Dr. Michael Moloney is the longest serving member of the institute’s faculty. He is affectionately known as 'Magic Mike' by his legion of former students for his problem-solving skills and personal approach to teaching. His teaching and research interests cover acoustics, theoretical mechanics, electromagnetics, the physics of solid-state devices, and data acquisition via personal computers. Dr. Moloney has received the Dean’s Outstanding Teacher Award, helped organize activities for Indiana high school physics teachers, and in his free time he enjoys walking in Turkey Run State Park.
Academic Degrees
- PhD, University of Maryland, Physics, 1966
- BS, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chemistry, 1958
Awards & Honors
- Dean’s Outstanding Teacher, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, 1996
Publications & Presentations
- Stephens, H., Tam, A. and Moloney, M. J., “Decay Times and Quality Factors for a Resonance Apparatus,” The Physics Teacher, American Association of Physics Teachers, Vol. 49, 421, 2011
- Moloney, M. J., “Plastic CD Containers as Cylindrical Acoustical Resonators,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 77, 882, 2009
- Moloney, M. J., “Coupled Oscillations in Suspended Magnets,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 76, 125, 2008
- Moloney, M. J., “Strong Little Magnets,” The Physics Teacher, American Association of Physics Teachers, Vol. 45, 352, 2007
- Moloney, M. J. and McGarvey, A. P., “A Simplified Adiabatic Compression Apparatus,” The Physics Teacher, American Association of Physics Teachers, Vol. 45, 452, 2007
- Hatten, D. L. and Moloney, M. J., “User-Defined Scroll Bars in Spreadsheets,” The Physics Teacher, American Association of Physics Teachers, Vol. 42, 166, 2004
- Moloney, M. J., “Quality Factors and Conductances in Helmholtz Resonators,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 72, 1,035, 2004
- Moloney, M. J., “The Gravity-Defying Pendulum,” The Physics Teacher, American Association of Physics Teachers, Vol. 40, 356, 2002
- Moloney, M. J., “Measuring and Calculating Bar Flexural Vibration Frequencies,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 73, 439, 2005
- Moloney, M. J., “Simple Acoustic Source Radiation near a Large Wall,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 71, 794, 2003
- Moloney, M. J. and Hatten, D. L., “Acoustic Quality Factor and Energy Losses in Cylindrical Pipes,” American Journal of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 69, 311, 2001
Research Experiences
- Acoustics
- Theoretical mechanics
Teaching Interests
- Introductory physics
- Thermodynamics
- Statistical Mechanics
- Acoustics