|
DEAN'S e/CORNER
 Usually, I reserve my "Dean's
Corner" for our printed Highlights, but there are a couple of things
that I want to share with you now, with our next Highlights scheduled to
publish next month in May. I'm looking out my office window and watching 15'
palm trees being planted in front of and around our building – the new landscaping
that completes the exterior of the new Engineering III building next to the CREOL
building. When I walk to our second floor balcony, I now see the foundation to our
3-story building addition being poured, but it won't be ready for occupancy until
~Dec 1. And, you can now enter the building! (for a while that became difficult
with all the construction). The place should look pretty good by
Affiliates Day on April 21. Please join us (register online – no reg
fee – so we know you're coming) and stick around for our annual " Spring
Thing" at MJ Soileau's house on Lake Jessup (more pig-gator-turkey-sausage-
. . . music by the Quantum Beats, and lots of FUN!).
Research is going well, students are still finding good jobs, and funding is doing
well. We're particularly proud that in the latest rounds of MURI's (multi-disciplinary
university research initiatives) UCF received >10% of all those awarded in the
US (tied with Caltech for the most awards – 3 each)! Two of the UCF awards
were in CREOL, one with Martin Richardson and one with me, David Hagan and Pieter
Kik. These are in addition to the current MURI run by Martin Richardson and
one that just ended its 5-year term headed by George Stegeman on "Solitonic
Gateless Computing". Also, Martin Richardson and I are involved with
two other MURI's led at other universities. More on this in May Highlights.
Finally, I want to thank ALL of our benefactors, particularly those who have contributed
to the funding of our $5.3M CREOL building addition. We have received considerable
philanthropic support for our building addition, which gets matched 1-to-1 by the
State. The total to date is $167,840 which includes the $27,940 from CREOL
faculty and staff donations. This greatly helps create the state-of-the-art
facilities needed for our student's research and education. THANKS! And keep
those gifts and pledges coming! We have a goal of $500,000, including the
state match. And there are still opportunities to name a conference room,
classroom, lab, or even the whole new addition!
SHIN-TSON WU SELECTED AS THE UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED
RESEARCHER FOR 2006
 The UCF University Research Council has selected
Dr. Shin-Tson Wu, Provost-Distinguished Professor
of Optics, as the University Distinguished Researcher for 2006. The University Distinguished
Researcher is presented annually for excellence in research. The award was
presented at the
UCF Founders' Day Honors Convocation on April
5, 2006. ST joins five other CREOL faculty who have received this high UCF
honor in previous years – George Stegeman, Bill Silfvast, Eric Van Stryland, Peter
Delfyett, and Martin Richardson
MUBARAK SHAH SELECTED AS UCF PEGASUS PROFESSOR
FOR 2006
 Dr. Mubarak Shah, Assistant Vice President for Research
& Professor of Computer Science, and a joint faculty member of CREOL, has been
awarded UCF's most prestigious honor to a faculty member, the Pegasus Professor.
The Pegasus Professor award. The Pegasus Professor Award recognizes excellence
in teaching, research and service. The award was presented at the
UCF Founders' Day Honors Convocation on April 5, 2006. Only 9 other
faculty members have received this award since its inception in 2000, two of which
are CREOL faculty – Peter Delfyett (2001) and Eric Van Stryland (2003)
BOREMAN AWARDED DURIP FOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT
PURCHASE
 Congratulations to Dr. Glenn Boreman of CREOL, and to
Dr. Kevin Coffey of AMPAC, who are receiving a $309,600 award from the Defense University
Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), which supports the purchase of research
instrumentation. The recently-announced 183 awards to 88 academic institutions,
totaling $40.4M, range from about $51,000 to $1 million and average $217,000. DURIP
supports the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment that augments current university
capabilities or develops new university capabilities to perform cutting-edge defense
research. DURIP meets a critical need by enabling university researchers to purchase
scientific equipment costing $50,000 or more to conduct DoD-relevant research.
The award to Drs Boreman and Coffey will be used to purchase an ultra-high vacuum
thin film deposition system for research into advanced infrared and microwave imaging
sensors.
JOHNSON HONORED AS SPIE FELLOW
 SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering
will honor 33 new Fellows of the Society this year. Congratulations to Eric G. Johnson,
Associate Professor of Optics and ECE for being elected as fellow for his specific
achievements in the areas of micro-optics and nano-optics.
Fellows are members of distinction who have made significant scientific and technical
contributions in the fields of optics, photonics, and imaging. Eric G. Johnson will
join a prestigious list of more than 429 SPIE members so honored for their contribution
to the discipline since the Society's inception in 1955.
STATE BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPROVES UCF MED SCHOOL
On March 23, 2006, The University of Central Florida reached a long-sought milestone
when the state Board of Governors approved creating a medical college that will
increase opportunities for medical education in Florida while boosting the states
economy.
Pending funding from the state Legislature, UCF will begin hiring faculty and developing
a curriculum for the college of medicine. The college could begin training students
as early as 2008.
The college and its degree program will capitalize on the university's strengths
in biomedical sciences, modeling and simulation, and optics and photonics. Other
existing programs in materials science, psychology, chemistry, film and digital
media, and nursing will also support the program.
|
