NC State Engineering
Fall 2009 Online Magazine

When it comes to electronic materials, Dr. John Fan knows what he’s talking about. The world-renowned electrical engineer, now president and CEO of Kopin Corp., is a dynamic leader in the areas of transistor wafers and ultra-small liquid crystal displays.

So it is no surprise that the holder of the John C.C. Fan Family Distinguished Professorship in Materials Science and Engineering at NC State is another standout in the field, Dr. Jagdish “Jay” Narayan. Narayan’s research has proven pivotal to the understanding of basic phenomena in metals, ceramics and electronic materials and processing. His work includes seminal contributions in laser processing, semiconductor alloys and many other areas.

“It’s easy for me to understand and appreciate who is at the top of this field,” Fan said. “Dr. Narayan is extremely gifted.”

Fan is not the only one who has recognized Narayan’s work; his list of awards is unique among the world’s materials scientists and engineers. The Materials Research Society named Narayan as one of its 34 inaugural Fellows for his pioneering research accomplishments, and he is a life member and Fellow of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, an honor limited to 100 living members. Narayan is also a life member and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in India, an honor limited to 100 foreign members, and has received a Gold Medal from ASM International, the world’s largest materials science and engineering society.

Narayan’s research is also closely related to the work done at Kopin, perhaps best-known for its CyberDisplay technology found in many digital cameras and camcorders. Narayan holds 10 patents with Kopin that have been important to the success of CyberDisplay and the company’s solid state lighting and devices. He also leads the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Materials and Smart Structures at NC State, which works closely with Kopin.

The close relationship benefits both Fan and Narayan. The professorship funds give Narayan the opportunity to hire students and post-docs to assist his research, which in turn gives students experience working with a world-renowned researcher. The endowment funds are also used for travel to conferences, bringing well-known speakers to NC State and as seed money that can help bring a promising new idea to fruition.

“The endowment helps us build new alliances, generate new ideas and raise our visibility,” Narayan said. “Dr. Fan has made a wonderful contribution that will benefit NC State and the nation for years to come.”

Fan and Narayan had known each other long before Fan established the professorship in 2002. They had met in the 1970s when Fan was at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, running the lab’s electronic materials group and conducting research on semiconductor materials and devices. Narayan was at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during that time, acting as senior scientist and leader of the lab’s thin film microscopy group. They found that they were interested in similar research areas, and their work together included publishing joint papers and co-editing some books.

Narayan joined NC State in 1984, a year before Fan left MIT to start Kopin. In 2002, nanotechnology was still in its infancy, and Fan thought it would benefit his company to fund a researcher in the fast-growing field. He established the professorship, and Narayan has held it ever since.

NC State leaders recognize the endowment’s importance. Dr. Larry Monteith, chancellor emeritus and a former dean of engineering at NC State, said the professorship gives NC State and Narayan “an inspiration for achievements that discover and apply properties of complex and rare materials to the urgent needs in our society.”

Narayan has continued to be a leader in the field, and his list of published articles has passed 500 with more than 35 patents. Fan has been impressed with Narayan’s recent nanoparticle research that could one day improve engine efficiency, work that he feels echoes Kopin’s commitment to serving the country through innovation.

“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” Fan said.