Thomas

Recently, two teams of researchers, including MIT personnel, have published new work on composite materials. One group is working on fiber-drawing techniques that produce the optical fibers behind much of today’s broadband communications. In the past, these techniques have been limited to materials that can partially melt and stretch like taffy at the temperatures being used for drawing the fibers; now, new work from Dr. Nicholas Orf and others in Prof.

Q. Why are phonons so wily in the first place? Aren't they already in solids, which have minimal vibration?

BP is supporting a new program on materials and corrosion research, as it applies to oilfield applications. The initial investment from BP has been $2 million, with the company intending to match this for up to a further four years. The MIT team includes Profs. Ron Ballinger, Michael Demkowicz, Chris Schuh, Ned Thomas, Bilge Yildiz, and Sid Yip.
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On Oct. 20, Prof. Ned Thomas presented the Lawrence H. Van Vlack Lecture at the University of Michigan. The Van Vlack Lectureship series was established in honor of Lawrence H. Van Vlack, whose seminal introductory textbooks defined the field of materials science and engineering. It is awarded annually to a materials scientist or engineer of distinguished accomplishment. Previous lecturers with a tie to MIT include Prof. Millie Dresselhaus, Prof. Ali Argon, and Dr. John Cahn.

Professors Edwin Thomas and Yet-Ming Chiang are among the 65 new members elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.