Silicon

Interviewed by
David Zierler
Interview date
Location
Video conference
Abstract

Interview with Michal Lipson, Eugene Professor in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics at Columbia University. She recounts her childhood as the daughter of a prominent physicist whose work took the family to Israel and then in Brazil, where she spent her formative years in São Paulo. Lipson explains her decision to pursue a degree in physics at Technion in Israel, where she remained to complete her graduate studies in semiconductor physics under the direction of Elisha Cohen. She describes her postdoctoral research at MIT in material science with Lionel Kimerling, and she explains the opportunities that led to her first faculty position at Cornell. Lipson describes her dual interest in pursuing basic science research and industry-relevant work. She discusses her work in photonics which led to her MacArthur fellowship and the significance of her study of slot waveguides and optical amplification in silicon. Lipson describes her subsequent work in nonlinear photonics and high-power lasers, and she explains the opportunity leading to her current position at Columbia, where she has focused on two-dimensional materials. At the end of the interview, Lipson emphasizes the fundamental importance of oscillators that have always informed her research.

Interviewed by
William Thomas
Interview date
Location
Washington, D. C.
Abstract

The interview discusses Brodsky's family and education in Florida and Pennsylvania, and his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. He also received his Ph.D. in physics there under the supervision of Elias Burstein. He also discusses his participation in ROTC, and his subsequent work at military research facilities, including Frankford Arsenal, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, and the Army Night Vision Laboratory.

Brodsky began his work at IBM Research in 1968. There is substantial discussion of early research work at IBM, particularly on amorphous silicon, and his transition to management circa 1980, interactions with John Armstrong, James McGroddy, Ralph Gomory, and others.

There is some discussion of later involvement in consumer products development, particularly the patent for digital video recording technology.

Finally, he discusses his transition to Executive Director and CEO of the American Institute of Physics in 1993, including the mission of AIP and the move from New York to College Park.