Private Support Can Move a Research Program from Great to Stellar
In a future that will demand increasing reliance on efficient, renewable energy sources, you may someday capture the sun's energy for your home through thin polymer solar cells painted on your roof or exterior wall, or laminated between window panes.
On the information technology front, imagine downloading a 100-MB file in one second. Such instantaneous transmissions will advance business communications, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, industrial processes, and national security systems.
These are just a few examples of the innovations emerging from research teams led by Alex Jen, chair of Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) and director of the UW Institute of Advanced Materials & Technology.
Jen and his graduate students are pioneers in using organic/polymer materials for electro-optics and in the fields of photonics and nanotechnology, including self-assembly of nanomaterials. Their discoveries will help transform energy generation, electronics, communications, and medical diagnostics.
Federal and industry research grants provide the core funding for such high-powered research, but come with spending strictures. Core funding can't cover the "extra mile" that transports a research team from great to stellar. This is why private support through endowed professorships and fellowships has a tremendous impact on the quality of research at the College of Engineering.
As an example, meet two key members of Jen's research team from 2007. Hin-Lap (Angus) Yip is working on polymer solar cells and expects to finish his doctorate in summer 2008. Taedong Kim received his PhD in June 2007 and is now an assistant professor at Hannam University in Korea.
After receiving grant-funded teaching and research assistant fellowships during their first few years at the UW, each won endowed fellowships that reward the best students for their outstanding work. "The chance to win such a fellowship was a driving force to work hard," said Yip. "It allowed me to fully concentrate on my research and opened the door for interdisciplinary collaborations."
Kim is already one of the world's top innovators in organic electro-optics. "These endowments are a great investment in the future for both corporate and individual donors," Kim said.
Jen values privately funded student support for both practical and strategic benefits. It frees up core grant funds so he has more money for lab supplies or equipment repairs.
On the strategic level, endowed fellowships provide a recruiting edge. "These endowments are critical for attracting and developing the talent needed by top programs," Jen said.
Jen is so committed to student excellence that he has personally established a fellowship.
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