Nanoscience Research Center Opens

SPECTRUM Nanoscience Research Center Opens FOR the aL umni anD frienDs of the Department of physics & astronomy no. 26 | sprin G 2014 | university of nebraska —LincoLn| anthony f. starace, eDitor from the chair ............ 4 we hear D that ............. 26 Department news ......... 6 acknowLedgments ........ 30 RESEARCH HIGhLiGHTS ... 16 obituaries ................... 32 aLumni news ............... 22 the recorD .................. 35 SPECTRUM he Nebraska Center for established in 2002 with funding from a former chair of the University of Materials and Nanoscience the National Science Foundation. Nebraska Foundation’s Board of (NCMN), directed by George Researchers previously were spread Directors and current board member. Holmes Distinguished across several buildings on campus. They donated $5 million toward the TUniversity Professor David J. Sellmyer, They will continue to maintain offices building. They cited UNL’s established SPECTRUM has been at the forefront of its field in their home departments, but now leadership in nanoscience among | | since its founding in 1988. Now UNL benefit from a shared research area factors playing into their decision, along 3 2 Transmission electron microscope scientists and engineers have state- that enhances collaboration spanning with the field’s reach into their own (TEM) in the Electron Microscopy of-the-art research facilities that will disciplines and departments. backgrounds and interests. Central Facility. enable new discoveries in one of the “This collaborative way of doing In addition to the Voelte-Keegan nation’s highest-priority research areas. research now is much, much more gift, a $7 million competitive federal The new 32,000-square-foot Voelte- powerful,” said David Sellmyer, grant from the National Institute of Keegan Nanoscience Research Center center director and an accomplished Standards and Technology (NIST), and conveniently adjoins Jorgensen Hall, nanoscientist. “It will allow us to a university commitment, funded the home of the Department of Physics better confront the grand science $14 million building. The NIST funding and Astronomy, and is across 16th and technology challenges facing our came from the American Recovery Street from the College of Engineering country. Collaboration is what’s needed and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “These complex. It provides centralized for progress in this field.” are wise investments considering the research facilities for more than 80 The new facility offers researchers new facility will position the center physics, chemistry, engineering, and access to specialized tools like a $2 to strengthen its role as an economic University of Nebraska Medical Center million high-resolution electron driver in Nebraska and beyond,” faculty, as well as several faculty microscope purchased with a grant Sellmyer said. To date, the center members from other departments, from the National Science Foundation. NCMN counts six spin-off companies colleges, and campuses. About 20 Researchers also gain high-tech research among its successes. physics faculty are members of NCMN. space, including a clean room that “This state-of-the-science facility Nanoscience Research Center Opens Nanofabrication Cleanroom Central Facility. Researchers who work at the nano eliminates dust particles. The center’s coupled with our faculty’s expertise level — where size and distance are administrative offices also are part of is a powerful combination that measured in billionths of meters — are the new building. strengthens our position as leaders in exploiting nanotechnology’s potential “Having access to such powerful nanoscience and materials research,” to revolutionize a wide range of tools and an impeccably controlled said Prem S. Paul, Vice Chancellor for products, from medicine and life-saving research space will provide new Research and Economic Development. technologies to energy and electronics. insight into nanoscale materials and “High-quality facilities are critical to Many say the most significant structures,” Sellmyer said. “Our new enhancing our capabilities and fostering discoveries are yet to come. facility creates an environment that interdisciplinary research.” UNL boasts one of the nation’s better fosters innovation and will leading nanomagnetics research help pave the way to more research Editor’s note: This article is adapted from a groups, expertise in laser-assisted breakthroughs.” UNL News Release dated 19 September 2012 nanotechnology and is home to a The building is named for UNL by Jean Ortiz Jones. prestigious Materials Research, Science College of Engineering alumnus Don and Engineering Center, which was Voelte and his wife, Nancy Keegan, FROM THE CHAIR In case you’re out of the local news unhappy to have lost the major concen- help of non-permanent Education and SPECTRUM coverage area, Nebraska has entered into tration. Students expressed interest in Outreach Staff of NCMN and MRSEC. Positive Report By External a long-term partnership as a University- some additional advanced course offer- “This is an efficient model allowing faculty Affiliated Research Center (UARC) with ings, including a mathematical methods to do outreach without compromising their the United States Strategic Command course taught by the physics depart- research activities.” As these staff lines are (USSTRATCOM). This designation of- ment, though the team realized there grant-dependent, the Team expressed SPECTRUM | Academic Program Review Team fers opportunities for sole-source funding were no existing courses that could be concern over the lack of “sustained admin- | of research in core mission areas critical eliminated “without severely harming the istrative support for (these) efforts from the 5 4 to USSTRATCOM. The acknowledged competitiveness of the program.” While college/university.” They recommended trategic planning is an ongoing pro- Condensed Matter and Materials Physics expertise in the Department of Physics we have been previously hampered by “departmental staff working with outreach cess revisited annually. We review (CMMP) through the targeted hires sup- and Astronomy proved instrumental a shortage of instructors, as we near support, possibly coupled with departmen- and revise course offerings, under- ported in part by the University’s Program of in securing the UARC. The first of two the PoE target hiring goals, we have the tal website maintenance.” The College graduate and graduate program Excellence (PoE) in each of those disciplines. “task orders” awarded through it was chance to explore new course offerings. budget is unlikely to accommodate this. requirements, and target new hires They recognized the major impact of the made to Professor Donald P. Umstadter’s This year we are piloting a theoretical Sinformed by the goals articulated in these High Energy Physics (HEP) group, belying its Diocles Extreme Light Laboratory. We methods course. plans. Every six years, as required by the Uni- more modest size. are learning how to take advantage of the Facilities versity’s Academic Planning Committee (a opportunities offered by this partnership Graduate Program: According to group responsible for formulating university AMOP: The Team praised the “high- and understanding the implications and the Review Team “the welcoming and The Review Team described our new goals and new initiatives) and the Nebraska quality expansion to nine faculty” in AMOP, constraints of working within it. collegial atmosphere in the department building as “truly spectacular.” They not- Coordinating Commission for Postsecond- noting the size and diversity of funding. and high quality faculty and facilities ed, however, that any increase in faculty ary Education (a constitutional agency guid- New efforts in high intensity, high energy make UNL attractive” to potential size would require additional space. Plans ing policies for the entire university system) density, ultra-fast lasers have brought the Teaching graduate students. Despite continu- do exist for expanding into a second floor we undergo a much more formal Academic group increased international recognition. ously growing enrollments in physics, above the new instrument shop (an option Program Review (APR). The APR includes a The Team considers the departmental hir- The Review Team “found the work “the number of TAs assigned to the De- in the original design). The Office of Insti- self-assessment of our performance in teaching plan to seek additional faculty with a being done in undergraduate education partment is woefully mismatched to the tutional Research and Planning prioritizes Dan Claes , Chair ing, research, and service, an analysis of our strong interest in high field laser physics and inspiring,” citing the department as be- number of students taught.” Additional all such capital projects, and we’re advised progress since the previous APR review, and able to take advantage of the Laser Science ing “among the best programs nationally.” TA lines, they pointed out, would pro- that this work awaits identification of an a chance to re-examine our long-term aspira- Collaboratory to be a wise move. This was They were impressed by “the modern vide for greater instructional support interested major donor. Meanwhile the The Review tions in light of revised College and Univer- the strategy that resulted in our recent hire classroom facilities,” “innovative lecture of undergraduate education. Indeed, well-equipped, staffed, and state-support- Team “ found sity goals. An important part of the review of Assistant Professor Matthias

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