Bruce Liby

Health Professions Advisor, Provost's Office

Professor, Physics

Professor Bruce Liby has been teaching Physics at Manhattan University since 1995.  He earned his B.A. and M.S. from Adelphi University and his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.  His research interests have included a wide range of topics including nonlinear optics, interferometry, perceptual Physics, and Physics education.  In addition to his Physics responsibilities, he is one of two Pre-Health Advisors and serves as the Chair of Health Professions Advisory Committee.  He is also active in campus governance.  His personal interests include science education, community theater, improv comedy, gardening, and cats.

Education

  • PHD, University of New Mexico
  • MS, Adelphi University
  • BA, Adelphi University

Courses Taught

Dr. Liby has taught many courses, recently including:

PHYS 101     Physics I     
PHYS 102     Physics II
PHYS 234     Physics IV
PHYS 354     Research Project
PHYS 441     Senior Thesis
PHYS 453     Experimental Physics I
PHYS 454     Experimental Physics II
SCI 105      Introduction to Pre-Health Studies Oceanography
SCI 205      Lasers, Light, and Optical Devices

  • Research

    These are my current research interests:

    • Characterization of the optical properties of thermally loaded materials
    • Physics Education
  • Publications and Scholarly Activities

     

    “A Student-Built Flatness Gauge to Determine if a Fitness Center Employs Thinning Mirrors,” B. W. Liby and S. Heffernan, The Physics Teacher, 58, pp 123 – 125 (2020).

    “The Crescendo of a Course: Teaching Non-science majors about light and the devices we use every day,” by Bruce W. Liby, 5th Annual Imagination, Inquiry, and Innovation Institute, Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY, March 2019.  

    “Perceived Beauty of Random Texture Patterns: A Preference for Complexity” by J. Friedenberg and B. Liby,  Acta Psychologica, 168, pp 41 – 49, (2016).

    “Fitness Center Mirror Analysis,” S. Heffernan and B. Liby, presented at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference, April 2016. 

    "Fractal Analysis of Diffraction and Interference Patterns," C. Hibner, presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, January 2016.

    "Judging the Center of Human Figures: Evidence for Dynamic Perception," Jay Friedenberg, Todd Keating, Bruce Liby, International Journal of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 1(4): 30 - 38, 2012.

    “Visual Estimation of Three- and Four-Body Center of Mass” B. W. Liby and J. Friedenberg, Perceptual and Motor Skills 110(1), pp 195 – 212 (2010).

    "What Do Students Perceive During a Lesson on Center-of-mass?" B. Liby, J. Friedenberg, and S. Yancopoulos, The Journal of STEM Education 10(1) pp 17 – 24 (2009).

    “Using a Michelson Interferometer to Measure the Coefficient of Expansion of Copper,” R. Scholl and B. Liby, The Physics Teacher, 47, pp 306 – 308 (2009).

    “Perceiving the Center of Three-Body Displays: the Role of Size Ratio, Symmetry, Elongation, and Gravity,” J. Friedenberg and B. Liby, The Open Behavioral Science Journal, 2(10) pp 13-22 (2008).