kwc logo small

 

Kentucky Wesleyan College

A United Methodist College

pano_adminfront

 

Dr. Buxton L. Johnson, Sr.

Professor of Physics

Yu Hak Hahn Science Center

Office: Hahn 204

Phone: (270) 852-3168

Fax: (270) 926-3196

E-mail: johnsonb@kwc.edu

 

Profile http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Currently Ph.D. professor of physics and director of the physics/pre-engineering program with extensive experience teaching undergraduate physics, pre-engineering, and mathematics as well as experience in electronics, applications programming, nuclear and medical physics research, and statistical analysis.

 

Education http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Ph.D., Experimental Nuclear Physics, 1994 – University of Kentucky

M.S., Experimental Nuclear Physics, 1991 – University of Kentucky

B.S., Physics, 1990  –  University of Kentucky

 

Experience http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Professor of Physics, Kentucky Wesleyan College  (Aug. 1995 – Present)

Program director for the physics major and dual-degree pre-engineering program. Develop/update program curricula; recruit, mentor, and advisee students; oversee student internships and directed studies; develop program learning outcomes and assessment methods; and assess program outcomes annually.  Work with other universities to ensure our students transfer successfully into engineering programs or graduate school.  Annually attend the engineering transfer conference at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering.  Work closely with math, chemistry, and biology program directors and the division chair to develop and implement science-math division initiatives, schedule classes and laboratories; resolve conflicts; and participate in science career days, open houses, and student activities.  Serve as the faculty member in the physics and pre-engineering program.  Participated in the MuLan Collaboration.

Teach undergraduate courses in physics, mathematics, statistics, and pre-engineering for the physics major and dual-degree pre-engineering program as well as to support the math, chemistry and biology programs. Instruct students through lecture, demonstration, simulation, and applied activities; engage students during class utilizing the Turning Point audience response system; maintain an online course site with web-based homework and gradebook; design and deliver web-based recitation sessions; direct laboratory experiments; assess student performance; offer regular study sessions; and assist students on an individual basis.  Oversee teaching assistants who assist with laboratories, class sessions, tutoring, and recitation.

In collaboration with Ross-Tarrant Architects of Lexington, designed the physics section in the Yu Hak Hahn Center for the Sciences.  Created the room layouts for the general and advanced laboratories, office space, and small machine shop; selected laboratory tables, stools, and office furniture; selected and purchased laboratory apparatus including computer-interfaced systems to allow students to collect real-time data for experiments in classical and modern physics. Maintain the physics laboratories, office space, and shop area.

Served numerous times on two principal college committees: Educational Program Review (EPR) and Faculty Professional Interests (FPIC).  In collaboration with off-campus consultants, members of EPR conduct a comprehensive 10-year review of each academic program to study the curriculum, review student competencies, analyze alumni survey results, assess the physical facilities/equipment, and interview program faculty and selected majors.  In addition, members of EPR evaluate the General Education Program (GEP) and present an annual report to the faculty.  Members of FPIC are concerned with the professional growth, development, and security of the faculty, and make appropriate recommendations to the faculty and administration. FPIC reviews criteria for salaries offered; faculty appointments; faculty promotions in rank; policies related to sabbatical leave and graduate study; policy of tenure; policies concerning academic freedom; and policies relating to fringe benefits.  Currently chair FPIC.

Serve as faculty advisor to the student chapter of the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers (KSPE).  Co-coordinate the Green River MathCounts annual competition though KSPE.  Take pre-engineering students to the annual engineering exposition at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering.

Developed the statistical model in SYSTAT to assess the effectiveness of the GEP in writing skills, writing essay, mathematics, science, and critical thinking. Developed the High-Achiever Scholarship statistical model in SPSS to identify (and award) returning sophomore students whose academic performance significantly exceeded that observed for full-year freshmen students.

 

Visiting Professor of Physics,  University of Kentucky  (Aug. 2008 – Aug. 2009)

On leave during the 2008/2009 academic year to the University of Kentucky teaching general physics, training in new teaching technologies, and participating in muon physics research.  Delivered lectures, simulations, and demonstrations to large student audiences; utilized an audience response system to engage students; employed multiple projection systems to deliver content and do problem solving; developed online homework assignments with WebAssign; maintained an online course site with gradebook; and developed web-based recitation sessions utilizing Adobe Captivate.  Involved in computational analysis for the MuLan Collaboration which reported in 2007 a muon lifetime of τμ = 2.197013(24) microseconds utilizing ΅+ decay data taken at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.  The MuLan team was working to reduce the uncertainty to 1-2 ppm.  Developed programs in C++ and ROOT to analyze and determine the zero time calibrations for the 170 detectors utilized in the MuLan experiment, and then characterized the statistical distribution of coincidences between all detectors.

