January 16, 2003

David W. Sukow, assistant professor of physics and engineering at Washington and Lee University, has received the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award for junior faculty. His Career Award provides $400,000 over five years for his research projects involving optics and lasers.

"Career Awards support exceptionally promising college and university junior faculty who are committed to the integration of research and education," said NSF Director Rita Colwell. "We recognize these faculty members, new in their careers, as most likely to become the academic leaders of the 21st century."

Career Awardees were selected on the basis of creative, career-development plans that effectively integrate research and education within the context of the mission of their institution.

Sukow is one of approximately 400 researchers across the nation to receive an NSF Career Award. "This is a significant award for David," said George Carras, director of corporate and foundation relations and faculty grant support at W&L. "Most Career Awards are bestowed on professors at large research institutions. It is unusual for an undergraduate professor at a liberal arts college to receive one. The award is a tribute to the quality of David's research, the importance and significance of the topic and his previous research and funding record."

Sukow's proposal focuses on developing and supporting a stronger research program at W&L through expanding his experimental research program in semiconductor laser dynamics. He explains that when lasers are used to read information from compact disks or to transmit data through fiber optic lines, a small portion of the light is often reflected directly back into the laser. This reflected light can make a normally stable laser begin to pulse and oscillate erratically, which usually degrades the information.

Another area Sukow is studying involves setting two lasers to pulse erratically but in exactly the same way so that encoded information cannot be easily deciphered.

"These are subjects of fundamental interest and technological importance," Sukow said. "The results of these research projects will contribute to faster and more efficient optical communication systems."

Over the last few years, Sukow has utilized the talents of his undergraduate students in his research projects and in several published papers, naming his students as co-authors. The Career Award will allow him to mentor more undergraduate and high school research assistants on his team. Moreover, he will use his funds to bring visiting scholars to campus, establish collaborations with others in his area, develop new courses to bridge the gap between the classroom and the research lab and strengthen outreach programs to the local community.

Sukow, who joined the W&L physics-engineering department in 1999, holds a Ph.D. in physics from Duke University. Prior to joining W&L he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, N.M. His projects at W&L have been funded by grants from the Jeffress Memorial Trust, the W.M. Keck Foundation and the ILX Lightwave University Donation Program.