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Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was an invited speaker at the Third International Winter School on Nano and Biotechnology in Sterzing, Italy. Ghodssi's lecture, "Integration of Biomaterials in Micro/Nano Systems for Biological and Chemical Sensing," explained two types of work he leads at MSAL. Ghodssi spoke about his research using virus-nanotemplated surfaces for enhancing biochemical recognition in sensors, and in patterning electrically responsive biomaterials for biosensor functionalization, which is performed in conjunction with the Maryland Biochip Collaborative. The use of biomaterials in microfabricated sensors to enhance their sensitivity and selectivity can aid in the development of highly efficient technologies for gathering new information in the life sciences. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was an invited speaker at the Bio-Inspired Engineering International Symposium 2012 at Harvard University. Ghodssi spoke on "Biofabrication using the Tobacco mosaic virus for next-generation micro/nano devices and systems." He demonstrated how Tobacco mosaic virus particles can be integrated with microfabrication processes, and how their nanoscale architecture can advance the performance of microbatteries and microsensors. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Maryland, including Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), William Bentley (IBBR), Herman Sintim (CHEM), and Gregory Payne (BIOE/IBBR), along with Deutsch Fellow graduate students Mariana Meyer and Varnika Roy and chemistry graduate student Jacqueline Smith, are developing tools that promise powerful new ways to combat catheter-based and other infections without provoking bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The team has developed synthetic "analogs" of AI-2 called C-1 alkyl AI-2, with an ethyl version that strengthens the QS response, and a propyl version that quenches it. They have shown that their prototype drug can control QS response in a three-species synthetic ecosystem comprised of the bacteria E. coli, S. typhimurium and V. harveyi, working in the individual species and across the species. E. coli is a common source of infection in urinary catheters. The Clark School of Engineering press release, titled "Preventing Costly, Life-Threatening Catheter Infections" was featured in the The Baltimore Business Journal, PharmaLive, Market Watch, and CBS's KFMB-8 San Diego. A film crew, from NSF, spent two days on campus in December shooting footage of the researchers, students and laboratories involved in a project that harnesses the inherent properties of the Tobacco mosaic virus to build prototypes of high-power, long-lasting batteries of the future. The mini movie, which will become available in 2012, will be part of a National Science Foundation series of short, exciting videos designed to stimulate high school students. interest in science, technology and math careers. Kostantinos Gerasopoulos, Ekaterina Pomerantseva, Xiao (Mike) Fan, and Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) were all interviewed for this production. Click here for more details. Mustafa Beyaz completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in October 2011. His dissertation is titled "An Integrated Electromagnetic Micro-Turbo-Generator Supported on Encapsulated Microball Bearings." This dissertation presents the development of an integrated electromagnetic micro-turbo-generator supported on encapsulated microball bearings for electromechanical power conversion in MEMS scale. Mustafa will be working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Antalya International University in Antalya, Turkey. Click here for more details. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), Maryland NanoCenter Director Gary Rubloff (MSE/ISR), Research Associate Ekaterina Pomerantseva, and Konstantinos Gerasopoulos figure prominently in a Chemical & Engineering News story about advances in the use of the coating technology known as atomic layer deposition (ALD). Peter Dykstra completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in July 2011. His dissertation is titled "Arrayed Electrochemical Detection of Biomolecules in a Valve-Actuated Microfluidic Device." This dissertation presents the development of a unique electrochemical sensor array in a microfluidic device for high-throughput detection of both DNA hybridization and protein adsorption experiments. Peter will be working as an IP Tech Specialist at Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox in Washington, DC. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was an invited speaker at the 16th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers 11). The international conference was held June 5.9 in Bejing. Ghodssi spoke on June 8 at the 3-D Integration Session. His topic was "Microball Bearing Technology for MEMS Devices and Integrated Microsystems," research recently conducted with his Ph.D. students Mustafa Beyaz and Brendan Hanrahan. ISR and the University of Maryland's longstanding and successful relationship with researchers from the Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy, has led to a formal cementing of the partnership. A recent series of overseas exchange visits has fostered the development of two key agreements. In May 2010 a delegation from Trento visited ISR for presentations and extensive discussions with 12 different University of Maryland faculty members. This May, ISR and other University of Maryland researchers and staff paid a reciprocal visit to Trento for a technical workshop and extensive laboratory tours. The recent Maryland delegation included ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), Associate Professor Pamela Abshire (ECE/ISR), Professor Peter Kofinas (BioE), and ISR Director of External Relations Jeff Coriale. This team met with Dr. Alberto Lui of the Autonomous Province of Trento International Relations Department; Dr. Mariano Anderle, the Autonomous Province of Trento director of international relations; and Dr. Carla Locatelli, the vice rector for international studies and research at the University of Trento. For more information, please click here. Kostantinos Gerasopoulos won first place in the 2011 Dean's Ph.D. Dissertation Award Competition. Kostantinos is representing the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department and the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) in this competition and his research project is supported by the NEES-EFRC and NSF. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was one of two U.S. delegates at the 17th World Micromachine Summit during the last week of April. The event was held in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, where Centre Suisse d'Electronique et Microtechnique SA (CSEM) partnership with the UAE and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Middle East are developing new activities related to renewable energies. As part of the proceedings, Dr. Ghodssi and other delegates met with His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. The Summit was held under the Sheikh.s patronage. The discussions during the Summit, being sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), focused on the challenges of using high-end micro and nanotechnologies for renewable energies, in particular solar energy. RAKIA is a major provider of investment opportunities and solutions in its free zones, industrial parks and offshore facilities as well as in real estate developments and other ventures. The new MEMS Materials and Processes Handbook (ISBN 978-0-387-47316-1) is an exhaustive design reference for researchers searching for new materials, properties of known materials, or specific processes available for MEMS fabrication. It will be valuable for seasoned researchers and engineers as well as students and other newcomers working in MEMS and materials processing. The handbook is co-edited by Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR); and Pinyen Lin, Chief Technologist and VP of Business Development, Touch Micro-System Technology Corp. Taoyuan, Taiwan. It features 35 international contributing authors who are MEMS leaders in academic, industrial and government laboratory settings. Konstantinos Gerasopoulos is the winner of the 2011 MSE Graduate Research Award for his thesis work entitled: "Integration and Characterization of Tobacco Mosaic Virus Based Nanostructured Materials in Three-Dimensional Microbattery Architectures". Konstantinos will represent the MSE Department in the 2011 Dean's Research Awards Competition. Peter Dykstra was recognized with ECE Distinguished Dissertation Fellows for 2010-11 Honorable Mention ($1,000 award). The fellowships are awarded to outstanding students in the final stages of dissertation work in recognition of their research excellence. Young Wook Kim completed his M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in February 2011. In his thesis work, titled "An Atomic Layer Deposition Passivated Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor for Biofilm Growth Monitoring", Young presents the successful design, fabrication and testing of a reusable SAW sensor for multiple biofilm growth experiments. The sensing was also successfully performed in an animal serum tests which is critical for future implantable applications. Young is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. The virus enhanced battery project, lead by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the the University of Maryland, including Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), James Culvert (IBBR), and Chunshsheng Wang (ENCH), was featured in an article in The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper Diamondback, titled "Bettering Batteries". Sergio Baron was recognized for his work as an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) member in a recent article in the IEEE Institute. Baron is a chapter organizer for the Argentina Section and just recently formed a joint chapter of the IEEE Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits societies. ISR hosted a site visit by the National Science Foundation from Nov. 17-18. Prior to the event, ISR faculty and staff prepared a 36-page report covering the institute's scientific achievements and impact, influence as a model for academic research, strategic planning, industry collaboration and technology transfer, education program, infrastructure, and sustainability post ERC-graduation. A team of reviewers were greeted by University of Maryland Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Nariman Farvardin, and A. James Clark School of Engineering Dean Darryll Pines. Click here for more details. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) is one of the three Guest Editors for a Special Proceedings of the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (JMM) published this month. "Selected papers from the 9th International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2009)" presents papers selected from the 2009 PowerMEMS workshop held in Washington D.C., from Dec. 1-4, 2009. Ghodssi was the chairman of the event. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Maryland, including Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), James Culvert (IBBR), and Chunsheng Wang (ENCH), is harnessing and exploiting the "self-renewing" and "self-assembling" properties of viruses for a higher purpose: to build a new generation of small, powerful and highly efficient batteries and fuel cells. The Clark School of Engineering press release titled, Bad Virus Put to Good Use, was featured in the NSF e-newsletter and the UMD front page. MSAL member Peter Dykstra won the first place for the Bioengineering Category in Bioscience Day 2010 for his poster, titled "An electrochemical DNA sensor for concentration detection of the small molecule cyclic adenosine monophosphate." Please click here for more details Nathan Siwak was presented with an Advancing Science in America scholar award at a ceremony sponsored by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation on Oct. 21 at George Washington University. The ARCS Foundation provides scholarships to academically outstanding students pursuing degrees in science, medicine and engineering. Scholars are selected by representatives of the 52 U.S. academic institutions that the foundation supports, based on strict criteria and recommendations from departmental advisers and faculty. The awards are sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS Foundation. Please click here for more details. The