The University of Texas at Dallas announced today that two pioneers in the promising field of nanotechnology will join its faculty this fall and establish an interdisciplinary nanotechnology research institute on its campus, positioning UTD as a leader in a cutting-edge science with the potential to revolutionize such disparate fields as electronics, medicine, communications and manufacturing. The appointment of Drs. Dr. Baughman is one of the major figures in this field whose innovative collaborative work with Dr. Zakhidov is globally recognized and highly respected. They are Dr. Alan Dalton of Trinity University in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Igor Efimov of Russia from Leicester University in the U.K. and Dr. Edgar Munoz of the University of Saragossa in Spain.
Nanotechnology is the fabrication of devices or structures on an atomic or molecular level.
Using this new science, researchers believe that one day they may be able to construct microscopic medical devices, molecular computers and miniature robots. Other possible results include self-replicating manufacturing systems, able both to make copies of themselves and to manufacture useful products, all done at the molecular level. He also will serve as director of the university's new nanotechnology institute. Zakhidov, a native of Uzbekistan who has also taught molecular science at universities in Japan and Italy, will assume a full professorship in the UTD Department of Physics and work closely with Baughman in establishing and operating the nanotechnology institute. The addition of two of the true 'superstars' in their field, coupled with the establishment of a nanotechnology center here, positions UTD in the vanguard of universities that are researching and applying this new, promising and potentially powerful science.