Wai-Ning Mei

 

Professor,

Department of Physics

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE 68182-0266

(402) 554-3729 (Office)

(402) 554-3100 (Fax)

physmei@unomaha.edu

http://www.physics.unomaha.edu/Material_Science/mei.html

 

Education

 

B.Sc., Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1972.

 

Ph.D., Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1979.

 

Professional Experience

 

Regents and Foundation Professor, University of Nebraska                     2001 to present

at Omaha, NE.                                                                              

 

Professor, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE.                                    1996 to present

 

Adjunct Professor, Center for Material Research and Analysis,                2000 to present

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE.

 

Adjunct Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE.                          1997 to present

 

Visiting Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong,                             Summer 1997, 2002

Shatin, Hong Kong.

 

Visiting Professor, Hong Kong University,                                               Summer 1996

Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

 

Visiting Professor, City University of Hong Kong,                                   Summer  2002

Kowloon, Hong Kong.

 

Visiting Research Scientist, Complex Systems Theory Branch,                Summer 1999

Code 6390, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington D. C.

 

Visiting Research Staff Member, Institute of Physics,                               Summer 1996, 1997,

Academia Sinica, Taiwan,  Republic of China.                                           and 1998

 

Visiting Research Scientist, National Center for Theoretical Science,        Summer 2000

National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan, Republic of China.

 

Visiting Professor, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou,                            Summer 1997

Guangdon, People's Republic of China.

 

Associate Professor, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE.                    1989 to 1996

 

Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Electrophysics,                    Summer 1986, 1991,

National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan, Republic of China.                   and Fall 1995

 

Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE.                     1984 to 1989

 

Visiting Research Associate Professor, Laboratory for Surface                Summer 1985, 1987,

Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI.                                   and 1989

 

Senior Project Associate, Laboratory for Surface Studies,                         1982 to 1984

Department of Physics,  University  of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI.

 

Research Scientist, Surface Chemistry Branch, Code 6170,                      1981 to 1982

Naval Research Laboratory, Washington D. C.

                                   

Research Associate, Department of Physics,                                             1979 to 1981

      Purdue University,  West Lafayette, IN.

 

Research Interests and Specialties

 

My research areas include: surface structure determination, multiple-scattering analysis of the low-energy and photoemission spectra, neutron scattering from flux lattice in the type-II superconductors, lattice dynamics of long chain polymers, pseudo-potential calculation of the transition metal surface band structures, rotation and vibration spectra of the adsorbed molecules, electron structures of the nano-structures, molecular dynamics studies of alkali halides, and application of variational methods to the anharmonic, weakly bounded, tightly bounded, and double-well potentials. Specific computation techniques include lattice dynamics, multiple-scattering method, first-principle full-potential linear-augment-plane-wave (FLAPW) method, molecular dynamics, and self-consistent atomic deformation (SCAD) method together with the SMODES symmetry-analysis software packages.

 

Teaching experiences

 

 I have taught general physics courses, include both the algebra-based and calculus-based, and upper level courses, which include Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics, Molecular and Solid State Physics, Mathematical and Computation Physics. I also taught graduate courses, such as Quantum Mechanics and Advanced, Quantum Mechanics at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and National Chiao-Tung University, Republic of China. I supervise undergraduate physics students, and assist them to publish their senior projects at the undergraduate research journal. Furthermore, I supervise physics, mathematics and engineering Ph.D. and M. S. students of the University of Nebraska at both Omaha and Lincoln campus. I also mentor physics Ph.D. and M. S. students at the National Chiao-Tung University, and Academia Sinica, Republic of China, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong during my visits and sabbatical leaves.

 

Grant Awards

 

Office of Naval Research Grant ONR N00014-01-1-0742                                   2001 to 2004

ÒNanoscale structured polymers for piezoelectric devicesÓ.

 

Nebraska-EPSCoR-NSF Grant EPS-9720643                                                     2001 to 2004

ÒComputer design and synthesis of novel ferroelectricsÓ.

 

Department of Army Grant DAAG55-98-1-0273                                                 1998 to 2001

ÒExperimental and theoretical study of microwave-activated materialsÓ.

 

National Science Foundation                                                                                1997 to 2000

ÒComplex systems simulation collaborative laboratoryÓ.

 

Recent Publications

 

(1) First-principles investigation on the electronic structures of poly(vinylidene fluoride) crystals, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, J. J. Liu, J. R. Hardy, S. Durcharme, J. Choi, and P. Dowben (In preparation).

 

      (2) Superionic phase transition in Bi2Ti4O11: dielectric study, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, R. W. Smith and J. R. Hardy, (In preparation).

 

      (3) Comparison of the theoretical and experimental band structure of poly(vinylidene fluoride) crystals, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, J. R. Hardy, S. Durcharme, J. Choi, and P. Dowben (Submitted).

 

(4) Polymorphous transformations in alkaline-earth silicates, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, and J. R. Hardy, Journal of Chemical Physics, 116, 3864, (2002).