first comprehensive review article, titled "Chitosan: an integrative biomaterial for lab-on-a-chip devices" demonstrates the importance of using chitosan material in MEMS and Microsystems devices has been published. The work reviewed in the article covers some of the significant contributions by many talented and bright graduate students and postdoctoral associates in our BioChip Collaborative group over the years. MSAL member Konstantinos Gerasopoulos, won the Best Poster award at the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Micro/Nano Alliance Symposium held at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Gerasopoulos's poster, titled "Nanostructured materials and fabrication processes for advanced nanomanufacturing using biological scaffolds," was overwhelmingly selected for the honor from more than 25 entries. Please click here for more details. The MERIT-BIEN award for Best Written Report went to Aaron Cheng of George Washington University for his project, titled "Optimizing Bacterial Adhesion to a Microfluidic Platform for Monitoring Bacterial Biofilm Growth." The faculty advisor for the project was Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), with co-advisors Peter Dykstra and Mariana Meyer. The Fear the Turtle team composed of Mid Atlantic Micro Nano Alliance members (Sarah Bergbreiter,Ann Darrin,Don Devoe, Michael Gaiten, Reza Ghodssi, Robert Osiander, Joe Schmid, Elizabeth Smela, and Sam Stavis) won the HH2010 MicroFeud at Transducers. The thirteenth in the series of Hilton Head Workshops on the science and technology of solid-state sensors, actuators, and microsystems was held on June 6-10, 2010. Previous Workshops have provided a highly interactive forum for North, Central and South American researchers to present and discuss recent advances in microfabrication technologies for sensing and actuation devices and microsystems for physical, chemical, and biological applications. The inside front cover of Lab on a Chip, issue 9, 2010, features work done at the University of Maryland by The Maryland BioChip Collaborative Team titled "Biological nanofactories facilitate spatially selective capture and manipulation of quorum sensing bacteria in a bioMEMS device". Michael Khbeis completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in May 2010. His dissertation is titled "Development of a Simplified, Mass Producible Hybridized Ambient, Low Frequency, Low Intensity Vibration Energy Scavenger (HALF-LIVES)." This dissertation presents the development of a mass producible hybrid energy scavenger system that employs both piezoelectric and electrostatic transduction on a common MEMS device. Michael is currently working as a Design/Process Engineer in the Microelectronics Integration Program at the Laboratory for Physical Sciences in College Park, Maryland. MSAL member Mustafa Beyaz was awarded second place in the 2010 Dean's Doctoral Student Research Award Competition. He was recognized for his research, titled "A MEMS Microgenerator for Small-Scale Power Conversion." Details on the the award can be found here. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) will be participating in the inaugural European Union-U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium (EU-US FOE) September 1st through the 3rd in Cambridge, U.K. The symposium is organized by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the European Council of Applied Sciences and Engineering. Dr. Ghodssi is one of only 60 engineers invited to participate from EU and US industry, university and government labs. The four topics that will be covered during the symposium include signal processing, bio-inspired engineering, augmented reality, and materials ecology. For the complete write-up of this story, please click here. Mustafa Beyaz was named one of five ECE Ph.D Distinguised Dissertation Fellows. The fellowships are awarded to outstanding students in the final stages of dissertation work in recognition of their research excellence. Details on the the award can be found here. The Future Faculty program, administered through the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, has selected MSAL member Konstantinos Gerosopoulos as part of their latest class, joining labmate Mustafa Beyaz, who was selected last year. MSAL member Konstantinos Gerasopoulos was a featured speaker in the Micro/Nano Seminar Series at MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering March 3, 2010. His seminar, entitled "Nanostructured Materials Using the Tobacco Mosaic Virus: Applications in Batch Nanomanufacturing and Electrochemical Energy Storage," was very well attended and enthusiastically received. An article highlighting this talk can be found by clicking here. A March 2010 article in Highlights in Chemical Technology features work done at the University of Maryland by Dr. William Bentley on the development of nanofactories for monitoring bacteria communication. Much of the device design and basic design of these systems has been developed in collaboration with MSAL. The article can be found here. Professor and ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) is one of three guest editors of the "Special Proceeding" March 2010 issue of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. The issue focuses on energy harvesting from ambient energy resources. This field is emerging as a potential solution to conventional oil and gas resources and is especially suited for powering low-power electronic devices. The ECE News piece is available here. MSAL, in conjunction with the Army Research Lab, is currently developing an exciting microturbine technology, which is featured in the Winter 2009 edition of the publication Micromanufacturing. The article, written by Dennis Spaeth, chronicles the history of these microturbines from their conception at MIT in 1995, to their current form, able to reach 95,000 RPMs. The article extensively quotes Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) and gives excellent insight into this exciting technology. The article, in its entirety, can be found here. More than 180 international attendees of the 9th International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2009) visited six Clark School labs on December 3 as a featured activity of their annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The PowerMEMS 2009 conference was chaired by ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR). Photos of the lab tours are available here. Nathan Siwak was honored with 2009 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Fellowships at a U.S. Supreme Court reception on October 8, 2009. ARCS fellowships are sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation, Inc. ARCS provides science, medicine and engineering scholarships to outstanding students who are U.S. citizens, contributing to the advancement of science and technology. Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was appointed the new director of the Institute for Systems Research (ISR), effective October 1, 2009, for a five-year renewable term. ISR is a vital and highly productive unit of the Clark School and the University of Maryland. ISR works closely with industry to deliver one of the foremost cross-disciplinary research and education programs in the nation. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) was promoted to the rank of Professor by University of Maryland President C. D. Mote. This promotion will be effective July 1, 2009. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) is the organizing committee chair for the 9th International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2009). The conference will be held December 1-4, 2009 at the American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Md. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) as featured in a cover story in the April 2009 issue of Mechanical Engineering magazine. The piece focuses on Ghodssi's research on microscale ball bearings for use in micromachines and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices. Nathan Siwak has won a 2009 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Fellowship. The award is sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS Foundation, Inc. A paper by Konstantinos Gerasopoulos, Matthew McCarthy, Elizabeth Royston, James N. Culver and Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) has been selected to be part of "Highlights of 2008" by the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (JMM). Mustafa Ilker Beyaz was selected as one of the six graduate students from the ECE to participate in the Clark School's Future Faculty Program. Xiao Zhu Fan completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in February 2009. In his thesis work, titled "Enhancement of an Indium Phosphide Resonator Sensor Microsystems through the Development of an Adaptive Feedback Circuit and Electrospray Deposition," Xiao presents the successful development of a feedback circuit for autonomous operation of a resonator and an alternative thin-film deposition method for MEMS post-processing applications. These two developments will enhance the functionality and sensitivity of a resonator sensor microsystem. Xiao is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. Stephan Koev won a university-wide graduate student research contest and is featured in the February 2009 issue of Research@Maryland. Stephan Koev won the Best Student Poster Award at the 2008 MEMS Alliance Symposium that was held in the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) on Monday November 24th. Stephan's work was well received and highly acknowledged by colleagues in the field. Peter Dykstra completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in October 2008. In his thesis work, titled "An Optical MEMS Sensor for On-Chip Catechol Detection," Peter presents the successful design, fabrication and testing of an optical MEMS sensor for the detection of the toxic phenol, catechol. By using optical detection methods, the device does not suffer from many of the problems which plague conventional electrochemical based sensors. Peter is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. In situ probing of a nanocantilever with a micromanipulator, developed by MSAL researchers, was referenced and show cased in the FEI's worldwide cataolog on Nano Research under the section "In Situ Nano Processes". This process gives valuable insight into microarrays being developed for use in spectrometers for space missions. Microball bearing technology developed at MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab enabled the researchers to realize robust micromachines for a variety of applications including positioning, fuel delivery, and power generation. An electrostatic micropump based on this technology is expected to be used as an integral part of a microscale liquid-fuel power generation system. The successful development of these devices will lead directly to the realization of small-scale power generators and high-performance directional sensors systems. The news media picked up on the story through a Clark School of Engineering press release—view the story and media links here. Mustafa Ilker Beyaz completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in August 2008. In his thesis work, titled "Closed-Loop Control of a Micropositioner Using Integrated Photodiode Sensors," Mustafa presents the integration of metal-semiconductor-metal photodiodes into a linear electrostatic micromotor for position sensing. Through the implementation of a feedback system, he was able to demonstrate accurate position control at high actuation speeds that is desired for micropositioning applications. Mustafa is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. Konstantinos Gerasopoulos completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in August 2008. His thesis, entitled "Nanostructured nickel-zinc microbatteries using the Tobacco mosaic virus", reports the development of the first MEMS-based microbattery device utilizing a virus-structured cathode electrode. The devices exhibited a six-fold increase in capacity compared to planar geometries, as a result of increased surface area. Konstantinos is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree in MSE at UMD. Lance Mosher completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in September 2008. In his thesis work, titled "Double-Exposure Gray-Scale Photolithography," Lance presents the development of an improved three-dimensional micromachining technology that facilitates fabrication of MEMS structures with an increased vertical precision. Lance is currently working as a Electronics Engineer at the Lockheed Martin Company in Newtown, PA. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) has been selected as chair for the Microfabrication, Integration and Packaging Conference at the 2009 DTIP symposium to be held April 1-3, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The Microfabrication, Integration and Packaging Conference will bring together researchers, engineers and practitioners involved in the development of integration technologies and packaging for MEMS and MOEMS. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) has been named an associate editor for the IEEE/ASME Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (JMEMS). JMEMS is considered to be the premier publication in the worldwide MEMS community. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) and Professor Gary Rubloff (ECE/ISR/MSE) are two of the inventors named on U.S. Patent 7,375,404, "Fabrication and integration of Polymeric bioMEMS." Other inventors listed include Jung Jin Park, Mark Kastantin, Sheng Li, Li-Qun Wu, Hyunmin Yi and Theresa Valendine. The patent is jointly assigned to the University of Maryland and the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in Baltimore. Stephan Koev is the recipient of the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) 2008 George Harhalakis Outstanding Systems Engineering Graduate Student Award on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. He was nominated by his faculty advisor Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR). Christopher Michael Waits completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in May 2008. His dissertation is titled "Microtrurbopump Utilizing Microball Bearings." This dissertation presents the development of a microfabricated turbopump capable of delivering fuel with the flow rates and pressures required for portable power generation. The device is composed of a spiral-groove viscous pump that is driven by a radial in-flow air turbine and supported using a novel encapsulated microball bearing. Christorpher is currently working as a Research Engineer in the Power MEMS group at the US Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi has been appointed Herbert Rabin Distinguished Professor in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. The four-year appointment, effective July 1, 2008, recognizes his sustained and influential scientific and scholarly work. The professorship will provide discretionary funds to further support Dr. Ghodssi's research and educational programs. Biofabrication with Chitosan is one of the most-accessed articles published in Biomacromolecules in 2007. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) has been named as an associate editor for the Journal of Biomedical Microdevices, effective May 1, 2008. Peter Dykstra was selected as an "Honorable Mention" for the 2008 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Stephan Koev is the recipient of the ECE Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship ($5000!) this year. The fellowship is intended to recognize the outstanding work a graduate student has done towards his/her dissertation. Stephan's award recognizes his research entitled "Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Microsystem for Monitoring Bacterial Quorum Sensing." Jonathan McGee completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in February 2008. In his thesis work, titled "Monolithic In-Plane Tunable Optical Filter," Jonathan presents the development of a microfabricated optical filter capable of shifting a narrow band merely by the application of voltage. The device is composed of a Fabry-Perot interferometer that is electrostatically actuated to adjust the cavity length. Jonathan is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. ECE MSAL alumnus Wen-Hsien Chuang, Ph.D. '05, has received an Intel Achievement Award (IAA), the greatest honor an employee can achieve at Intel. The IAA awards recognize the very finest individual or team accomplishments at Intel Corporation. Wen-Hsien received the award as part of the Technology and Manufacturing Group, whose team members were recognized for the development of innovative silicon diagnostic solutions. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) will be one of the plenary speakers at the 2008 Symposium on Design, Test, Integration, Packaging of MEMS/MOEMS in Nice, France in April. The goal of the symposium is to provide a forum for interdisciplinary discussions involving design, modeling, testing, micromachining, microfabrication, integration and packaging of microstructures, devices and systems. Dr. Ghodssi will speak on the subject of "Integrative MEMS/NEMS Technology for Micro and Nano Systems," presenting an overview of the process technologies developed at MSAL. Nathan Siwak completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in October 2007. In his thesis work, titled "Indium Phosphide MEMS Cantilever Waveguides for Chemical Sensing with Integrated Optical Readout," Nathan presents the demonstration of the first working InP cantilever waveguide sensor through detecting IPA vapor absorption into thin films. In addition to this he was able to integrate on-chip photodiodes into the structures. Nathan is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. UMD press release on September 18, 2007, entitled: "U of MD Researchers to Develop Device to Revolutionize Drug Research," generated over 60 media hits including Washington/Baltimore Business Journals, a number of biomedical-related industry newsletters such as the prestigious "Chemical and Engineering News Magazine," and many web sites. Notable publication web sites that picked up the story included Forbes and the Houston Chronicle. Alireza Modafe completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in September 2007. His dissertation is titled "Benzocyclobutene-Based Electric Micromachines Supported on Microball Bearings: Design, Fabrication, and Characterization." As a part of his dissertation, Alireza developed the first linear micromotor supported on microball bearings. This micromotor uses layers of benzocyclobutene (BCB) low-k polymers for insulation and passivation. Alireza is currently working as a Product Engineer at Micron Technology, Inc., in Manassas, Virginia. Nima Ghalichechian completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in July 2007. Nima's dissertation is titled "Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of a Rotary Variable-Capacitance Micromotor Supported on Microball Bearings." As a part of his dissertation, Nima developed the first rotary micromotor supported on microball bearings. Nima will start a new position at the FormFactor Inc. in October 2007. Stephan Koev is one of the recipients of the 2007 American Vacuum Society's (AVS) Graduate Research Award , a prestigious prize that draws nationwide competition each year. Approximately ten awards are given annually. The AVS award will be presented at the AVS 54th International Symposium in Seattle this October. Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE /ISR /NanoCenter) is among 100 of the nation's outstanding young engineers invited to attend the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) 2007 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium in Redmond, Wa., September 23-26, 2007. NAE's U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium is a three-day meeting that brings together 100 of the nation's outstanding young engineers (aged 30-45) from industry, academia, and government to discuss pioneering technical and leading-edge research in a variety of engineering fields. Ghodssi was nominated by University of Maryland President C.D. (Dan) Mote to participate in the NAE Frontiers Symposium. Nima Ghalichechian is the recipient of the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) 2007 George Harhalakis Outstanding Systems Engineering Graduate Student Award on Thursday, May 10, 2007. He was nominated by his faculty advisor Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR/NanoCenter). Nima Ghalichechian was awarded the best student speaker for the Fall 2006 semester on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. ECE Department Chair Dr. Patrick O.Shea, Prof. K. J. Ray Liu and Director of Graduate, Academic, and Student affairs presented the award. Co-authors Nathan Siwak and Xiao Zhu Fan shared the first prize at the third annual IEEE Lasers & Electro-Optics Society (LEOS) Baltimore and Washington Northern Virginia Graduate Student Poster Competition. Their poster, titled "Chemical Sensor Utilizing Indium Phosphide Cantilevers and Pentacene as an Absorbing Layer," won the award on April 25, 2007 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. The Institute of Physics (IOP) has recently selected one of MSAL's publications, "End-coupled Optical Waveguide MEMS Devices in the Indium Phosphide Material System," for inclusion in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (JMM) 2006 highlights. To be selected for the year end highlights, an article has to be both praised by the international panel of referees and rank amongst the top most downloaded papers from the website. Brian Morgan's research, "Aligning Optical Fibers by Means of Actuated MEMS Wedges," was featured in the January 2007 issue of NASA Tech Briefs/Photonic Tech Briefs. "Chitosan Nanosensor Detects Dangerous Substances" is a featured story on the cover of ISR's Spring 2007 newsletter about the biosensing research program at MSAl. Key researchers associated with the program include Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), Maryland NanoCenter Director and former ISR Director Gary Rubloff (MSE/ISR), Fischell Department of Bioengineering Chair Bill Bentley, and Greg Payne from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI). MSAL graduate students Nathan Siwak, Stephan Koev, Jonathan McGee and Xiao Zhu Fan, are helping to develop the nanoscale system on a chip. This project is supported by the LPS nano-bio program, National Science Foundation and R.W. Deutsch Foundation. The chitosan-nanosensor research program was mentioned in President Mote's remarks to Maryland legislators in February 2007: "The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute is working with the Maryland NanoCenter to develop a nanoscale sensor system that can detect exceedingly small quantities of explosives, chemicals and other hazardous materials." Here is President Mote's complete testimony to the Maryland General Assembly. A recent paper published by MSAL in the Journal of Microelectronics and Microengineering, "End-coupled Optical Waveguide MEMS Devices in the Indium Phosphide Material System," has been recognized by the Institute of Physics (IOP) publishing for being downloaded 500 times so far. Stephan Koev completed his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in October 2006. In his thesis work titled "Microcantilever Biosensors with Chitosan for the Detection of Nucleic Acids and Dopamine," Stephan demonstrated the first working chitosan-coated microcantilever sensors. They were used for detecting DNA hybridization and the neurotransmitter dopamine. Stephan is continuing his Ph.D. degree in ECE at UMD. Baltimore's FOX 45 TV offered in-depth, "cover story" treatment of a feature on crab nano-sensor technology currently being developed at MSAL. Chitosan, a substance found in crab shells, is the key component in a nanoscale sensor system developed by Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi and students Nathan Siwak, Sephan Koev, Jonathan McGee and Mike Fan in the MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab. The sensor can detect minute quantities of explosives, bioagents, chemicals, and other dangerous materials in air and water, potentially leading to security and safety innovations for airports, hospitals, and other public locations. Watch the news segment in Windows Media Player or Real Player. Brian Morgan completed his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in August 2006. Brian's thesis focused on the development of "Electrostatic MEMS Actuators using Gray-scale Technology." This research explored the integration of 3-D silicon structures within both static and dynamic MEMS devices, including the development of electrostatic MEMS comb-drives with tailored actuation characteristics, compact tunable MEMS resonators, and a novel 2-axis optical fiber alignment system for in-package alignment to optoelectronic components. Brian starts a new position at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland in September 2006. Chitosan, a substance found in crab shells, is the key