Dr. Omkaram (Om) Nalamasu, Director of the Center for Integrated Electronics, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemistry departments at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will receive the Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings for 2004. The announcement was made today by the Officers and the Award Committee of the Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) of the American Chemical Society.
Professor Nalamasu is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in the areas of optical lithography and polymeric materials science and technology. His pioneering contributions to optical lithography and photoresist materials have played a major role in enabling the microelectronics revolution. He developed key concepts related to the chemically amplified photoresist process, novel resist materials and processes, and has applied his research to the implementation of both 248 nm and more recently 193 nm photoresist technologies. Prof. Nalamasu has published over 170 papers and received 14 patents. He has also organized and presented several invited and plenary talks at national and international conferences, including an invited presentation to the National Academy of Engineering’s 4th Annual Symposium on the Frontiers of Engineering in 1998.
Professor Nalamasu earned a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Osmania University, India, a M.S in Chemistry from the University of Hyderabad, India, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, Canada. In 1986, he joined AT&T Bell Labs as a research scientist and rose through the ranks to become a Director of research. At Bell Laboratories, he led Condensed Matter Physics and Nanotechnology, MEMS and Waveguide Devices Research, and Microfabrication Research organizations. In 2002, he founded the New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium, Inc. and also joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as the Director of the Center for Integrated Electronics.
In addition to his scientific contributions, Prof. Nalamasu has made important contributions to the general advancement of Nanotechnology and Nanofabrication areas. He established the New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium, a public-private enterprise that brought together New Jersey universities, industry and government together to conduct pre-competitive research, spur economic development and train next generation of nanotechnology researchers. He continues to serve as its Chief Technical Officer.
Professor Nalamasu currently heads the Center for Integrated Electronics (CIE), Rensselaer’s largest research center with over $9 Million research funding with about 60 faculty, over 100 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. CIE’s mission is to be a world leader for conducting leading edge research and technology development at the interface of Rensselaer’s three thrust areas of information, bio and nanotechnologies.
Professor Nalamasu is a member of several Microelectronics and Nanotechnology decision making groups and has represented Lucent Technologies and Agere on several SEMATECH Lithography and Imaging Materials Steering Committees and also serves on Chemistry of Materials journal advisory board. He is a member of ACS, SPIE, OSA, and IEEE and has served on the Technical Program Committee of PMSE.
Professor Nalamasu has received a number of awards and grants. In 2003, he received the NYSTAR Distinguished Professor Award along with a $1 million research grant. He has also received the American Chemical Society National Award for Team Innovation for the development of 193 nm Resist Material, Japan’s Photopolymer Science and Technology Award and an R&D 100 Award for the Invention, Development, and Commercialization of the first Deep-UV Chemically Amplified Photoresist.
Professor Nalamasu will receive the Tess Award from Dr. A. Jay Dias, Chair of the PMSE Division, on Monday, August 23, 2004 during the 228th Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia, PA. Prof. Nalamasu will present an Award Address at that time. An evening reception sponsored by RPI and the PMSE Division will follow the Award Symposium.
The Tess Award is presented annually by the Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering in recognition of outstanding contributions to coatings science and technology. It is funded by a grant to the Division from Dr. and Mrs. Roy W. Tess. The purpose of the award is to encourage interest and progress in coatings and recognize significant contributions to the field. The Award consists of a plaque and a cash prize.