 

Research Fellow in Medical Physics, Vanderbilt Univ. Medical Center  (Sep. 1999 – Jun. 2000)

On leave during the 1999/2000 academic year to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center focusing on clinical radiation therapy and participating in dosimetry research.  The clinical component involved training in the development of 3-D treatment plans for cancer patients as well as the operation and testing of the linear accelerators used to deliver the radiation treatments.  Specifically, the clinical experience included 3-D treatment planning; dose calculations; Varis database record and verify system operations; development of Infomaker reports to query the Varis database; daily patient dose checks; weekly patient chart checks; Varian Clinac 1800 (4x and 6/10x) and 2100C (6/18x) accelerator operations; accelerator monthly checkouts; operation of the Wellhoffer beam characterization water phantom; and assistance in commissioning a new Varian Clinac 2100C accelerator.  The dosimetry research component involved measuring the dosimetry parameters for the I-Plant 3500 seed.  The Implant Sciences I-Plant 3500 Iodine-125 radioactive seed was being characterized at Vanderbilt for use in brachytherapy treatment including the treatment of prostate cancer. Dosimetry parameters, including the dose rate constant, radial dose function, and anisotropy function, were measured for the new seed source in order to build a three-dimensional dose distribution model.  Performed the experimental measurements utilizing Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLDs) to measure the dose rate produced by the seed at specific radii and angles in tissue equivalent material.  Subsequently performed the data analysis to construct the 3-D dose distribution model for the new seed.  This 3-D model was incorporated in treatment planning computers.  Patients first began treatment with the new seed in early June 2000.

 

Assistant Professor of Physics, Brescia College  (Aug. 1994 – Jul. 1995)

Taught undergraduate courses in physics, mathematics, and electronics.  Presented classroom material; directed laboratory experiments; assessed student performance; and tutored students on an individual basis.  Served as academic advisor to physics minors and pre-engineering students.  Maintained the physics laboratories and the reflecting telescope observatory.   Developed PC-based laboratories which allowed students to perform real time data acquisition experiments in classical and modern physics. 

 

 

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Kentucky  (Jun. 1989 – May 1994)

Developed the DISPLAY data acquisition and analysis system which allowed scientist to control nuclear physics experiments, acquire and process experimental data, and perform various statistical and numerical analyses. The data acquisition system was composed of a network of workstations, communications interface, particle tracking system, gamma ray detection system, and applications software. The communications interface was used to transfer control commands and real time experimental data between the network and the particle tracking and gamma ray detection electronics.  Following nuclear reactions, the particle tracking system followed the trajectory of charged particles and calculated each particle’s initial momentum and position. The gamma ray detection system detected gamma rays following nuclear reactions and calculated each gamma-ray’s energy, time, and intensity.  Performed two large-scale nuclear muon capture experiments at the Tri-University Meson Facility in Vancouver, B.C. to examine the nuclear structure of five light nuclei: 19F, 23Na, 27Al, 31P, and 35Cl.  Utilized a novel experimental technique to measure the hyperfine capture rates following muon capture to each of the five nuclei, in order to test the Partially Conserved Axial Current (PCAC) hypothesis.  Acquired and analyzed muon capture time and energy data, performed advanced gamma ray spectroscopic analyses of the observed nuclear reactions, and utilized various statistical and numerical analysis techniques to extract the hyperfine capture rates.  These capture rates were compared with 1s-0d shell model calculations showing good agreement with the PCAC hypothesis.

