ECE Ph.D. Student Receives AVS Graduate Research Award

ECE Ph.D. student Nima Ghalichechian is one of the recipients of the 2006 American Vacuum Society's (AVS) Graduate Research Award, a prestigious prize that draws nationwide competition each year. Nima is advised by Associate Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR).

"This is indeed a great honor for our research group, ECE, ISR and the University of Maryland," said Dr. Ghodssi.

The award consists of a $1,000 cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium. Approximately ten awards are given annually. The AVS award will be presented at the AVS 53rd International Symposium in San Francisco this November.

Nima is the second student from Ghodssi's MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab to be honored with the award in four years; Ph.D. student Alireza Modafe won in 2002. He also was advised by Dr. Ghodssi--who coincidentally won this same award when he was a graduate student.

Nima will present his most recent work at the 2006 Solid-State Sensor, Actuator, and Microsystems Workshop, at Hilton Head Island, S.C., June 4-8, 2006. The title of his workshop paper is "Dynamic Characterization of a Linear Variable-Capacitance Micromotor."

Published June 2, 2006