MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 03 Hugo Ferguson 2013 Davies Medal 04 Student News 06 New Programs 10 New Faculty Chaitanya Ullal WELCOME WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS WE WANT TO HEAR IN THE PAST YEAR! OUR FACULTY AND STUDENTS HAVE MADE FROM YOU! REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS. We are delighted to welcome Chaitanya Ullal to our faculty. As described Robert Hull, Henry Burlage on page 10, Chaitanya brings us broad expertise in areas as diverse as novel If you are an alum with Chair of Engineering & nano-lithography techniques, new methods for three dimensional assembly, news to share just send Head, Department of polymeric materials, ultra-high resolution optical microscopy methods, and a message to Dana Materials Science and the materials-biology interface. We look forward to bringing two new faculty Engineering (MSE) Chichester at: on board in the next year, with two additional searches already launched. In particular, we are focusing on further developing the department’s role in [email protected] or defining new directions for the science and engineering of biological materials, mail in the form on building on the extensive collaborations we have across the Institute. [cont.] the back of this issue. mse.rpi.edu WELCOME [CONT.] Our faculty members have had a most productive year. We are Our students continue to impress and amaze us. For example, extremely proud to welcome Ganpati Ramanath to the ranks of we applaud senior Karly Chester for being elected an ASM endowed professors in our Department. Professor Ramanath is International Student Board Member (page 6). We also note the John Tod Horton ’52 Chair of Materials Engineering, in the that this year, once again, our incoming first year Materials illustrious company of our other John Tod Horton ’52 Chair, Engineering class is the largest in memory. Among our graduate David Duquette. Ramanath was also recently elected as Fellow students, the pinnacle of achievement has been Ming Ma winning of the American Vacuum Society, so it has been a banner year the most prestigious award for Ph.D. students on campus: the for him! Another stand-out among faculty awards is Liping $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Collegiate Student Prize (page 5). Huang’s receipt of a National Science Foundation CAREER award, to complement her existing Young Investigator Award We are delighted by the ever strengthening relationship with our from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Also, as a mark of the alumni. We are honored that Hugo Ferguson received the 2013 extraordinarily high esteem that he is held in by his peers, Dick Davies Medal for Engineering Achievement from the Institute Siegel was honored in April with the RPI School of Engineering (page 3). Hugo and his wife Evelyn have also been very generous “Outstanding Professor Award”. He joins recent winners Linda in creating recent graduate and undergraduate fellowships in Schadler and Minoru Tomozawa to make it three years out of the our department. Our alumni also feature strongly in our recently past five that MSE faculty have won this award. For several other established Departmental Advisory Board, which we will faculty awards in the past year, see page 9. highlight in next year’s issue. Another alumnus, George Pearsall, has generously supported the recent installation of our dual In December, we are planning a major celebration to celebrate (electron and ion) beam environmental electron microscope (page Roger Wright’s forty years here as a pivotal member of our faculty. 8). Finally, we note with great pride the election of two of our As described on page 7, Roger has been a leader for many decades alumni, John E. Kelly III and Peter L. Andresen, to the National in defining our research and education programs. He is retiring Academy of Engineering in the past year. at the end of this academic year, and is teaching his last courses this fall semester. We will miss him greatly and wish him the very To our alumni reading this, please turn to the back page to learn best for the future. how to keep in touch with us, and about programs for supporting our student initiatives. We mourn the passing of Emeritus Professor Norman Stoloff and Dean of Engineering George Ansell. As described below, both Looking forward to an equally exciting and productive 2014. men were a stalwarts of our department for decades. At a moving memorial service in the Chapel and Cultural Center on campus, With very best wishes, Stoloff’s leadership, his care for students, and many anecdotes were recalled. The Stoloff family has generously set up a fund in his memory that will annually recognize those two graduate students in our department who publish the most significant Robert