Rate My Professor Stephen Weppner

Stephen Weppner is Professor of Physics at Eckerd College, where he joined the faculty in 1997. Born and raised outside Buffalo, New York, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in physics and mathematics from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a PhD in physics from Ohio University, completed in 1997 under advisor Charlotte Elster in nuclear theory. Based in the Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science building (MPC 214), Weppner conducts theoretical research on computations of scattering cross-sections for collisions of nucleons—protons or neutrons—with nuclei. His work utilizes computer workstations on campus and supercomputers across the country. He served as Adjunct Visiting Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ohio University during a sabbatical from September 2010 to August 2011.

Weppner's research specializes in ab initio approaches to nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering, incorporating chiral effective field theory uncertainties, nuclear structure effects, and gamma-ray production cross-sections from reactions such as (p,p'γ). Notable publications include "Ab initio nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering with chiral effective field theory uncertainties" (2022), "Chiral uncertainties in ab initio elastic nucleon-nucleus scattering" (2022), "Nonlocal Structure of the Leading Order ab initio Effective Potentials for Proton Elastic Scattering from Light Nuclei" (2022), "Production Cross-Section of γ-Rays from (p,p′γ) Reactions: Measurements and Theoretical Analysis" (2024), and "Separable character of ab initio NCSM one-body densities" (2025). His scholarship has received over 500 citations across 52 publications. In addition to research, Weppner has made significant contributions to teaching and leadership at Eckerd College. He pioneered interactive engagement techniques in the classroom, developed interdisciplinary courses, established a physics tutoring program, mentored student research, led the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl team, and coordinated partnerships with the Institute on Science for Global Policy. For these efforts, he received the John M. Bevan Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award in 2015. His personal interests include classical music and acoustics.