L. Rafael Reif Named New MIT Provost David J. Lockwood
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People L. Rafael Reif Named New MIT Provost L. RAFAEL REIF was named as the The provost is the senior academic years as Associate Head for Electrical new provost of the Massachusetts officer of the Institute, with overall Engineering. Prior to that, from Institute of Technology (MIT) this responsibility for MIT’s educational 1990 to 1999, he was Director of summer. He succeeds Robert A. Brown, and research programs, as well as for MIT’s Microsystems Technology who left MIT to become president faculty development, including the Laboratories, an interdepartmental of Boston University. In making recruitment, promotion and tenure enterprise involving faculty, students, the announcement, MIT President processes. As provost, Professor Reif and senior staff from throughout the Susan Hockfield said, “Professor will work closely with the academic Institute. Reif has held leadership positions deans to establish academic priorities Dr. Reif received his undergraduate at MIT for much of his 25 years on on an ongoing basis. Working with degree in electrical engineering the faculty, and is widely regarded the Executive Vice-President and from the Universidad de Carabobo, as a deeply thoughtful, collaborative other senior officers, he will have Valencia, Venezuela in 1973; and his leader. His early championing of responsibility for financial planning doctorate in electrical engineering MIT’s engagement in micro- and to meet those priorities. The provost from Stanford University in 1979. nanotechnologies; his concern for the also has responsibility for the The following year, he joined the broader impact of those technologies libraries, and for a number of major MIT faculty, and currently holds the on society; his engagement with interdisciplinary laboratories, centers, Maseeh Professorship in Emerging industry and government on both and programs on campus, as well as Technology. His current research is on technical and policy matters in this Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, three-dimensional integrated circuit country and abroad; his guidance on Massachusetts. technologies and on environmentally a wide range of policy matters at the Professor Reif, an internationally benign microelectronics fabrication. school and institute level; and his recognized researcher and educator outstanding teaching and student Dr. Reif is a Fellow of the Institute in microelectronics, has been a for Electrical and Electronic Engineers mentorship all promise to serve member of ECS since 1975. At MIT, MIT very well. I am delighted that and is a member of Tau Beta Pi. he has been head of the Department In 2000, he was a recipient of the he has agreed to take on this new of Electrical Engineering and responsibility and look forward to Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Computer Science since September Aristotle Award for outstanding working with him to increase MIT’s 2004, following more than five great strengths.” teaching and student mentorship. David J. Lockwood Receives Tory Medal from Royal Society of Canada DAVID J. of the Luminescence and Display light emission in silicon, where LOCKWOOD, Materials Division (2002-2004). previous worldwide efforts over two FRSC, received Lockwood is Principal Research Officer decades had proved inconclusive. This the Tory Medal at the Institute for Microstructural highly cited work has already led to from the Royal Sciences of the National Research numerous new world-wide endeavors Society of Council of Canada. Recently (see in silicon nanocrystal research Canada this Interface, summer 2005), he was and technology. His application of past November. This medal is the top awarded the Brockhouse Medal of the inelastic light scattering to elucidate physical science award in Canada. Canadian Association of Physicists the dynamic properties of quantum It has been won previously by three for Outstanding Achievement in dots, superlattices, magnets, and phase of Canada’s Nobel Prize winners, G. Condensed Matter and Materials transitions has produced remarkable Herzberg, B. N. Brockhouse, and J. Physics. new insights into the physics of solids C. Polanyi. The medal is awarded bi- The announcement of the and has placed him amongst the annually for outstanding research in award noted that Lockwood is “an international elite in each of these a branch of astronomy, chemistry, internationally renowned authority quite disparate subjects. Lockwood’s mathematics, physics, or an allied whose research on the optical work has had a broad impact on the science carried out mainly in the eight properties of solids is characterized by development of solid-state physics; years preceding the date of the award; its extreme breadth and outstanding and his research underpins future but all the research of the candidate is innovation and originality. His applications of nanotechnology in taken into account. seminal work in recent years on areas as diverse as telecommunications Dr. Lockwood, a member of ECS quantum confinement effects in and