Short Biography

Daniel Gall holds a professor position in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He received his Diploma from the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 1994, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000. Prof. Gall has been a Visiting Scientist at the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, Illinois, and a Visiting Professor at the Ecole Polytechnic Federal Lausanne. He has served as Assistant Editor and Editorial Board Member for Thin Solid Films, as Associate Editor for the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, as chair for the AVS Advanced Surface Engineering Division, as proceedings editor, session, symposium, and program chair for the International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films and the AVS International Symposium.

Prof. Gall’s research focuses on the development of an atomistic understanding for thin film growth, with particular interest in transition-metal nitride coatings, ion-surface interactions, and glancing angle deposition. He has pioneered a multiple length-scale approach to explain texture evolution in hard-coatings, has shown how low-energy ion-irradiation can be employed to control surface diffusion processes and resulting microstructures, and has developed a variety of uniquely shaped nanostructure architectures by exploiting atomic shadowing effects during physical vapor deposition. His research on novel transition-metal nitrides was identified as one of “the 100 most important scientific discoveries during the past two and a half decades, supported by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science”. He also won the 2006 Alfred H. Geisler Memorial Award for “Outstanding Contributions in Education and Thin Film Growth Research,” the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation, the 2007 Outstanding Research Award from the Rensselaer School of Engineering, the 2008 Early Career Award for “Excellence in Education and Outstanding Research in the Field of Thin Film and Nanostructure Growth,” and the 2008 IBM Faculty Award for research on “Post-CMOS Nanoelectronics.” Professor Gall holds one US patent, has authored 3 book chapters and over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, and has presented his research results in over 40 invited lectures in North America and Europe. His students won numerous poster competitions, best paper awards, and best microscopy awards. Prof. Gall’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Defense, the Semiconductor Research Corporation, the ACS Petroleum Research Fund, IBM, and the State of New York.

Curriculum Vitae

Education

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA, 1995-2000

Ph.D. in experimental condensed matter physics, July 2000, GPA: 5.0/5.0

Thesis: “Physical Properties of ScN and Sc_1-xTi_xN Epitaxial Layers Grown by Ultra-High Vacuum Reactive Magnetron Sputter Deposition.”

Advisor: Prof. Joseph E. Greene.

University of Basel, Switzerland, 1989-1994

Diplom (M.S.) in experimental condensed matter physics, October 1994

Thesis: “Radio Frequency Sputter Deposition of Cr₂O₃/Cr-Cermet Solar Selective Absorber Coatings.”

Advisor: Prof. P. Oelhafen.

Vordiplom (B.S.) in physics, 1991

Professional Experience

2002 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (2008-)

Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (2002-2008)

2000-2002 University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA

Visiting Scientist at the Materials Research Laboratory.

Assistant Editor for the journal Thin Solid Films.

Fellowships, Awards, Honors

· Best Presentation Award, “Sculptured thin films: nanorods, nanopipes, nanosmiles,” Nanostructured Thin Films IV at SPIE Optics & Photonics 2011.

· 2011 Best Highlight Award, NSF Ceramics PI Workshop, American Ceramics Society “Materials for Future Low-Power Electronics.”

· 2008 Early Career Award for “Excellence in Education and Outstanding Research in the Field of Thin Film and Nanostructure Growth,” Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

· 2008 IBM Faculty Award for research on “Post-CMOS Nanoelectronics.”

· 2007 Outstanding Research Award from the Rensselaer School of Engineering.

· CAREER Award, National Science Foundation, 2007.

· 2006 Alfred H. Geisler Memorial Award for “Outstanding Contributions in Education and Thin Film Growth Research,” ASM International Young Researcher Award (<40 years of age), award-ceremony: March 22, 2006.

· American Chemical Society, PRF new faculty grant, 2005.

· The U.S. Department of Energy selected my results on novel transition-metal nitrides as one of “the 100 most important scientific discoveries supported by the Office of Science during the past two and a half decades,” 2001.

· AVS Dorothy and Earl S. Hoffman Travel Scholarship, American Vacuum Society 47^th International Symposium, Boston, 2000.

· Student Travel Fellowship, International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, American Vacuum Society, San Diego, 1998.

· Grüniger Fellowship, Bürgergemeinde Basel-Stadt, 1992-1994.

Prestigious Memberships and Positions

· Chair, Nomination Committee, Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 2010.

· Program Chair, AVS International Symposium, San Jose, CA, November 8-13, 2009.

· Symposium Chair, International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, CA, April 27-May 1, 2009.

· Chair of the Executive committee, Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 1/2009 – 12/2009.

· Vice Program Chair, AVS International Symposium, Boston, MA, October 19-24, 2008.

· Member, symposium steering committee, American Vacuum Society, 2008-

· Chair-elect, Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 1/2008 – 12/2008.

· Symposium Chair, International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, CA, April 28- May 2, 2008.

· Member, AVS Finance Committee, 6/2008-12/2009.

· Member of the Constitution and By-laws Committee of the AVS, 1/1/2007 -

· Elected secretary of the Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 1/1/2007 – 12/31/2007.

· Divisional Program Chair, AVS International Symposium, Advanced Surface Engineering Division, Seattle, October 14-19, 2007.

· Elected secretary of the executive committee of the Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 1/1/2007-12/31/2007.

· Associate Editor: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, 1/2006 – 12/2008.

· Member of the Proposal Advisory Panel for the US Department of Energy Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory, 5/2006 – 4/2008.

· Member of the AVS Distinguished Lecture Series Committee, 2005.

· Invited Member of the 2006 International Glaucoma Think Tank, The Glaucoma Foundation, New York, NY, Sept. 14-16, 2006.

· Member of the Program Committee, AVS International Symposium, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.

· Co-organizer of the AVS NY-Nanotech symposium, including session chair, chair of poster competition and vendor exhibit, October 6-8, 2004.

· Member of the Editorial Board of Thin Solid Films, 1/2003 – 12/2005; 1/2006-12/2008.

· Member of an International Review Board to evaluate the Canadian Nanoscience, 2003.

· Elected member of the Executive Committee of the Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the AVS, 1/1/2004 – 12/31/2005.

· Member of the AVS ASED Scholarship and Awards Committee 2005-2008.

· Member of multiple National Science Foundation panels to evaluate proposals submitted to the Division of Materials Research, the Division of Surface Engineering and Materials Design, the Division of Design, Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation, the SBIR program, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.

· Session Chair, AVS International Symposium 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.

· Proceedings Editor, International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, 2004, 2005.

· Session Chair, International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.

· Assistant Editor, Thin Solid Films, 2000-2002.

· Judge for the NY-Nanotech Symposium, 2002.

· Reviewer for the Journal of Applied Physics, Thin Solid Films, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, Applied Physics Letters, Physical Review B, Surface Science Letters, IEEE Transactions in Nanotechnology, Nanotechnology (IOP), Journal of Crystal Growth, Vacuum, Journal of Physical Chemistry, European Journal for Inorganic Chemistry, Physica B, Surface Science, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal of Materials Research, Applied Surface Science, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Materials, Proceedings of International Conference for Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, Proceedings of the Materials Research Society Meetings, Langmuir, Optics Communications, Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng, Advanced Materials, Journal of Physics D, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Small, Surface and Coatings Technology

· Reviewer for proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Research Corporation, the US Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF), the Research Grants Council Hong-Kong (CERG), the Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT), the Kentucky Science & Engineering Foundation (KSEF), and the Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) of the American Chemical Society, Defense R&D Canada (DRDC), Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited (NAMI) Hong Kong, Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC) Singapore.

Best Paper, Poster, and Micrograph Awards

· Best Poster Award, S. Kesapragada, L. Hutcherson, and D. Gall “Si Nanopillars grown by Glancing Angle Deposition,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), 2003.

· 1^st Prize in Micrography Competition, S. Kesapragada and D. Gall “Si Nanoflowers in Polystyrene Pots,” ASM/TMS micrography competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), 2003.

· 1^st Prize in poster competition, K. Girardin and D. Gall, "Growth of Multi-Material Nanopillars," Rensselaer Undergraduate Research Forum Award, School of Engineering, April 16, 2004.

· Best Poster Award, S. Kesapragada and D. Gall, “GLAD Nanopillar Arrays for Integrated Nanodevices,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 9, 2004.

· Best Poster Award (undergraduate student competition), K. Girardin and D. Gall, “Growth of Branched Nanopillars,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 9, 2004.

· 2^nd Prize in poster competition: N. Dolinsky and D. Gall, “Surface Analysis of Epitaxial Chromium Nitride Films,” Rensselaer Undergraduate Research Forum Award, Fundamental Research, April 15, 2005.

· Poster Award, 2^nd place, S. Kesapragada and D. Gall, “Nanosprings, Rods, and Branches for Pressure Sensors,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 15, 2005.

· 2^nd Best Poster (undergraduate student competition), N. Dolinsky and D. Gall, “Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Epitaxial CrN Films,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 15, 2005.

· 2^nd Prize in poster competition: S. Pathi and D. Gall, “Nanostructured Composite Self-Lubricating Hard Coatings,” Rensselaer Undergraduate Research Forum Award, April 16, 2006.

· Poster award, 2^nd place (undergraduate student competition), P. Sotherland and D. Gall, “Atomic Imaging of Nanostructures for Radio-Frequency Switch Applications,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 14, 2006.

· 1^st Prize, poster competition for undergraduates, S. Pathi and D. Gall, “Nanostructured Composite Self-Lubricating Hard Coatings,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 14, 2006.

· 2^nd Best Poster, S. Mukherjee and D. Gall, “Effects of Surface Diffusion on Chaotic Glancing Angle Deposition,” TMS and Capital District Microscopy and Microanalysis Society, 2008 Materials Poster/Micrograph Contest and Exhibition, Nov. 19, 2008.

· 1^st Prize, undergraduate poster competition, T. Clancy, M. Gasda, G. Eisman, D. Gall, “Comparing PEM Fuel Cell Electrode Microstructures,” TMS and Capital District Microscopy and Microanalysis Society, 2008 Materials Poster/Micrograph Contest and Exhibition, Nov. 19, 2008.

