamble and a 4” refractor telescope from Edgecliff College.

Work Experience

Research Associate. (5/92 to 8/00) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. I was responsible for my own research projects and the research projects for eight graduate students and collaborations with five faculty members at UC, NKU and Thomas More College and Ranger Scientific, Inc. I designed and outfitted a thermal, optical and Mössbauer research lab in the new Engineering Research Center.

Scientist (1994 to 1997) NoMel Technology, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. As part of Phase I SBIR grant I was responsible for design and construction of support structure for closed cycle refrigerator used for cooling samples in an Auger spectrometer.

Chief Scientist – Physics and Beta-tester. (1990 to 1992) Stellar Concepts Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. I was responsible for designing and testing astronomical and meteorological education software.

Professional Activities

Speaker and guide for Toyota representatives’ tour of thermal equipment laboratory in the new Natural Science building during Toyota Announcement ceremony, December 2002.

Speaker at the Northern Kentucky Physics Teacher Alliance meeting. I gave a presentation on holography to local high school and college teachers, December 2002.

Speaker and guide for tour of thermal equipment laboratory in the new Natural Science building during KAS meeting, November 2002.

Speaker and guide for tour of optics and thermal equipment laboratory and Moonbuggy display during NKU Science Center Open House, September 2002.

Co-host at the Big Bone Lick State Park Telescope evening, July, August and October 2002. I gave a presentation on constellations and current astronomical events.

Speaker at the Northern Kentucky Physics Teacher Alliance meeting. I gave a presentation on stellar evolution and spectra to local high school and college teachers, January 2002.

Guest speaker at Dr. Jerome Langguth’s Honors philosophy class on contemporary cosmology.

Guest Speaker at ScopeOut October 2001. I gave a presentation on atmospheric evolution of Venus, Earth and Mars for the general public.

Guest Speaker at Mary Queen of Heaven Elementary School. During November 2001 I gave a presentation for CINSAM to a group of middle school students on the Solar System.

Co-host at the Big Bone Lick State Park Telescope evening, June, July, and August 2001. I gave a presentation on constellations and current astronomical events.

Guest Speaker at ScopeOut October 2000. I gave a presentation on planetary observations for the general public.

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Research in Progress

Self-Organization in Disordered Networks Project – I am currently working with Dr. Punit Boolchand at the University of Cincinnati. This project is evaluating Rigidity Transitions and Intermediate Phases in Chalcogenide Glasses and Intermediate Phases in Oxide Glasses and Chalcohalides.

Solid Electrolytes Project – I am currently working with Dr. Punit Boolchand at the University of Cincinnati. This project is evaluating Ag as an additive in chalcogenide glasses, which has attracted widespread interest in optical recording and information storage technologies.

Negative Electron Affinities, New Cold Cathode and Organic Light Emitting Diodes – I am currently working with Dr. Punit Boolchand at the University of Cincinnati. Rare-earth monosulphides, such as LaS and NdS, are unusual metals, as they possess low work-functions.

Undergraduate Research Projects

I was responsible for directing the following undergraduate research projects:

1) Construction of Closed-Cycle Refrigerator with Mössbauer Spectrometer, with Seth Bradley and Ferd Metzger, Northern Kentucky University, 2003.

2) Construction of a Cryopumping System, with Brian Hiner, Northern Kentucky University, 2002.

3) Measurement of the Viscosity of GeSe₂ Glasses Using a Perkin-Elmer Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer, with Ben Hanks (in collaboration with Dr. Punit Boolchand at University of Cincinnati), Northern Kentucky University, 2001.

4) Glass Transition (T_g) Variation with Average Coordination Number <m>: Evidence of a Threshold Behavior in the Slope |dT_g/d<m>| at the Rigidity Percolation Threshold (<m> = 2.40) with Steve Mancini (in collaboration with Dr. Punit Boolchand at University of Cincinnati), Xavier University, 1992. Steve’s work was published in J. Non-Cryst. Solids 151, 149 (1992).

5) Chalcogen Chemical Order in g-Cu_x(As₂Se₃)_1-x Alloys Probed by Mössbauer Spectroscopy, with Todd Culman (in collaboration with Dr. Punit Boolchand at University of Cincinnati), Xavier University, 1989. Todd presented his results at the 1989 March Meeting of the American Physical Society.

6) Computer Control of a Home-Built Twelve-Inch Cassegrain Telescope, with Bill Phillips, Xavier University, 1988.

7) Modification of Multichannel Analyzer for Use with a Mössbauer Spectrometer, with Steve Seta, Xavier University, 1987.

Graduate Research Committees

A guest committee member for Deepak Selvanathan M.S. University of Cincinnati (1998).

A guest committee member for Xingwei Feng, M.S. University of Cincinnati (December, 1997).

Grants

Research Associate on National Science Foundation Grant DMR-97-02189.

Co-PI on National Science Foundation Grant DMR-94-24556 - $274,000 Equipment Award for a Dispersive Raman Spectrometer System for Basic Investigations on Network Glasses.

Research Associate on National Science Foundation Grant DMR-92-07166.

Publications

“Rigidity Transition in Binary Ge-Se Glasses and the Intermediate Phase”, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 293, 348, (2001), P. Boolchand, X. Feng, W. J. Bresser.

“Mobile Silver Ions and Glass Formation in Solid Electrolytes”, Nature 410, 1070 (2001), P Boolchand and W. J. Bresser.

“Onset of Rigidity in Steps in Chalcogenide Glasses – The Intermediate Phase” in M. Thorpe (ed.) Properties and Applications of Amorphous Materials, NATO Science Series (Plenum/Kluwer, 2001), P. Boolchand, D. Selvanathan, Y. Wang, D.G. Georgiev and W.J. Bresser.

“Evidence for the Intermediate Phase in Chalcogen Glasses”, To be published in the Proceedings of the workshop on Phase Transitions and Self-Organization in Electronic and Molecular Materials, Cambridge, England, 2000 (Plenum/Kluwer, 2001), P. Boolchand W. J. Bresser, D.G. Georgiev, Y. Wang and J. Wells.

”The Structural Origin of Broken Chemical Order in GeSe₂ Glass”, Philosophical Magazine B 80, 1757 (2000), P. Boolchand and W.J. Bresser.

“Stiffness Transitions in Si_xSe_1-x Glasses from Raman Scattering and Temperature-Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry”, Phys. Rev. B61, 15061 (2000), D. Selvanathan, W.J. Bresser, and P. Boolchand.

“Thermally Reversing Window and Stiffness Transitions in Chalcogenide Glasses”, Solid State Commun. 111, 619 (1999), D. Selvanathan, W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand, B. Goodman.

“Angle Dependence of Magnetism in a Single-Domain YBa₂Cu₃O_x Sphere”, Phys. Rev. B58, 11761 (1998), B.A. Tent, D. Qu, Donglu Shi, W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand, and Zhi-Xiong Cai.

“Role of Network Connectivity on the Elastic, Plastic and Thermal Behavior of Covalent Glasses”, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 222, 137 (1997), X.W. Feng, W.J. Bresser, M. Zhang, B. Goodman and P. Boolchand.

“Direct Evidence for Stiffness Threshold in Chalcogenide Glasses”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 4422 (1997), X.W. Feng, W.J. Bresser and P. Boolchand.

“Metal (M) Dopant Centered Local Structures, High Pressure Synthesis and Bulk Superconductivity in YBa₂(Cu_1-xM_x)₃O_7-d:M = Fe, Co, Ni”, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 9, L307 (1997), F. Shi, R. Harris, W.J. Bresser, D. McDaniel, And P. Boolchand.

“Effect of High Pressure Oxygen Annealing in Promoting Superconductivity in YSr₂Cu_2.7 Fe_0.3O_y: Evidence for Fe Coordination Number Change in the Chains”, Phys. Rev. B 54, 6776 (1996), F. Shi, W.J. Bresser, M. Zhang, Y. Wu, D. McDaniel and P. Boolchand.

