Michael C. F. Wiescher

Michael C. F. Wiescher (born 1949 in Wuppertal) is a German-American experimental nuclear physicist and astrophysicist,[1] known for his laboratory research in nuclear physics connected with various astrophysical phenomena such as stellar evolution and explosion environments.[2][3][4]

Michael C. F. Wiescher
Born1949 (age 74–75)
Alma materUniversity of Münster
Scientific career
FieldsNuclear physics
InstitutionsUniversity of Notre Dame

Education and career

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Wiescher completed in 1969 his Abitur at Gymnasium Münchberg in Bavaria. At the University of Münster, he graduated in 1972 with Vordiplom in physics, in 1975 with Diplom in solid state physics, and in 1980 with doctorate (summa cum laude) in nuclear physics. His doctoral dissertation entitled Measurement of the Reactions in the CNO Cycles was supervised by Claus Rolfs. As a post-doc Wiescher was from 1980 to 1983 at the Ohio State University, from 1983 to 1985 under the supervision of Karl-Ludwig Kratz at the University of Mainz, and from 1985 to 1986 at Caltech's Kellogg Radiation Laboratory. At the University of Notre Dame he was from 1986 to 1990 an assistant professor, from 1990 to 1993, and from 1993 to 1998 a full professor, before his appointment as Freimann Professor of Physics in 1998. In addition to his Freimann Professorship, he is now the director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) at the University of Notre Dame, the Michigan State University and the University of Chicago. He is also an adjunct professor at Michigan State University and the University of Surrey.[4] He has served as an editorial board member for Physical Review C and as an associate editor for Nuclear Physics A.[5]

He has done research in nuclear astrophysics,[6][7] low-energy experimental physics, reaction physics with stable and radioactive beams, and analysis of cultural heritage artifacts.[4]

Wiescher is the author or co-author of over 350 research publications.[4] He is the author of local historical writings about his birthplace Wuppertal,[8] a biography of Arthur E. Haas,[9] and the textbook Radioaktivität Ursprung und Auswirkungen eines Naturphänomens. Band I'' (in German),[10][11] as well as the co-author, with Khachatur Manukyan, of the textbook Scientific Analysis of Cultural Heritage Objects.[12]

He has given over 100 presentations at national and international conferences.[2] At the 2021 Fall Meeting of the APS Division of Nuclear Physics, he presented research, done with Khachatur Manukyan, using X-rays, electron microscopy, and accelerators to investigate coins and paper money from three different historical periods.[13][14]

Wiescher was elected in 1998 a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS),[15] in 2009 a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,[16] and in 2017 a foreign member of Academia Europaea.[4] He received in 2003 the Hans A. Bethe Prize of the APS,[3] in 2007 the Humboldt Prize of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation,[17] and in 2018 the LAD Laboratory Astrophysics Prize of the American Astronomical Society.[18]

His doctoral students include Hendrik Schatz.[19]

Selected publications

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References

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  1. ^ Wiescher, M. (August 17, 2009). "Cosmic alchemy in the laboratory". Physics. 2. American Physical Society: 69. Bibcode:2009PhyOJ...2...69W. doi:10.1103/Physics.2.69.
  2. ^ a b "Michael Wiescher". American Physical Society (APS).
  3. ^ a b "2003 Hans A. Bethe Prize Recipient, Michael C. Wiescher". American Physical Society.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Michael Wiescher (Membership Number: 4454)". Academia Europaea.
  5. ^ "Candidate Biographies, Nominations for Executive Committee, Michael C. Wiescher" (PDF). Newsletter No. 120, Division of Nuclear Physics. November 1999.
  6. ^ Käppeler, F.; Thielemann, F. K.; Wiescher, M. (1998). "Current quests in nuclear astrophysics and experimental approaches". Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science. 48: 175–251. Bibcode:1998ARNPS..48..175K. doi:10.1146/annurev.nucl.48.1.175.
  7. ^ Wiescher, Michael (2013). "Experimental Needs and Opportunities in Nuclear Astrophysics". Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 420 (1): 012135. Bibcode:2013JPhCS.420a2135W. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/420/1/012135. S2CID 123533197. (open access)
  8. ^ Bauern, Weber, Arbeiter – Zur Geschichte der Südhöhen in Barmen. Wuppertal: Verlag H.-J. Momberger. 2014. ISBN 978-3-940439-60-4. (English translation of title: "Farmers, weavers, workers - On the history of the southern heights in Barmen")
  9. ^ Wiescher, Michael (23 September 2021). Arthur E. Haas—The Hidden Pioneer of Quantum Mechanics: A Biography. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-80605-7; hbk{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  10. ^ Wiescher, Michael (2021). Radioaktivität Ursprung und Auswirkungen eines Naturphänomens. Band I. wbg Academic. ISBN 978-3-534-40453-7. (English translation of title: "Radioactivity. Origin and effects of a natural phenomenon. Volume 1"
  11. ^ Goethals, Shelly (April 9, 2021). "Wiescher publishes book on radioactivity". Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame.
  12. ^ Wiescher, Michael; Manukyan, Khachatur (31 August 2020). Scientific Analysis of Cultural Heritage Objects. Morgan & Claypool. ISBN 978-1681739168; pbk{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  13. ^ "Nuclear Physicists Track Money Crimes From Ancient Rome to Benjamin Franklin". American Physical Society. September 9, 2021.
  14. ^ Wiescher, Michael C.; Manukyan, Khachatur (2021). "It's all about the Money". APS Division of Nuclear Physics Meeting Abstracts. 2021: BA-001. Bibcode:2021APS..DNP.BA001W.
  15. ^ "APS Fellow Archive". American Physical Society. (search on year=1998 and institution=University of Notre Dame)
  16. ^ "Elected Fellows, Listing of Fellows who are current members". American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). (search on last name: Wiescher)
  17. ^ Gilroy, William G.; Falda, Wayne (June 3, 2007). "Wiescher selected to receive Humboldt fellowship". Notre Dame News, University of Notre Dame.
  18. ^ "2018 LAD Laboratory Astrophysics Prize Goes to Michael Wiescher". Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD), American Astronomical Society (AAS).
  19. ^ "Michael C. Wiescher". Physics Tree.
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