School Notes: School of Engineering & Applied Science
January/February 2010

Professor honored for harnessing power of light

Assistant professor of electrical engineering Hong Tang was awarded a 2009 Packard Foundation Fellowship for Science and Engineering—one of the most prestigious early-career awards, given annually to 16 of the country’s most innovative young researchers in the natural or physical sciences and engineering.

In Tang’s breakthrough research, the extremely weak force of light has been harnessed to drive nanomachines on a silicon chip, opening the door to a new class of semiconductor devices that are operated by light instead of electrons. “The full potential of this platform has yet to be fully realized,” said Tang. “This support will allow us to work on the forefront of nanoscale quantum physics while simultaneously bringing light force devices into engineerable reality.”

Tang joined Yale in 2006 after receiving his PhD from the California Institute of Technology. Also in 2009, he won a National Science Foundation CAREER Award—one of the highest honors for young faculty members—for his groundbreaking “Silicon Optomechanics” research.

Green workout

Yale fitness enthusiasts have found a new way to charge their electronics at the Adrian C. Israel Fitness Center of the Payne Whitney Gym. This past year, exercise machines were retrofitted to harness the energy of exercise to charge a variety of electronics, including iPhones, iPods, BlackBerry smart phones, and Nokia cell phones. (For a Yale Alumni Magazine report and photo, see "Fat Into Fuel.")

The project was initiated by 2009 Yale College graduate Henrique Rocha, under the supervision of associate professor of electrical engineering Hür Koser. “Our main purpose,” says Koser, “is to create energy awareness in the Yale student and staff community, as well as the general New Haven and Connecticut population.” With continued expansion, the technology has the potential to harvest enough energy to power gym light fixtures, televisions, and other utility devices.

Alumni support opens doors for undergraduates

Three engineering undergraduate students gained valuable hands-on work experience last summer, with help from the Reid and Anne Buckley Fund for Renewable Energy and the Environment. Henry Misas ’10 evaluated wind energy potential at Yale’s West Campus; Emma Smith ’10 volunteered with Sunseed Tanzania Trust, studying fuel efficiency of new mud-brick stoves; and Aaron Fuchs ’10 interned in the renewable energy division of Columbus Nova, which entailed projects ranging from marketing and finance to technology evaluation.

Paid internships are particularly difficult to obtain in today’s economy, which greatly limits a student’s ability to gain valuable exposure to their areas of interest. The Buckley Fund provides students the financial freedom to pursue internships that would not otherwise be available to them. The fund will be available to students again this coming summer.