Wolfgang Bauer
University Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy Michigan State University
- East Lansing MI
Wolfgang Bauer's research is primarily in renewable energy, sustainability and global warming.
Media
Biography
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Outstanding Referee, American Physical Society
2012
University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University
2007
Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
2003
ComputerWorld 21st Century Achievement Award for Education and Academia
2003
Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation Distinguished Senior U.S. Scientist Award
1999
National Science Foundation Presidential Faculty Fellow Award
1992
Education
University of Giessen, Germany
Ph.D.
1987
University of Giessen, Germany
M.S.
Physics
1985
University of Giessen, Germany
B.S.
1981
News
MSU expands mobility research opportunities with e-scooter partner
MSU Today online
2019-09-20
“E-scooters are a relatively new, yet increasing popular mode of transportation, particularly for students. To accommodate this, we considered two things: rider safety and data sharing,” said Wolfgang Bauer, associate vice president for Administrative Services and University Distinguished Professor. “We are confident in Gotcha’s approach to encouraging rider safety. Plus, the available real-time data has endless opportunities to advance mobility research.”
Michigan Nuclear Research Facility Could Fight Art Forgery
U.S. News online
2018-08-05
A pair of Michigan State University researchers — Wolfgang Bauer and Bradley Sherill — have proposed using equipment at the university's $765 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams to embed isotopes below the surface of valuable works of art.
What can you do with a $765M nuclear research facility? Fight art forgery, for one thing
Lansing State Journal online
2018-07-26
A pair of Michigan State University researchers — Wolfgang Bauer and Bradley Sherill — have proposed using equipment at the university's $765 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams to embed isotopes below the surface of valuable works of art.
Doing so in a specific pattern and density would allow for a unique signature an owner or gallery could check with a handheld isotope detector. And because these isotopes would decay at a predictable rate, the signatures could be useful for a century or longer, explained Bauer, a theoretical physicist ...
MSU’s Solar Carport receives the Smart Energy Decisions Onsite Renewable Energy Award
MSU Today online
2018-03-05
Wolfgang Bauer, senior consultant in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Administrative Services, and one of MSU’s project leaders, attended the ceremony in Austin, Texas, on February 27 to receive the award on MSU’s behalf.
Michigan State University Goes Greener with Solar Carports
School Construction News online
2017-12-28
The project will bring cleaner air to MSU students and faculty because of the emissions-free generation of electricity, according to Wolfgang Bauer, a university distinguished professor in physics who assisted with the project, in an MSU article on the college’s website. It will also help reduce the university’s utility costs over time, which, in turn, will help keep tuition rates as low as possible, Bauer added.
Patents
Smart Hotel System
17111664
2021-06-10
In accordance with the present invention, a smart hotel system is provided. In one aspect, the system includes an occupancy sensor and a processor. Another aspect provides an occupancy sensor associated with at least one hotel room and a programmable controller or processor configured to execute instructions stored in a nontransitory computer-readable medium. A further aspect includes programmed software instructions which include obtaining data indicative of occupancy status of the hotel room from the occupancy sensor and displaying the occupancy status of the hotel room. In another aspect, a controller or processor obtains data indicative of a cleaning status of at least one hotel room and displays the cleaning status of the hotel room.
Isotope tagging for workpiece authentication
10269464
2019-04-23
A method of assisting with authenticating a workpiece is provided. In another aspect, ions are generated, accelerated in an accelerator, an isotope is created, and then the isotope is implanted within a workpiece to assist with authenticating of the workpiece. A further aspect includes a workpiece substrate, a visual marker and an isotope internally located within the substrate adjacent the visual marker.
Method and system for detection of biological materials using fractal dimensions
5848177
1998-12-08
The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the siZe and shape of biological materials using fractals. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the surface morphometry of the biological material. The image of the biological material is digitiZed into a computer and a series of processes are performed on the image.
Journal Articles
Cheat sites and artificial intelligence usage in online introductory physics courses: What is the extent and what effect does it have on assessments?
Physical Review Physics Education Research2024
As a result of the pandemic, many physics courses moved online. Alongside, the popularity of Internet-based problem-solving sites and forums rose. With the emergence of large language models, another shift occurred. One year into the public availability of these models, how has online help-seeking behavior among introductory physics students changed, and what is the effect of different patterns of online resource usage? In a mixed-method approach, we investigate student choices and their impact on assessment components of an online introductory physics course for scientists and engineers.
Taking introductory physics in studio, lecture, or online format: What difference does it make in subsequent courses, and for whom?
Physical Review Physics Education Research2023
At large institutions of higher education, students frequently have a choice whether to attend the introductory physics sequence asynchronously online, on-site in a traditional lecture setting, or in a reformed studio setting. In this study, we investigate how these different settings are correlated with measures of self-efficacy, interest in physics, and success in subsequent physics and engineering courses, which have the introductory physics sequence as prerequisites. As previous research indicates, some of these measures may depend on gender. We found that the course setting had no significant correlation with the grade in subsequent courses, but that studio settings gave students the feeling of being better prepared, particularly for subsequent courses that included laboratory or recitation components.
Safely Transporting Green Hydrogen
Physics2023
A mathematical study shows that hydrogen–natural gas mixtures can flow safely though existing gas pipeline networks, an important feat for green energy.
Hybrid teaching: A tale of two populations
Physical Review Physics Education Research2022
In a partially flipped, hybrid introductory physics course where students had a free choice between attending any lecture session in person or via video conferencing, and where recordings of the lecture sessions were made available for asynchronous viewing, a total of 16 learner attributes and their relationships were investigated. Five of these attributes reflect participation choices, while eleven attributes reflect assessment outcomes on different course components. In line with the “no significant difference phenomenon,” correlations between exam scores and participation choices were weaker than correlations with, for example, prior knowledge as evidenced by pretest scores.
