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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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New PhD Program at Norfolk State
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Real-time Calculations of Non-linear Optical Properties of Photonic Molecules
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Newsletter Improvements
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UW Grad Offers Advice on Making It in Industry
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A Few Moments With...
Seth Marder
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Upcoming Events
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January/February 2006
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New PhD Program in Materials Science and Engineering:
CMDITR Partners with Norfolk State University
by Dr. Suely Black
Over the past year the CMDITR has been involved in a unique partnership with Norfolk State University (NSU). In addition to running a collaborative undergraduate research program in the summer of 2005, the CMDITR Education Team and select faculty have been working with Drs. Carl Bonner, Suely Black and Sam Sun to develop and implement a Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering at NSU. Pending approval by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the fruits of this partnership should be apparent by the fall of 2006 when the first class of students enter the program.
The proposed doctoral program is a natural extension of the research and educational successes of NSU's Center for Materials Research (CMR), which has recently expanded its capabilities by partnering with Research I institutions, national laboratories, and the private sector. Moreover, NSU's twelve-year-old M.S. in Materials Science program has already proven successful in helping physical science students develop the necessary skills for tackling problems in this interdisciplinary field.The mission of the Ph.D. program is to provide a quality graduate education, equipping students with analytical skills, sound research experiences, and solid training in areas crucial to the development of new optoelectronic, photonic, and quantum-based materials and devices. It will emulate the existing M.S. program to take advantage of NSU's unique position in attracting and preparing minorities to impact innovation at the cutting edge of materials science and engineering.
Persons holding B.S. or M.S. degrees in electrical, chemical, or optical engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science or related disciplines will be eligible for admission. The technical core courses establish baseline knowledge that will provide students with a fundamental understanding of their new discipline, building on their diverse academic backgrounds. Consequently, students can develop a new intellectual identity: those involved in the study and preparation of advanced materials.
Last November NSU submitted its preliminary proposal to establish the Ph.D. program to the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV). The approval process requires a site visit from SCHEV officials and two outside reviewers: Dr. Melissa Hines, Director of the Center for Materials Research at Cornell, and Dr. Joseph Hauss, Director of the Electro-Optics Program at University of Dayton. Since the visit is scheduled for February 22-23, Dr. Carl Bonner, acting director of the Center for Materials Research at NSU and main proposal writer, will miss part of the STC retreat.
The last phase of the approval process occurs in May, when NSU representatives will confer with the SCHEV Board to discuss the proposal. Once the program is approved, the CMDITR will sponsor a recruiting workshop at NSU. For now, we look forward to strengthening our collaboration with other CMDITR researchers and sharing more details about the proposal during the upcoming retreat.
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