Hull, Henry Burlage Chair of Engineering & Head, papers within the year of award. Department of Materials Science and Engineering Norman S. Stoloff, Ph.D., ’78, Professor Dr. George S. Ansell ‘54 passed away on Friday, August 30, 2013. Emeritus at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Ansell earned his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering passed away on February 21, 2013. Norman in 1954 and a master’s degree in 1955. He earned his Ph.D. in was born October 16, 1934 in Brooklyn NY. He 1960, and joined the faculty of the Institute that same year. earned a B.S. in 1955 from New York University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Columbia He was promoted to Professor of Metallurgical Engineering in University in 1961. He was a Fellow of the 1965, appointed as the Robert W. Hunt Professor in 1967, and American Society for Metals (now ASM International) and in 1992 became chair of the Materials Division in 1969. he won the Distinguished Career Award from the ASM Eastern NY In 1974, he was appointed Dean of Engineering. During his 10-year Chapter. tenure as dean, the school greatly expanded its focus on graduate After holding engineering positions at Pratt & Whitney and education and research. Engineering enrollment and research Ford, Norman moved to the Capital District and began a 30- funding flourished under his leadership, and Rensselaer participated year distinguished career as a professor in the Department of successfully in important technological initiatives in partnership Materials Engineering. With over 250 publications, Norman with industry, including interactive computer graphics, advanced was an internationally recognized researcher. He was invited to manufacturing, and integrated electronics. chair organizations and conferences including both the ASM “…Rensselaer would not be what it is today without the effort, International and Engineering Foundation Conferences. Norman passion, and intellect of Dr. Ansell,” said Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, edited several notable textbooks and journals in his field, including President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. the International Journal of Materials Research. He was a mentor and instructor to the many dedicated students who continue to carry out his work. He will be missed by all of us. IN MEMORIAM 2 Rensselaer Department of Materials Science and Engineering HUGO FERGUSON MANUFACTURING PIONEER , Shortly after graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Ferguson MATERIALS ENGINEERING PH.D. 1962, AWARDED collaborated with Rensselaer metallurgy faculty members THE DAVIES MEDAL Warren Savage and Ernest Nippes to invent the Gleeble, a powerful metallurgical Celebrated innovator and Gleeble, a powerful tool that nation. It is impossible to simulation system. The metallurgist Hugo S. Ferguson revolutionized the field of over-emphasize the role of Gleeble enabled researchers, ’56, received the prestigious welding. his leadership and vision in for the first time, to simulate Davies Medal for Engineering pushing forward the field of realistic welding processes in Achievement from Rensselaer Dr. Ferguson, the founder, welding, and his influence the laboratory under realistic on April 22, 2013. The Davies past president, and former is clearly visible in the way thermo-mechanical conditions. Medal is the highest award chairman of DSI, received his we make today’s bridges, The breakthrough served as given to an alumnus of the B.S. in physics in 1956 and cars, ships, and anything a foundation for many key Engineering School his Ph.D. in metallurgy in else requiring welding. advances in materials science at Rensselaer. 1962 from Rensselaer. Former Dr. Ferguson’s hard work and engineering, and more Dean David Rosowsky, in and success exemplify the broadly helped to pioneer In a ceremony at the Heffner presenting the award, stated challenge we extend to all the emerging field of process Alumni House he spoke about that “Dr. Ferguson’s vision, Rensselaer students— simulations. his distinguished career, leadership, and achievements Dr. Ferguson has truly including the founding of in engineering have made changed the world.” Dynamic Systems Inc. (DSI) an indelible impact on the Our Department is truly honored by our graduates and his invention of the manufacturing economy of our and all that they accomplish. 