Research Team (ORNL)
Dr.
Steve Allison holds a PhD in Engineering Physics from the University of
Virginia. He is a staff member of Oak Ridge National Laboratory with thirty
years of service. His recent R&D efforts are directed toward development
of optical diagnostics and measurement systems. He is past Director of the
Aerospace Industries Division of the International Society of Automation (ISA)
and is an ISA Fellow (2006) and winner of their 2008 UOP Award for contributions
to optical thermometry. He has served on the editorial board of the Review of
Scientific Instruments and has ten patents as well as numerous publications.
Dr.
Duncan Earl received a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of
Tennessee. He is the former CEO and CTO of Sunlight Direct, a solar spin off
company from ORNL. Dr. Earl holds five U.S. patents, one international
patent, is an R&D100 award winner, and has numerous publications related to the
optical science field. He has been a staff member of Oak Ridge National
Laboratory for the past fifteen years. His recent R&D focus is on optical
metamaterial design and modeling, as well as, continue R&D on quantum
entanglement phenomena.
Dr.
Boyd Evans is a mechanical engineer and research staff member with 18 years of
experience leading multidisciplinary research. He is currently directing
research for ORNL’s Nanoscale Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL). Ongoing
and previous projects include the development of efficient, direct solar
lighting technologies; investigation of smart-materials and structures for
miniature valve applications and orthopedic implants; development of new
technologies for the safeguarding and securing of nuclear materials; and
precision systems for advanced space-based, military telescopes. He is a member
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the IEEE, and the
International Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. Dr. Evans
currently holds four patents and has two pending patent applications. He was
recently invited to attend the National Academies of Science’s Keck Future’s
Initiative and is a recipient of an R&D 100 award.
Dr.
Phil Evans an experimental physicist with experience in optics, nano-fabrication
techniques, semiconductor device physics and scanning probe microscopy. His
research interests lie with the generation and interaction of light with nano-structured
non-linear materials and the optical/physical properties of nano-scale
structured surfaces and particles. Dr. Evans graduated from the University
of Bath, UK in 2001 with a Masters Degree in Physics, with emphasis on
semiconductor device physics and photonics. He spent a one-year internship at
the European research laboratory of Sharp Electronics in Oxford, UK, carrying
out research into novel liquid crystal displays. He received a Ph.D. in Physics
from the University of Tennessee for studying the growth, characterization and
thermo-optic properties of nanometer-scale metal particles on roughened
surfaces.
Dr.
Troy Hendricks is a postdoctoral researcher who joined Oak Ridge National
Laboratory in 2008. His past research experience includes the fabrication of
nanostructured surfaces using thin film modification, self assembly and
non-lithographic patterning techniques. He received his B.S. (20002) and Ph.D.
(2008) in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University. Currently,
his research activities focus on controlling nanstructured surface properties
for energy savings applications and large-area nanofabrication techniques
associated with ORNL's emerging glass drawing facility.
Dr.
Nagraj Kulkarni is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience with material
modeling and nano-material scaling computations. His recent research is
focused on nanostructure scaling and copper interconnect issues related to
advanced computing. Dr. Kulkarni has a joint appointment with Oak Ridge
National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee.
Dr.
John Simpson received a PhD in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona.
A former IBM researcher, Dr. Simpson has been with ORNL for nearly ten years.
His current research is focused on nanofabrication over large areas through
ORNL's emerging glass drawing facility with applications to metamaterials,
superhydrophobic structures, photonic crystal fibers, and various other
technology areas.
Advisory Committee
Dr.
Tim McIntyre leads the Sensor Science and Systems & Technology group at Oak
Ridge National Laboratory. His research background is in innovative
sensing phenomena and material. He serves as an advisor to the Optical
Metamaterials Program on emerging funding and application opportunities for
metamaterials in the sensing arena.
Dr.
Panos Datskos leads the Nanosystems and Structures group at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. His research background is in integrated optics, nano-optics,
and long IR sensing/imaging. Dr. Datskos serves as an advisor to the
Optical Metamaterials Program on innovative fabrication and design trends
emerging in the metamaterials and nanofab communities.
