Pioneering OSU scientist honored

Friday, October 8, 2010

Oklahoma State University Regents Professor Daniel Grischkowsky has been selected for the 2011 Kenneth J. Button Prize that is awarded in recognition of “outstanding contributions to the science of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

Grischkowsky, Bellmon Professor of Optoelectronics at OSU, will be honored for his pioneering contributions to the development of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) at the annual meeting of the International Society of Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves in Houston next year.

Spectroscopy is the use of electromagnetic radiation to study matter or physical processes. Grischkowsky is considered an optics pioneer for his development and applications of THz spectroscopy. His work has offered science new measurement techniques for greater speed, accuracy, and new areas of exploration. THz-TDS spectrometers, based on Grischkowsky’s innovations and design, are now used in laboratories worldwide.

“I relocated from the IBM Watson Research Center to OSU in 1993 to continue my work in THz spectroscopy and THz photonics. The award of the Button Prize confirms my belief in the importance of both THz science and THz technology,” said Grischkowsky.

From lasers and microchips to radar ranging studies, Grischkowsky’s work has applications in numerous areas from the high speed transfer of enormous amounts of data, safer and more revealing medical imaging, communications, as well as defense and homeland security.

Grischkowsky has been honored several times throughout his career including the Boris Pregel Award for Applied Science and Technology (1985) by the New York Academy of Sciences; the R.W. Wood Prize from The Optical Society (1989) for development of the optical fiber optical pulse compressor; and the William F. Meggers Award from The Optical Society (2003) for development and applications of THz time-domain spectroscopy.