3 mse.rpi.edu STUDENT NEWS CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO THE A S CLASS OF 2013! WT U A D R E DN Ph.D. student Garth Scannell received a Chateaubriand ST Fellowship to conduct research in France at the University of Rennes for the academic year. Senior Maya Nath and Ph.D. Ph.D. student Katrina students Peter Lezzi, and Bermudez has been awarded a The class of 2013 was a vibrant class who made multiple contributions Garth Scannell have been fellowship as part of the NASA to the campus. We wish them well as they head to graduate school, awarded scholarships from the Harriett G. Jenkins Predoctoral industry, and military service. Several students will be completing a Eastern New York chapter of Fellowship Project (JPFP). The co-terminal degree at Rensselaer while some students are attending ASM. JPFP aims to increase the U.S. graduate school at Stanford University and Rensselaer, among other talent pool of underrepresented leading institutions. Others joined Pratt and Whitney, TurboCAM, Seniors Andrew Lauer and groups, including women, and General Dynamics, and other major companies. Madeline Muench and Ph.D. ethnic minorities, and persons student Ruopeng Deng with disabilities who receive At the Department Commencement Celebration, several awards were are recipients of the 2013 Master’s and Doctoral degrees presented. The Matthew Albert Hunter Prize, awarded to a senior who Founders Award. This award participating in the STEM has demonstrated outstanding ability in academic work leading is given to students in the workforce. to a career in the field, was given to Qiran Xiao. The Scott Mackay top 10% of their class, who Prize, for the student who has given time and effort to the service of exhibit outstanding leadership others, was awarded to Heather Conway. The Robert W. Messler, Jr., skills, and possess the ability Design Award for the Most Improved Student awarded to a student(s) to promote new ideas and showing the greatest improvement as a materials engineer in the theories in his/her field of study. capstone project was awarded jointly to Karly Chester and Luke Jorgensen. RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD MATERIAL ADVANTAGE CHAPTER WINS NATIONAL AWARD The student chapter of Material Advantage at Rensselaer has won the 2012/2013 Chapter of Excellence award. This L to R: Robert Hull, Fenglin Yuan, Ruopeng Deng, David Duquette, & Ganpati Ramanath award was presented by ASM International at the MS&T conference held October 27-31, 2013 in Montreal, Canada. The recipients of the 2013 MS&E Research Excellence award were The Chapters of Excellence Program rewards and recognizes Ruopeng Deng, entering class of 2009 (advised by Daniel Gall) Material Advantage Student Chapters for consistently good and Fenglin Yuan, entering class of 2008 (advised by Liping performance in areas that ACerS, AIST, ASM and TMS feel are Huang). The award is to recognize MSE graduate students for beneficial to students and the community as a whole. their outstanding research accomplishments as evidenced by a submitted or published journal article in the previous year. On April 24th, Ruopeng presented work on “Crystal Structure and Bandgap in Al ScN” and Fenglin presented work on 1-x x “Understanding the Dynamic Disorder in ß-cristobalite Silica”. 4 Rensselaer Department of Materials Science and Engineering UNDERGRAD MING MA WINS SPOTLIGHT $30,000 LEMELSON-RENSSELEAR COLLEGIATE STUDENT PRIZE Senior Ben Reeves is currently working on an Undergraduate Research Project (URP) with Professor Dan Lewis, studying the structure and phase transformations in Sn-based alloys. The need is to improve the as-solidified microstructure in solder joints during assembly of microelectronic devices. Because of high under-cooling prior to Ma’s patent-pending technology, called nucleation of the solid phase in GRIN (graded-refractive-index) LEDs, has Sn metal, it is possible to generate demonstrated a light-extraction efficiency microstructures that exhibit of 70 percent, meaning 70 percent of light suboptimal performance. Ben and escaped and only 30 percent was left trapped Professor Lewis recently performed inside the device. experiments at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source. There they performed in- ,. situ experiments to understand 27 the liquid structure of Sn near the solidification temperature. rpi.edu/lemelson The hypothesis was that small additions of alloying elements changed the structure of the liquid Sn in such a way as to promote nucleation and reduce the nucleation under-cooling. Data analysis is ongoing. These results will be coupled with thermal and microstructural analysis to better understand solidification and mechanical behavior in microelectronic devices. Ming Ma, an MSE doctoral student, was named the winner of the prestigious 2013 $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize. The prize is awarded annually to a Rensselaer senior or graduate student who has created or improved a product or process, applied a technology in a new way, redesigned a system, or demonstrated remarkable inventiveness in other ways. Ming’s thesis focused on improving the efficiency of LEDs and introducing