Sue Carter, professor of physics and associate dean of graduate studies, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to physics.
Carter's research focuses on energy-related technology including photovoltaics, solid-state lighting, and luminescent solar concentrators. With expertise in thin-film technologies and printable semiconductor materials, she has developed processes that can lower the manufacturing costs for solar cells. Carter has also been actively engaged in entrepreneurship, launching three start-up companies ranging from photovoltaic technologies to K-12 science education. She directs the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development at UC Santa Cruz.
The citation from APS recognizes Carter "for contributions to the science required to improve production and utilization of energy, and efforts to exploit this understanding in both the world of commerce and in public policy."
Carter earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and worked at AT&T Bell Laboratories as a postdoctoral fellow and IBM Almaden Research Center as a visiting researcher before joining the UCSC faculty in 1995.
Election as an APS Fellow is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers. Each year, elected fellows number no more than one-half of one percent of APS membership. APS represents over 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and throughout the world.
