Applied Materials, Inc. announced today that Dr. Om Nalamasu, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional honors for engineers. Dr. Nalamasu received the distinction for technical innovation spanning materials development, atomically controlled thin-film fabrication, and commercialization in microelectronics and energy generation and storage.

“Om has a passion for inspiring innovation and developing engineering talent,” said Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials. “This well-deserved recognition honors the many contributions Om has made throughout his career to pursue technical breakthroughs and advance the technology that is now part of our everyday lives.”

Dr. Nalamasu is a world-renowned expert in materials science and has made seminal contributions to the fields of optical lithography and polymeric materials science and technology. As a champion for a global innovation culture, he has built a world-class team to support Applied’s leadership in materials engineering, and solidified strategic relationships with universities, government organizations and research institutes around the world. He also serves as president of Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital fund of Applied Materials, where he oversees investments in early- and growth-stage companies. Prior to joining Applied in 2006, Om was a NYSTAR Distinguished Professor of materials science and engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he also served as Vice President of Research. Before that he served in several leadership roles at Bell Laboratories.

“It is a tremendous honor to join such a distinguished community of engineers and technologists,” said Dr. Nalamasu. “There has never been a more exciting time to be an engineer and develop innovative solutions that help solve the world’s toughest challenges.”

Dr. Nalamasu has received numerous awards, authored more than 180 papers, review articles and books, and holds more than 200 worldwide issued or pending patent applications. He is a member of the board of directors of The Tech Museum in Silicon Valley and serves on several national and international advisory boards. Born in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, he earned a B.Sc. from Osmania University, a M.Sc. from the University of Hyderabad and received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Founded in 1964, the NAE strives to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology.