Dr. Vasilis Pagonis , Professor of Physics 

   Education: Ph.D. Northeastern University, 1982.

   Areas of interest: Experimental and modelling work in
   Thermoluminescence, Optically stimulated Luminescence 
   
  

 

Email: vpagonis@mcdaniel.edu
Office Phone: 410-857-2481
  
Click HERE for information on my Research Interests

Click HERE for information on my TL and OSL Research

Click HERE for some recent publications

Click HERE for Dr. Pagonis' CV

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  Dr. Shabbir Mian ,  Associate Professor of Physics 
 
  Education: B.A. Berea College (1990), Ph.D. Oklahoma State University (1996). 
  Dr. Mian is currently interested in the physics of semiconducting polymers for display
  applications. His other interests include studying nonlinear optical properties of heavy
  metal and   rare-earth doped glasses for photonics devices.

  Areas of interest: Nonlinear Optics, Brillouin Scattering, Solid State Physics

                                                           
            Email: smian@mcdaniel.edu
            Office phone: 410-857-2483
 

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   Dr. Jeff Marx,   Associate Professor of Physics and Physics Department Chair

   Edication: Ph.D. Rennselaer University, 1998.
   Areas of interest: Physics Education Research. 
   Dr. Marx's research interests center on two, distinct areas.
   (1) His long-term research agenda is to understand student difficulties learning physics
        and to utilize that knowledge to develop innovative and effective undergraduate
        curricular materials.
   (2) Dr. Marx also delights in working with students to help them conceive and analyze exciting
         physics projects of their own design. These student-generated projects have included
         construction of a ping-pong ball canon, computer simulations of the gravitational interactions
        of a pair of Jupiter's moons, and the physics of various sports.

 

         Email: jmarx@mcdaniel.edu
         Office phone: 410-386-4619

         Click here for Dr. Marx' CV

         Click here for information on Dr. Marx' recent NSF grant "The Nature of Science"
 

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   Dr. Gary Toller
   Astronomy Lecturer
   Ph.D. Astronomy, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1981.
   Areas of interest: Zodiacal Light, Extra-solar Planets,  Total  Eclipses.

 

 

 

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   Sandie Stempel
   Astronomy Lecturer

   Education:
   Johns Hopkins University, M.S. Science Education

   Areas of Interest:
   Developing instructional strategies that can be used by a wide range of
   learners in the science classroom.
   Designing and writing science curriculum that interweaves science content with
   relevant history and politics (especially environmental issues).

 

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Selected Publications by the Physics Department:

**These are papers co-authored by physics students and faculty at McDaniel College.

• ** V. Pagonis, A. Baker, M. Larsen, Z. Thompson. Precision and accuracy of two luminescence dating techniques for retrospective dosimetry: SAR-OSL and SAR-ITL. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 269 (2011) 653–663
  
• ** V. Pagonis, S. Mian, R. Mellinger, K. Chapman. Thermoluminescence kinetic study of binary lead-silicate glasses. Journal of Luminescence 129 (2009) 570–577  
  
• ** V Pagonis, S M Mian, M L Chithambo, E Christensen and C Barnold. Experimental and modelling study of pulsed optically stimulated luminescence in quartz, marble and beta irradiated salt. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 (2009)
  
• ** V. Pagonis, E. Balsamo, C. Barnold, K. Duling, S. McCole. Simulations of the predose technique for retrospective dosimetry and authenticity testing. Radiation Measurements 43 (2008) 1343–1353
  
• V. Bodrozic, M. Roberts, N. Phillips, J.H. Burroughes, S. M. Mian, and F. Cacialli, The influence of sub-gap features in the electromodulation and built-in voltage measurements of polyfluorene blue light-emitting diodes with anodic charge injection layers, J. Appl. Phys. 101, 084507 (2007).
  
• ** C. Soares, C. Drupieski, B.Wingert, G. Pritchett, V. Pagonis, M. O’Brien, A. Sliski, P.Bilski and P. Olko, Absorbed dose measurements of a handheld 50 kVp X-ray source in water with Thermoluminesccence dosemeters, Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2006), Vol. 120, No. 1–4, pp. 78–82.
  