“Molecular Origin of Glass Forming Tendency in Ternary Te-Se-Br(Cl) Chalcohalide Glasses”, Z. Naturforsch. 51a 373 (1996), W.J. Bresser, J. Wells, M. Zhang and P. Boolchand

“Medium Range Order of a Network Glass Established by a Local Probe”, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 195, 170 (1996), J. Wells, W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand and J. Lucas.

“Lamb-Mössbauer Factors as a Local Probe of Floppy Modes in Network Glasses”, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 182, 143 (1995), P. Boolchand, W. Bresser, M. Zhang, Y. Wu, J. Wells and R.N. Enzweiler.

“A General Purpose Cold-Finger Using a Vibration-Free Mounted He-Closed Cycle Cryostat”, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 66, 3051 (1995), P. Boolchand, G.H. Lemon, W.J. Bresser, R.N. Enzweiler and R. Harris.

“Gamma-ray Polarization in Transmission through a Non-cubic and a Nonmagnetic Single Crystal”, Phys. Rev. B 50, 6833 (1994) P. Boolchand, W. Bresser, G. Anaple, Y. Wu, R.N. Enzweiler, R. Coussement and J. Grover.

“Observation of the Room-temperature ¹²⁵Te Mössbauer Effect in Mg₃TeO₆: Linewidth, Recoil-free-fraction, and Isomer Shift”, Phys. Rev. B 47, 11663 (1993), W. Bresser, M. Zhang, L. Koudelka, J. Wells, P. Boolchand, G.J. Ehrhart and P. Miller.

“Glass Transition (T_g) Variation with Average Coordination Number <m>: Evidence of a Threshold Behavior in the Slope |dT_g/d<m>| at the Rigidity Percolation Threshold (<m> = 2.40)”, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 151, 149 (1992), M. Zhang, S. Mancini, W.J. Bresser and P. Boolchand.

“Softening of Cu-O Vibrational Modes as a Precursor to Onset of Superconductivity in EuBa₂Cu₃O_7-d”, Phys. Rev. B 37, 3766 (1988), P. Boolchand, R.N. Enzweiler, I. Zitkovsky, J. Wells, W.J. Bresser, D. McDaniel, R.L. Meng, P.H. Hor, C.W. Chu and C.Y. Huang.

“Rigidity Percolation and Molecular Clustering in Network Glasses”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 2493 (1986), W.J. Bresser, P. Suranyi and P. Boolchand.

“The Molecular Structure of As₂Se₃ Glass”, Hyper. Inter. 27, 385 (1986), P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser and P. Suranyi.

“Molecular-Phase Separation and Cluster Size in GeSe2 Glass, Hyper. Inter. 27, 389 (1986), W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand, and P. Suranyi.

“Charge-Transfer in Rare-Earth Trichloride Graphite-Intercalation Compounds, Solid State Commun. 52, 675 (1984), P. Boolchand, G. Lemon, W.J. Bresser.

“Atomic Structure and Crystallization of As_xTe_1-x Glasses”, Phys. Rev. B 27, 7533 (1983), M. Tenhover, W.J. Bresser and P. Boolchand.

^“151Eu Mössbauer Studies on Graphite EuCl₃”, Intercalated Graphite, edited by M.S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, J.E. Fischer, M.J. Horan, (North Holland, 1983), p. 393, P. Boolchand, G. Lemon, W.J. Bresser D. McDaniel, R.E. Heinz, P.C. Eklund, E. Stumpp and G. Nietfeld.

^“121Sb Mössbauer Studies on NO₂SbF₆ Intercalated Graphite”, Intercalated Graphite, edited by M.S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, J.E. Fischer, M.J. Moran, (North Holland, 1983), p. 384, P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser, D. McDaniel, P. Eklund, D. Billaud and J. Fischer.

^“121Sb Mössbauer Studies of Graphite SbF₅ Intercalation Compounds”, Intercalated Graphite, edited by M.S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, J.E. Fischer and M.J. Horan (North Holland, 1983) p. 377, D. McDaniel, P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser and P. Eklund

“Direct Evidence of Intrinsically Broken Chalcogen Chemical Order in GeSe_2xTe_2-2x Alloy Glasses”, Nucl. Instrum. Methods 199, 295 (1982) P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser, P. Suranyi, and J.P. Deneufville.