new functionalities such as controllable light emission patterns. Both are critical to widespread adoption of LEDs. In order to improve the efficiency, Ma created GRIN (graded-refractive-index) LEDs. GRIN LEDs are LEDs with well-structured features on the surface to minimize the amount of light that gets reflected back into the device, and maximize light extraction. He patterned the surface with tiny pillars made up of five layers with decreasing index of refraction to reduce internal refraction and to maximize light extraction. The cross section of the pillars was varied from round to star shaped to tailor the forward light distribution. Overall, Ma’s innovation could lead to entirely new methods for manufacturing LEDs with increased light output, greater efficiency, and more controllable properties than the LEDs currently available in the marketplace. Ma’s research advisor was Professor Fred E. Schubert and his academic advisor was A diffraction image generated using hard Professor Linda Schadler. x-rays at the Advanced Photon Source. 5 mse.rpi.edu NEW PROGRAMS MSE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS INTRODUCES This past January, our Our undergraduate students department hosted a receive rigorous training in curriculum retreat. Many of many advanced mathematics our Curriculum Advisory courses, including Calculus I Board members (the Board is and II, Differential Equations, comprised of: Peter Brofman and Modeling and Analysis from IBM, Richard Bergman of Uncertainty. Building on from Corning, Sarah Lewis this foundation, we will make KARLY CHESTER from Momentive, and Vin significant changes to the CHOSEN AS AN Smentkowski from GE) curriculum to incorporate ASM INTERNATIONAL STUDENT traveled to Troy and joined our Computational Materials faculty for a thorough review of Science, including: (1) BOARD MEMBER our undergraduate curriculum. Launching a new senior The review has led to a major course, MTLE 4500 decision that all faculty and “Computational Materials Karly N. Chester has been selected to serve as one of three board members strongly Design”; (2) Starting a trial run Student Board Members of ASM International’s Board of endorse, which is to introduce of a sophomore course, MTLE Trustees for a one-year term effective June 2013. Students computational materials 2200 “Applied Mathematics are chosen from a large number of applications. science into our required in Materials Science and undergraduate curriculum. Engineering”; (3) Introducing Karly is the first student board member from Rensselaer. computational tools to the ASM International Student Board Members (SBM) provide Computational Materials senior course, MTLE 4400 a voice for students on the board. The objective of the Science is a rapidly-growing “Materials Syntheses and student members is to ensure that student interests are field and is attracting Processing”; (4) Introducing or being represented and that ASM International is effective at increasing interest. This new enhancing the computational recruiting and maintaining student membership. area is promising to transform component in other core traditional materials design materials courses wherever SBMs participate in three board meetings a year, as well as practices, and to significantly applicable. These new conference calls and the annual strategic planning session. accelerate the creation of elements in the curriculum They can also serve on ASM committees. The SBM choose new materials while reducing will further develop students’ a project as a group that helps ASM. Recent projects have the cost. For example, the analytical and numerical skills, focused on the student presence on the ASM web site and a Materials Genome Initiative, and offer them an opportunity student forum. established by President to learn and appreciate the Obama’s administration, applications of computational Karly is expected to graduate with a M.S. in May 2014 emphasizes developing methods in materials in technology, commercialization, and entrepreneurship, advanced computational engineering. They will not a program that combines materials science, product tools and using these tools only acquire computational development, and patent law. She received a B.S. to accelerate the discovery materials skills, but will also in materials engineering and a B.S. in business and and deployment of advanced further develop mind sets management in May 2013. She participated in two materials via virtual materials that embrace creativity, rigor, undergraduate research projects in polymer nanocomposites testing. Recognizing the and vision. Some students and helped develop the laboratory section for the senior importance of computational will join the computational materials processing course. For her master’s project she is design and prediction, many materials design workforce working on nano dielectric materials. Karly is a member of materials and manufacturing after graduation, while others the RPI Women’s Mentor Program, immediate past companies are increasing the can apply the kind of thinking co-chair of the RPI Material Advantage Chapter, and number of computational involved in computational vice president of the RPI Society of Plastics Engineers materials engineering materials to solve important Student Chapter. positions. problems in other fields. 