Michael J. Wagner is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Prior to joining UW–Madison in 2020, Wagner was a researcher and project leader at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from the Colorado School of Mines.

Before joining NREL, Wagner worked as a graduate research assistant at UW–Madison's Solar Energy Lab, where he developed an optimization/design tool and detailed transient system component models for power tower technology. In 2019, Wagner was the recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering.