Dr. Eui-Hyeok (EH) Yang, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, has been announced as a recipient of a Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant for 2011. This highly competitive award from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) will enable the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment to support ongoing research in nanotechnology and nanoscale engineering.

"This award recognizes Stevens contributions to the world of multi-scale engineering in support of government defense initiatives. We are proud and honored to see the ever-growing number of faculty distinctions within the University," says Dr. Constantin Chassapis, Department Director of Mechanical Engineering and Deputy Dean for the School of Engineering and Science.

Dr. Yang's proposal funds the purchase of a high-resolution scanning probe microscope (SPM) capable of imaging in ambient conditions to directly support the needs of current federally funded research programs. These programs are involved in the development of a diverse range of technologies, including nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and nanosensing devices based on low dimensional electronic materials including carbon nanotubes, graphene, and smart polymers. The ability to image nanoscale materials at extremely high resolutions is intrinsic to Dr. Yang's research at Stevens.

Further, this DURIP funding will significantly contribute to the overall capabilities of the Micro Device Laboratory (MDL), a multi-user facility directed by Dr. Yang. MDL hosts nanotechnology projects that will benefit from this SPM acquisition. The system will also serve as an important higher-education tool, promoting interdisciplinary collaborations and fostering a multidisciplinary research and education-intense environment among an increasing number of faculty, senior research personnel, and graduate and undergraduate students at Stevens.

Currently the Director of MDL as well as the Nanoelectronics and Nanomechatronics Laboratory, Dr. Yang has many years of experience in microscale and nanoscale technologies. He has received additional grants and contracts from AFOSR, NASA, US Army ARDEC, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), including a recent NSF Major Research Instrumentation grant for a nanoimprint lithography system.

DURIP supports university research infrastructure essential to high quality Department of Defense relevant research by providing funding for research instrumentation that is necessary to carry out cutting-edge research. It is one of several programs under the umbrella of University Research Initiatives to improve the quality of defense research conducted by universities and support the education of engineers and scientists in disciplines critical to our national defense.

Learn more about Mechanical Engineering research by visiting the Department Web site or visit Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions to apply.