6 Rensselaer Department of Materials Science and Engineering NEW RENSSELAER MSE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOW PROGRAM Our department is starting an exciting Two Fellows will be selected each All MSE Undergraduate Research Fellows new program beginning in the Spring semester based on academic record, work will participate in the Rensselaer Annual 2014 semester; the MSE Undergraduate ethic, time commitment, and potential Undergraduate Research Symposium. Research Fellow Program. This for excellent research. Selected Fellows competitive program will celebrate will also participate in the Institute- Our department will also support the most accomplished of our many wide Undergraduate Research Program Fellows who have obtained significant undergraduates who participate in (URP), and can choose to receive course research results to attend national research experiences within the credits, receive pay for their research, conferences and participate in student department, providing additional funds or participate solely for the experience. research competitions. This program for research under the guidance of their Each award recipient will receive a offers a valuable opportunity for talented chosen faculty supervisor. fellowship of $500, held in a department materials engineering undergraduates funding account, that can used towards to be recognized for their enthusiasm Any student in their sophomore or junior any reasonable research expense, such for scientific exploration, and for their year will be eligible for nomination. as registration and travel expense for ability to analyze and solve complex Faculty may nominate undergraduate attending a conference, buying books problems. The program also enhances students who have performed research related to materials engineering, ordering the competitiveness and visibility of our under their supervision for at least one materials supplies for their projects, and department. In fact, it will help us attract semester (summer research also qualifies) other qualified expenses. After completing top students to our department, and at the time of nomination, and who will two semesters of research, each Fellow can outstanding Fellow graduates will go continue work in the faculty member’s explore (with his/her faculty supervisor) on to become leaders in materials science laboratory for at least two semesters after continued doing research in the same lab. and engineering. the award is made. YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM We ask you to help us make this program successful by enabling us to make as many awards as the enthusiasm and creativity of undergraduate researchers warrants (see back page). You can also make a gift towards the undergraduate research fellowship by clicking the “support” link at mse.rpi.edu or directly contacting us at [email protected]. Thank you for participating in this important effort! 7 mse.rpi.edu NEW ELECTRON AND ION ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING MICROSCOPE Our new Electron and Ion low as a few tens of eV using and additive (using ion Environmental Scanning sample biasing. This set of beam induced deposition) Microscope (FEI Versa) has capabilities enables ultra-high lithography. arrived and been installed. The resolution imaging across the microscope adds impressive full spectrum of materials. Finally, the “Environmental” capabilities to our Nanoscale part in the instrument’s title Characterization Core. The “Ion” part means that an means we can operate the ultra-high resolution (c. 7 nm microscope under conditions The “Electron” part means spot size) Ga+ focused ion of temperature and pressure that we have a state-of-the-art beam (FIB) is also integrated where liquid water can be scanning electron microscope into the instrument. This maintained while imaging. capable of resolution of enables extension of the This is significant in multiple about 1 nm at higher incident imaging capabilities of the applications, but most electron energies (20 – 30 instrument to three dimensions importantly for imaging of keV), resolution of a few nm using FIB tomographic biological samples, which can down to energies less than methods as well as other key remain in a hydrated state. 