• V. Pagonis, R. Chen and J.L. Lawless,  Nonmonotonic dose dependence of OSL intensity due to competition during irradiation and readout, Radiat. Meas. 41 (2006) 903 – 909.
  
• V. Pagonis, R. Chen and J.L. Lawless, A quantitative kinetic model for Al2O3:C: TL response to ionization radiation, Radiat. Meas. (2006), In Print.
  
• L. Dundes and J. Marx, Balancing work and Academics in College: Why do Students Working 10 to 19 Hours per Week Excel? J. of College Student Retention, 8, (2006), p.107-120
  
• ** S. M. Mian, R. T. May, C. J. Todd, and N. Borjemscaia, Pump-Probe Thermal Lensing Measurements of Binary Lead Silicate Glasses, in Frontiers in Optics, OSA Technical Digest Series (Optical Society of America, 2005), paper JWA17.
  
• V. Pagonis , Evaluation of activation energies in the semi-localized transition model of thermoluminescence. J. Phys. D: Apllied Physics, (2005), 38, (2005) p. 2179-2186
  
• J. L. Lawless, R Chen, D Lo and V. Pagonis "A model for non-monotonic dose dependence of thermoluminescence" J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 17, (2005) p. 737-753.
  
• J. Marx, S. Mian, and V. Pagonis "An Activities-Centered General Science Course Concerning Light and Optics." APS Forum on Education, Ed. Wolfgang Christian, Spring 2004.
  
• ** V. Pagonis and H. Carty "Simulation of the experimental pre-dose tech-nique for retrospective dosimetry in quartz" Radiation Protection Dosimetry 109, (2004) p. 225-234.
  
• R. Chen and V. Pagonis "Modelling Thermal Activation Characteristics of the sensitization of thermoluminescence in quartz."J. Phys. D: Apllied Physics, (2004), 37, p. 159-164.
  
• V. Pagonis, G. Kitis, and R. Chen, "Applicability of the Zimmerman predose model in predosed and annealed quartz samples.", Radiation Measurements, (2003), 37, p. 267-274.
  
• ** G. Kitis, V. Pagonis, and C. Drupieski "Cooling rate effects on the thermoluminescence of annealed quartz", Physica Status Solidi (a), (2003), 198, No.2, p.312-321.
  
• G-Q. Shen, Z. N. Utegulov, S. M. Mian, and J. P. Wicksted, "Effects of the rare-earth modifier on the Brillouin scattering from soda magnesia alumina silicate Glasses", Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 43, 2, 73-79, (2002).
  
• S. M. Mian, S. B. McGee, and N. Melikechi, "Experimental and theoretical investigation of thermal lensing effects in mode-locked femtosecond Z-scan experiments", Optics Communications, 207, 339-345, (2002).
  
• ** G. Kitis, V. Pagonis, H. Carty, and E. Tatsis, "Detailed kinetic study of the thermoluminescence glow-curve of synthetic quartz", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 100, 225-228 (2002).
  
• ** V. Pagonis, E. Tatsis, G. Kitis, and C. Drupieski, "Search for common characteristics in the glow-curves of quartz of various origins", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 100 , 373-376 (2002).
  
• V. Pagonis and G. Kitis, "On the possibility of using commercial software for thermoluminescence glow-curve deconvolution analysis", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 101, 93-98 (2002).
  
• V. Pagonis and G. Kitis, "Fit of second order thermoluminescence glow peaks using the Logistic distribution function", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 95, (3) 225-229 (2001).
  
• V. Pagonis, S. M. Mian, and G. Kitis, "Fit of first order thermoluminescence glow peaks using the Weibull distribution function", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 93, (1) 11-17 (2001).
  
• ** V. Pagonis and C. Shannon, "An improved experimental procedure of separating a composite thermoluminescence glow curve into its components", Radiation Measurements, 32, 805-812 (2000).
  
