May 28, 2002

Khan and Misra Awarded Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Awards

Dr. Khan
Dr. Misra

The Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Awards for 2002 were presented to Dr. Saad Khan, professor of chemical engineering, and Dr. Veena Misra, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, at the May 15 spring faculty meeting for the College of Engineering. Khan received the Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award, and Misra was awarded the Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Achievement Award.

The annual awards program was established with support from the Alcoa Foundation in 1978 to encourage basic or applied research or research in original design. The Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award is made to a senior faculty member for research achievements over a period of at least five years at NC State. The Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Achievement Award is intended to recognize young faculty who have accomplished outstanding research achievements during the preceding three years.

Khan’s research activities are internationally recognized in the discipline of chemical engineering. His work in the rheology of structured polymeric systems includes studies about the relationship between materials microstructure, chemistry and macroscopic properties. In the past five years, Khan has published 70 research papers, 51 of which were in refereed journals; has edited a book and written three book chapters; and has presented 29 invited lectures. He has been issued six patents and submitted six other patents. During this period he has received $5.52 million for research funding. In 1997 he earned the Alcoa Engineering Research Achievement Award from NC State.

Khan received his bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Princeton University in 1980 and his doctorate in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985. He was a member of the technical staff at Bell Communications Research from 1987 to 1992.

Misra received her award for her contributions to nanoelecronics engineering. She has won three NSF awards: the Faculty Early Career Development (Career) Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the NSF Award for Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education. She has also written three book chapters, 33 refereed papers in professional journals and 17 conference papers. She has received $2.5 million in funding for nine grants from such agencies as NSF, Semiconductor Research Corporation, SEMATECH and DARPA toward building an internationally recognized program in novel nanoelectronic devices at NC State.

Misra received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering from NC State in 1991, 1992 and 1995, respectively. She worked at Motorola’s advanced products research and developments laboratories from 1996 to 1998. She joined the NC State faculty in 1998.

— rudd —

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