Dr. Martin Madsen is a Byron K. Trippet Assistant Professor of Physics at Wabash College. Like many Wabash professors who engage in research, Madsen incorporates junior and senior Physics majors into his research into many experimental topics, including a chaotic double-pendulum, dynamic holography, and optical tweezers. Madsen’s much lauded “Mythbusters” research into everyday questions allows non-Physics majors or minors to glimpse into the research life of a Physics professor. Madsen also serves as the advisor to Wabash Society of Physics Students, which plans community events as well as allows students to explore questions of physical science.  Madsen’s work as an experimental physicist explores the questions of atomic physics, coulomb crystals, and graphene ion traps.

Madsen lives in Crawfordsville with his wife Jessica and their three children, Alia, Tanner, and Elena. He enjoys continuing his love of Legos with his children and often plays Wii video games with his family. Madsen bikes to Wabash for work every day no matter the weather and works to minimize his carbon footprint with his family by gardening, food preservation, and supporting his wife’s spinning and weaving.

Madsen earned his B.S. in Honors Physics from Purdue University in 2001 and earned his Master’s Degree (2004) and Ph.D. (2006) in Physics from the University of Michigan.

August 2006: Ph.D. in Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
              Advisor: Chris Monroe, Physics
              Thesis Title: “Advanced Ion Trap Development and Ultrafast Laser-Ion
              Interactions”
August 2004: Masters of Science in Physics, University of Michigan, 
              Ann Arbor, MI
May 2001: Bachelors of Science in Honors Physics, Purdue University, 
              West Lafayette, IN
              Graduated with Highest Distinction

Physics 381/382 Advanced Laboratory
Physics 310 Classical Mechanics
Physics 210 Modern Physics
Physics 104 Adventures in Physics: Acoustics of musical instruments,
Physics 277 Special Topics in Physics-Light
Physics 316 Quantum Optics
Physics 105 Adventures in Physics: Mythbusters

“Physics Myth Busting: A lab-centered physics course for non-science students,” talk presented at the Physics Department Colloquium, Wabash College, September 2010.

“Physics Myth Busting: A lab-centered physics course for non-science students,” talk presented at the 2011 Big Bash Reunion, Wabash College, June 2011.

“Atomic Ytterbium Beam Experiments at an Undergraduate Physics Laboratory,” poster presented at the Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (DAMOP), Houston, TX, May 2010.

“Compact Halo Ion Traps,” revised poster presented at the Midwest Cold Atomic Workshop, Chicago, IL, November 2009.

“Measuring the Molecular Polarizability of Air,” poster presented at the 2009 AAPT/APS Advanced Lab Workshop, Ann Arbor, MI, July 2009.

“Research Model for Advanced Lab,” poster presented at the 2009 AAPT/APS Advanced Lab Workshop, Ann Arbor, MI, July 2009.

“Compact Halo Ion Traps,” poster presented at the Gordon Conference for Atomic Physics, Tilton, NH, July 2009.

“Halo Ion Traps,” invited talk presented at the national New Laser Scientists Conference in Rochester, NY, October 23, 2008.

“Energy: A model interdepartmental, integrated lab/lecture course for non-majors,” invited talk presented at the Biannual Conference on Chemical Education, Bloomington, IN, July 29, 2008.

(* denotes undergraduate co-authors)

2012-13: McLain-McTurnan-Arnold Research Scholar, Wabash College.

2001-2003: Rackham Fellowship, University of Michigan

2002: Peter Franken Award, Department of Physics, University of Michigan. “Awarded to a first or second year graduate student who has done outstanding work in Physics.”

2000, 2001: Richard W. King Memorial Award, Department of Physics, Purdue University. “In recognition of past achievements and future promise as a student of physics.”

1988: Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America