· Micrograph Award, S. Mukherjee and D. Gall, “Tantalum Flowers in Silicon Valley,” AVS 56th International Symposium, San Jose, Nov. 8-13, 2009.

· Poster award, 2^nd place, J. Lange, J.S. Chawla, and D. Gall, “In-Situ Electrical Resistivity Measurements to Study Electron Scattering at Cu(001) Surfaces,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 19, 2009.

· Poster award, 2^nd place, M. Balducci, T. Keller, and D. Gall, “Optical Analysis of Thin Films,” ASM/TMS poster competition (Eastern NY, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter), November 15, 2010.

Awards of students under my guidance:

· S. V. Kesapragada, Best Graduate Student Award/Fellowship, $1000, ASM International, Eastern NY, January 2004.

· J. M. Purswani, Graduate Student Award/Fellowship, ASM International, Eastern NY, March 2007.

· C.M. Zhou, 2007 ICMCTF Gold Medal, including graduate student award finalist lecture at the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, April 23-27, 2007.

· J. M. Purswani, Best Graduate Student Award, American Vacuum Society, Thin Film Division, October 16, 2007.

· J. M. Purswani, Rensselaer’s Founders Award for Excellence, Creativity, Discovery, and Leadership, October 20, 2007.

· S. Mukherjee, Rensselaer’s Founders Award for Excellence, Creativity, Discovery, and Leadership, October 24, 2009.

Professional Memberships

· American Physical Society, 1999-

· Materials Research Society, 1999-

· AVS, Science & Technology, 1999-

· ASM International, 2004-

Editorships

1. Assistant editor: Thin Solid Films, 1/10/2000-4/30/2002.

2. Member of the editorial board: Thin Solid Films, 2003-

3. Editor: Proceedings of the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, AVS, Symposia C&H, San Diego, CA, April 19-23, 2004.

4. Guest-Editor: (A. Matthews, D. Gall, M. Fenker and Y. Pauleau), Surface and Coatings Technology, Volumes 188-189, Pages 1-767, 2004.

5. Guest-Editor: (A. Matthews, D. Gall, M. Fenker and Y. Pauleau), Thin Solid Films, Volumes 469-470, Pages 1-528, 2004.

6. Editor: Proceedings of the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, AVS, Symposium B, San Diego, CA, May 2-6, 2005.

7. Associate Editor: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, 1/2006 – 12/2008.

8. Guest-Editor: (A. Stewart, D. Gall, J. Patscheider, and Y. Pauleau), Surface and Coatings Technology, Volume 200, Pages 1219-2048, 2005.

9. Guest-Editor: (A. Stewart, D. Gall, J. Patscheider, and Y. Pauleau), Thin Solid Films, Volume 494, Pages 1-346, 2006.

Teaching

1. “Introduction to Materials,” Freshmen class, 37 students, Fall ’02.

2. “Chemistry of Materials II,” Freshmen/Sophomores, 58 students, Spring ‘03

3. “Materials Science for Engineers,” Freshmen/Sophomores, 56 students, Fall ’03, 58 students, Spring ’04, 58 students, Spring ’05, 57 students, Spring ’07, 60 students, Spring ’08.

4. “Properties of Materials I,” (optical and electronic properties / solid state physics), Juniors, 13 students, Fall ’04, 16 students, Fall ’05, 22 students Fall ’06, 27 students, Fall ’07, 35 students, Fall ’08, 27 students, Fall ’09.

5. “Thin Films,” Graduate course, 13 students, Spring ’06, 29 students, Spring ’09.

Service to the University

· Member: Graduate Curriculum Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2002-Fall 2004.

· Member: Undergraduate Admission Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2002-Spring 2003.

· Member: Campus Safety Advisory Committee, Fall 2003 – Spring 2005.

· Chair: Undergraduate Admission Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2004 – Spring 2006.

· Member: Faculty Search Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2004 – Spring 2005.

· Chair: Weekly seminar in Materials Science and Engineering, Fall 2005 – Spring 2006.

· Member: Departmental web-site committee, Fall 2005.

· Chair: Undergraduate Advising, Fall 2006-

· Member: Undergraduate Admission Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2006 –Spring 2008.

· Member: Search Committee for Department Head in Materials Science and Engineering, Fall 2006-Spring 2007.

· Member Graduate Admission Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2006 –

· Member: Provost search, Young Faculty Subcommittee, Spring 2007.

· Member: Sustainability Committee, School of Engineering, Spring 2007.

· Member: Search Committee for Senior and Chaired Faculty positions in Materials Science & Engineering, Spring 2007–Spring 2008.

· Member: Search Committee for Junior and Underrepresented Minority Faculty positions in Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2007-Spring 2008.

· Member: Baccalaureate Committee, Fall 2007 -

· Chair: Qualifying Exam Reorganization Committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2008.

· Member: Engineering Faculty Awards Committee, 2009.

· Liaison for the co-op program of the Career Development Center, 2009 –

· Chair: Undergraduate Advising, Fall 2009-

· Member: Horton Chair faculty search committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Fall 2010-Spring 2011.

· Chair: Junior faculty search committee, Materials Science & Engineering, Spring 2011.