Ken Menningen

Professor

UWSP Physics Department

Courses

Research

Accomplishments

Personal Interests

Mailing address:
Dept of Physics & Astronomy
1848 Maria Dr
Stevens Point, WI 54481-1957

Office:
Science Bldg B101
Phone: (715) 346-4871
FAX: (715) 346-2944

Courses Taught

Dr. Menningen has taught or is currently teaching at UWSP the following courses:

Astronomy 100 . . . Unveiling the Universe
Astronomy 311 . . . Introduction to Astronomy
Physics 100 . . . Energy in Today's World
Physics 101 . . . General Physics
Physics 150 . . . University Physics I
Physics 203 . . . College Physics I
Physics 204 . . . College Physics II
Physics 250 . . . University Physics II
Physics 300 . . . Modern Physics
Physics 320 . . . Electricity & Magnetism
Physics 385 . . . Optics
Physics 470 . . . Experimental Physics

He has previously taught introductory physics, electricity and magnetism, optics, thermodynamics, and senior seminar during his nine year career at UW-Whitewater.

Research Interests

Hydrogen energy. A future research project may involve working on a photoelectrochemical water splitting cell that produces hydrogen from water using only sunlight.
Lamp technology. I have recently worked on the physics of conventional Hg-Ar fluorescent lamps and high intensity discharge lamps and has explored alternative chemistries in lighting plasmas.
Laboratory astrophysics. I have recently been measuring molecular band oscillator strengths of astrophysical interest by using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy at the Synchrotron Radiation Center in Stoughton, WI.
Diamond thin film deposition. As an extension of my thesis work, I measured molecular radical densities during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond thin films. My most recent efforts concerned measurements in an atmospheric pressure oxyacetylene flame deposition system.

Accomplishments

Education

	Ph.D. Physics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1995
	B.S. summa cum laude, Physics, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, 1990

Honors and Awards

	National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, Office of Naval Research, 1991-1994
	Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Fellowship, UW-Madison Graduate School, 1990-1991
	James H. Albertson Medallion Award, UW-Stevens Point, 1990
	Arthur J. Pesja Aerospace Engineering Scholarship, UWSP Department of Physics, 1988, 1989
	Culver-Rogers Award, UWSP Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, 1989
	Distinguished Achievement Award, UWSP Academy of Letters and Sciences, 1989

Grants

	UW-Stevens Point $34,800, 2010, Remodeling Science Building 012/014
	UW System $1,536, 2008-09, Promoting clickers in the classroom
	UW-Stevens Point $1,435, 2008, Student travel to conference
	UW-Stevens Point $26,840, 2004-2005, New Faculty Recruitment & Retention (PEC H₂ production)
	UW-Whitewater $2,500, 2003-2004, Scholarship of Teaching & Learning project
	UWW / NREL $13,000, 2003, Faculty Sabbatical Program (Photoelectrochemical H₂ production)
	NASA/EPRI $24,090, 2002, Radiation Transport in Metal Halide High Intensity Discharge Lamps
	NASA $24,184, 1999-2000, Oscillator strengths for ultraviolet atomic and molecular transitions
	UW-Whitewater $1,750, 1999, Oscillator strengths for ultraviolet atomic and molecular transitions
	Research Corporation $31,300, 1996-1997, Spectroscopy during diamond growth
	Petroleum Research Fund $20,000, 1996, Spectroscopy during diamond growth

Recent Publications

23.	K. L. Menningen and J. S. Walker, Instructors Solution Manual (San Francisco, CA: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2010. ISBN 978-0-321-60195-7) to accompany the textbook Physics, 4^th edition, by James S. Walker. This electronic book spans 1,232 pages and contains the complete solutions to all 3,407 homework problems in the textbook. I wrote hundreds of new solutions and edited hundreds more for this new edition.
22.	K. L. Menningen, M. B. Ottinger, and J. S. Walker, Instructor's Solution Manual (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2007. ISBN 0-13-185110-1 [Volume I] and 0-13-153632-X [Volume II]) to accompany the textbook Physics, 3^rd edition, by James S. Walker. This two-volume set spans 1,132 pages and contains the complete solutions to all 2,808 homework problems in the textbook. I personally wrote or extensively edited each solution and created or edited most of the artwork.
21.	M. T. Herd, J. E. Lawler, and K. L. Menningen, "Radiation Trapping of the Hg 254 nm Resonance Line," Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, vol. 38, p.3304, 2005.
20.	S. R. Federman, M. Fritts, S. Cheng, K. M. Menningen, David C. Knauth, and K. Fulk, "Oscillator Strengths for B-X, C-X, and E-X* Transitions in Carbon Monoxide," Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, vol. 134, p.133, 2001. *published with wrong initial
19.	K. L. Menningen and J. E. Lawler, "Radiation Trapping of the Hg 185 nm Resonance Line," Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 88, p.3190, 2000.
	Full List of publications

Recent Presentations

34.	K. L. Menningen, "Exploration of Surface Treatments for Semiconductor-based Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting," 217^th Electrochemical Society Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada, April 27, 2010.
33.	K. L. Menningen, "How to Make Electricity," UW-Stevens Point College Days for Kids, Stevens Point, WI, April 2010.
32.	K. L. Menningen, "The Curse of the Second Law: How You Can Use Science to Solve the Energy Crisis," UW-Stevens Point STEM Career Day, Stevens Point, WI, November 6, 2009.
31.	K. L. Menningen, "A Technological Teaching Tool," Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers 2006 Meeting, Whitewater, WI, October 30-31, 2009.
30.	K. L. Menningen, K. Larsen and J. Perket, "Surface Modification of GaInP₂ for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting," 213^th Electrochemical Society Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, May 20, 2008.
29.	K. L. Menningen, "The NASA Shuttle Launch Dark Moon Ray Mystery," College of Letters & Science Humanities Forum, Stevens Point, WI, March 27, 2008.
	Full List of presentations

Last Update: KLM 4/07/10