Several Rensselaer researchers have received honors in recent weeks, bringing further recognition to the Institute on a national level.

Robert Hull, the Henry Burlage Jr. professor of engineering and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering was recently named a fellow of the Materials Research Society for “advances in fundamental understanding of semiconductor thin films and nanostructures, and for distinguished leadership in the materials community,” according to the MRS.

Known for research in growth mechanisms of semiconductor films and self-assembly of nanostructures, Hull has varied interests in applications within these fields.

In the Department of Chemical Engineering, Joel Plawsky was recently named a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers for “significant contributions to the chemical engineering profession.” Plawsky received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and then went on to earn a master’s and doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Plawsky’s research focus lies within the fields of thin films, interfacial phenomena, and transport phenomena, with one of his experiments even being installed in a lab on the International Space Station.

In addition to these honors, scientists at Rensselaer continue to bring in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. To date, the Institute has received nearly $7.3 million in funding through the ARRA.