NANOTECH CENTER NAMED FOR EX-TAIWAN LEADER
Lee Teng-hui, former president of Taiwan and Cornell University alumnus, came back to campus this week for the groundbreaking of a nanotechnology center named after him.
The Lee Teng-hui Institute for Scientific Research will be part of a new $60 million high-tech research center. Completion is set for 2003.
Lee, who earned his Ph.D. in 1968 in agricultural economics from Cornell, gave a speech Thursday hailing the advent of what he dubbed “the nano age,” and its potential for solving problems such as pollution, natural resources depletion and food and energy shortages.
CHINA HOSTS NANOTECH CONFERENCE
The latest nanotechnology developments are expected to be discussed next week at the International Symposium on Nanomaterials and Technology in China, according to AsiaPort Daily News, an international wire service.
Topics at the conference, which is scheduled to be held July 2-5 at the Beijing International Conference Center, include nanotechnology applications in information materials, medicine, metal, energy and the environment, the report said. Related story: China opens new nanotech center
NANOGRAM CREATES NEW POSITION
A corporate attorney and consultant will be NanoGram Corp.’s first vice president of strategic and subsidiary development.
The Fremont, Calif.-based nanomaterial company hired Jason M. Lemkin, who will be responsible for global initiatives supporting nanomaterial applications and intellectual property.
Lemkin has held executive posts at Pathway Ventures, a venture-focused consulting firm, BabyCenter, now part of Johnson & Johnson, and Venture Law Group, providing counsel to technology firms.
NanoGram has developed technology for making nanomaterials for optical, electronic and energy storage.
OPTICAL NETWORKING’S FUTURE IS ‘DENSE’
Prospects look good for the optical networking market despite layoffs, lower earnings forecasts and excess capacity, according to the findings of a market-research firm reported on the Internet.com news site.
Cahners In-Stat Group said its optimism lies in dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM), a fiber-optic transmission technique that employs light wavelengths to transmit data. The technique increases both the quantity and quality of data, and easily fits into existing network equipment.
During 1999 and 2000, carriers installed a huge amount of fiber, leaving them with a large inventory. In-Stat said it expects installation to slow, creating opportunities for DWDM system manufacturers as their products allow carriers to increase capacity by lighting unused fiber rather than laying new fiber.
MORE MEMS GOAL OF NEW SLM CHIEF
Developing cutting-edge MEMS technology is the goal of the new chief executive officer of Silicon Light Machines (SLM), a subsidiary of San Jose, Calif.-based Cypress Semiconductor.
SLM on Tuesday announced the hiring of Tom Werner, whose background includes management posts at General Electric, Corning Inc. U.S. Robotics and 3Com, a Silicon news release said.
SLM said Werner will work to strengthen the company’s MEMS-based Grating Light Valve (GLV) technology in communications markets and expand product offerings.
Sony uses the GLV chip for imaging systems, such as home television and large projections for digital cinema.
MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY HIRES MEMS CHIEF
Mechanical Technology Inc. announced Tuesday that it has hired a director of MEMS and component engineering, according to a company statement.
Juan Becerra will work on the Albany, N.Y.-based company’s recently launched micro fuel-cell initiative, which focuses on developing direct methanol micro fuel cells, the company said.
Becerra has worked at Xerox Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp.