Dr. Tony Huang, Assistant Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, has been selected to receive a National Institutes of Health (NIH), Director’s New Innovator Award. The NIH Director's New Innovator Award addresses two important goals: stimulating highly innovative research and supporting promising new investigators. Many new investigators have exceptionally innovative research ideas, but not the preliminary data required to fare well in the traditional NIH peer review system. As part of NIH's commitment to increasing opportunities for new scientists, it has created the NIH Director's New Innovator Award to support exceptionally creative new investigators who propose highly innovative projects that have the potential for unusually high impact. This award complements ongoing efforts by NIH and its institutes and centers to fund new investigators through R01 grants and other mechanisms. Congratulations Tony!

Dr. Patrick Drew, Assistant Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, received his B.S. from California Institute of Technology, Ph.D. from Brandeis University, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego. Patricks interests are in the development of the brain's vasculature and the relationship between neural activity and changes in blood flow. His lab uses two-photon laser-scanning microscopy, intrinsic optical imaging, as well as electrophysiology to study neural activity. From these studies, Patrick hopes to develop ways to minimize the damage to the brain from invasive procedures, such as electrode implantations and surgeries for the removal of tumors.

Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder professor, was the co-author of two papers that appeared in the lists of top-10 most cited papers of 2009.

The following paper was rated second in the list of the top-10 most cited papers published in the Journal of Modern Optics in 2009. J. Han and A. Lakhtakia, Semiconductor split-ring resonators for thermally tunable terahertz metamaterials, J. Modern Opt., 56:554-557, 2009.

The following paper was rated third in the list of the top-10 most cited papers published in the Proceedings A of the Royal Society in 2009. J. A. Polo Jr. and A. Lakhtakia, On the surface plasmon polariton wave at the planar interface of a metal and a chiral sculptured thin film, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 465:87-107, 2009.

ESM is delighted to recognize two faculty members this year, Drs. Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor; and Patrick Lanahan, Distinguished Professor, for their 25 years of service.

Dr. Cliff Lissenden, Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, traveled to Kansas City this week to present his research results to Gas Storage Technology Consortium. To learn more about Professor Lissenden, please visit his web site.

Dr. Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, along with Drew Pulsifer, graduate student, discuss their research on the connection between a fly eye and solar energy. To see the video, please visit this web site.

Dr. Tony Huang, Associate Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics has been selected as one of the “Contributors to the Emerging Investigators,” in Lap Chip’s special August issue.

Dr. Tony Huang, Assistant Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, was recently notified that an article from his group has been accepted as the front cover image in the August 2010 issue of the journal, Advanced Materials.

Dr. Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, co-authored two papers which were rated nos. 1 and 4 in the list of the top 10 most cited papers published in the International Journal in Electromagnetics during the period of 2007-09. Those papers were entitled “Surface Plasmon Resonance for Biosensing: A mini-review,” and “Electrical Control of Surface-wave Propagation at the Planar Interface of a Linear Electro-optic Material and an Isotropic Dielectric Material.”

Dr. Mark Horn, Associate Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will be presenting a paper on at the Micro and Nano Engineering conference in Genoa, Italy on September 20. Mark’s paper is entitled “Sculptured thin film nanowires photoelectrodes in dye sensitized solar cells.” To learn more about the conference, please visit their web site.