component in a nanoscale sensor system developed by researchers in the MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab. The sensor can detect minute quantities of explosives, bioagents, chemicals, and other dangerous materials in air and water, potentially leading to security and safety innovations for airports, hospitals, and other public locations. The news media picked up on the story through a Clark School of Engineering press release—view the story and media links here. ECE Ph.D. student Nima Ghalichechian is one of the recipients of the 2006 American Vacuum Society's (AVS) Graduate Research Award, a prestigious prize that draws nationwide competition each year. Nima is advised by Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR). Nima is the second student from Ghodssi's MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab to be honored with the award in four years; Ph.D. student Alireza Modafe won in 2002. He also was advised by Dr. Ghodssi—who coincidentally won this same award when he was a graduate student. MSAL activities were featured at the university's first Nanoday, a showcase of the research and facilities associated with the univerty's new Nanocenter. Pictures from this event are available from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Biological-Chemical sensing using III-V optical MEMS is one of three featured projects in the premiere issue of Maryland's Research Quarterly "Impact." Impact is a new publication intended to showcase the research endeavors from the University. A copy of the first issue can be downloaded here. A paper recently published by MSAL, "End-coupled Optical waveguide MEMS Devices in the Indium Phosphide Material System," has been selected as a featured article in the Journal of Microelectronics and Microengineering. More information from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Compound Semiconductor, a respected magazine for in-depth news and information on the compound semiconductor industry, published an article on recent developments in Compound Semiconductor MEMS. Work from the MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab's efforts to develop fully integrated biosensors is featured. Sheng Li completed his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in February 2006. Sheng's thesis focused on the "Design, Fabrication and Testing of Micronozzles for Gas Sensing Applications." This research was one of the first comprehensive experimental studies of gas separation dynamics at the micro-scale using supersonic flow. His work has provided the fundamental building blocks for multi-stage high speed pre-concentrators, a crucial component for improving the detection of toxic gas compounds to the parts-per-billion level. Sheng starts a new position at Intel Corporation in Chandler, Arizona in February 2006. The PBS Nightly Business Report aired a special on nanotechnology on Wednesday, 23 November 2005. The reporting centered on the University of Maryland, recently judged to be top in the nation by Small Times for nanotechnology research and education. Work from the MEMS Sensors and Actuators lab is featured in this segment, available online from the Maryland Center for Integrated Nano Science and Engineering. More information from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Marcel Pruessner finished his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in August 2005. Marcel's thesis was the first demonstration of "InP-based Optical Waveguide MEMS" that has proved InP as a suitable micro-opto-mechanical material for a wide variety of waveguide-based optical microsystems ranging from communications to sensing applications. His dissertation in fact has established the basic foundation for monolithic integration of passive and active optical components with MEMS actuators on a single chip using InP material. Marcel starts his new position as a National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington DC in September 2005. In a recent column, the Washington Post's tech columnist Ellen McCarthy praises the University of Maryland's leadership in nanotechnology, and emphasizes our interdisciplinary partnerships. Work from the MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab is featured. Wen-Hsien Chuang finished his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in May 2005. Wen-Hsien's thesis is one of the first studies on understanding the electromechanical properties of micro and nano scale thin film materials at cryogenic temperatures using focused ion beam (FIB). The techniques and results of his Ph.D. work are now used at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for development of MEMS devices on the James Webb Space Telescope that will be launched in 2011. Wen-Hsien starts a new position at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon in June 2005. Marcel Pruessner won the best student paper award at the 17th Indium Phosphide and Related Materials (IPRM) Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.  The paper was titled "Indium Phosphide Based MEMS End-Coupled Optical Waveguide Switches." Marcel Pruessner the best poster award at the 2005 MEMS Alliance.  The poster was titled "Indium Phosphide Based Optical Waveguide MEMS for Communications and Sensing." Brian Morgan was a finalist in the University of Maryland's 18th annual invention of the year awards, physical science category.  His work is titled "On-Chip Active Optical Fiber Alignment System using Gray-Scale Technology." Alireza Modafe and Nima Ghalichechian are the recipients of the 2004 MEMS and NEMS (MN) Technical Group Graduate Award.  The award was given to the presentation judged by the MN Technical Committee to be the best presentation among all MN student papers at the American Vacuum Society (AVS) 51st International Symposium last November in Anaheim, CA. The title of their presentation was "BCB-Based Linear Micromotor Supported on Microball Bearings: Design Concepts, Characterization, and Fabrication Development." Dr. Reza Ghodssi was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure by University of Maryland President C. D. Mote, March 2005. Brian Morgan has been awarded a 2005-2006 ARCS Scholarship. The award is sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS Foundation. His research focuses on novel three-dimensional silicon MEMS microfabrication technology. Michael Powers was a winner in the poster competition at the Maryland Bioscience Research Review Day 2004.  