ASU’s Newman earns honors from leading science group

ASU scientist Nathan Newman has been elected to a distinguished position in one of the leading professional scientific organizations in the nation.

Newman, a professor and associate director of research in the School of Materials and director of the Center for Solid State Science, is among the exclusive one-half of one percent of the 45,000-plus members of the American Physical Society selected to join the organization's fellowship.

He will be formally recognized as a fellowship member at the society's national meeting in March.

The School of Materials is jointly administered by the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Newman was honored for “contributions to the understanding of Schottky barriers in semiconductor devices, and to the synthesis of novel materials for superconducting devices.”

“It's a great honor to be recognized by my peers, and it's inspiring that my work in two entirely different fields is so highly regarded,” Newman says.

“The American Physical Society is a very prestigious organization,” adds Subhash Mahajan, director of the School of Materials. “To be elected to its fellowship is a singular honor for an individual and an institution. Such awards bring visibility to the School of Materials and ASU. Nate's studies have significant ramifications in science and technology. I am glad I was able to recruit him from Northwestern University.”

Newman's research has focused on the synthesis, characterization and modeling of advanced materials for ultra-high-performance electronics.

His work has been aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of electrical conduction in solids. His most recognized research in semiconductors gave important insight into the mechanism responsible for rectification in junctions of a semiconductor and a dissimilar material, such as a metal.

Such devices are used in a number of applications, including the conversion of alternating electrical power in wall outlets to direct power for electronics, such as personal computers.