Stephen Ducharme
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience
University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588-0111
sducharme1@unl.edu, http://physics.unl.edu/~ducharme
(402) 472-8590, (402) 472-2879 FAX

Research Interests: Ferroelectric Polymers; Low-Dimensional Ferroelectricity; Ferroelectric Materials; Piezoelectricity and Pyroelectricity; High-dielectric-constant composites

Education and Outreach Interests: Interactive-Engagement Physics Instruction; Undergraduate Research, Astronomy Education, K-12 Science Teacher Preparation

Professional Preparation

1982-86  PhD     Physics, University of Southern California with Jack Feinberg

1981-82  MA      Physics, University of Southern California

1977-81  BS       Physics, Magna Cum Laude, University of Lowell, Massachusetts

Appointments

2001-present      Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Physics and Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska

1996-2000          Associate Professor, Same

1991-1995          Assistant Professor, Same

1988-1990          Visiting Scientist, IBM Almaden Research Center

1986-1988          Postdoctoral Assistant, Department of Physics, University of Utah

Papers in Refereed Archival Journals

91

Colloquia and Seminars

31

Conference Proceedings Papers

28

Invited Conference Presentations

24

Edited Proceedings/Special Issues

6

Regular Conference Presentations

125

Book Chapters

1

Patents

3

Publications

Synergistic Activities

Teaching: Astronomy (intro.), College Physics (intro.); University Physics (intro.); Modern Topics in Physics & Astronomy (seminar); Electricity & Magnetism (intro.); Physics of Lasers & Modern Optics (adv. lab.); Electromag. Theory (adv.), Optics & Electromag. Waves (adv.).

Curriculum Development: Development of PHYS 343: ÒPhysics of Lasers and Modern Optics Laboratory;Ó a hands-on laboratory course covering the fundamental physics applications of modern optics and lasers. PHYS 201H: ÒModern Topics in Physics and AstronomyÓ; Redesign of the UNL Physics and Astronomy B.S. and B.A. undergraduate programs.

Outreach: MRSEC Research Experiences for Teachers Coordinator (2003-present); Saturday Science Guest Lecturer (1992-present); Project Fulcrum Guest Speaker (2002-present); Co-Director, NSF REU for Materials Research placing 90 undergraduates in Research groups at UNL, with an emphasis on recruiting underrepresented students and students at 4-year institutions, 1996-2000.

Service to the Profession: Chair and Proceedings Editor, SPIE Conf. on Organic Photorefractive Materials, 1995-99. Proposal reviewer major US, private, and non-US science funding agencies. Manuscript reviewer for journals covering physics and applied physics.

Service to the University: Research Council Member (2009-), Department Vice-Chair (2001-present), Department Academic Planning Comm. (1993-present, Chair 2001-present); Research Advisory Board (2002-2006), College Curriculum Comm. (2000-2004); Chair, Sigma Xi Graduate Paper Competition (1998-2002); Dept. Advisory Comm. (1997-present); Physics Scholarship Coor-dinator (1991-2006); Sigma Xi Representative (1991-2002); Graduate Exam Comm. (1991-2); Graduate Comm. (1996-97); Numerous ad hoc and search committees.

Collaborators and Other Colleagues

Collaborators last 4 years: S. Adenwalla, A. Gruverman, Y. F. Lu, J. S. Huang, J. M. Takacs (U. Nebraska; V. M. Fridkin (Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences); S. V. Kalinin (Oak Ridge National Lab); H. Kohlstedt (IFF JŸlich, Germany); J. Y. Li (U. Washington); S. M. Nakhmanson (Argonne National Lab).

Ph.D. Advisor: J. Feinberg (University of Southern California).

Post-doc Supervisors: P. C. Taylor (retired) and W. E. Moerner (Stanford U.).

Post-docs last 4 years (total 8): M. Bai (U. Missouri), G. Vizdrik (U. SaarbrŸcken), Z. X. Ge (Albemarle Corp.), L. Zhang (Penn State U.) , R. Korlacki (current), T. J. Reece (current).

Graduate Studentslast 4 years (total 12): C. Othon (PhD 2005); M. Poulsen (PhD 2007); T. Reece (MS 2002, PhD 2007); J. Kim (PhD 2008); K. Kraemer; S. Poddar, B. Hage (current).

Undergraduate Students last 4 years: Stella Stephens (2007 REU student from U. Texas-Pan American); B. Hage, J. Johnston, B. Plowman (B.S 2009).