The poster was titled, "Toward a Biophotonic MEMS Cell Sensor."  There were 120 posters entered in the competition. Brian Morgan has been awarded a 2004-2005 ARCS Scholarship. The award is sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS Foundation. His research focuses on novel three-dimensional silicon MEMS microfabrication technology. Brian received his ARCS Scholarship from the University of Maryland Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost William W. Destler along with three other Clark School of Engineering students and 12 other winners from area universities, in a ceremony at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in October 2004. The ceremony was also attended by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Marcel Pruessner received his ARCS Scholarship in a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2003. He joined two other Clark School of Engineering students, 15 other winners from area universities, University of Maryland President Dan Mote and Clark School professors in meeting Justice Anthony Kennedy, their host for the evening. Dr. Reza Ghodssi is the recipient of the ISR Outstanding Faculty Award for 2003, which promotes cross-disciplinary research of the highest caliber. The new Engineering College Clean Room has opened in October 2003, meeting an urgent need for enhanced campus-wide fabrication capabilities. The room provides facilities to serve MEMS device fabrication as well as general micro/nano fabrication. This temporary facility is located in 0202 Energy Research Building within the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP). The steering committee includes ECE faculty John Melngailis and Reza Ghodssi, and Mechanical Engineering faculty members Don DeVoe and Elisabeth Smela. Dr. Xiaobo Tan and Michael Khbeis won one of two best poster awards at the Spring 2003 Special Topics Symposium of the MEMS Alliance on April 11, 2003. The symposium was held on campus at the Inn and Conference Center and more than 170 researchers and students attended. The students belong to Dr. Reza Ghodssi's ENEE 719F class and their poster was titled, "Microfabrication of a Pressure Sensor Array using 3D Integration Technology." Brian Morgan was selected as an "Honorable Mention" for the 2003 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Marcel Pruessner has been awarded one of three $15,000 ARCS Fellowships given by the Clark School of Engineering for the 2003-2004 academic year. Marcel's research focuses on optical switching and III-V MEMS. Benjamin Kleber has been awarded the Scholarship for Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF), for the 2002-03 academic year, by Northrop Grumman through the ISR at UMD. Cynthia Wu won the best poster award at the poster session of the Fall 2002 MEMS Alliance Workshop at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Her poster was titled "Spatially-Selective Deposition of a Reactive Polysaccharide Layer onto a Patterned Template". Bruk Berhane's project entitled "Design of a MEMS-based Capacitive Microphone" was awarded honorable mention among the 28 projects that were presented as part of the MERIT Fair held in August 2002. Bruk worked directly with Dr. Reza Ghodssi, Alireza Modafe, and Wen-Hsien Chuang at MSAL and in collaboration with Dr. Neil Goldsman from UMD and Madan Dubey from ARL. Bruk Berhane is a McNair scholar.(Summer 2002) The mission of the University of Maryland Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is to increase the number of undergraduates enrolling in graduate school to pursue doctoral degrees. The program has been specifically designed to increase the participation of under-represented groups in graduate school. Alireza Modafe has been selected to receive the American Vacuum Society's Graduate Research Award for 2002. Only one Graduate Research Award is given each year. Alireza will receive the award on November 6 at the AVS 49th International Symposium in Denver. Alireza Modafe won the best poster award at the student poster session of the Spring 2002 MEMS Alliance Workshop at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) . His poster was titled "A Power MEMS Device with Micro-Ball Bearing Support" and it was selected by the 130 attendees at the event before the award was presented in the afternoon. Yinyin Zhao, Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering , has been awarded a $1,900 grant by the Washington, D.C.-based Cosmos Club Foundation to support her research into MEMS-based Piezoelectric Microphone for Biomedical Applications. Dr. Reza Ghodssi has won a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for "InP-based MEMS for Optical Microsystems." The NSF CAREER program fosters the career development of outstanding junior faculty, combining the support of research and education of the highest quality and in the broadest sense. Mike Waits has been granted the GAANN Fellowship . Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowships are awarded to qualified U.S. applicants with excellent academic records to pursue doctoral studies. Dr. Reza Ghodssi was awarded The 2001 George Corcoran Award for "Significant Contributions to Electrical and Computer Engineering Education, in Recognition of Teaching and Leadership at the College Park Campus, Effective Contributions at the National Level, and Creative and Other Scholarly Activities Related to Electrical and Computer Engineering." Bruk Berhane, Daniel Kelly and Chuck Tsen's project entitled "Development of a MEMS-based Piezoelectric Microphone" adjudged the best among the 24 projects that were presented as part of the MERIT Fair held in August 2001. The students worked directly with Ms. Yinyin Zhao and Dr. Reza Ghodssi at MSAL in collaboration with Drs. Alma Wickenden and Madan Dubey from ARL and Dr. Neil Goldsman from UMD. Bruk Berhane is a McNair scholar. (Summer 2001) The mission of the University of Maryland Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is to increase the number of undergraduates enrolling in graduate school to pursue doctoral degrees. The program has been specifically designed to increase the participation of under-represented groups in graduate school.