• ** V. Pagonis, R. Drake, M. Morgan, T. Peters, C. Riddle, and K. Rollins, "Modeling forces on the human body", Physics Teachers, 37, 469-474 (1999). *
  
• Z. S. Benaich, R. D. Pradhan, S. M. Mian, and N. Melikechi, "Effects of interference in quasiphase-matched periodically segmented potasium titinyl phosphate Waveguides", Applied Physics Letters, 75, 3261-3263 (1999).
  
• V. Pagonis, "The effect of annealing atmosphere on the thermoluminescence of synthetic calcite", Radiation Measurements, 29, 45-52 (1998).
  
• V. Pagonis, Y. Maniatis, C. Michael and Y. Bassiakos, "Spurious and regenerated thermoluminescence in calcite powder samples", Radiation Measurements, 27, 37-42 (1997).
  
• ** V. Pagonis, D. Guerra, S. Chauduri, B. Hornbecker and N. Smith, "Effects of air resistance", Physics Teacher, 35, 364-368 (1997).
  
• ** V. Pagonis, E. Allman, and A. Wooten, "Thermoluminescence from a distribution of trapping levels in uv irradiated calcite", Radiation Measurements, 26, 265-280 (1996).
  
• V. Pagonis and C. Michael, "Annealing effects on the thermoluminescence of synthetic calcite", Radiation Measurements, 23, 131-142 (1994).
    

Selected Presentations by the Physics Department:

• Stefanie M. McCole, Costas Efthimiou, Dan Maronde, Tim McGreevy, and Enrique del Barco, "Implementing Real Time Physics at the University of Central Florida". Presented at the National AAPT Winter Meeting at Chicago, Illinois, 2009.
  
• V. Pagonis and H. Carty "Numerical model for the pre-dose dating for quartz ", International Aracheometry Meeting, Bordeaux, France, 2003. *
  
• C. J. Todd, R. T. May, S. M. Mian, and E. Van Keuran, "Thermooptic properties of polymer thin films using the Z-scan technique". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Orlando, FL, 2002. *
  
• A. M. Austin, K. P. Hildebrand, S. M. Mian, A. Y. Hamad, and J. P . Wicksted, "Self-lensing effects in Eu-doped silicate glasses under resonant excitation". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Long Beach, CA, 2001. *
  
• G. Kitis, V. Pagonis, H. Carty, and E. Tatsis, "Detailed kinetic study of the thermoluminescence glow-curve of synthetic quartz", International Thermoluminescence Conference, Athens, Greece, 2001. *
  
• V. Pagonis, E. Tatsis, G. Kitis, and C. Drupieski, "Search for common characteristics in the glow-curves of quartz of various origins", International Thermoluminescence Conference, Athens, Greece, 2001. *
  
• V. Pagonis and G. Kitis, "On the possibility of using commercial software for thermoluminescence glow-curve deconvolution analysis", International Thermoluminescence Conference, Athens, Greece, 2001.
  
• G-Q. Shen, Z. N. Utegulov, J. P. Wicksted, and S. M. Mian, "Brillouin scattering studies of rare earth doped alumino-silicate glasses", Annual Meeting of The American Physical Society, Seattle, WA, 2001.
  
• S. M. Mian and M. A. Morgan II, "Characteristics of thermal lensing Z-scans with large nonlinearity". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America , Providence. RI, 2000. *
  
• M. A. Morgan II, V. Pagonis, S. M. Mian, J. G. Smith, and T. N. Good, "Computational and Experimental Studies of Thermal Lensing Z-scan Experiments". Annual Meeting of The American Physical Society, Minneapolis, MN, 2000. *
  
• S. M. Mian, S. B. McGee, R. D. Pradhan, and N. Melikechi, "Trace detection of chlorophenol-red using nonlinear optical techniques". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America , Santa Clara, CA, 1999.
  
• V. Pagonis and C. Shannon, "An improved experimental procedure of separating a composite thermoluminescence glow curve into its components". International Thermoluminescence Conference, Rome, Italy, 1999. *