SFU Research Masterclass Series: "New Semiconductors for Energy Efficiency"
11:30 - 12:30
Rm10900
Abstract
The main idea of the IRMACS Centre's series "SFU Research Masterclass" is to have a group of prominent SFU researchers that will, instead of an academic lecture on their research topic, tell the story of their research path and the "best practices" and tips they learned along the way - how they came to be interested in the topic, how their research directions have changed over the years, any major shifts in direction, who their collaborators are and how they developed those collaborations, etc. The format of each event will be a sit down session with an interviewer, rather than a standard presentation format. This is followed by a Q&A with the audience. We invite SFU graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as well as SFU researchers across disciplines, SFU research personnel, and researcher grant facilitators to attend the "SFU Research Masterclass" sessions.
About the Speaker
About Interviewee: Patricia Mooney is Professor Emerita in the Physics Department at Simon Fraser University. She came to SFU as Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Semiconductor Physics in 2005. Before that she was a Research Staff Member at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY.
The amazing developments in computer and communications technologies over the past 40 years have been driven by advances in semiconductor technologies. Research on semiconductor materials has resulted, for example, in the mobile communications technologies that we all enjoy today and solid state lighting that uses energy efficiently. The physical properties of a semiconductor are determined both by the characteristics of the host crystal and by the presence of impurities and crystalline defects. Control of these defects determines the commercial viability of a given material or structure. By varying crystal growth and device fabrication conditions, the effects of crystalline defects and impurities at surfaces, interfaces and in the bulk semiconductor can be investigated and often enhanced or eliminated. Here at SFU we use a variety of experimental methods to investigate the electronic properties and structural properties of defects in novel semiconductors and at insulator/semiconductor interfaces and their effect on semiconductor device performance.
Dr. Mooney is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Materials Research Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a member of the Canadian Association of Physicists. Her professional activities have included serving on the editorial boards of several physics journals, organizing research conferences, and participating in professional society governance.
About Interviewer: SIAT Associate Professor Brian Fisher is an Experimental Psychologist. Named a "Visualization Pioneer" in 2013 by the IEEE TCGV. Brian’s visual analytics research program focuses on understanding human cognition and communication as a bridge between information and communication technology and decision-making in real-world situations. His SCIENCE lab develops new methods for field research on real-world practices of analysts and decision-makers in the interest of society e.g. in public health, disaster relief, anti-terrorism, aircraft safety, and finance. This work generates research questions that call for laboratory investigation of the use of information systems to support individual and collaborative human reasoning and coordinated action. The result of this coordinated laboratory and field work is improved technology, training, and communication within organizations and across society.
