Michael J. Bozack is professor of physics at Auburn University (AU). He received his B.S. and M.S. in physics from Michigan State University, a Ph.D. in surface physics from Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), and a M.A. in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. Subsequently, he did postdoctoral work at the Surface Science Center, University of Pittsburgh and spent summers conducting nanotechnology research at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).

​

At OHSU, he worked with Dr. Lynwood W. Swanson (founder of FEI Corporation) and Dr. John S. Blakemore (author of Solid State Physics and Semiconductor Statistics) on the surface physics associated with B- and As-emitting liquid metal ion sources. At Pitt, he performed pioneering experiments with Professors J.T. Yates, Jr. and W.J. Choyke on Si and SiC surface chemistry, epitaxial growth, methods in semiconductor surface chemistry, and electron-stimulated desorption (ESD and ESDIAD) from Si(100) surfaces. While in Pittsburgh, he also worked with Professor Hugh D. Young at Carnegie-Mellon University, author of the classic undergraduate physics textbook Sears, Zemansky, and Young's University Physics.

​

Before moving to AU, he was chief surface scientist at Intel Corporation and worked with the team of scientists and engineers that developed the Pentium class of microprocessors. Currently, he leads the AU Surface Science Laboratory (AUSSL) and is a founding member of the AU Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics (CAVE3) a top-rated National Science Foundation research facility.

He has advised over 100 graduate students, including 75 Ph.D. students and 36 M.S. students, and has authored over 300 scientific publications related to his research. Several of his students have won outstanding paper awards at international conferences and one of his students was awarded the 2012 Springer Thesis Selection for her Ph.D. thesis on tin whiskering, awarded to the top 100 Ph.D. theses worldwide. He and his co-workers have attracted over $45M in externally funded research to AU.

Dr. Bozack has received numerous college teaching awards, including the AU Alumni Teaching Excellence Award and the AU Panhellenic Outstanding Professor Award. His favorite course is the popular Mythbusters physics course at AU, emphasizing the role of physics in everyday life, recognized as one of the top college courses in America. He is a committed Christian, scientist, educator, speaker, and author with a dynamic life story.
 

He is a member of the American Vacuum Society (AVS), Materials Research Society (MRS), and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and is a consultant to numerous large corporations such as the U.S. Customs Research Laboratory, Eagle-Picher Industries, Cessna Aircraft, Aragon Elastomers, Chrysler Corporation, and Molex Inc.. For several years, he has served as a publications referee for the Journal of Applied Physics, IEEE Transactions, the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, and Surface Science Spectra.

​

​Favorite Honors and Awards

​

• Nominee, Michigan State Outstanding Alumni Award, 1998

• Outstanding Alumni Award, Lansing Michigan School District, 1998

• Distinguished Alumni Award, Lansing Community College, 1997

• AU Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, 1997

• AU Outstanding Professor, Panhellenic Council, 1998

• Clark Fellowship, OHSU (top Ph.D. student)

• Valedictorian, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary

• Academic All-American, Michigan State University

• US patent for "Boron-Based Liquid-Metal Ion Source and Method"