 

(5) Molecular dynamics study of phase transitions in alkali perchlorates, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, and J. R. Hardy, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 163, 294, (2002).

 

(6) Molecular dynamics simulation of the structural transition in AgNO3, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 63, 409, (2002).

 

(7) High temperature phase structural transition in AlN3, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, Material Science Bulletin, 36, 2035, (2001).

 

(8) Molecular dynamics simulation of the structural transitions in RbNO3, and CsCO3, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 160, 222, (2001).

 

(9)  First-principles study on the optical properties of KNbO3, C. G. Duan, J. J. Liu, W. N. Mei, and J. R. Hardy, Journal of Physics C13, 1, (2001).

 

(10) Simulation of structural transition in NaNO3, and CaCO3 crystals: a molecular dynamics study, J. J. Liu, H. M. Lu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 28, 586, (2001).

 

(11) Order-disorder phase transitions in KNO2, CsNO2 and TlNO2 crystals: a molecular dynamics study, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, R. W. Smith, J. J. Liu, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, Phys. Rev. B63, 144105, (2001).

 

(12) Phase shifts and scattering cross section of the constant potential well or barriers, W. N. Mei and G. Sowell, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 32, 189, (2001).

 

(13) Predicted properties of a new ferroelectric compound: NaCaF3, L. L. Boyer, M. J. Mehl, W. N. Mei, P. J. Edwardson, R. Guenther, J. W. Flocken, C. G. Duan, J. R. Hardy, and H. T. Stoke, AIP Proceedings CP 535, 364, (2000).

 

(14) Simulation of structural transformation in aragonite CaCO3, J. J. Liu, C. G. Duan, W. N. Mei, M. M. Ossowski, and J. R. Hardy, AIP Proceedings CP 535, 338, (2000).

 

(15) Calculation of electronic, structural and vibrational properties in alkali halides using a density functional method with localized densities, W. N. Mei, L. L. Boyer, M. J. Mehl, M. M. Ossowski, and H. T. Stokes, Phys. Rev. B 61, 11425, (2000).

 

(16) Polymorphic phase transitions in mixed alkali magnesium fluoride solid solutions,

R. W. Smith, J. W. Flocken, W. N. Mei, M. J. Dudik, and J. R. Hardy. Material Research Bulletin 35, 341, (2000).

 

(17) Demonstration of systematic improvements in the application of the variational method in

the weakly bounded potentials, W. N. Mei, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 30, 513, (1999).

 

(18) Photoelectron-diffraction studies of Nb(001), W. S. Lo, T. S. Chien, B. S. Fang, C. M. Wei, and w. N. Mei, Surface Review and Letters, 5, 1035, (1998).

 

(19) Combined variational-perturbative approach to the anharmonic oscillator problems, W. N. Mei, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology,  29, 875, (1998).

 

(20) Higher order corrections of the excited states using logarithmic perturbation method, W. N. Mei and D. S. Chuu, Phys. Rev. A 58, 713, (1998).

 

(21) Comments on "Phase space integration method for bound states" by Sharada Nagabhushana, B. A. Kagali, and Sivramkrishna Vijay [Am. J. Phys. 65 (6), 563-564, (1997)]", W. N. Mei, American Journal of Physics, 66 (6), 541, (1998).

 

(22) Demonstration of systematic improvements in the application of the variational method in

anharmonic oscillator potentials, W. N. Mei, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 28, 495, (1997).

 

(23) Pitching for the moments of inertia and the center of mass, W. N. Mei and  D. Wilkins, American Journal of Physics,  65, 903, (1997).

 

(24) Hindered and modulated rotational states and spectra of adsorbed diatomic molecules with Y. T. Shih, W. N. Mei, and D. S. Chuu, Phys. Rev. B54, 10938, (1996).

 

(25) Hindered rotation and external electric field effects of adsorbed diatomic molecules with

Y. T. Shih, W. N. Mei, and D. S. Chuu, Solid State Communication 99, 819, (1996).

 

(26) Demonstration of systematic improvements in the application of the variational method to the harmonic oscillator, W. N. Mei, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology,  27, 285, (1996).

 

(27) Self-inductance of a long wire: infinite loop approach, Y. C. Lee and W. N. Mei, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 27, 79 (1996).

 

(28) Finite conical well model for vertically adsorbed diatomic molecules, D. S. Chuu, W. N. Mei, and Y. T. Shih, Phys. Rev. B51, 14626 (1995).

Supervised projects:

Articles published by physics majors based on their supervised senior projects

(1) Neutron scattering: constant magnetic field band, T. D. Burnes II and S. L. Stenberg, Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, 12, 11, (1993).

(2) Neutron scattering: The Pšschl-Teller potential, D. A. Mazilu and A. T. Filip, Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, 14, 3, (1995).

(3) Neutron scattering: magnetic flux tube, A. T. Filip and D. A. Mazilu, Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, 15, 15, (1997).

(4) Solving octic potential using the variational method. M. Wall and D. Meidlinger, Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, 16, 42, (1998).