1 keV, and incident electron capabilities such as nanoscale energies which can be as subtractive (via sputtering) The new instrument will support research activities across the entire Institute. We are most grateful to Two specific applications in MSE include: our alumnus, George 1 [Robert Hull and Dan Lewis in MSE with . Extending a new electron beam based Pearsall, whose support Antoinette Maniatty in the Department temperature measurement technique was critical in enabling of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear developed in our department (Wu and Hull, the ion beam component Engineering (MANE) and John Wen in the Nanotechnology, 23, 465707) to 10 nm Departments of Electrical, Computer, and of the instrument. scale resolution. System Engineering (ECSE) and Industrial 2 and Systems Engineering (ISE)] focusing on . Serving as a key capability for a new major real time sensing, simulation and control of NSF Materials Genome Initiative program grain growth in metals. ALUMNI NEWS Two alumni were elected to the National Academy of Engineers (NAE). Members are elected to NAE membership by their peers (current NAE members). Election to membership is one of the highest professional honors accorded an engineer. Dr. Peter L. Andresen ’79 - for prediction and prevention of stress corrosion cracking in nuclear materials. Dr. Andresen is a Principal Scientist at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY and his research focuses on the very slow growth of cracks in the hot water environments Dr. Rutvik Mehta ’11 was one of the recipients of The Business common to energy systems. Review’s 40 under Forty. Dr. Mehta is the president, CEO and co- founder of startup ThermoAura Inc. based in Troy, NY. Dr. John E. Kelly III ’78 - for contributions to the U.S. semiconductor industry through Each year 40 Under Forty recognizes the Albany area’s young technology innovations and strategic business leaders. ThermoAura Inc utilizes nanotechnology and leadership. Dr. Kelly is the Senior Vice thermoelectrics to confront global environmental challenges and President and Director of Research at IBM. meet global energy needs. 8 Rensselaer Department of Materials Science and Engineering FACULTY ANNOUNCEMENTS Liping Huang Ganpati Ramanath Pawel Keblinski Linda Schadler Richard Siegel Liping Huang - Winner Ganpati Ramanath - Has Pawel Keblinski and Linda Schadler and Richard Siegel - of the 2013 Alfred been named the John Ganpati Ramanath - Richard Siegel - The Winner of the School of H. Geisler Memorial Tod Horton ‘52 Professor Winners of the School Molecularium® Project, Engineering Outstanding Award, for “Outstanding in Engineering, and a of Engineering Team NanoSpace received a Professor Award for 2013. Contributions Fellow of the American Award for 2013 with “2013 Best of the Web” to Fundamental Vacuum Society. He has co-researcher Theodorian award from the Center Understanding of the also received the Friedrich Borca-Tasciuc of the for Digital Education, in Structure and Properties Wilhem Bessel Research Mechanical, Aerospace, the category of Higher of Amorphous Materials”. Prize, Alexander von and Nuclear Engineering Education Website. The Geisler Award Humboldt Foundation Department. recognizes an outstanding and the Brahm Prakash young materials engineer Visiting Professorship, in from the Eastern NY ASM the Materials Engineering The Molecularium® Chapter. She is also a Department, Indian Project unveiled recipient of an NSF Early Institute of Science, NanoSpace®, an CAREER Award. Bangalore, India online “molecular theme park”, winning a “2013 Best of the Web” award. SPOTLIGHT ON NANCY BEATTY Nancy (Fowler) Beatty has been the face of our shone through. Invariably described as outgoing, helpful, department since 1980. Whether you are an alumnus and knowledgeable, Nancy has earned many promotions or a current student, you likely experienced her big and currently holds the title of Administrative Specialist. smile and a cheery welcome as you entered the Department. Nancy’s commitment not only to the department but also She has helped hundreds of students negotiate the RPI system the Institute can clearly be seen in her regular assistance with and provided helpful advice to students in topics ranging from Convocation, Commencement, and numerous other campus choice of courses, to choice of wedding venues. events. In fact, over the years she has missed only a handful of Commencements - one of which was to join the audience of Nancy began her career at Rensselaer as one of the department proud parents as her daughter Kristin received her bachelor’s secretaries. It is hard to imagine this, but as part of this job degree in Communications. she typed class notes, exams, and reports using an electric typewriter, often having to change the print wheel several This year, Nancy