“Intercalant Species in SbCl₅ – Graphite from Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Carbon 20, 132 (1982), P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser, K. Sisson.

“Structural Origin of Broken Chemical Order in GeSe₂ Glass”, Phys. Rev. B 25, 2975 (1982), P. Boolchand, J. Grothaus, W.J. Bresser and P. Suranyi.

“Direct Evidence for Intrinsically Broken 8-N Coordination Rule in Melt-quenched Glasses by a Novel Method”, Phys. Rev. B 25, 2971 (1982) P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser and M. Tenhover.

“Intrinsically Broken Chalcogen Chemical Order in Stoichiometric Glasses”, J. de Physique Colloque C4, 193 (1981), W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand, P. Suranyi and J.P. Deneufville.

“Identification of the Intercalant Species in SbCl₅ Graphite using Mössbauer Spectroscopy”, Solid State Commun. 40, 1049 (1981), P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser, D. McDaniel, K. Sisson, V. Yeh and P. Eklund.

^“129I Nuclear Quadrupole Interaction in Trigonal Te and the Role of Oxygen Contamination”, Phys. Rev. B 23, 3669 (1981), P. Boolchand, W.J. Bresser and Gary J. Ehrhart.

“Direct Evidence for Intrinsically Broken Chemical Ordering in Melt-Quenched Glasses”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 46, 1689 (1981), W.J. Bresser, P. Boolchand, P. Suranyi and J.P. Deneufville.

Professional Associations

Society of Physics Students, 1976 – present.

American Physical Society, 1979 – present.

American Association of Physics Teachers, 1988 – present.

Cincinnati Astronomical Society, 1988 – present.

Sigma Xi, 1999-present.

Experimental Apparatus

Mössbauer Spectrometers – University of Cincinnati, Xavier University – 24 years experience.

Substantially Vibration-free Shroud and Mounting System for Sample Cooling and Low Temperature Spectroscopy – Co-inventor on United States Patent No. 5,327,733 with P. Boolchand, G. Lemon, R.N. Enzweiler and R. Harris, issued July 12, 1994.

Analytical Apparatus Instrumentation

Mössbauer Spectroscopy – A standard liquid Helium cryostat with an 8 T superconducting magnet and an exchange gas column for inserting a vertical drive assembly is used for Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements at 4.2K. In the early 80's vibration-free He-cryocoolers opened the way to perform Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements in the 10K < T < 300K range without the need of liquid cryogens.

Raman Spectroscopy – Jobin Yvon, Inc. model T 64000 triple monochromator system equipped with an optical multichannel detector (CCD array), a photomultiplier detector and a microscope attachment. Eight years experience.

X-ray Diffraction (XRD) – Rigaku D-2000 powder diffractometer with Bede double-crystal model 200. Ten years experience.

Differential Scanning Calorimeter – Perkin-Elmer, Inc DSC Model 2C. Twenty-two years experience.

Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter – TA Instruments, Inc. Five years experience.

Thermogravimetric Analyzer – Perkin-Elmer, Inc TGA Model TGA7. Twelve years experience.

Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer – Perkin-Elmer, Inc DMA Model DMA7. Nine years experience.

Magnetron Sputter-Deposition of Thin Films System – Two US guns (one RF and the other DC) with provisions for 2" targets have been incorporated in a Cooke Vacuum system model CVE-600MC, which includes a steel bell jar assembly, a CT-8 He cryogenic pump from CTI-Cryogenics. Twelve years experience.

Vapor-Deposition of Thin Films System – A small furnace has been incorporated in a Cooke Vacuum system, which includes a glass bell jar assembly, a CT-8 He cryogenic pump from CTI-Cryogenics. Fourteen years experience.

Vibrating Sample Magnetometer – EG & G PAR model 4500 equipped with a 1 Tesla Electromagnet with He-cryosystem mounting (using an APD CS-202 W with a DMX-19 interface) to cool samples to 10K. Ten years experience.