 

 

Articles http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

V. Tishchenko et al. (MuLan Collaboration), Detailed Report of the MuLan Measurement of the Positive Muon Lifetime and Determination of the Fermi Constant, Physical Review D 87, 052003 (2013)  link

D. M. Webber et al. (MuLan Collaboration), Measurement of the Positive Muon Lifetime and Determination of the Fermi Constant to Part-per-Million Precisions, Physical Review Letters 106, 041803 (2011) link

D.M. Duggan and B.L. Johnson, Dosimetry of the I-Plant Model 3500 Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Source, Medical Physics 28, 661-670 (2001) link

B.L. Johnson, T.P. Gorringe, D.S. Armstrong, J. Bauer, M.D. Hasinoff, M.A. Kovash, D.F. Measday, B.A. Moftah, R. Porter and D.H. Wright, Observables in muon capture on 23Na and the effective weak couplings ga and gp, Physical Review C 54, 2714-2731 (1996) link

T.P. Gorringe, B.L. Johnson, D.S. Armstrong, J. Bauer, M.A. Kovash, M.D. Hasinoff, D.F. Measday, B.A. Moftah, R. Porter and D.H. Wright, The Hyperfine Effect in μ- Capture on 23Na and gp/ga, Physical Review Letters 72, 3472-3475 (1994) link

T.P. Gorringe, B.L. Johnson, J. Bauer, M.A. Kovash, R. Porter, P. Gumplinger, M.D. Hasinoff, D.F. Measday, B.A. Moftah, D.S. Armstrong and D.H. Wright, Measurement of Hyperfine Transition Rates in Muonic 19F, 23Na, 31P, and natCl, Physics Letters B 309, 241-245 (1993) link

 

Courses Taught http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Physics 1301 – Introduction to Physics in Modern Medicine

Physics 1302 – Physics and the Arts

Physics 1401 – Introductory General Physics I (w/ lab)

Physics 1402 – Introductory General Physics II (w/ lab)

Physics 2404 – General Physics I (w/ lab)

Physics 2405 – General Physics II (w/ lab)

Physics 3301 – Electricity and Magnetism

Physics 3302 – Mechanics

Physics 3401 – Electronics (w/ lab)

Physics 3408 – Modern Physics (w/ lab)

Physics 4301 – Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Engineering 1301 – Introduction to Engineering

Engineering 1306 – Computer Graphics/Communication

Engineering 2321 – Statics

Engineering 2411 – Design of Logic Circuits (w/ lab)

Mathematics 1400 – Probability and Statistics (w/ lab)

Mathematics 3321 – Statistical Analysis

Mathematics 3301 – Differential Equations

Mathematics 4303 – Partial Differential Equations 

 

Skills http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Research Analysis using SPSS, SYSTAT, and ROOT: CERN’s Object-Oriented Data Analysis Framework

Programming in C++, Visual Basic, and Fortran; System Operations in Linux and Windows environments

Instructional Technology in WEBASSIGN, TURNINGPOINT, TURNITIN, DATASTUDIO, and AUTOCAD

Productivity with Adobe CAPTIVATE and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

 

Achievements http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Visiting Professorship in Physics, University of Kentucky, 2008-2009

Teacher of the Year, Kentucky Wesleyan College, 2007

Achievement in Education, Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers, 2004

Teacher of the Year, Kentucky Wesleyan College, 2003

Research Fellow in Medical Physics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1999-2000

Recipient of ANN National Graduate Fellowship, 1991-1994

Recipient of University of Kentucky Graduate Fellowship, 1990-1991

 

Memberships http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers – Student Engineering Society Advisor

The mission of the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers (K.S.P.E.) is to promote the ethical, competent, and licensed practice of engineering, and to enhance the professional, social, and economic well being of our members.  The KWC Student Engineering Society, in conjunction with the Green River chapter of K.S.P.E., regularly hosts events with professional engineers to promote engineering and mathematics education including National Engineers Day in celebration of Engineers Week and the Green River regional MathCounts competition.

 

American Association of Physics Teachers - Member

The American Association of Physics Teachers is the premiere organization representing and supporting physics and physical science teachers and teaching in the United States.

 

Creation Research Society – Member

The Creation Research Society (C.R.S.) is a professional organization of trained scientists and interested laypersons who are firmly committed to scientific special creation.  The society was organized in 1963 by a committee of ten like-minded scientists, and has grown into an organization with an international membership.

 

Acknowledgement http://www.resumeimproved.com/templates/18/headimg.jpg

I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the opportunity and ability to learn and explore His creation.  Proverbs 3:6.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. 

The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by Kentucky Wesleyan College.

 


Math & Physics Department | Physics | Engineering (dual-degree) | Mathematics | KWC Student Engineering Society

 


Send comments and questions to: johnsonb@kwc.edu