began helping out in the new School of times to accommodate the many symbols we now take for Engineering Student Services HUB (The HUB). With this new granted using typical word processing software. role, her fantastic people skills, and high energy hospitality will impact many first and second year students across the school It wasn’t long though before she began working with of engineering. This year, we celebrate her many contributions Professor John “Doc” Hudson in his capacity as the Graduate and thank her for all she has done for so many of us. Program Director, where her devotion and care for students 9 mse.rpi.edu 40 NEW FACULTY CHAITANYA ULLAL YEARS OF PROFESSOR ROGER WRIGHT SERVICE TO RETIRE In August 2013, the Department Professor Roger Wright will be welcomed its latest faculty retiring in June 2014 after 40 member, Assistant Professor years of service at Rensselaer. Chaitanya Ullal. His commitment to education, to Rensselaer, and the students Dr. Ullal received his Ph.D. has been an invaluable asset in Materials Science and to the Department. His service Engineering in 2005 at has included two stints as Massachusetts Institute of acting Department chairman, Technology (MIT), in the 11 years as director of the polymer research group of High Temperature Technology Professor Ned Thomas, and Program, and an active role in then spent seven years as a the faculty senate. His ability Postdoctoral Associate in to put the students first and Göttingen at the Max Planck to always have time to talk to Institute for Biophysical students was an example to us Chemistry with Dr. Stefan Hell in the Department of all. We wish him well on the NanoBiophotonics. next phase of his journey! Dr. Ullal, who received his BTech in Metallurgical Engineering Professor Wright received his BS in 1965 and his ScD in 1969, and Materials Science in 1999 at the Indian Institute of both from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After earning Technology in Bombay, has also held visiting research his degrees, he worked in industry for Allegheny Ludlum appointments at Bell Laboratories while a graduate student Research Center and Westinghouse Research Laboratories before at MIT and in the Department of Electrical and Computer joining Rensselaer in 1974. Engineering at the University of Utah, between Göttingen and Troy. During his career at Rensselaer, Roger taught more than 170 His research focuses on innovative new methods for the courses and ~4,900 students in the classroom and supervised fabrication and characterization of three-dimensionally over 45 masters theses and 15 Ph.D. student theses. He is also the engineered nanostructures, which are of immediate relevance author of 9 patents, 1 book, over 200 publications and another to the creation of new optical structures of importance in 200 presentations. He is a Fellow of ASM International and the Rensselaer’s NSF Smart Lighting ERC. They also have great Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is a four-time winner potential for new biomaterials and for advanced materials for of the Wire Association International Yokelson Medal and was energy storage and generation, thus supporting research areas that awarded the Mordica Memorial and Schneider Memorial Awards are critical to the missions of our Department and the Institute. for outstanding contributions for the development of the world- wide wire industry. In his Ph.D. research at MIT, Chaitanya focused on developing new 3D polymer structures for engineering the interaction of He has also been active in the community and served on the optical and elastic waves, which is fundamental to the fields of Shenendehowa Central School District board for many years. photonics and phononics. In his postdoctoral work in Germany, His love for music lead to him singing in several Glimmerglasss he extended his intellectual reach into two new directions, the Opera productions, and with Albany Pro Musica, as well as field of self-assembling materials and the invention of new 3D playing with the High Society big band. optical imaging techniques that offer unprecedented special resolution with important potential applications across a broad Upon retirement, Professor Wright and his wife Patricia will be spectrum of biological and materials fields. returning to his hometown of Lawrenceville, Illinois. Beyond his strong research activities, Chaitanya is also highly committed to the education and mentoring of young people. He serves on the Board of Directors of Iridescent, a non-profit science education start-up in Los Angeles through which he has demonstrated an on-going deep commitment to their mission of inspiring girls and minority students to pursue STEM careers. Welcome Professor Ullal! 10 Rensselaer Department of Materials Science and Engineering