>Troy, N.Y. - Rensselaer has been awarded $780,000 by the U.S. Department of Education to fund eight fellowships to enhance interdisciplinary graduate study in areas of terascale electronics, and photonic materials and devices.

The grant from the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program (GAANN) will provide up to $21,500 annually in individual stipends plus full tuition for three years. The fellowships, distributed by Rensselaer's Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, will allow students to study with eminent faculty members in physics, chemistry, materials science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.

"Rensselaer's goal is to train talented, diverse students in our core strength areas to make revolutionary scientific advancements," says Gwo-Ching Wang, professor and chair of the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy and the principal investigator of the grant. "The success of this project depends on a pool of talented graduate students in addition to our faculty and infrastructure resources."

Students will be exposed to advanced research facilities at Rensselaer, such as the Center for Integrated Electronics, where faculty from physics and many other departments are among the world's leaders in exploiting the visionary role of terascale electronics and photonics. This emerging research holds enormous potential in scientific advances, such as super-fast computing, data storage, and data transport.

Strengthening Graduate Research
The GAANN funding comes at a time when Rensselaer is strengthening its research-oriented graduate program with plans to double the number of doctoral degrees awarded. The grant also is another way Rensselaer is being recognized nationally for its prominent interdisciplinary research in new science and technologies.

Rensselaer continues to enhance its world-class faculty in addition to its student population. In the coming year alone, 40 new tenure and tenure-track faculty will join Rensselaer - 15 in entirely new positions.

"The GAANN award also demonstrates Rensselaer's desire to achieve greater diversity among its students," says Tom Apple, vice provost and dean of graduate education at Rensselaer. "The GAANN program supports U.S. citizens, underrepresented groups in particular, with excellent academic records who plan to pursue the highest degree available in a field designated as an area of national need."

Contact: Jodi Ackerman
Phone: (518) 276-6531
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