Athens, Ga. – Jianguo Fan, a graduate student in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Georgia, has received the Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarship from the American Vacuum Society at the AVS 54th International Symposium& Exhibition in Seattle.

The Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships were established in 2002 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. They are funded by a bequest from Dorothy M. Hoffman, who was president of AVS in 1974 and held other positions of responsibilities in the society. The award consists of a cash award, a certificate and reimbursed travel support to attend the international symposium.

This is one of the five top-level named graduate student awards the American Vacuum Society gives every year.

Fan works in Prof. Yiping Zhao’s group, and his research is focused on liquid-nanostructure interaction. He has, Zhao said, “completed several pieces of significant work in the fundamental area of wetting of nanostructured surfaces, as well as novel nanofabrication technique.”

Fan also has authored or co-authored 13 peer-reviewed papers and filed two patents. His work is mainly supported by the National Science Foundation.

In addition, a postdoctoral associate in physics, Yuping He, received the 2007 Outstanding Young Researcher Award from Thin Film Division AVS at the same meeting. This award is to encourage and recognize excellence in thin film research from scientists starting their professional careers. Yuping He is a postdoctoral researcher who also works with Yiping Zhao.

She has, Zhao said, “made significant research contributions in nanostructured thin films, including multilayered nanorod arrays and catalytic nanomotors.” Yuping He’s research is supported by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences/Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.