Albany, NY - December 16, 2004 - The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany - State University of New York, the first college devoted to the study of nanoscale scientific concepts, today announced that it has awarded the world's first Ph.D. degrees in nanoscience. Drs. Spyridon Skordas and Wanxue Zeng received their degrees during the UAlbany December Graduation Ceremony.

Nanotechnology is a cross-disciplinary scientific platform that involves manipulating matter at the atomic scale and holds great promise for innovation in such fields as chip making, fuel cell development, drug delivery and sensor technology. Skordas's Ph.D. dissertation examined metal organic chemical vapor deposition of aluminum oxide ultra-thin films for advanced transistor applications. Zeng explored plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of atomically controlled refractory thin films. Both dissertations target applications in nanoscale devices for emerging generations of computer nanochips.

"It is very exciting to bestow this new doctoral degree on these very talented scientists," said UAlbany Interim President John R. Ryan. "The University is proud to be a leader in pioneering this academic field and believes that Spyridon Skordas and Wanxue Zeng will become leaders as well in this expanding discipline."

Dr. Wanxue Zeng
"Spyridon Skordas and Wanxue Zeng have made history as the first ever Doctors of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Their achievements not only make us proud as educators, but herald a sea change in scientific academic research," said Alain Kaloyeros, Ph.D., Vice President of CNSE. "I feel particularly privileged to have served as their research advisor and chair of their doctoral thesis committees. We're extremely pleased to have been able to position CNSE on the forefront of the nanotech revolution and to have had the honor of guiding two such talented scientists."

CNSE is the first institution to award Ph.D. degrees in nanoscale science and engineering and Skordas and Zeng will be the first two Ph.D.s in the world to receive a Ph.D. from a college devoted exclusively to the study of nanoscale scientific concepts. Though Ph.D. degrees focusing on nanotechnology have been available at the University of Washington since 2000, such degrees have been tied to other science disciplines. CNSE officially opened its doors in fall 2004, and Skordas and Zeng embarked on their Ph.D. studies first at the School of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at UAlbany, which was established in 2001 at the Albany NanoTech complex.

Upon graduation, Skordas has assumed the position of optical lithography track process engineer at the IBM 300mm nanochip fabrication facility in East Fishkill, NY. Zeng has accepted at post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Eric Eisenbraun, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Nanoscience at CNSE.

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany-SUNY offers the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Masters of Sciences (M.S.) in selected science and engineering tracks pertaining to the nanoelectronic, optoelectronic, optical, nano/micro-electro-mechanical, nano/micro-opto-electro-mechanical, energy, and nanobiological fields. Multiple student entry channels are designed to accommodate students from undergraduate and graduate educational background in physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and electrical, mechanical, chemical, and biochemical engineering. For more information about CNSE, visit the CNSE website at http://cnse.albany.edu.

About CNSE

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University at Albany - SUNY is the first college in the world devoted exclusively to the development and deployment of innovative nanoscience concepts. Located within the Albany NanoTech complex, a $1 billion center for public/private nanotechnology research and development, CNSE's facilities are unparalleled in the academic word. With over 100 industrial partners on site, including IBM, Infineon, AMD, GE and Tokyo Electron, students and faculty work alongside scientists from industry on fundamental cutting-edge research underlying the real-world problems that most concern industry.

About Albany NanoTech

One of the largest global centers for nanotechnology, Albany NanoTech is home to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) and the New York State Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics (NYSCEN) of the University at Albany-State University of New York. Its 450,000 square foot complex, including the only 200mm/300mm wafer facilities in the academic world, encompasses nanoelectronics, system-on-a-chip technologies, biochips, optoelectronics and photonics devices, closed-loop sensors for monitoring, detection, and protection, and ultra-high-speed communication components.

With over 65,000 square fee of Class 1 capable 300 mm wafer cleanrooms, as well as on-site faculty and student researchers, Albany NanoTech provides corporate partners with a unique environment to pioneer, develop, and test new nanoscience and nanoengineering innovations within a technically aggressive and financially competitive R&D environment.

The University at Albany's broad mission of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and public service engages 17,000 diverse students in nine degree-granting schools and colleges. For more information about this internationally ranked institution, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.htm.

Contacts:
Shonna Keogan/CNSE
Phone: 518-956-7201
Cellular: 917-660-7462
skeogan@uamail.albany.edu

Karl Luntta/UAlbany
Phone: 518-437-4980
Cellular: 518-265-4114
kluntta@uamail.albany.edu