November 4, 2004

College of Engineering at North Carolina State Names
Outstanding Alumni

Dr. Albert Carnesale

Dr. Calvin H. Carter Jr.

Thomas R. McPherson Jr.

The College of Engineering at North Carolina State University has named the Distinguished Engineering Alumnus award winners for 2004. The recipients are Dr. Albert Carnesale of Los Angeles, California, Dr. Calvin H. Carter Jr. of Durham and Thomas R. McPherson Jr. of Potomac, Maryland.

The awards will be presented by Dr. Nino A. Masnari, dean of the College of Engineering, at a banquet held November 4 at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh. The award honors alumni whose accomplishments further their field and reflect favorably on the university.

Carnesale is chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He received his bachelor’s degree from Cooper Union in 1957 and his master’s degree from Drexel University in 1961, both in mechanical engineering. In 1966 he earned his doctoral degree in nuclear engineering from NC State University, where he was on the faculty and served as head of the Division of University Studies and as university coordinator for Environmental Studies. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from NC State in 1997.

Prior to joining UCLA, Carnesale was at Harvard University, where he held the Lucius N. Littauer Professorship of Public Policy and Administration, served as academic dean from1981 to 1991 and dean from 1991 to 1995 of the John F. Kennedy School of Government and served as provost of the university from 1995 to 1997.

A native of New York, Carnesale began his career as an engineer at Martin Marietta Corp. in Baltimore, Maryland. He has served as consultant to several US government agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, the Departments of Energy, State and Defense and the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment.

An expert in national security, Carnesale represented the US government in high-level negotiations on defense and energy issues, including the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) with the Soviet Union. An active teacher and lecturer who holds appointments in the School of Public Affairs and in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at UCLA, he is the author or coauthor of 6 books and more than 50 scholarly articles. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Carter is the director of materials technology at Cree Inc., a company he cofounded with five other associates, most from NC State University. A native of Statesville, he received his bachelor’s degree in 1977, his master’s degree in 1980 and his doctoral degree in 1983, all in materials science and engineering from NC State University. Carter received the 2002 National Medal of Technology presented by President George W. Bush for his innovation in the development of high-quality silicon carbide and related semiconductor material and devices and the impact of his research on the economy.

Distinguished Engineering Alumni Thomas R. McPherson Jr. (left) and Dr. Calvin H. Carter Jr (right) are greeted at the awards ceremony by Dean Nino A. Masnari. Not pictured is Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. Albert Carnesale, who was unable to attend. (Photo: Daniel Kim)

From 1984 to 1987 Carter was a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State, where he conducted research on silicon carbide as a semiconductor for applications in high-temperature, high-power microwave devices. In 1987 he and his colleagues formed Cree Research Inc. During his 16-year tenure with Cree, Carter has been a coinventor on 17 US patents and 74 foreign patents. He has written more than 80 research publications and has been the principle or coprinciple investigator on federal grants totaling more than $30 million.

An expert in crystal growth, thin film deposition, impurity doping and materials characterization, Carter has been instrumental in the perfecting and commercializing of silicon carbide semiconductor wafers for both the military and consumer markets. His innovative research opened the doors for the development of blue and green light-emitting diodes (LEDs), energy-efficient white light generation, high-power solid-state microwave amplifiers and high-quality manmade gemstones. His partnership with researchers at Cree Inc. has built a highly successful business that Fortune Magazine ranks number 11 of the 100 fastest-growing US companies.

McPherson recently served as president and CEO of Hatteras Networks Inc., a developer and manufacturer of high-performance broadband and optical communications equipment. In 1976 he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Davidson College and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from NC State University. He received his master’s degree in electrical engineering from NC State University in 1977 as well as an engineer’s degree from George Washington University in 1981.

A native of Mebane, McPherson began his career at Digital Communications Corporation. Later he cofounded PEL Corporation, which produced advanced video signal processors. McPherson led the growth of Network Equipment Technologies from its inception in 1983 through its initial public offering in 1987. McPherson then joined Hughes Network Systems and started a successful satellite access business, DirecPC. In 1996 he cofounded Rapid City Communications, which was later purchased by Bay Networks and then Nortel Networks. His most recent venture was to lead the launch of Hatteras Networks Inc. While McPherson was CEO of Hatteras Networks, the company was awarded the 2002 NCEITA 21 Award for Top Venture Capital Invested Company of the Year. McPherson, who continues to serve as a member of the technical advisory board for the company, currently has a consulting business based in Potomac, Maryland.

A dedicated alumnus, McPherson serves as the Achieve! Campaign cochairman for the College of Engineering and chairs the advisory board for the NC State Engineering Entrepreneurs’ Program. In October 2003 he delivered the keynote address for the groundbreaking ceremony for Engineering Building II on NC State University’s Centennial Campus. McPherson is a long-standing supporter of the College of Engineering as well as the Engineering Entrepreneurs’ Program.

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(Photos: Dr. Albert Carnesale, courtesy UCLA; Dr. Calvin H. Carter Jr., courtesy Cree Inc.; Thomas R. McPherson Jr., submitted)

Media Contact:
Jennifer Weston
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