biosensors.” since 1994, was named an ECS Fellow semiconductor nanostructures in 2001. He has served on numerous culminated in the definitive Society committees; and was chair observation of quantum-confined 18 The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2005 WNT05_Pg1-XX.indd 18 11/23/2005 2:22:21 PM In Memoriam research until the end of his life). Many of these positive traits During that time, he supervised and rubbed off on his students, who influenced scores of PhD students learned much, much more than and postdoctoral fellows from just electrochemistry from Brian all corners of the world, many of Conway. He was indeed the “master” whom are now leading scientists in electrochemist and scientific mentor. industry, government and academia. Brian received scores of awards He had a prodigious research output and honors, both national and during his 60 years in the field, international, during his long, publishing over 400 scientific papers, distinguished scientific career. Two several textbooks, and editing in particular stand out. The first is some of the most important serial the Henry B. Linford Teaching Award volumes in electrochemistry of his of ECS in 1984, which recognizes day, such as “Modern Aspects of contributions to teaching at the Electrochemistry.” He is survived by university level and the mentoring his wife, Nina; and one son, Adrian, of young scientists and researchers. Brian E. Conway a PhD electrical engineer in the high- The second is the Olin Palladium 1927-2005 tech field, living in Boston. Award in 1989 from ECS, this being Brian conducted original the highest research award of the On July 9, 2005, Canada lost its most research in both main areas of Society; previous recipients include prominent electrochemist, BRIAN electrochemistry, i.e., ionics and Carl Wagner, U. R. Evans, A. N. E. CONWAY, to cancer at age 78. electrodics. Indeed, his strong Frumkin, and A. J. Bard. Only one Brian was born in London, England knowledge of the solution side other Canadian, the late Morris on January 26, 1927, and attended of the electrochemical system Cohen of NRC, has received this Imperial College, University of is doubtless responsible for his award during the past 55 years. These, London, where he received his PhD definitive and original contributions and the many other awards and in 1949 under the supervision of on the electrode side. His research honors he received, never inflated Dr. John O’M. Bockris. The field of encompassed electrode kinetics, Brian’s ego or changed his openness electrode kinetics was coming into its oxide film formation and and willingness to discuss science own at that time, and Brian and John electrocatalysis, properties of solvated with anyone. He was always a down- were two of the earliest trail-blazers ions and their adsorption, applied to-earth researcher who was driven by in this field in the western world. electrochemistry, batteries, fuel cells, an insatiable curiosity and desire to During that period, Brian was in a and supercapacitors. He was in many understand and explain phenomena. group that included Roger Parsons, ways a “complete” electrochemist Brian’s ability to discuss scientific Martin Fleishman, Edmund Potter, and covered pretty much the entire and J. W. Tomlinson. Brian worked at issues at length, in a detailed and subject. As a teacher and mentor, thoughtful manner, was legendary. the Chester Beatty Cancer Research Brian was exemplary. His more Institute of University of London A quote from his previous research than 100 graduate and postdoctoral supervisor, John Bockris, sums it as a permanent staff member from students realized that Brian had a 1949 to 1954, in close contact with up perfectly: “Conway was a superb unique and all-consuming passion discussion partner; and if the subject his other mentor, J. A. V. Butler, of for scientific research, as well as Butler-Volmer equation fame. In later was scientific theories of anything, the ability to understand and and one had three to four hours of years, Brian spoke fondly of Butler, explain phenomena in the physical whom he found to be a person of isolation and silence available, one sciences. He was certainly the top could have scientific discussions great scientific and personal stature. electrochemist in Canada for almost In 1954 Brian took up a senior as good as any John O’M Bockris half a century, and most say one has had with any of his co-workers. research position at the University of of the top physical electrochemists Pennsylvania, convinced by Bockris Discussions of a single topic usually in the world during that time. His lasted several hours. The first time to come to North America and try his knowledge, memory, and powers hand at electrochemistry in the “new the value of silence (3-4 minutes) of reasoning were legendary in during a discussion became clear world.” He came to the University of the scientific community, and his Ottawa as an associate professor in was with Conway. Then came students and co-workers greatly the murmured new suggestion, late 1956 with the encouragement of benefited from those talents and the late Keith J.